During crime scene investigations, numerous traces are secured and may be used as evidence for the evaluation of source and/or activity level propositions. The rapid chemical analysis of a biological trace enables the identification of body fluids and can provide significant donor profiling information, including age, sex, drug abuse, and lifestyle. Such information can be used to provide new leads, exclude from, or restrict the list of possible suspects during the investigative phase. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art labelling techniques to identify the most suitable visual enhancer to be implemented in a lateral flow immunoassay setup for the purpose of trace identification and/or donor profiling. Upon comparison, and with reference to the strengths and limitations of each label, the simplistic one-step analysis of noncompetitive lateral flow immunoassay (LFA) together with the implementation of carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) as visual enhancers is proposed for a sensitive, accurate, and reproducible in situ trace analysis. This approach is versatile and stable over different environmental conditions and external stimuli. The findings of the present comparative analysis may have important implications for future forensic practice. The selection of an appropriate enhancer is crucial for a well-designed LFA that can be implemented at the crime scene for a time- and cost-efficient investigation.
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From the article: "A facile approach for the fabrication of large-scale interdigitated nanogap electrodes (nanogap IDEs) with a controllable gap was demonstrated with conventional micro-fabrication technology to develop chemocapacitors for gas sensing applications. In this work, interdigitated nanogap electrodes (nanogap IDEs) with gaps from 50–250 nm have been designed and processed at full wafer-scale. These nanogap IDEs were then coated with poly(4-vinyl phenol) as a sensitive layer to form gas sensors for acetone detection at low concentrations. These acetone sensors showed excellent sensing performance with a dynamic range from 1000 ppm to 10 ppm of acetone at room temperature and the observed results are compared with conventional interdigitated microelectrodes according to our previous work. Sensitivity and reproducibility of devices are discussed in detail. Our approach of fabrication of nanogap IDEs together with a simple coating method to apply the sensing layer opens up possibilities to create various nanogap devices in a cost-effective manner for gas sensing applications"
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The thoracic and peritoneal cavities are lined by serous membranes and are home of the serosal immune system. This immune system fuses innate and adaptive immunity, to maintain local homeostasis and repair local tissue damage, and to cooperate closely with the mucosal immune system. Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are found abundantly in the thoracic and peritoneal cavities, and they are crucial in first defense against pathogenic viruses and bacteria. Nanomaterials (NMs) can enter the cavities intentionally for medical purposes, or unintentionally following environmental exposure; subsequent serosal inflammation and cancer (mesothelioma) has gained significant interest. However, reports on adverse effects of NMon ILCs and other components of the serosal immune systemare scarce or even lacking. As ILCs are crucial in the first defense against pathogenic viruses and bacteria, it is possible that serosal exposure to NMmay lead to a reduced resistance against pathogens. Additionally, affected serosal lymphoid tissues and cells may disturb adipose tissue homeostasis. This review aims to provide insight into key effects of NMon the serosal immune system.
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Antibiotics are a factor in developing antibiotic resistance in the environment. Outbreaks due to pathogens and resistant bacteria are an emerging issue in this decade. Resistance of Escherichia coli to two groups of antibiotics has been revised recently by the World Health Organization (WHO). These data showed that bacteria have already developed resistance to third and fourth group of antibiotics. The WHO report on surveillance and antibiotics consumption evaluation showed that antibiotic consumption varies in EU countries. Outbreaks have increased in parallel to these data depending on country, season, sex, and age group. This chapter revises the routes of spreading and surveillance of E. coli. There is a particular focus on water sources including hospitals, urban wastewater treatment plants (UWTPs), diffuse sources, and water reuse. Extensively revised data are given on the control techniques by biological and advanced processes. The emerging issue of gene transfer control in parallel to the control of bacteria is expressed. A detailed literature survey of emerging technologies of photocatalysis and nanoparticles is given.
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Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable biopolymers (polyesters), produced by a wide range of bacterial strains. They are gaining increasing interest in different research fields, due to their sustainability and environmental-friendly properties. Additionally, PHAs are also biocompatible, which makes them interesting for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. At the same time, they are characterized by properties ideal for 3D printing processing, such as high tensile strength, easy processability and thermoplasticity. To date, the techniques employed in PHAs printing mostly include fused deposition modeling (FDM), selective laser sintering (SLS), electrospinning (ES), and melt electrospinning (MES). In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of the versatile and sustainably sourced bacterial PHAs, also modified by blending with natural and synthetic polymers (e.g., PLA, PGA) or combining them with inorganic fillers (e.g., nanoparticles, glass), used for 3D printing in biomedical applications. We specify focus on the printing conditions and the properties of the obtained scaffolds with a focus on the print resolution and scaffolds mechanical and biological properties. New perspectives in the emerging field of PHAs biofabrication process, characterized by sustainability and efficiency of the scaffold production, are demonstrated. The use of alternative printing techniques, i.e. melt electrowriting (MEW), and producing smart and functional materials degrading on demand under in vitro and in vivo conditions is proposed.
