A highly sensitive silicon nanowire array sensor for joint detection of tumor markers CEA and AFP

Liver cancer is one of the malignant tumors with the highest fatality rate and increasing incidence, which has no effective treatment plan. Early diagnosis and early treatment of liver cancer play a vital role in prolonging the survival period of patients and improving the cure rate. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) are two crucial tumor markers for liver cancer diagnosis. In this work, we firstly proposed a wafer-level, highly controlled silicon nanowire (SiNW) field-effect transistor (FET) joint detection sensor for highly sensitive and selective detection of CEA and AFP. The SiNWs-FET joint detection sensor possesses 4 sensing regions. Each sensing region consists of 120 SiNWs arranged in a 15 × 8 array. The SiNW sensor was developed by using a wafer-level and highly controllable top-down manufacturing technology to achieve the repeatability and controllability of device preparation. To identify and detect CEA/AFP, we modified the corresponding CEA antibodies/AFP antibodies to the sensing region surface after a series of surface modification processes, including O2 plasma treatment, soaking in 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) solution, and soaking in glutaraldehyde (GA) solution. The experimental results showed that the SiNW array sensor has superior sensitivity with a real-time ultralow detection limit of 0.1 fg ml−1 (AFP in 0.1× PBS) and 1 fg ml−1 (CEA in 0.1× PBS). Also, the logarithms of the concentration of CEA (from 1 fg ml−1 to 10 pg ml−1) and AFP (from 0.1 fg ml−1 to 100 pg ml−1) achieved conspicuously linear relationships with normalized current changes. The R2 of AFP in 0.1× PBS and R2 of CEA in 0.1× PBS were 0.99885 and 0.99677, respectively. Furthermore, the sensor could distinguish CEA/AFP from interferents at high concentrations. Importantly, even in serum samples, our sensor could successfully detect CEA/AFP. This demonstrates the promising clinical development of our sensor

A supersensitive silicon nanowire array biosensor for quantitating tumor marker ctDNA

Cancer has become one of the major diseases threatening human health and life. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) testing, as a practical liquid biopsy technique, is a promising method for cancer diagnosis, targeted therapy and prognosis. Here, for the first time, a field effect transistor (FET) biosensor based on uniformly sized high-response silicon nanowire (SiNW) array was studied for real-time, label-free, super-sensitive detection of PIK3CA E542K ctDNA. High-response 120-SiNWs array was fabricated on a (111) silicon-on-insulator (SOI) by the complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible microfabrication technology. To detecting ctDNA, we modified the DNA probe on the SiNWs array through silanization. The experimental results demonstrated that the as-fabricated biosensor had significant superiority in ctDNA detection, which achieved ultralow detection limit of 10 aM and had a good linearity under the ctDNA concentration range from 0.1 fM to 100 pM. This biosensor can recognize complementary target ctDNA from one/two/full-base mismatched DNA with high selectivity. Furthermore, the fabricated SiNW-array FET biosensor successfully detected target ctDNA in human serum samples, indicating a good potential in clinical applications in the future

Growth and morphological responses of

The allelopathically inhibitory effects of submerged macrophytes on phytoplankton have been extensively studied and are utilised as an effective strategy for water restoration. However, this technique has been minimally implemented in natural in situ water bodies because of the unclear and complex interactions involved. Our study considered the uneven density distribution of algae in natural aquatic ecosystems and the biomass-dependent effects of submerged macrophytes on target algae. Ceratophyllum demersum methanol extracts of gradient concentration on Chlorella vulgaris with different initial algal density were conducted in the present laboratory study. Results indicated that methanol extracts of C. demersum could not only inhibit the growth of but also promote colony formation of C. vulgaris. C. vulgaris of a low density exerted increased inhibition and colony proportion responses to C. demersum extracts. By 0.42 g/mL C. demersum treatment, the inhibition rate on C. vulgaris under 0.02 IAD (Initial Alagal Density) and 0.05 IAD (p < 0.05) was 88.7%, 70.9%, respectively. We also suggested that the effects of C. demersum were biomass dependent, such that extracts with high concentration could produce increased inhibitory effects on C. vulgaris. According to GC-MS analysis, the study revealed five potential compounds (i.e. hexanoic, acetoacetic, azelaic, palmitic and stearic acid) in the C. demersum methanol extracts. However, the individual or combined effects of those compounds require further exploration. This study proposed certain theoretical basis for future water restoration by submerged macrophytes, that the biomass of the macrophytes and the density of the algae should both be taken into account.According to indoor simulation experiments, we found that the morphology changes and growth of C. vulgaris affected by C. demersum methanol extracts were dependent of initial algal density (IAD) and the macrophyte biomass. However, the individual or combined effects of those active compounds played roles in the interaction require further investigation

