Bridging biological samples to functional nucleic acid biosensor applications: current enzymatic-based strategies for single-stranded DNA generation.

The escalating threat of emerging diseases, often stemming from contaminants and lethal pathogens, has precipitated a heightened demand for sophisticated diagnostic tools. Within this landscape, the functional nucleic acid (FNA) biosensor, harnessing the power of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), has emerged as a preeminent choice for target analyte detection. However, the dependence on ssDNA has raised difficulties in realizing it in biological samples. Therefore, the production of high-quality ssDNA from biological samples is critical. This review aims to discuss strategies for generating ssDNA from biological samples for integration into biosensors. Several innovative strategies for ssDNA generation have been deployed, encompassing techniques, such as asymmetric PCR, Exonuclease-PCR, isothermal amplification, biotin-streptavidin PCR, transcription-reverse transcription, ssDNA overhang generation, and urea denaturation PAGE. These approaches have been seamlessly integrated with biosensors for biological sample analysis, ushering in a new era of disease detection and monitoring. This amalgamation of ssDNA generation techniques with biosensing applications holds significant promise, not only in improving the speed and accuracy of diagnostic processes but also in fortifying the global response to deadly diseases, thereby underlining the pivotal role of cutting-edge biotechnology in public health and disease prevention.

The role of probiotics in the treatment of adult atopic dermatitis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is chronic inflammatory skin disease that is relapsing and a serious condition that disrupts the quality of life of affected individuals. Probiotics are an immunomodulator that can enhance the immune control of atopic dermatitis. METHODS: All randomized controlled trials of probiotics for the treatment of adult AD published before December 2020 were included in this study from the PubMed databases and manual searching. RESULTS: Six randomized controlled trials (n = 241) were selected for this meta-analysis study. Probiotics were effective in treating adult patients with AD, indicated by the decrease in Scoring Atopic Dermatitis/SCORAD (Mean Difference (MD) - 7.90, 95% CI - 7.25 to - 6.92; p < 0.00001; I2 = 96%) and improved quality of life (MD - 7.68, 95% CI - 14.08 to - 1.29; p = 0.02; I2 = 47%) which were statistically significant. However, skin severity, itch severity, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), IL-4, TFN-γ, and IgE showed no significant difference in this meta-analysis study (p > 0.05). LIMITATIONS: The study found no available data for side effects of probiotics. STRENGTH: This meta-analysis analyzed a total of 241 AD patients of Asian and European origin. CONCLUSION: The use of probiotics decreased SCORAD significantly in adult patients with AD. Probiotics can improve the quality of life of patients with AD. The use of probiotics in atopic dermatitis has been widely studied, with controversial results. This meta-analysis suggests that the use of probiotics can improve SCORAD and the quality of life of patients with atopic dermatitis.

Current Prospects for Plastic Waste Treatment.

The excessive amount of global plastic produced over the past century, together with poor waste management, has raised concerns about environmental sustainability. Plastic recycling has become a practical approach for diminishing plastic waste and maintaining sustainability among plastic waste management methods. Chemical and mechanical recycling are the typical approaches to recycling plastic waste, with a simple process, low cost, environmentally friendly process, and potential profitability. Several plastic materials, such as polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, and polyurethanes, can be recycled with chemical and mechanical recycling approaches. Nevertheless, due to plastic waste's varying physical and chemical properties, plastic waste separation becomes a challenge. Hence, a reliable and effective plastic waste separation technology is critical for increasing plastic waste's value and recycling rate. Integrating recycling and plastic waste separation technologies would be an efficient method for reducing the accumulation of environmental contaminants produced by plastic waste, especially in industrial uses. This review addresses recent advances in plastic waste recycling technology, mainly with chemical recycling. The article also discusses the current recycling technology for various plastic materials.

Efficacy of vitamin D supplementation on the severity of atopic dermatitis in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Atopic Dermatitis (AD) is a common dermatosis in children, that includes skin architecture defects, immune dysregulation, and changes of skin flora. Several new drugs have been found to reduce the severity of AD. Vitamin D is one of the new therapies that is still controversial. The purpose of this research is to conclude the efficacy of vitamin D on atopic dermatitis severity in children aged 0-18 years old. Methods: A systematic search was conducted on the PubMed, Cochrane, ProQuest, Google Scholar, Clinical Trial website, and university repositories including studies published from January 2010 through October 2020. We compared populations, intervention, study design, and outcomes. Statistical analysis was done with Review Manager 5.4.1. Results: Eight articles met eligibility and inclusion criteria, four articles provided complete data and were analysed. Not all studies demonstrated the efficacy of vitamin D but a meta-analysis of four studies of vitamin D supplementation vs placebo found a mean difference of -0.93 (95%CI -1.76, to -0.11, p<0.001) of patient outcome, but statistically, there was no difference in cure rate (risk ratio 1.46 (95%CI 0.72, to 2.97, p=0.008) in vitamin D supplementation groups compared to placebo groups. Conclusions: Vitamin D supplementation in paediatric atopic dermatitis patients could offer improvement of disease severity but the recommended dose and duration of administration cannot be concluded yet.

Possibility Routes for Textile Recycling Technology.

