Biological Sources Research Articles

Management of Plant Diseases with Green Synthesized Nanoparticles Using Plant Extracts

Nanotechnology is a rapidly advancing field that has effectively tackled various issues across multiple industries, including agriculture. Nanoparticles (NPs) can typically be synthesized using two different techniques: top-down approach and bottom-up approach. In top-down approach, NPs are generated by reducing the size of a larger material, resulting in agglomerates with nano sized particles. Bottom-up approach involves building nanoscale structures from atomic and molecular components. In agriculture, nanotechnology plays a role in the production of nanoscale fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. Nanoparticles are used in plant disease management as well. The green synthesis of nanoparticles is often referred to as biosynthesis. It uses a range of biological sources like microorganisms or their derivatives as well as plant extracts, instead of synthetic chemicals, with minimal impact on human health and the environment. Green-synthesized nanoparticles (GSNPs) are known for their ease of production and cost-effectiveness. They offer several advantages, including their ability to induce systemic resistance to diseases and exhibit fungicidal and bactericidal properties.

Rapid QC-MS: Interactive Dashboard for Synchronous Mass Spectrometry Data Acquisition Quality Control.

Consistently collecting high-quality liquid chromatography-coupled tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) data is a time-consuming hurdle for untargeted workflows. Analytical controls such as internal and biological standards are commonly included in high-throughput workflows, helping researchers recognize low-integrity specimens regardless of their biological source. However, evaluating these standards as data are collected has remained a considerable bottleneck─in both person-hours and accuracy. Here we present Rapid QC-MS, an automated, interactive dashboard for assessing LC-MS/MS data quality. Minutes after a new data file is written, a browser-viewable dashboard is updated with quality control results spanning multiple performance dimensions such as instrument sensitivity, in-run retention time shifts, and mass accuracy drift. Rapid QC-MS provides interactive visualizations that help users recognize acute deviations in these performance metrics, as well as gradual drifts over periods of hours, days, months, or years. Rapid QC-MS is open-source, simple to install, and highly configurable. By integrating open-source Python libraries and widely used MS analysis software, it can adapt to any LC-MS/MS workflow. Rapid QC-MS runs locally and offers optional remote quality control by syncing with Google Drive. Furthermore, Rapid QC-MS can operate in a semiautonomous fashion, alerting users to specimens with potentially poor analytical integrity via frequently used messaging applications. Initially developed for integration with Thermo Orbitrap workflows, Rapid QC-MS offers a fast, straightforward approach to help users collect high-quality untargeted LC-MS/MS data by eliminating many of the most time-consuming steps in manual data curation. Download for free: https://github.com/czbiohub-sf/Rapid-QC-MS.

Natural compounds targeting miRNAs: a novel approach in oral cancer therapy.

Oral cancer (OC) is a significant global health issue, with high rates of both mortality and morbidity. Conventional treatments, including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, are commonly used, but they often come with serious side effects and may not fully eliminate cancer cells, resulting in recurrence and resistance to treatment. In recent years, natural products derived from plants and other biological sources have gained attention for their potential anticancer properties. These compounds offer advantages such as lower toxicity compared to traditional chemotherapy. Notable natural compounds like quercetin, berberine, curcumin, andrographolide, nimbolide, ovatodiolide, and cucurbitacin B have demonstrated effectiveness in inhibiting OC cell growth by targeting various signaling pathways involved in cancer progression. Recent breakthroughs in molecular biology have highlighted the crucial role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the development of OC. Targeting dysregulated miRNAs with natural products offers a promising strategy for treating the disease. Natural compounds exert anticancer effects by influencing both altered cellular signaling pathways and miRNA expression profiles. This study aims to explore the role of miRNAs as potential molecular targets in OC and to investigate how natural products may regulate these miRNAs. Additionally, this review will shed light on the therapeutic potential of phytochemicals in modulating miRNA expression and their significance in OC treatment.

