scholarly journals Nanopatterning with Photonic Nanojets: Review and Perspectives in Biomedical Research

Micromachines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 256
Author(s):  
Salvatore Surdo ◽  
Martí Duocastella ◽  
Alberto Diaspro
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Biology ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Biomedical Research ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Optical Methods ◽  
Nanostructured Surfaces ◽  
Promising Solution ◽  
Potential Impact ◽  
Photonic Nanojets

Nanostructured surfaces and devices offer astounding possibilities for biomedical research, including cellular and molecular biology, diagnostics, and therapeutics. However, the wide implementation of these systems is currently limited by the lack of cost-effective and easy-to-use nanopatterning tools. A promising solution is to use optical methods based on photonic nanojets, namely, needle-like beams featuring a nanometric width. In this review, we survey the physics, engineering strategies, and recent implementations of photonic nanojets for high-throughput generation of arbitrary nanopatterns, along with applications in optics, electronics, mechanics, and biosensing. An outlook of the potential impact of nanopatterning technologies based on photonic nanojets in several relevant biomedical areas is also provided.

Cucumber vs Ants: a Case Against the Myth of the Uses of Plant Extracts in Insect Pest Management

Sociobiology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 5813
Author(s):  
Matan Shelomi ◽  
Bo-Jun Qiu ◽  
Lin-Ting Huang
Keyword(s):  
Plant Extracts ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Insect Pest ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Detectable Effect ◽  
Realistic Situation ◽  
Potential Impact ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Ant Repellent

An accumulation of questionable scientific reports on the use of natural plant extracts to control household pest insects, using biologically irrelevant experimental designs and extremely high concentrations, has resulted in a publication bias: “promising” studies claiming readily available plants can repel various insects, including social insects, despite no usable data to judge cost-effectiveness or sustainability in a realistic situation. The Internet provides a further torrent of untested claims, generating a background noise of misinformation. An example is the belief that cucumbers are “natural” ant repellent, widely reported in such informal literature, despite no direct evidence for or against this claim. We tested this popular assertion using peel extracts of cucumber and the related bitter melon as olfactory and gustatory repellents against ants. Extracts of both fruit peels in water, methanol, or hexane were statistically significant but effectively weak gustatory repellents. Aqueous cucumber peel extract has a significant but mild olfactory repellent effect: about half of the ants were repelled relative to none in a control. While the myth may have a grain of truth to it, as cucumber does have a mild but detectable effect on ants in an artificial setup, its potential impact on keeping ants out of a treated perimeter would be extremely short-lived and not cost-effective. Superior ant management strategies are currently available. The promotion of “natural” products must be rooted in scientific evidence of a successful and cost-effective implementation prospect.

Simultaneous Water Droplet Formation and Sorting Using an Electric Field

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Byungwook Ahn ◽  
Rajagopal Panchapakesan ◽  
Kangsun Lee ◽  
Kwang W. Oh
Keyword(s):  
Electric Field ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Biomedical Research ◽  
Water Droplet ◽  
Droplet Formation ◽  
Electrical Actuation ◽  
Microfluidic Technology ◽  
Droplet Sorting ◽  
Control Water

The droplet-based microfluidic technology has a potent high throughput platform for biomedical research and applications [1]. Recently, Link et al. showed that an electric field can be very useful to control water droplet in carrier oil [2]. In this research, simultaneous droplet formation and sorting has been demonstrated using an electric field, allowing very precise droplet sorting to different outlets depending on the electrical actuation.

scholarly journals Integrating Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics Education

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boas Pucker ◽  
Hanna Marie Schilbert ◽  
Sina Franziska Schumacher
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Biology ◽  
Cooperative Learning ◽  
Peer Review ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Teaching Method ◽  
Integrated Education ◽  
High Throughput Data ◽  
Wet Lab ◽  
Bioinformatics Education ◽  
Increasing Demand

Combined awareness about the power and limitations of bioinformatics and molecular biology enables advanced research based on high-throughput data. Despite an increasing demand for scientists with a combined background in both fields, the education in dry lab and wet lab is often separated. This work describes an example of integrated education with focus on genomics and transcriptomics. Participants learn computational and molecular biology methods in the same practical course. Peer-review is applied as a teaching method to foster cooperative learning of students with heterogeneous backgrounds. Evaluation results indicate acceptance and appreciation of this approach.

scholarly journals Integrating Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics Education

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boas Pucker ◽  
Hanna Marie Schilbert ◽  
Sina Franziska Schumacher
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Biology ◽  
Cooperative Learning ◽  
Peer Review ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Teaching Method ◽  
Integrated Education ◽  
High Throughput Data ◽  
Wet Lab ◽  
Bioinformatics Education ◽  
Increasing Demand

Combined awareness about the power and limitations of bioinformatics and molecular biology enables advanced research based on high-throughput data. Despite an increasing demand for scientists with a combined background in both fields, the education in dry lab and wet lab is often separated. This work describes an example of integrated education with focus on genomics and transcriptomics. Participants learn computational and molecular biology methods in the same practical course. Peer-review is applied as a teaching method to foster cooperative learning of students with heterogeneous backgrounds. Evaluation results indicate acceptance and appreciation of this approach.

scholarly journals HiSpike Method for High-Throughput Cost Effective Sequencing of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Gene

2022 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ephraim Fass ◽  
Gal Zizelski Valenci ◽  
Mor Rubinstein ◽  
Paul J. Freidlin ◽  
Shira Rosencwaig ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Spike Protein ◽  
Medical Community ◽  
Effective Vaccine ◽  
Gene Variants ◽  
Spike Gene ◽  
Field Samples

The changing nature of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic poses unprecedented challenges to the world's health systems. Emerging spike gene variants jeopardize global efforts to produce immunity and reduce morbidity and mortality. These challenges require effective real-time genomic surveillance solutions that the medical community can quickly adopt. The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein mediates host receptor recognition and entry into the cell and is susceptible to generation of variants with increased transmissibility and pathogenicity. The spike protein is the primary target of neutralizing antibodies in COVID-19 patients and the most common antigen for induction of effective vaccine immunity. Tight monitoring of spike protein gene variants is key to mitigating COVID-19 spread and generation of vaccine escape mutants. Currently, SARS-CoV-2 sequencing methods are labor intensive and expensive. When sequence demands are high sequencing resources are quickly exhausted. Consequently, most SARS-CoV-2 strains are sequenced in only a few developed countries and rarely in developing regions. This poses the risk that undetected, dangerous variants will emerge. In this work, we present HiSpike, a method for high-throughput cost effective targeted next generation sequencing of the spike gene. This simple three-step method can be completed in < 30 h, can sequence 10-fold more samples compared to conventional methods and at a fraction of their cost. HiSpike has been validated in Israel, and has identified multiple spike variants from real-time field samples including Alpha, Beta, Delta and the emerging Omicron variants. HiSpike provides affordable sequencing options to help laboratories conserve resources for widespread high-throughput, near real-time monitoring of spike gene variants.

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