An impedimetric immunosensor for the selective detection of CD34+ T-cells in human serum

Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy has led to a paradigm change in cancer treatment. To allow widespread use of this therapy, it is important to reduce the costs associated with cells manufacturing whilst ensuring a high-quality production. Online biosensors can help monitor in real time the effectiveness of engineering CAR-T cells, with the possibility to be integrated on the workflow without the need to extract samples for off line analysis that require specialised personnel and expensive analytical equipment. In this context, we present an innovative label-free impedimetric immunosensor for the detection of CD34 + T-cells in human serum. The sensor is based on screen-printed gold electrodes functionalised with anti-CD34 antibody, via a mixed self-assembled monolayer of 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid and 6-mercapto-1-hexanol, which recognizes the CD34 antigen expressed onto the T-cells surfaces. The immunosensor exhibits a high selectivity and a wide working range in human serum, both in Faradaic and non-Faradaic detection conditions, being respectively of 230 – 1.4 × 10 3 cell mL −1 and 50 – 1 × 10 5 cell mL −1. This result, along with performance validation both in batch and flow-through operations, demonstrates the applicability of the developed immunosensor for clinical use. </p

Analysis of the 'Endoworm' prototype's ability to grip the bowel in in vitro and ex vivo models

[EN] Access to the small bowel by means of an enteroscope is difficult, even using current devices such as single-balloon or double-balloon enteroscopes. Exploration time and patient discomfort are the main drawbacks. The prototype 'Endoworm' analysed in this paper is based on a pneumatic translation system that, gripping the bowel, enables the endoscope to move forward while the bowel slides back over its most proximal part. The grip capacity is related to the pressure inside the balloon, which depends on the insufflate volume of air. Different materials were used as in vitro and ex vivo models: rigid polymethyl methacrylate, flexible silicone, polyester urethane and ex vivo pig small bowel. On measuring the pressure-volume relationship, we found that it depended on the elastic properties of the lumen and that the frictional force depended on the air pressure inside the balloons and the lumen's elastic properties. In the presence of a lubricant, the grip on the simulated intestinal lumens was drastically reduced, as was the influence of the lumen's properties. This paper focuses on the Endoworm's ability to grip the bowel, which is crucial to achieving effective endoscope forward advance and bowel foldingThe author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The study was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through Project (PI18/01365) and by the UPV/IIS LA Fe through the (Endoworm 3.0) Project. CIBER-BBN is an initiative funded by the VI National R&D&I Plan 2008-2011, Iniciativa Ingenio 2010, Consolider Program, CIBER Actions and financed by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III with the assistance of the European Regional Development FundTobella, J.; Pons-Beltrán, V.; Santonja, A.; Sánchez-Diaz, C.; Campillo Fernandez, AJ.; Vidaurre, A. (2020). 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Catching the Sugars: Electrochemical Aptasensors for the Detection of Cancer-Related Glycosylation Changes in Prostate-Specific Antigen

Prostate-specific Antigen (PSA) is the biomarker that is used for prostate cancer (PCa) detection, although its lack of specificity results in a high rate of false-positives and many unnecessary biopsies. Therefore, there is a need for more specific cancer biomarkers for PCa. Recent studies have shown that the aberrant glycosylation of proteins is a common feature of the presence of cancer. In the case of prostate cancer, there are changes in core-fucose and sialic acids in the glycan structure of PSA. In this work, we describe two different strategies to direct the selection of aptamers toward the glycans of PSA. From these strategies, we identified two aptamers (PSA-1 and PSAG-1) that bind to the glycan structure of PSA with high affinity. Both aptamers were applied in the design of electrochemical aptasensors, in sandwich and direct formats, in order to detect the changes in the glycosylation of PSA. The sensors responded to different levels of PSA in serum, and they showed higher potential to discriminate clinically-meaningful PCa than the ELISA (Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) test used in hospitals (reducing the number of false positives), although validation on more samples is needed

A hybrid analysis of LBSN data to early detect anomalies in crowd dynamics

Undoubtedly, Location-based Social Networks (LBSNs) provide an interesting source of geo-located data that we have previously used to obtain patterns of the dynamics of crowds throughout urban areas. According to our previous results, activity in LBSNs reflects the real activity in the city. Therefore, unexpected behaviors in the social media activity are a trustful evidence of unexpected changes of the activity in the city. In this paper we introduce a hybrid solution to early detect these changes based on applying a combination of two approaches, the use of entropy analysis and clustering techniques, on the data gathered from LBSNs. In particular, we have performed our experiments over a data set collected from Instagram for seven months in New York City, obtaining promising results.This work is funded by: the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Galician Regional Government under agreement for funding the Atlantic Research Center for Information and Communication Technologies (AtlantTIC), Spain, the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness under the National Science Program (TEC2014-54335-C4-3-R, TEC2014-54335-C4-2-R, TEC2017-84197-C4-3-R and TEC2017-84197-C4-2-R), and by the Madrid Regional Government eMadrid Excellence Network, Spain (S2013/ICE-2715)