Method of moments framework for differential expression analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing data

Differential expression analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data is central for characterizing how experimental factors affect the distribution of gene expression. However, distinguishing between biological and technical sources of cell-cell variability and assessing the statistical significance of quantitative comparisons between cell groups remain challenging. We introduce Memento, a tool for robust and efficient differential analysis of mean expression, variability, and gene correlation from scRNA-seq data, scalable to millions of cells and thousands of samples. We applied Memento to 70,000 tracheal epithelial cells to identify interferon-responsive genes, 160,000 CRISPR-Cas9 perturbed Tcells to reconstruct gene-regulatory networks, 1.2 million peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to map cell-type-specific quantitative trait loci (QTLs), and the 50-million-cell CELLxGENE Discover corpus to compare arbitrary cell groups. In all cases, Memento identified more significant and reproducible differences in mean expression compared with existing methods. It also identified differences in variability and gene correlation that suggest distinct transcriptional regulation mechanisms imparted by perturbations.

GDH1-catalytic glutaminolysis feedback activate EGFR/PI3K/AKT pathway and reprogram glioblastoma metabolism.

Glutamine is an important nutriment for cancer cell growth that provides biological sources for nucleic acid and fatty acid synthesis, but the role of glutaminolysis in signal transduction and glioblastoma (GBM) progression remains little known. Knockdown and overexpression cells were obtained to explore the functional roles of GDH1 in cell proliferation, tumor formation and aerobic glycolysis. RNA-seq, Chromatin immunoprecipitation, luciferase assay and western blot were performed to verify the regulation of EGFR-AKT pathway by the glutamate dehydrogenase 1 (GDH1, also known as GLUD1) and KDM6A. Metabolite-level measurements and Seahorse Assay were performed to assess the functional role of GHD1 in reprogramming glycolysis. Here, we report that GDH1 catalytic glutaminolysis is essential for GBM cell line proliferation and brain tumorigenesis even in high-glucose conditions. Glutamine is metabolized through glutaminolysis to produce α-ketoglutarate (α-KG). We demonstrate that glutamine in combination with leucine activates mammalian TORC1 by enhancing glutaminolysis and α-KG production. α-KG increases the transcription of PDPK1 by reducing the suppressive histone modification H3K27me3, and then promotes the activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. This transcriptional activation induced by α-KG requires histone demethylase KDM6A, which is a 2-oxoglutarate oxygenase that plays important roles in converting α-KG to succinate. Furthermore, we show that GDH1-catalytic glutaminolysis also increases the expression of HK2 and promotes glycolysis in high-glucose condition dependent on KDM6A-mediated demethylation of H3K27. These findings suggest a novel function of glutaminolysis in regulation of signal transduction and metabolism reprograming, provide further evidence for unique role of glutaminolysis in GBM progression.

Acacetin, a Natural Flavone with Potential in Improving Liver Disease Based on Its Anti-Inflammation, Anti-Cancer, Anti-Infection and Other Effects.

Liver disease is a global public problem, and the cost of its therapy is a large financial burden to governments. It is well known that drug therapy plays a critical role in the treatment of liver disease. However, present drugs are far from meeting clinical needs. Lots of efforts have been made to find novel agents to treat liver disease in the past several decades. Acacetin is a dihydroxy and monomethoxy flavone, named 5,7-dihydroxy-4'-methoxyflavone, which can be found in diverse plants. It has been reported that acacetin exhibits multiple pharmacological activities, including anti-cancer, anti-inflammation, anti-virus, anti-obesity, and anti-oxidation. These studies indicate the therapeutic potential of acacetin in liver disease. This review discussed the comprehensive information on the pathogenesis of liver disease (cirrhosis, viral hepatitis, drug-induced liver injury, and hepatocellular carcinoma), then introduced the biological source, structural features, and pharmacological properties of acacetin, and the possible application in preventing liver disease along with the pharmacokinetic and toxicity of acacetin, and future research directions. We systemically summarized the latest research progress on the potential therapeutic effect of acacetin on liver disease and existing problems. Based on the present published information, the natural flavone acacetin is an anticipated candidate agent for the treatment of liver disease.

Complex Models of Sequence Evolution Improve Fit, but not Gene Tree Discordance, for Tetrapod Mitogenomes.

