Explore the vast range of titles available.

Convective transport can significantly distort spatial concentration gradients. Interstitial flow is ubiquitous throughout living tissue, but our understanding of how interstitial flow affects concentration gradients in biological processes is limited. Interstitial flow is of particular interest for angiogenesis because pathological and physiological angiogenesis is associated with altered interstitial flow, and both interstitial flow and morphogen gradients (e.g., vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF) can potentially stimulate and guide new blood vessel growth. We designed an in vitro microfluidic platform to simulate 3D angiogenesis in a tissue microenvironment that precisely controls interstitial flow and spatial morphogen gradients. The microvascular tissue was developed from endothelial colony forming cell-derived endothelial cells extracted from cord blood and stromal fibroblasts in a fibrin extracellular matrix. Pressure in the microfluidic lines was manipulated to control the interstitial flow. A mathematical model of mass and momentum transport, and experimental studies with fluorescently labeled dextran were performed to validate the platform. Our data demonstrate that at physiological interstitial flow (0.1–10 μm/s), morphogen gradients were eliminated within hours, and angiogenesis demonstrated a striking bias in the opposite direction of interstitial flow. The interstitial flow-directed angiogenesis was dependent on the presence of VEGF, and the effect was mediated by αvβ3 integrin. We conclude that under physiological conditions, growth factors such as VEGF and fluid forces work together to initiate and spatially guide angiogenesis.

Inexpensive, simple, rapid diagnostics are necessary for efficient detection, treatment, and mitigation of COVID-19. Assays for SARS-CoV2 using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) offer good sensitivity and excellent specificity, but are expensive, slowed by transport to centralized testing laboratories, and often unavailable. Antigen-based assays are inexpensive and can be rapidly mass-produced and deployed at point-of-care, with lateral flow assays (LFAs) being the most common format. While various manufacturers have produced commercially available SARS-Cov2 antigen LFAs, access to validated tests remains difficult or cost prohibitive in low-and middle-income countries. Herein, we present a visually read open-access LFA (OA-LFA) using commercially-available antibodies and materials for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. The LFA yielded a Limit of Detection (LOD) of 4 TCID 50 /swab of gamma irradiated SARS-CoV-2 virus, meeting the acceptable analytical sensitivity outlined by in World Health Organization target product profile. The open-source architecture presented in this manuscript provides a template for manufacturers around the globe to rapidly design a SARS-CoV2 antigen test.

Inadequate drinking water quality is among the major causes of preventable mortality, predominantly in young children. Identifying contaminated water sources remains a significant challenge, especially where resources are limited. The current methods for measuring Escherichia coli ( E. coli ), the WHO preferred indicator for measuring fecal contamination of water, involve overnight incubation and require specialized training. In 2016, UNICEF released a Target Product Profile (TPP) to incentivize product innovations to detect low levels of viable E. coli in water samples in the field in less than 6 h. Driven by this challenge, we developed a phage-based assay to detect and semi-quantify E. coli . We formulated a phage cocktail containing a total of 8 phages selected against an extensive bacterial strain library and recombined with the sensitive NanoLuc luciferase reporter. The assay was optimized to be processed in a microfluidic chip designed in-house and was tested against locally sourced sewage samples and on drinking water sources in Nairobi, Kenya. With this assay, combined with the microfluidic chip platform, we propose a complete automated solution to detect and semi-quantify E. coli at less than 10 MPN/100 mL in 5.5 h by minimally trained personnel.

Rapid tests for SARS-COV-2 infection are important tools for pandemic control, but current rapid tests are based on proprietary designs and reagents. We report clinical validation results of an open-access lateral flow assay (OA-LFA) design using commercially available materials and reagents, along with RT-qPCR and commercially available comparators (BinaxNOW® and Sofia®). Adult patients with suspected COVID-19 based on clinical signs and symptoms, and with symptoms ≤7 days duration, underwent anterior nares (AN) sampling for the OA-LFA, Sofia®, BinaxNOW ™, and RT-qPCR, along with nasopharyngeal (NP) RT-qPCR. Results indicate a positive predictive agreement with NP sampling as 69% (60% -78%) OA-LFA, 74% (64% - 82%) Sofia®, and 82% (73% - 88%) BinaxNOW™. The implication for these results is that we provide an open-access LFA design that meets the minimum WHO target product profile for a rapid test, that virtually any diagnostic manufacturer could produce.

