Skin permeation studies of chromium species - Evaluation of a reconstructed human epidermis model.

A reconstructed human epidermis (RHE) model, the EpiDerm, was investigated and compared to human skin ex vivo regarding tissue penetration and distribution of two chromium species, relevant in both occupational and general exposure in the population. Imaging mass spectrometry was used in analysis of the sectioned tissue. The RHE model gave similar results compared to human skin ex vivo for skin penetration of C

Graphene Bioelectronic Nose for the Detection of Odorants with Human Olfactory Receptor 2AG1

A real-time sensor for the detection of amyl butyrate (AB) utilising human olfactory receptor 2AG1 (OR2AG1), a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) consisting of seven transmembrane domains, immobilized onto a graphene resistor is demonstrated. Using CVD graphene as the sensor platform, allows greater potential for more sensitive detection than similar sensors based on carbon nanotubes, gold or graphene oxide platforms. A specific graphene resistor sensor was fabricated and modified via non-covalent π–π stacking of 1,5 diaminonaphthalene (DAN) onto the graphene channel, and subsequent anchoring of the OR2AG1 receptor to the DAN molecule using glutaraldehyde coupling. Binding between the target odorant, amyl butyrate, and the OR2AG1 receptor protein generated a change in resistance of the graphene resistor sensor. The functionalized graphene resistor sensors exhibited a linear sensor response between 0.1–500 pM and high selectively towards amyl butyrate, with a sensitivity as low as 500 fM, whilst control measurements using non-specific esters, produced a negligible sensor response. The approach described here provides an alternative sensing platform that can be used in bioelectronic nose applications

MS/MS analysis and imaging of lipids across Drosophila brain using secondary ion mass spectrometry

Lipids are abundant biomolecules performing central roles to maintain proper functioning of cells and biological bodies. Due to their highly complex composition, it is critical to obtain information of lipid structures in order to identify particular lipids which are relevant for a biological process or metabolic pathway under study. Among currently available molecular identification techniques, MS/MS in secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) imaging has been of high interest in the bioanalytical community as it allows visualization of intact molecules in biological samples as well as elucidation of their chemical structures. However, there have been few applications using SIMS and MS/MS owing to instrumental challenges for this capability. We performed MS and MS/MS imaging to study the lipid structures of Drosophila brain using the J105 and 40-keV Ar-4000 (+) gas cluster ion source, with the novelty being the use of MS/MS SIMS analysis of intact lipids in the fly brain. Glycerophospholipids were identified by MS/MS profiling. MS/MS was also used to characterize diglyceride fragment ions and to identify them as triacylglyceride fragments. Moreover, MS/MS imaging offers a unique possibility for detailed elucidation of biomolecular distribution with high accuracy based on the ion images of its fragments. This is particularly useful in the presence of interferences which disturb the interpretation of biomolecular localization

Waste Management Biotechnology for Alkaline Protease Production and Optimization

Environmental pollution is one of the major issues in either well developed or in developing countries. Pollution can also come from animal wastes such as livestock, wastewater and feed that have been wasted. This type of circumstances occurs when there are abundant of waste generated in animal farms in certain area that is difficult to be disposed. For example, the fish residues such as fish fin, viscera, and scales can be one of the sources of contamination that can be the major problem. Moreover, chicken feather (CF) is widely disposed that results in environmental pollution as it cannot be solved with ease. Hence both fish fin (FF) and CF can be utilized to produce alkaline protease (AP) enzyme by using microbial fermentation power. Protein from each sample was extracted and determined. Then, the extracted protein from both wastes was employed in the production media together with bacterial suspension which was incubated. Next, alkaline protease assay was carried out to test for presence of alkaline protease in the samples. Optimization parameters controlling alkaline protease productivity were screened and determined. The optimum pH of CF and FF was 9.0, the optimum temperatures recorded at 28 and 40°C for CF and FF respectively, the production incubation periods were 6 and 10 days for CF and FF respectively. While, galactose and glucose exhibited the optimum carbon sources for CF and FF respectively from one hand, and the optimum nitrogen sources recorded to be ammonium chloride and beef extract for CF and FF respectively from the other hand

Hypoglycemic Effect of Some Ethnomedicinal Plants and Its Applications on Pancreas Improvement

Diabetes is a disease that causes the blood glucose level to rise and if left untreated, could yield in many complications such as amputations of body parts, muscle disorders and fatigue. The alarming increase in the number of patients suffering from diabetes requests for more studies to be conducted to find alternatives in producing a cure to this disease. Many chemical methods are adapted towards the treatment of diabetes, so it is crucial that studies on medicinal plants are carried out to produce a solution that does not rely on chemicals alone, and can inhibit the diabetic activity as much as the existing medications. This study was conducted to collect and extract ethnomedicinal plants from Malaysia using different solvents, to select the most potent ethnomedicinal plant extract using anti-diabetic screening assays and to screen for combination effects of the plant extracts on anti-diabetic activity. The plant extracts are then subjected to α- amylase and assays whereby detection of potent plants that result in more than 50% inhibition is selected. Selected plants are combined to one another in dual, triple and quadruple plant extract combinations and anti-diabetic assays are performed once again to find the most effective combination that gives the highest inhibition value. Once the combined inhibition values are obtained, these values determined and classified into synergistic and antagonistic groups depending on its relationship with one another, whether it enhances inhibition value or not. For alpha-amylase inhibition, the chloroform extract of E. longifolia gave the highest inhibition of α-amylase enzyme at 82.42%