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Implementation of reliable methodologies allowing Reduction, Refinement, and Replacement (3Rs) of animal testing is a process that takes several decades and is still not complete. Reliable methods are essential for regulatory hazard assessment of chemicals where differences in test protocol can influence the test outcomes and thus affect the confidence in the predictive value of the organisms used as an alternative for mammals. Although test guidelines are common for mammalian studies, they are scarce for non-vertebrate organisms that would allow for the 3Rs of animal testing. Here, we present a set of 30 reporting criteria as the basis for such a guideline for Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology (DART) testing in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Small organisms like C. elegans are upcoming in new approach methodologies for hazard assessment; thus, reliable and robust test protocols are urgently needed. A literature assessment of the fulfilment of the reporting criteria demonstrates that although studies describe methodological details, essential information such as compound purity and lot/batch number or type of container is often not reported. The formulated set of reporting criteria for C. elegans testing can be used by (i) researchers to describe essential experimental details (ii) data scientists that aggregate information to assess data quality and include data in aggregated databases (iii) regulators to assess study data for inclusion in regulatory hazard assessment of chemicals.
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From PLoS website: In general, dietary antigens are tolerated by the gut associated immune system. Impairment of this so-called oral tolerance is a serious health risk. We have previously shown that activation of the ligand-dependent transcription factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) by the environmental pollutant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) affects both oral tolerance and food allergy. In this study, we determine whether a common plant-derived, dietary AhR-ligand modulates oral tolerance as well. We therefore fed mice with indole-3-carbinole (I3C), an AhR ligand that is abundant in cruciferous plants. We show that several I3C metabolites were detectable in the serum after feeding, including the high-affinity ligand 3,3´-diindolylmethane (DIM). I3C feeding robustly induced the AhR-target gene CYP4501A1 in the intestine; I3C feeding also induced the aldh1 gene, whose product catalyzes the formation of retinoic acid (RA), an inducer of regulatory T cells. We then measured parameters indicating oral tolerance and severity of peanut-induced food allergy. In contrast to the tolerance-breaking effect of TCDD, feeding mice with chow containing 2 g/kg I3C lowered the serum anti-ovalbumin IgG1 response in an experimental oral tolerance protocol. Moreover, I3C feeding attenuated symptoms of peanut allergy. In conclusion, the dietary compound I3C can positively influence a vital immune function of the gut.
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Background: Particulate matter (PM) exposure is an important health risk, both in daily life and in the workplace. It causes respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and results in 800,000 premature deaths per year worldwide. In earlier research, we assessed workers’ information needs regarding workplace PM exposure, the properties and effects of PM, and the rationale behind various means of protection. We also concluded that workers do not always receive appropriate risk communication tools with regards to PM, and that their PM knowledge appears to be fragmented and incomplete. Methods: We considered several concepts for use as an educational material based on evaluation criteria: ease of use, costs, appropriateness for target audiences and goals, interactivity, implementation issues, novelty, and speed. We decided to develop an educational folder, which can be used to inform employees about the properties, effects and prevention methods concerning PM. Furthermore, we decided on a test setup of a more interactive way of visualisation of exposure to PM by means of exposimeters. For the development of the folder, we based the information needs on our earlier mental models-based research. We adjusted the folder based on the results of ten semi-structured interviews evaluating its usability. Results: The semi-structured interviews yielded commentaries and suggestions for further improvement, which resulted in a number of alterations to the folder. However, in most cases the folder was deemed satisfactory. Conclusion: Based on this study, the folder we developed is suitable for a larger-scale experiment and a practical test. Further research is needed to investigate the efficacy of the folder and the application of the exposimeter in a PM risk communication system.
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Sustainable energy production relies on smart design of functional nanomaterials with controllable sizes and structures. Core-shell nanoparticles are highly functional materials with properties arising from the core or shell materials or a combination of both. Changing the electronic properties of the shell by tailored design or induced by the underlying core lead to enhanced catalytic performances, especially in electrocatalysis. Tailoring the structure and functions of core and shell materials simultaneously often involves complex chemical methods. In this KIEM GoChem project, University of Amsterdam will work together with VSParticle, Spark904 and Inholland University of Applied Sciences to develop a novel and environmentally friendly method for the gas-phase synthesis of core-shell nanoparticles. A physical process will be used to control the growth and the mean size of the core whilst the structure and thickness of the shell will be tuned via selective adsorption and thermal processes. Core-shell nanoparticles produced by the proposed method can be directly incorporated into the next process step, e.g. at electrode surface or in (conductive) composites.