Variation in gene tree estimates is widely observed in empirical phylogenomic data and is often assumed to be the result of biological processes. However, a recent study using tetrapod mitochondrial genomes to control for biological sources of variation due to their haploid, uniparentally inherited, and non-recombining nature found that levels of discordance among mitochondrial gene trees were comparable to those found in studies that assume only biological sources of variation. Additionally, they found that several of the models of sequence evolution chosen to infer gene trees were doing an inadequate job fitting the sequence data. These results indicated that significant amounts of gene tree discordance in empirical data may be due to poor fit of sequence evolution models, and that more complex and biologically realistic models may be needed. To test how the fit of sequence evolution models relates to gene tree discordance, we analyzed the same mitochondrial datasets as the previous study using two additional, more complex models of sequence evolution that each includes a different biologically realistic aspect of the evolutionary process: a covarion model to incorporate site-specific rate variation across lineages (heterotachy), and a partitioned model to incorporate variable evolutionary patterns by codon position. Our results show that both additional models fit the data better than the models used in the previous study, with the covarion being consistently and strongly preferred as tree size increases. However, even these more preferred models still inferred highly discordant mitochondrial gene trees, thus deepening the mystery around what we label the "Mito-Phylo Paradox" and leading us to ask whether the observed variation could, in fact, be biological in nature after all.

A Review on Green Synthesis of Metallic Nanoparticles by Using Plant Extracts and Their Role in Cancer

Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases that have a significant negative impact on the world’s enormous population. The chemotherapeutic medicines used in the treatment of cancer spread throughout the body causing general toxicity, poor patient compliance and even treatment cessation. This makes it difficult to deliver therapeutic agents to tumour cells with precision. Advancements in the field of medical science are being uplifted by the development of nanotechnology, which provides tremendous solutions to deal with such life-threatening diseases. Nanoparticles (NP) synthesised for medical purposes need to be biocompatible and low- or non-toxic. Therefore, the green generation of NPs is emerging as an alternative approach to physical and chemical methods. This study reviews the use of plants to synthesise these NPs. These are more stable than those synthesised from other biological sources. These NPs can be synthesised by using different metals such as gold (Au), silver (Ag), zinc (Zn), platinum (Pt), etc. Plant-derived green-manufactured Metallic Nanoparticles (MNPs) are extensively utilised in medicine as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic and anti-cancer agents. Therefore, this review aims to study different green synthesised MNPs, their synthesis method, characterisation and their role in cancer therapy.

Investigating Non-Native Ribbon Worm Cephalothrix simula as a Potential Source of Tetrodotoxin in British Bivalve Shellfish.

Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a potent marine neurotoxin found in several phylogenetically diverse organisms, some of which are sought as seafood. Since 2015, TTX has been reported in bivalve shellfish from several estuarine locations along the Mediterranean and European Atlantic coasts, posing an emerging food safety concern. Although reports on spatial and temporal distribution have increased in recent years, processes leading to TTX accumulation in European bivalves are yet to be described. Here, we explored the hypothesis that the ribbon worm species Cephalothrix simula, known to contain high levels of TTX, could play a role in the trophic transfer of the toxin into shellfish. During a field study at a single location in southern England, we confirmed C. simula DNA in seawater adjacent to trestle-farmed Pacific oysters Magallana gigas (formerly Crassostrea gigas) with a history of TTX occurrence. C. simula DNA in seawater was significantly higher in June and July during the active phase of toxin accumulation compared to periods of either no or continually decreasing TTX concentrations in M. gigas. In addition, C. simula DNA was detected in oyster digestive glands collected on 15 June 2021, the day with the highest recorded C. simula DNA abundance in seawater. These findings show evidence of a relationship between C. simula and TTX occurrence, providing support for the hypothesis that bivalves may acquire TTX through filter-feeding on microscopic life forms of C. simula present in the water column at particular periods each year. Although further evidence is needed to confirm such feeding activity, this study significantly contributes to discussions about the biological source of TTX in European bivalve shellfish.

