Label-free Detection of Influenza Viruses using a Reduced Graphene Oxide-based Electrochemical Immunosensor Integrated with a Microfluidic Platform

Reduced graphene oxide (RGO) has recently gained considerable attention for use in electrochemical biosensing applications due to its outstanding conducting properties and large surface area. This report presents a novel microfluidic chip integrated with an RGO-based electrochemical immunosensor for label-free detection of an influenza virus, H1N1. Three microelectrodes were fabricated on a glass substrate using the photolithographic technique, and the working electrode was functionalized using RGO and monoclonal antibodies specific to the virus. These chips were integrated with polydimethylsiloxane microchannels. Structural and morphological characterizations were performed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Electrochemical studies revealed good selectivity and an enhanced detection limit of 0.5 PFU mL(-1), where the chronoamperometric current increased linearly with H1N1 virus concentration within the range of 1 to 104 PFU mL(-1) (R-2 = 0.99). This microfluidic immunosensor can provide a promising platform for effective detection of biomolecules using minute samples.ope

Last Men Standing: Chlamydatus Portraits and Public Life in Late Antique Corinth

Notable among the marble sculptures excavated at Corinth are seven portraits of men wearing the long chlamys of Late Antique imperial office. This unusual costume, contemporary portrait heads, and inscribed statue bases all help confirm that new public statuary was created and erected at Corinth during the 4th and 5th centuries. These chlamydatus portraits, published together here for the first time, are likely to represent the Governor of Achaia in his capital city, in the company of local benefactors. Among the last works of the ancient sculptural tradition, they form a valuable source of information on public life in Late Antique Corinth

Reverse Effect of Mammalian Hypocalcemic Cortisol in Fish: Cortisol Stimulates Ca2+ Uptake via Glucocorticoid Receptor-Mediated Vitamin D3 Metabolism

Cortisol was reported to downregulate body-fluid Ca2+ levels in mammals but was proposed to show hypercalcemic effects in teleostean fish. Fish, unlike terrestrial vertebrates, obtain Ca2+ from the environment mainly via the gills and skin rather than by dietary means, and have to regulate the Ca2+ uptake functions to cope with fluctuating Ca2+ levels in aquatic environments. Cortisol was previously found to regulate Ca2+ uptake in fish; however, the molecular mechanism behind this is largely unclear. Zebrafish were used as a model to explore this issue. Acclimation to low-Ca2+ fresh water stimulated Ca2+ influx and expression of epithelial calcium channel (ecac), 11β-hydroxylase and the glucocorticoid receptor (gr). Exogenous cortisol increased Ca2+ influx and the expressions of ecac and hydroxysteroid 11-beta dehydrogenase 2 (hsd11b2), but downregulated 11β-hydroxylase and the gr with no effects on other Ca2+ transporters or the mineralocorticoid receptor (mr). Morpholino knockdown of the GR, but not the MR, was found to impair zebrafish Ca2+ uptake function by inhibiting the ecac expression. To further explore the regulatory mechanism of cortisol in Ca2+ uptake, the involvement of vitamin D3 was analyzed. Cortisol stimulated expressions of vitamin D-25hydroxylase (cyp27a1), cyp27a1 like (cyp27a1l), 1α-OHase (cyp27b1) at 3 dpf through GR, the first time to demonstrate the relationship between cortisol and vitamin D3 in fish. In conclusion, cortisol stimulates ecac expression to enhance Ca2+ uptake functions, and this control pathway is suggested to be mediated by the GR. Lastly, cortisol also could mediate vitamin D3 signaling to stimulate Ca2+ uptake in zebrafish

Doppler monitoring of five k2 transiting planetary systems

In an effort to measure the masses of planets discovered by the NASA K2 mission, we have conducted precise Doppler observations of five stars with transiting planets. We present the results of a joint analysis of these new data and previously published Doppler data. The first star, an M dwarf known as K2-3 or EPIC 201367065, has three transiting planets (“b,” with radius 2.1 R⊕; “c,” 1.7 R⊕; and “d,” 1.5 R⊕). Our analysis leads to the mass constraints: Mb = 8.1 -1.9 to +2.0 M⊕ and Mc < 4.2 M⊕ (95% confidence). The mass of planet d is poorly constrained because its orbital period is close to the stellar rotation period, making it difficult to disentangle the planetary signal from spurious Doppler shifts due to stellar activity. The second star, a G dwarf known as K2-19 or EPIC 201505350, has two planets (“b,” 7.7 R⊕; and “c,” 4.9 R⊕) in a 3:2 mean-motion resonance, as well as a shorter period planet (“d,” 1.1 R⊕). We find Mb = 28.5 -5.0 to +5.4 M⊕, Mc = 25.6 -7.1 to + 7.1 M⊕ and Md < 14.0M⊕ (95% conf.). The third star, a G dwarf known as K2-24 or EPIC 203771098, hosts two transiting planets (“b,” 5.7 R⊕; and “c,” 7.8 R⊕) with orbital periods in a nearly 2:1 ratio. We find Mb = 19.8 -4.4 to +4.5 M⊕ and Mc = 26.0 -6.1 to +5.8 M⊕. The fourth star, a G dwarf known as EPIC 204129699, hosts a hot Jupiter for which we measured the mass to be 1.857 +0.081 to -0.081 MJup. The fifth star, a G dwarf known as EPIC 205071984, contains three transiting planets (“b,” 5.4 R⊕; “c,” 3.5 R⊕; and “d,” 3.8 R⊕), the outer two of which have a nearly 2:1 period ratio. We find Mb = 21.1 -5.9 to +5.9 M⊕, Mc < 8.1 M⊕ (95% conf.) and Md < 35M⊕ (95% conf.)

Exercise Training and Work Task Induced Metabolic and Stress-Related mRNA and Protein Responses in Myalgic Muscles

The aim was to assess mRNA and/or protein levels of heat shock proteins, cytokines, growth regulating, and metabolic proteins in myalgic muscle at rest and in response to work tasks and prolonged exercise training. A randomized controlled trial included 28 females with trapezius myalgia and 16 healthy controls. Those with myalgia performed ~7 hrs repetitive stressful work and were subsequently randomized to 10 weeks of specific strength training, general fitness training, or reference intervention. Muscles biopsies were taken from the trapezius muscle at baseline, after work and after 10 weeks intervention. The main findings are that the capacity of carbohydrate oxidation was reduced in myalgic compared with healthy muscle. Repetitive stressful work increased mRNA content for heat shock proteins and decreased levels of key regulators for growth and oxidative metabolism. In contrast, prolonged general fitness as well as specific strength training decreased mRNA content of heat shock protein while the capacity of carbohydrate oxidation was increased only after specific strength training