Advanced management in civil engineering projects

Zhao, X ORCiD: 0000-0003-0153-5173This special issue aims to present the research studies regarding management in civil engineering projects, which provide theoretical and/or practical implications. Over eighty manuscripts were submitted, and 29 were accepted for publication after a thorough and rigorous peer review process. These papers cover a variety of topics in management of civil engineering projects, including risk and safety management, public-private partnership (PPP), human factors, information technology applications, construction organizational issues, planning and scheduling, and sustainability and resilience of civil infrastructures. We believe that the original papers in this special issue cover the hot topics in construction management research and will bring readers the latest advances in the field

HR38, an ortholog of NR4A family nuclear receptors, mediates 20-hydroxyecdysone regulation of carbohydrate metabolism during mosquito reproduction

The Aedes aegypti mosquito is the principal vector for many dangerous human viral diseases. Carbohydrate metabolism (CM) is essential for supplying the energy necessary for host seeking, blood digestion and rapid egg development of this vector insect. The steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and the ecdysone receptor (EcR) are important regulators of CM, coordinating it with female reproductive events. We report here that the NR4A nuclear receptor AHR38 plays a critical role in mediating these actions of 20E and EcR. AHR38 RNA interference (RNAi) depletion in female mosquitoes blocked the transcriptional activation of CM genes encoding phosphoglucomutase (PGM) and trehalose-6-phophate synthase (TPS); it caused an increase of glycogen accumulation and a decrease of the circulating sugar trehalose. This treatment also resulted in a dramatic reduction in fecundity. Considering that these phenotypes resulting from AHR38 RNAi depletion are similar to those of EcR RNAi, we investigated a possible connection between these transcription factors in CM regulation. EcR RNAi inhibits the AHR38 gene expression. Moreover, the 20E-induced EcR complex directly activates AHR38 by binding to the ecdysone response element (EcRE) in the upstream regulatory region of this gene. The present work has implicated AHR38 in the 20E-mediated control of CM and provided new insight into mechanisms of 20E regulation of metabolism during female mosquito reproduction

Seasonal succession of phytoplankton functional groups in Lake Fuxian and its driving factors

The concept of phytoplankton functional groups was proposed based on data from numerous European lakes and has been widely used in lakes, reservoirs, rivers worldwide. However, the application of this concept to subtropical plateau lakes has rarely been reported. In this study, 16 sampling sites were selected across the entirety of Lake Fuxian, Yunnan, China. Eighteen phytoplankton functional groups (F, G, J, X2, X1,T, P, MP, D, C, H1, LO, S1, M, Y, E, W1 and W2) were classified according to the investigation of surface water and gradient depth samples. Nine of these groups, namely LO, H1, C, MP, P, T, X1, J and F, were identified as dominant species (>5% total biomass). Furthermore, LO, H1 and T were considered predominant (accounting for the maximum percentage of biomass in each month). The sampling showed that the seasonal succession of predominant assemblages in surface water was T (October) to H1 (January) to H1 (April) to Lo (July) and T+Lo (October) to T (January) to H1 (April) to Lo (July) in the gradient depth water. Redundancy analysis (RDA) combined with the indicator function of the phytoplankton groups suggested that WT and TN/TP were important factors in driving the succession of predominant assemblages all year around.The concept of phytoplankton functional groups was well applicable in our study of Lake Fuxian and it was suggested that predominant assemblages succession were acting as T (October) to H1 (January) to H1 (April) to Lo (July). Furthermore, according to RDA analysis, it was indicated that WT and TN/TP might be key driving factors in the phytoplankton changes of Lake Fuxian

Effects of toxic cyanobacterium

In eutrophic freshwater lakes, cyanobacteria and green algae are in succession due to abiotic factors. Allelochemical interaction also exists. In this study, we indicated that filtrates of Microcystis aeruginosa can influence the growth rate and photosynthetic pigments of the target alga named Chlorella vulgaris. We also determined the morphological appearance and colony formation of green alga C. vulgaris that were induced by chemicals associated with a competitor cyanobacterium named M. aeruginosa. However, microcystins (MCs) were not the active substances in this study. The morphology changes and growth of C. vulgaris affected by M. aeruginosa filtrates were dependent on the initial cultivation density of the target algae and the cultivation phase of M. aeruginosa. We also assumed that the morphology changes were defensive strategies utilised by C. vulgaris to resist M. aeruginosa. The temporary stress of M. aeruginosa was favourable to the growth of C. vulgaris. By contrast, the continuous induction of colony formation by M. aeruginosa in the field inhibited the growth of C. vulgaris. The present results provided new insights into the interaction between algae and theoretical basis for algae succession in the field.Pascal Laffaille takes great interests in fish ecology, especially focusing on the responses of fish populations and communities to anthropogenic disturbance. His current studies are aimed to propose management action plans