Human SMILE-Derived Stromal Lenticule Scaffold for Regenerative Therapy: Review and Perspectives

A transparent cornea is paramount for vision. Corneal opacity is one of the leading causes of blindness. Although conventional corneal transplantation has been successful in recovering patients’ vision, the outcomes are challenged by a global lack of donor tissue availability. Bioengineered corneal tissues are gaining momentum as a new source for corneal wound healing and scar management. Extracellular matrix (ECM)-scaffold-based engineering offers a new perspective on corneal regenerative medicine. Ultrathin stromal laminar tissues obtained from lenticule-based refractive correction procedures, such as SMall Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE), are an accessible and novel source of collagen-rich ECM scaffolds with high mechanical strength, biocompatibility, and transparency. After customization (including decellularization), these lenticules can serve as an acellular scaffold niche to repopulate cells, including stromal keratocytes and stem cells, with functional phenotypes. The intrastromal transplantation of these cell/tissue composites can regenerate native-like corneal stromal tissue and restore corneal transparency. This review highlights the current status of ECM-scaffold-based engineering with cells, along with the development of drug and growth factor delivery systems, and elucidates the potential uses of stromal lenticule scaffolds in regenerative therapeutics.     

Reactivity characteristics of nanoscale zerovalent iron--silica composites for trichloroethylene remediation

Spherical silica particles containing nanoscale zerovalent iron were synthesized through an aerosol-assisted process. These particles are effective for groundwater remediation, with the environmentally benign silica particles serving as effective carriers for nanoiron transport. Incorporation of iron into porous sub-micrometer silica particles protects ferromagnetic iron nanoparticles from aggregation and may increase their subsurface mobility. Additionally, the presence of surface silanol groups on silica particles allows control of surface properties via silanol modification using organic functional groups. Aerosolized silica particles with functional alkyl moieties, such as ethyl groups on the surface, clearly adsorb solubilized trichloroethylene (TCE) in water. These materials may therefore act as adsorbents which have coupled reactivity characteristics. The nanoscale iron/silica composite particles with controlled surface properties have the potential to be efficiently applied for in situ source depletion and in the design of permeable reactive barriers.     

Inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica and Shigella flexneri on spinach leaves by X-ray

Several recent foodborne disease outbreaks associated with leafy green vegetables, including spinach, have been reported. X-ray is a non-thermal technology that has shown promise for reducing pathogenic and spoilage bacteria on spinach leaves. Inactivation of inoculated Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica and Shigella flexneri on spinach leaves using X-ray at different doses (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 kGy) was studied. The effect of X-ray on color quality and microflora counts (mesophilic counts, psychrotrophic counts and yeast and mold counts) of untreated and treated spinach was also determined. A mixture of three strains of each tested organism was spot inoculated (100 μl) onto the surface of spinach leaves (approximately 8–9 log ml⁻¹), separately, and air-dried, followed by treatment with X-ray at 22 °C and 55–60% relative humidity. Surviving bacterial populations on spinach leaves were evaluated using a nonselective medium (tryptic soy agar) with a selective medium overlay for each bacteria; E. coli O157:H7 (CT-SMAC agar), L. monocytogenes (MOA), and S. enterica and S. flexneri (XLD). More than a 5 log CFU reduction/leaf was achieved with 2.0 kGy X-ray for all tested pathogens. Furthermore, treatment with X-ray significantly reduced the initial inherent microflora on spinach leaves and inherent levels were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than the control sample throughout refrigerated storage for 30 days. Treatment with X-ray did not significantly affect the color of spinach leaves, even when the maximum dose (2.0 kGy) was used.     

Estrogen content of dairy and swine wastes

Naturally occurring estrogens in animal wastes may cause negative environmental impacts, yet their abundance in animal waste treatment and storage structures is poorly documented. To better quantify estrogen concentrations in animal wastes, multiple waste samples were collected from treatment and storage structures at dairy and swine facilities and analyzed for concentrations of 17beta-estradiol (E2), estrone (E1), and 17alpha-estradiol by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy and by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (E2 only). Mass ratios of each estrogen to the macronutrients nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium were also determined. Because manure application rates are typically macronutrient-based, estrogen to macronutrient ratios are proportional to areal mass application rates of estrogen to fields. Swine farrowing waste (from farrowing sows and piglets) had the highest ratios of E2 to macronutrients. Mean ratios in swine farrowing waste were roughly twice those in swine finishing waste (from growing male and nonpregnant female animals) and more than four times higher than those in dairy waste (from lactating cows in various stages of their reproductive cycles); these differences were statistically significant (alpha = 0.05). Estrone followed a similar trend. In contrast, ratios of 17alpha-estradiol to macronutrients were highest in dairy operations. These results can be used to better predict estrogen loading rates on fields receiving swine and dairy wastes.     