The fashion industry contributes to a significant environmental issue due to the increasing production and needs of the industry. The proactive efforts toward developing a more sustainable process via textile recycling has become the preferable solution. This urgent and important need to develop cheap and efficient recycling methods for textile waste has led to the research community's development of various recycling methods. The textile waste recycling process can be categorized into chemical and mechanical recycling methods. This paper provides an overview of the state of the art regarding different types of textile recycling technologies along with their current challenges and limitations. The critical parameters determining recycling performance are summarized and discussed and focus on the current challenges in mechanical and chemical recycling (pyrolysis, enzymatic hydrolysis, hydrothermal, ammonolysis, and glycolysis). Textile waste has been demonstrated to be re-spun into yarn (re-woven or knitted) by spinning carded yarn and mixed shoddy through mechanical recycling. On the other hand, it is difficult to recycle some textiles by means of enzymatic hydrolysis; high product yield has been shown under mild temperatures. Furthermore, the emergence of existing technology such as the internet of things (IoT) being implemented to enable efficient textile waste sorting and identification is also discussed. Moreover, we provide an outlook as to upcoming technological developments that will contribute to facilitating the circular economy, allowing for a more sustainable textile recycling process.

Conversion of Lignocellulose for Bioethanol Production, Applied in Bio-Polyethylene Terephthalate.

The increasing demand for petroleum-based polyethylene terephthalate (PET) grows population impacts daily. A greener and more sustainable raw material, lignocellulose, is a promising replacement of petroleum-based raw materials to convert into bio-PET. This paper reviews the recent development of lignocellulose conversion into bio-PET through bioethanol reaction pathways. This review addresses lignocellulose properties, bioethanol production processes, separation processes of bioethanol, and the production of bio-terephthalic acid and bio-polyethylene terephthalate. The article also discusses the current industries that manufacture alcohol-based raw materials for bio-PET or bio-PET products. In the future, the production of bio-PET from biomass will increase due to the scarcity of petroleum-based raw materials.

Role of Centella asiatica and ceramide in skin barrier improvement: a double blind clinical trial of Indonesian batik workers.

OBJECTIVES: Batik dyes contain irritant chemicals that increase the risk of skin barrier disruption. This study aims to determine the effect of Centella asiatica and ceramide in transepidermal water loss (TEWL), hydration of the stratum corneum and skin acidity (pH). METHODS: This was a double blind clinical trial of 30 Indonesian batik workers who suffered from skin dryness, but had no clinical manifestation of contact dermatitis. Subjects were given cream containing C. asiatica or ceramide that formulated and randomly labeled by manufacturer (PT Paragon Technology and Innovation). Both subjects and researchers were blinded to the type of the cream. Cream was applied to the hands and arms twice a day. Biological function of the skin (TEWL, stratum corneum hydration level, and skin acidity) was examined by Cutometer dual MP-580. Baseline was recorded in the first examination, followed by second and third examinations at two and four weeks after treatment. RESULTS: After four weeks treatment, there were significant improvement of C. asiatica application in evaluation of corneometer palmar (p=0.007; CI 95%), corneometer dorsum (p=0.001; CI 95%), and skin acidity dorsum (p=0.017; CI 95%). Ceramide application also gave significant improvement of corneometer palmar (0.038; CI 95%), skin acidity palmar (p=0.001; CI 95%), TEWL dorsum (p=0.023; CI 95%), corneometer dorsum (p=0.002; CI 95%) and skin acidity dorsum (p=0.011; CI 95%). There were no significant differences of C. asiatica effectiveness compared to ceramide in skin barrier improvement. CONCLUSIONS: C. asiatica and ceramide can improve skin barrier hydration in order to prevent the risk of contact dermatitis in batik workers.

Prevalence and characterisation of Staphylococcus aureus causing community-acquired skin and soft tissue infections on Java and Bali, Indonesia.

OBJECTIVES: To define the role of Staphylococcus aureus in community settings among patients with skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) in Indonesia. METHODS: Staphylococcus aureus were cultured from anterior nares, throat and wounds of 567 ambulatory patients presenting with SSTI. The mecA gene and genes encoding Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL; lukF-PV and lukS-PV) and exfoliative toxin (ET; eta and etb) were determined by PCR. Clonal relatedness among methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and PVL-positive S. aureus was analysed using multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) typing, and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) for a subset of isolates. Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) was determined for all MRSA isolates. Moreover, determinants for S. aureus SSTI, and PVL/ET-positive vs PVL/ET-negative S. aureus were assessed. RESULTS: Staphylococcus aureus were isolated from SSTI wounds of 257 (45.3%) patients, eight (3.1%) of these were MRSA. Genes encoding PVL and ETs were detected in 21.8% and 17.5% of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), respectively. PVL-positive MRSA was not detected. Nasopharyngeal S. aureus carriage was an independent determinant for S. aureus SSTI (odds ratio [OR] 1.8). Primary skin infection (OR 5.4) and previous antibiotic therapy (OR 3.5) were associated with PVL-positive MSSA. Primary skin infection (OR 2.2) was the only factor associated with ET-positive MSSA. MLVA typing revealed two more prevalent MSSA clusters. One ST1-MRSA-SCCmec type IV isolate and a cluster of ST239-MRSA-SCCmec type III were found. CONCLUSIONS: Community-acquired SSTI in Indonesia was frequently caused by PVL-positive MSSA, and the hospital-associated ST239-MRSA may have spread from the hospital into the community.