The lateral flow assay (LFA) is one of the most popular technologies on the point-of-care diagnostics market due to its low cost and ease of use, with applications ranging from pregnancy to environmental toxins to infectious disease. While the use of these tests is relatively straightforward, significant development time and effort are required to create tests that are both sensitive and specific. Workflows to guide the LFA development process exist but moving from target selection to an LFA that is ready for field testing can be labor intensive, resource heavy, and time consuming. To reduce the cost and the duration of the LFA development process, we introduce a novel development platform centered on the flexibility, speed, and throughput of an automated robotic liquid handling system. The system comprises LFA-specific hardware and software that enable large optimization experiments with discrete and continuous variables such as antibody pair selection or reagent concentration. Initial validation of the platform was demonstrated during development of a malaria LFA but was readily expanded to encompass development of SARS-CoV-2 and Mycobacterium tuberculosis LFAs. The validity of the platform, where optimization experiments are run directly on LFAs rather than in solution, was based on a direct comparison between the robotic system and a more traditional ELISA-like method. By minimizing hands-on time, maximizing experiment size, and enabling improved reproducibility, the robotic system improved the quality and quantity of LFA assay development efforts.

El Acuífero Región Carbonífera es uno de los 28 sistemas hidrogeológicos existentes en el estado de Coahuila, y también de los que más presiones sufre debido a la actividad minera y la sobreexplotación. Este estudio se enmarca en la porción oeste de dicho acuífero, abarcando el Ejido Morelos y la Colonia El Nacimiento, ambos en el municipio Melchor Múzquiz. En dicha área se tomaron muestras en 14 sitios (4 pozos, 6 norias, 2 manantiales y 2 secciones del río Sabinas), con el objetivo de caracterizar desde el punto de vista hidrogeoquímico e isotópico estos cuerpos hídricos y así obtener un modelo conceptual de dicho sector. Los resultados obtenidos muestran la variabilidad química de las aguas muestreadas, clasificándose como aguas de tipo bicarbonatada-cálcica, bicarbonatadasódica, sulfatada-cálcica y clorurada-sódica, lo cual sugiere la ocurrencia de variados procesos que afectan la calidad del recurso, entre ellos la salinidad. Desde el punto de vista isotópico se propone un origen meteórico para la mayoría de los cuerpos hídricos en estudio, cuya zona de recarga proviene de la sierra de Santa Rosa. Sin embargo, procesos como la evaporación superficial, la disolución de sales, y el intercambio iónico generan variabilidad química y fraccionamiento isotópico, lo que condiciona firmas isotópicas más pesadas, y aguas más enriquecidas y salinas. Estos elementos se representan en un modelo geohidrológico e isotópico conceptual, que integra ambas interpretaciones y muestra la complejidad hidrogeológica de la región en términos de calidad del recurso.

El Acuífero Región Carbonífera es uno de los 28 sistemas hidrogeológicos existentes en el estado de Coahuila, y también de los que más presiones sufre debido a la actividad minera y la sobreexplotación. Este estudio se enmarca en la porción oeste de dicho acuífero, abarcando el Ejido Morelos y la Colonia El Nacimiento, ambos en el municipio Melchor Múzquiz. En dicha área se tomaron muestras en 14 sitios (4 pozos, 6 norias, 2 manantiales y 2 secciones del río Sabinas), con el objetivo de caracterizar desde el punto de vista hidrogeoquímico e isotópico estos cuerpos hídricos y así obtener un modelo conceptual de dicho sector. Los resultados obtenidos muestran la variabilidad química de las aguas muestreadas, clasificándose como aguas de tipo bicarbonatada-cálcica, bicarbonatada-sódica, sulfatada-cálcica y clorurada-sódica, lo cual sugiere la ocurrencia de variados procesos que afectan la calidad del recurso, entre ellos la salinidad. Desde el punto de vista isotópico se propone un origen meteórico para la mayoría de los cuerpos hídricos en estudio, cuya zona de recarga proviene de la sierra de Santa Rosa. Sin embargo, procesos como la evaporación superficial, la disolución de sales, y el intercambio iónico generan variabilidad química y fraccionamiento isotópico, lo que condiciona firmas isotópicas más pesadas, y aguas más enriquecidas y salinas. Estos elementos se representan en un modelo geohidrológico e isotópico conceptual, que integra ambas interpretaciones y muestra la complejidad hidrogeológica de la región en términos de calidad del recurso.

