Quantification of Spent Coffee Ground Extracts by Roast and Brew Method, and Their Utility in a Green Synthesis of Gold and Silver Nanoparticles

Nanotechnology has become increasingly important in modern society, and nanoparticles are routinely used in many areas of technology, industry, and commercial products. Many species of nanoparticle (NP) are typically synthesized using toxic or hazardous chemicals, making these methods less environmentally friendly. Consequently, there has been growing interest in green synthesis methods, which avoid unnecessary exposure to toxic chemicals and reduce harmful waste. Synthesis methods which utilize food waste products are particularly attractive because they add value and a secondary use for material which would otherwise be disposed of. Here, we show that spent coffee grounds (SCGs) that have already been used once in coffee brewing can be easily used to synthesize gold and silver NPs. SCGs derived from medium and dark roasts of the same bean source were acquired after brewing coffee by hot brew, cold brew, and espresso techniques. The total antioxidant activity (TAC) and total caffeoylquinic acid (CQA) of the aqueous SCG extracts were investigated, showing that hot brew SCGs had the highest CQA and TAC levels, while espresso SCGs had the lowest. SCG extract proved effective as a reducing agent in synthesizing gold and silver NPs regardless of roast or initial brew method

Depth-Resolved Multispectral Sub-Surface Imaging Using Multifunctional Upconversion Phosphors with Paramagnetic Properties

Molecular imaging is very promising technique used for surgical guidance, which requires advancements related to properties of imaging agents and subsequent data retrieval methods from measured multispectral images. In this article, an upconversion material is introduced for subsurface near-infrared imaging and for the depth recovery of the material embedded below the biological tissue. The results confirm significant correlation between the analytical depth estimate of the material under the tissue and the measured ratio of emitted light from the material at two different wavelengths. Experiments with biological tissue samples demonstrate depth resolved imaging using the rare earth doped multifunctional phosphors. In vitro tests reveal no significant toxicity, whereas the magnetic measurements of the phosphors show that the particles are suitable as magnetic resonance imaging agents. The confocal imaging of fibroblast cells with these phosphors reveals their potential for in vivo imaging. The depth-resolved imaging technique with such phosphors has broad implications for real-time intraoperative surgical guidance

Quantification of Spent Coffee Ground Extracts by Roast and Brew Method, and Their Utility in a Green Synthesis of Gold and Silver Nanoparticles

Nanotechnology has become increasingly important in modern society, and nanoparticles are routinely used in many areas of technology, industry, and commercial products. Many species of nanoparticle (NP) are typically synthesized using toxic or hazardous chemicals, making these methods less environmentally friendly. Consequently, there has been growing interest in green synthesis methods, which avoid unnecessary exposure to toxic chemicals and reduce harmful waste. Synthesis methods which utilize food waste products are particularly attractive because they add value and a secondary use for material which would otherwise be disposed of. Here, we show that spent coffee grounds (SCGs) that have already been used once in coffee brewing can be easily used to synthesize gold and silver NPs. SCGs derived from medium and dark roasts of the same bean source were acquired after brewing coffee by hot brew, cold brew, and espresso techniques. The total antioxidant activity (TAC) and total caffeoylquinic acid (CQA) of the aqueous SCG extracts were investigated, showing that hot brew SCGs had the highest CQA and TAC levels, while espresso SCGs had the lowest. SCG extract proved effective as a reducing agent in synthesizing gold and silver NPs regardless of roast or initial brew method

Depth-Resolved Multispectral Sub-Surface Imaging Using Multifunctional Upconversion Phosphors with Paramagnetic Properties

Molecular imaging is very promising technique used for surgical guidance, which requires advancements related to properties of imaging agents and subsequent data retrieval methods from measured multispectral images. In this article, an upconversion material is introduced for subsurface near-infrared imaging and for the depth recovery of the material embedded below the biological tissue. The results confirm significant correlation between the analytical depth estimate of the material under the tissue and the measured ratio of emitted light from the material at two different wavelengths. Experiments with biological tissue samples demonstrate depth resolved imaging using the rare earth doped multifunctional phosphors. In vitro tests reveal no significant toxicity, whereas the magnetic measurements of the phosphors show that the particles are suitable as magnetic resonance imaging agents. The confocal imaging of fibroblast cells with these phosphors reveals their potential for in vivo imaging. The depth-resolved imaging technique with such phosphors has broad implications for real-time intraoperative surgical guidance. [Image: see text

Molecular Subtypes of Glioblastoma Are Relevant to Lower Grade Glioma

<div><p>Background</p><p>Gliomas are the most common primary malignant brain tumors in adults with great heterogeneity in histopathology and clinical course. The intent was to evaluate the relevance of known glioblastoma (GBM) expression and methylation based subtypes to grade II and III gliomas (ie. lower grade gliomas).</p><p>Methods</p><p>Gene expression array, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array and clinical data were obtained for 228 GBMs and 176 grade II/II gliomas (GII/III) from the publically available Rembrandt dataset. Two additional datasets with <i>IDH1</i> mutation status were utilized as validation datasets (one publicly available dataset and one newly generated dataset from MD Anderson). Unsupervised clustering was performed and compared to gene expression subtypes assigned using the Verhaak et al 840-gene classifier. The glioma-CpG Island Methylator Phenotype (G-CIMP) was assigned using prediction models by Fine et al.</p><p>Results</p><p>Unsupervised clustering by gene expression aligned with the Verhaak 840-gene subtype group assignments. GII/IIIs were preferentially assigned to the proneural subtype with <i>IDH1</i> mutation and G-CIMP. GBMs were evenly distributed among the four subtypes. Proneural, <i>IDH1</i> mutant, G-CIMP GII/III s had significantly better survival than other molecular subtypes. Only 6% of GBMs were proneural and had either IDH1 mutation or G-CIMP but these tumors had significantly better survival than other GBMs. Copy number changes in chromosomes 1p and 19q were associated with GII/IIIs, while these changes in <i>CDKN2A</i>, <i>PTEN</i> and <i>EGFR</i> were more commonly associated with GBMs.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>GBM gene-expression and methylation based subtypes are relevant for GII/III s and associate with overall survival differences. A better understanding of the association between these subtypes and GII/IIIs could further knowledge regarding prognosis and mechanisms of glioma progression.</p></div

Heatmaps for the Verhaak 840-gene expression based subtype by histological group and IDH1/G-CIMP status in the Rembrandt, JCO and DASL datasets.

<p>Heatmaps for the Verhaak 840-gene expression based subtype by histological group and IDH1/G-CIMP status in the Rembrandt, JCO and DASL datasets.</p

Overall analysis approach.

<p>Overall analysis approach.</p

Somatic copy number analysis for Rembrandt dataset by histological group, gene expression subtype and IDH1/G-CIMP status (p values were accessed via fisher’s exact test).

<p>Somatic copy number analysis for Rembrandt dataset by histological group, gene expression subtype and IDH1/G-CIMP status (p values were accessed via fisher’s exact test).</p