Imaging ultrafast dynamical diffraction wavefronts in strained Si with coherent X-rays

Dynamical diffraction effects in single crystals produce highly monochromatic parallel X-ray beams with a mutual separation of a few micrometer and a time-delay of a few fs -the so-called echoes. This ultrafast diffraction effect is used at X-ray Free Electron Lasers in self-seeding schemes to improve beam monochromaticity. Here, we present a coherent X-ray imaging measurement of echoes from Si crystals and demonstrate that a small surface strain can be used to tune their temporal delay. These results represent a first step towards the ambitious goal of strain-tailoring new X-ray optics

“Aplicación de estrategias pedagógicas que promuevan el uso responsable del agua en los estudiantes de los grados segundo y tercero del colegio Fernando Mazuera Villegas sede c”

Este proyecto de intervención está dirigido a implementar estrategias pedagógicas en el aula para aprender a hacer uso responsable del agua, crear sentido de pertenencia con la institución y con los recursos que nos brinda la naturaleza, crear hábitos del cuidado y de la responsabilidad que tenemos con el medio ambiente a partir de la planeación y ejecución de diferentes actividades con los estudiantes de los grados segundo y tercero de primaria del IED Fernando Mazuera Villegas, ubicado en la localidad 7 de Bosa, problemáticas que se presentan por el desperdicio descontrolado del agua en la institución durante la realización de actividades de rutina como protocolo en el lavado de manos, por grifos y baterías de baños en mal estado y aseo de la institución por parte del personal de servicios generales, entre otros. El carácter geográfico del proyecto permite diseñar y aplicar cuatro fases temáticas planeadas desde los intereses particulares de los niños así. Fase uno inauguración y sensibilización de los niños por medio de la canción al “agua es vida cuídala”. Fase dos: cine talleres de reflexión y la conformación del club defensores del agua con los estudiantes líderes de cada grupo. Fase tres: salida Ecológica por medio del recorrido al humedal Tibanica, ubicado en la localidad de Bosa, elaboración y aplicación de la carilla Educativa “El cuidado del agua, compromiso de todos”. Fase cuatro actuando y ejecutando, actividades a partir del cuento, producción escrita y representación teatral y el diseño de un sistema de recolección de aguas lluvias para la instituciónThis intervention project is aimed at implementing pedagogical strategies in the classroom to learn how to use water responsibly, create a sense of belonging to the institution and to the resources provided by nature, create habits of care and responsibility that we have with the environment environment from the planning and execution of different activities with the second and third grade students of IED Fernando Mazuera Villegas, located in locality 7 of Bosa, problems that are presented by the uncontrolled waste of water in the institution during the carrying out routine activities such as hand washing protocol, for faucets and batteries in bathrooms in poor condition and cleaning of the institution by the general service staff, among others. The geographical nature of the project allows for the design and application of four phases Themes planned from the particular interests of children as well. phase one inauguration and awareness of children through the song to "water is life take care of it”. Phase two: cinema reflection workshops and the formation of the club advocates for water with the student leaders from each group. Phase three: departure Ecological through the tour to the Tibanica wetland, located in the town of Bosa, elaboration and application of the Educational page “The care of the water, everyone's commitment. Phase four acting and executing, activities from the story, written production and theatrical performance and the design of a system of rainwater harvesting for the institutio

Association between gamma glutamyl transpeptidase to HDL-cholesterol (GGT/HDL-C) ratio and metabolic syndrome resolution after sleeve gastrectomy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between GGT/HDL-C ratio and resolution of MetS in adults after sleeve gastrectomy (SG). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using secondary data from a Peruvian bariatric center. The study population consisted of adults aged 18 and above who underwent laparoscopic SG and were diagnosed with MetS prior to the surgery. The main outcome measured was MetS resolution 6 months post-surgery and the exposure variable was the GGT/HDL-C ratio. RESULTS: We analyzed 137 patients with a mean age of 38.9 ± 10.9 years; 64.2% were females. The median GGT/HDL-C ratio was 1.1 [0.7 - 1.5], and 83.9% of patients experienced resolution of MetS. Furthermore, both the middle tertile of GGT/HDL-C (aRR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.04 - 1.58; p = .019) and the lowest tertile (aRR: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.01 - 1.60; p = .038) showed a significant association with the resolution of MetS. CONCLUSION: Eight out of 10 patients undergoing SG experience resolution of MetS within 6 months after surgery. Patients in the middle and lower tertiles of the GGT/HDL-C were more likely to achieve this outcome. Therefore, the GGT/HDL-C ratio should be considered a valuable and efficient biomarker for preoperative assessment of bariatric surgery candidates