Fabrication and Characterization of Simple Structure Fluidic-Based Memristor for Immunosensing of NS1 Protein Application.

Non-structural protein 1 (NS1 protein) is becoming a commonplace biomarker for the diagnostic of early detection of dengue. In this study, we sought to use a label-free approach of detecting NS1 protein by harnessing fluidic-based memristor sensor. The sensor was fabricated using sol-gel spin coating technique, by which TiO2 thin film is coated on the surface of Indium tin oxide (ITO) and a glass substrate. The sensor was then functionalized with glycidoxypropyl-trimethoxysilane (GPTS), acting as antibody for NS1. The addition of the target NS1 formed an antibody-antigen complex which altered the physical and electrical properties in sensing region. Sensing of the sensor is incumbent upon the measurement of Off-On resistance ratio. Imaging with Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) evinced the successful immobilization of the antibody and the subsequent capture of the NS1 protein by the immobilized antibody. The detection limit actualized by the developed sensor was 52 nM and the diameter of 2 mm gives the most optimal measurement. The developed sensor demonstrated an immense potential towards the development of label-free diagnostic of early dengue infection.

Anti-EGFR anchored paclitaxel loaded PLGA nanoparticles for the treatment of triple negative breast cancer. In-vitro and in-vivo anticancer activities.

The aim of the present study is to analyze the viability of anti-EGFR anchored immunonanoparticle (INP) bearing Paclitaxel (PTX) to specifically bind the EGFR protein on the TNBC cells. The NP was prepared by nanoprecipitation and characterized the particle size, charge, entrapment of drug and release of it. The anti-EGFR anchored and the integrity was confirmed by SDS-PAGE. Cytotoxicity and NPs cellular uptake was analyzed with MDA-MB-468 type cancer cells and the EGFR expression was confirmed by PCR, qualitatively and quantitatively. The in-vivo antitumor activity of INP was determined by using athymic mice model and targeting efficiency was measured by calculating the PTX accumulation in the tumor plasma. The prepared INP with the size of 336.3 nm and the charge of -3.48 mV showed sustained drug release upto 48 h. The INP showed significant reduction of cancer cell viability of 10.6% for 48 h with 93 fold higher PTX accumulation in the tumor plasma compared with NPs. Based on these reports, we recommend that anti-EGFR anchored PTX loaded NP may have the ability to target the TNBC cells and improve the therapeutic action and subsidize the side effects of PTX for the treatment of TNBC.

Metabolomics approach for multibiomarkers determination to investigate dengue virus infection in human patients.

BACKGROUND: Dengue is one of the major public health problems in the world, affecting more than fifty million cases in tropical and subtropical region every year. The metabolome, as pathophysiological end-points, provide significant understanding of the mechanism and progression of dengue pathogenesis via changes in the metabolite profile of infected patients. Recent developments in diagnostic technologies provide metabolomics for the early detection of infectious diseases. METHODS: The mid-stream urine was collected from 96 patients diagnosed with dengue fever at Penang General Hospital (PGH) and 50 healthy volunteers. Urine samples were analyzed with proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy, followed by chemometric multivariate analysis. NMR signals highlighted in the orthogonal partial least square-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) S-plots were selected and identified using Human Metabolome Database (HMDB) and Chenomx Profiler. A highly predictive model was constructed from urine profile of dengue infected patients versus healthy individuals with the total R2Y (cum) value 0.935, and the total Q2Y (cum) value 0.832. RESULTS: Data showed that dengue infection is related to amino acid metabolism, tricarboxylic acid intermediates cycle and ß-oxidation of fatty acids. Distinct variations in certain metabolites were recorded in infected patients including amino acids, various organic acids, betaine, valerylglycine, myo-inositol and glycine. CONCLUSION: Metabolomics approach provides essential insight into host metabolic disturbances following dengue infection.

Genome Sequencing and Annotation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis PR08 strain.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is an acid fast bacterial species in the family Mycobacteriaceae and is the causative agent of most cases of tuberculosis. Here, we report the genomic features of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of a patient diagnosed with both pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB). The isolated strain was identified as Mycobacterium tuberculosis PR08 (MTB PR08). Genomic DNA of the MTB PR08 strain was extracted and subjected to whole genome sequencing using MiSeq (Illumina, CA,USA). The draft genome size of MTB PR08 strain is 4,292,364 bp with a G + C content of 65.2%. This strain was annotated to have 4723 genes and 48 RNAs. This whole genome shotgun project has been deposited at DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank under the accession number CP010895.

MICAP--a novel system for identification and communication of dental problems.

AIM: To design a new tooth notation system to record and communicate dental and periodontal problems around the world. METHODOLOGY: The design of a new tooth notification system is based on the first letter of each tooth class, M-molar, I-incisor, C-canine and P-premolar, termed as ANAASEA letters and digits (1, 2, 3), termed as TOT digits, assigned to appropriate tooth types to record the right and left maxillary and mandibular teeth of both permanent and deciduous dentitions for specifically dental and periodontal charting and generally other dental oriented purposes. The letter 'd' is written along with the ANAASEA letters used for deciduous tooth classes. RESULTS: The MICAP system records and communicates dental and periodontal problems manually as well as electronically by using letters I, C, P, M and assigned digits 1, 2, 3. The assigned digits are written as superscript and subscript on right and left sides of letters I, C, P and M not only to identify teeth during oral examination but also in writing referral letters and submitting dental claims for various performed dental procedures. CONCLUSIONS: The identification of and communication about human teeth by the MICAP system is simple, error free and user/computer friendly.

Comparison of DR. HPV Chip Kit with hybrid capture II assay for the detection of human papillomavirus in clinical samples: a preliminary study.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is well known as an etiological factor for the development of anogenital carcinomas. The aim of our study was to compare the performance of USFDA approved Hybrid II (HCII) Assay and recently introduced DR. HPV Chip Kit for the detection of HPV DNA in clinical cervical scrapings from 40 patients. HPV DNA testing was performed using the automated HCII Assay system and DR. HPV Chip Kit. Taking cytological results as gold standard, it was found that HCII was more sensitive (36.4%) than DR. HPV Chip Kit (18.2%) although specificity was 100% with the latter method. In addition, both these molecular methods had comparable negative and positive predictive values. It was concluded that both HCII and DR. HPV Chip Kit have comparable specificity. However, sensitivity for detection of HPV in clinical samples with HCII is almost double as compared to DR. HPV Chip Kit.