Inexpensive, simple, rapid diagnostics are necessary for efficient detection, treatment, and mitigation of COVID-19. Assays for SARS-CoV2 using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) offer good sensitivity and excellent specificity, but are expensive, slowed by transport to centralized testing laboratories, and often unavailable. Antigen-based assays are inexpensive and can be rapidly mass-produced and deployed at point-of-care, with lateral flow assays (LFAs) being the most common format. While various manufacturers have produced commercially available SARS-Cov2 antigen LFAs, access to validated tests remains difficult or cost prohibitive in low-and middle-income countries. Herein, we present a visually read open-access LFA (OA-LFA) using commercially-available antibodies and materials for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. The LFA yielded a Limit of Detection (LOD) of 4 TCID50/swab of gamma irradiated SARS-CoV-2 virus, meeting the acceptable analytical sensitivity outlined by in World Health Organization target product profile. The open-source architecture presented in this manuscript provides a template for manufacturers around the globe to rapidly design a SARS-CoV2 antigen test.

Schiff bases are imine derivatives widely recognized for their structural versatility and ability to coordinate transition metals, giving rise to compounds with remarkable physicochemical and biological properties. Over the last decade, numerous studies have reported their diverse applications, ranging from antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer activities to roles as catalysts, fluorescent sensors, and photovoltaic materials. While previous reviews have focused on specific aspects—such as biomedical activity, catalytic transformations, or luminescent sensing—there is still a lack of an integrative perspective that connects these different areas. In this review, we provide a comprehensive analysis of recent advances in Schiff bases and their metal complexes, emphasizing their multifunctionality at the interface of bioinorganic chemistry and materials science. We highlight how metal coordination enhances biological activity, how structural design expands the scope of asymmetric catalysis, how Schiff‐based fluorophores are emerging as versatile luminescent sensors, and how aromatic and metal‐Schiff derivatives contribute to the development of next‐generation photovoltaic devices. By offering this transversal vision, the article aims to bridge fragmented knowledge and outline future research directions to fully exploit the potential of Schiff bases in medicine, catalysis, sensing, and sustainable energy.

Currently, there is no consensus on the criteria for identifying metabolic syndrome in children, as observed in the diversity of research developed. For this reason, a scoping review was developed in this work, in order to compare the criteria for the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome (MetS) applied in children, described in observational, descriptive cross-sectional studies. The databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and the search engine Google Scholar were used. The search terms \"metabolic syndrome\", \"cardiometabolic syndrome\", \"child\", \"children\" and \"childhood\" were considered, as well as the names of organizations or authors proposing identification criteria for MetS to establish search relationships using the Boolean connectors \"AND\" and \"OR\". Likewise, two reviewers carried out the evaluation and selection of articles, of which 26 articles were included in which children aged 6 to 12 participated. It was found that the most commonly used criteria for identifying MetS since 2015 are those of Cook et al, IDF, NCEP ATPIII, and De Ferranti et al, in that order. Specific criteria, such as those proposed by Cook et al, are being chosen to enhance the accuracy of identifying MetS in children. The most common risk factors in children with MetS are abdominal circumference and BMI, followed by triglycerides, HDL, blood pressure, and blood glucose. The prevalence of MetS in children varies according to the criteria used, being higher with De Ferranti et al.