Anthocyanin Determination in Black Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) and Biological Specimens Using Liquid Chromatography-Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry

ABSTRACT: The capabilities of mass spectrometry for microscale determination of anthocyanins were investigated using high-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-ESI/ MS) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS). Four anthocyanins [cyanidin 3-glucoside, cyanidin 3-sambubioside, cyanidin 3–(2^G−xylosylrutinoside) and cyanidin 3-rutinoside] were characterized in black raspberry samples by LC-ESI/MS-MS using both positive and negative ion analyses. Quantification of anthocyanins was conducted using ESI/MS-MS with selected reaction monitoring (SRM). Linear responses of several anthocyanins were determined during MS-MS analyses. Detection limits as low as 1 femtomol for most anthocyanins were obtained during ESI/MS-MS. Compared with other quantitative procedures such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultraviolet/visible spectrophotometry, the current method provides an improved sensitive, specific technique for direct determination of intact anthocyanins. The developed methodology was successfully applied to analysis of trace levels of anthocyanins in human plasma and epithelial cells.     

Integration of Emerging Biomedical Technologies in Meat Processing to Improve Meat Safety and Quality

Modern‐day processing of meat products involves a series of complex procedures designed to ensure the quality and safety of the meat for consumers. As the size of abattoirs increases, the logistical problems associated with large‐capacity animal processing can affect the sanitation of the facility and the meat products, potentially increasing transmission of infectious diseases. Additionally, spoilage of food from improper processing and storage increases the global economic and ecological burden of meat production. Advances in biomedical and materials science have allowed for the development of innovative new antibacterial technologies that have broad applications in the medical industry. Additionally, new approaches in tissue engineering and nondestructive cooling of biological specimens could significantly improve organ transplantation and tissue grafting. These same strategies may be even more effective in the preservation and protection of meat as animal carcasses are easier to manipulate and do not have the same stringent requirements of care as living patients. This review presents potential applications of emerging biomedical technologies in the food industry to improve meat safety and quality. Future research directions investigating these new technologies and their usefulness in the meat processing chain along with regulatory, logistical, and consumer perception issues will also be discussed.     

Contingent reinforcement of marijuana abstinence among individuals with serious mental illness: A feasibility study.

The feasibility of using monetary incentives to promote abstinence from marijuana use among individuals with serious mental illness was examined by using a within-subjects experimental design. Participants were 18 adults with schizophrenia or other serious mental illness who reported regular marijuana use. During 2 baseline conditions, participants received payment for submitting urine specimens independent of urinalysis results. During 3 incentive conditions, participants received varying amounts of money if urinalysis results were negative for recent marijuana use. The number of marijuana-negative specimens obtained was significantly greater during incentive than baseline conditions. These results provide evidence that marijuana use among at least some mentally ill individuals is sensitive to contingent reinforcement and support the potential feasibility of using contingency management interventions to reduce substance abuse among the mentally ill. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Atomic Bond Deficiency Defects in Amorphous Metals

Atomic bond deficiency (BD) is considered to be characteristic structural defects in amorphous metals. They are the necessary feature of local atomic configurations that facilitate various atomic transports under different driving forces. Compared with vacancies in crystalline solids, they are ??small?? in terms of their formation energies, volume costs, and elementary steps involved in atomic transport. This article reviews the authors?? recent efforts made to analyze how various local configurations containing BD are related to amorphous metal??s unique characteristics, such as glass transition, diffusion, shear flow, and structural relaxation.     

Rapid Detection of Wheat Blast Pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae Triticum Pathotype Using Genome-Specific Primers and Cas12a-mediated Technology

Wheat blast, caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae Triticum (MoT) pathotype, is a devastating disease persistent in South America and Bangladesh. Since MoT generally fails to cause visual symptoms in wheat until the heading stage when the infection would have advanced, disease control by fungicide application solely based on the detection of visual symptoms is ineffective. To develop an accurate and sensitive method to detect MoT at the seedling and vegetative stages for disease control, we sequenced the genomes of two MoT isolates from Brazil and identified two DNA fragments, MoT-6098 and MoT-6099, that are present in the MoT genome but not in the genome of the rice-infecting Magnaporthe oryzae Oryzae (MoO) pathotype. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), we confirmed the specificity of the two markers in 53 MoT and MoO isolates from South America and Bangladesh. To test the efficiency of the two markers, we first established a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method to detect MoT at isothermal conditions, without the use of a PCR machine. Following this, we used the Cas12a protein and guide RNAs (gRNAs) to target the MoT-6098 and MoT-6099 sequences. The activated Cas12a showed indiscriminate single-stranded deoxyribonuclease (ssDNase) activity. We then combined target-dependent Cas12a ssDNase activation with recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) and nucleic acid lateral flow immunoassay (NALFIA) to develop a method that accurately, sensitively, and cost-effectively detects MoT-specific DNA sequences in infected wheat plants. This novel technique can be easily adapted for the rapid detection of wheat blast and other important plant diseases in the field.     

Firefighter Wayfinding in Dark Environments Monitored by RFID

A building on fire is a smoky and dark environment both for firefighters and for civilians trapped inside. The faster firefighters find a way to search for and rescue civilians at a fire scene, the higher the survival rate of those trapped inside. This study presents a discussion on the characteristics of firefighter wayfinding under low visibility. The firefighters who participated in this study underwent testing at a training ground. The participants’ search and wayfinding paths were recorded using radiofrequency identification (RFID) technology. The results revealed that the mean searching time in each room decreased from 135 to 19 s as the firefighters became increasingly familiarized with the task. As expected, data also shows that smaller rooms contributed to shorter searching times. Most participants could manage a maximum of three rooms, with wayfinding confusion manifested after they had searched through the third room. These findings are crucial for the design of fireground strategies and training.