Influence of Calcination Temperature on the Physicochemical Properties of Synthesized Hydroxyapatite from Cow Bone Waste

The chemical similarity found in hydroxyapatite (HA) with natural bone makes it a popular choice for bone replacement. Therefore, in recent years, there has been an increasing tendency towards manufacturing HA from biological sources or waste, such as animal bone waste. Using naturally derived HA can benefit the economy, the environment, and human health. Therefore, this paper reports on the extraction of HA from cow bone waste using a simple and cost-effective technique. The bone powder was calcined in a furnace at temperatures ranging from 700°C to 1000°C for two hours. Then, the synthesized HA was characterized using a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). FESEM images revealed that HA particles with non-uniform spherical morphology were produced where the size increases with the calcination temperature. This finding is consistent with the average value of particle diameter measured at a temperature of 1000°C (0.783±0.268 µm) which is much greater than at a temperature of 700°C (0.272±0.128 µm). EDX analysis revealed that the Ca/P ratio value obtained in this study indicates non-stoichiometric HA production. XRD analysis shows that only the HA phase is present and there is no secondary phase generated from the calcination process. Meanwhile, FTIR analysis can detect the main group elements of the HA which were OH- and PO43-. The findings obtained in this study prove the effectiveness of this method in producing highly crystalline HA powder from cow bone waste using the thermal treatment method.

Biowaste rice husk derived cellulosic hydrogel incorporating industrial cotton waste nonwoven for wound dressing

Bio-wastes are organic materials achieved through biological sources. The rice crop produces a substantial amount of biowaste in the form of rice husk, which is rich in cellulose. In this research, cellulose was extracted from rice husk by alkalization and bleaching process. The rice husk extracted cellulose was further used to develop cellulose hydrogel by using the sol-gel technique. The nonwoven fabric of industrial cotton waste was developed in three different GSM (50, 100, and 150). The nonwoven fabric was incorporated in the cellulose hydrogel having three different concentrations (1 %, 2 %, and 3 %) to develop the hydrogel non-woven cotton fabric composite for sustainable wound dressing applications. Moreover, prepared rice husk extracted cellulose hydrogel loaded with AgNO3 (0.5 %, 1 %, and 1.5 %) for achieving antibacterial characteristics. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to confirm the existence of cellulose hydrogel layers within the cotton nonwoven composite. The developed hydrogel S12 exhibited a maximum fluid absorbency of 1281.84 % with a tensile strength of 28.6 N and elongation of 40.96 %. The results show successful rice husk extracted cellulose hydrogel formation, exhibiting structural stability, excellent exudate absorbency and moisture management, antimicrobial efficacy, and sustainability.

EMG and SSVEP-based bimodal estimation of elbow angle trajectory

Detecting intentions and estimating movement trajectories in a human–machine interface (HMI) using electromyogram (EMG) signals is particularly challenging, especially for individuals with movement impairments. Therefore, incorporating additional information from other biological sources, potential discrete information in the movement, and the EMG signal can be practical. This study combined EMG and target information to enhance estimation performance during reaching movements. EMG activity of the shoulder and arm muscles, elbow angle, and the electroencephalogram signals of ten healthy subjects were recorded while they reached blinking targets. The reaching target was recognized by steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP). The selected target’s final angle and EMG were then mapped to the elbow angle trajectory. The proposed bimodal structure, which integrates EMG and final elbow angle information, outperformed the EMG-based decoder. Even under conditions of higher fatigue, the proposed structure provided better performance than the EMG decoder. Including additional information about the recognized reaching target in the trajectory model improved the estimation of the reaching profile. Consequently, this study’s findings suggest that bimodal decoders are highly beneficial for enhancing assistive robotic devices and prostheses, especially for real-time upper limb rehabilitation.

Estimating Anticancer Effects of Yohimbine in DMBA-Induced Oral Carcinogenesis Hamster Model: Utilizing Biochemical and Immunohistochemical Techniques.

Yohimbine is a potent bioactive indole alkaloid, isolated from a variety of biological sources and has long been used as a natural stimulant and aphrodisiac, particularly to treat erectile dysfunction. However, some literature also points toward its anticancer effect in different experimental models. The current study aimed to address a clinical concern on the therapeutic utilization of yohimbine as a repurposed drug. We employed 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis model juxtaposed with biochemical investigation of several detoxification and antioxidant markers, such as Cyt p450, Cyt b5, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), glutathione (GSH), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S transferase (GST), DT-diaphorase, vitamin C, vitamin E, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). The immunohistochemical assessment of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and cyclin D1 expression were also performed to observe the effect of yohimbine on these markers. The hamsters treated with DMBA presented the growth of tumors in the buccal pouches, accompanied by significant changes in the liver and buccal mucosa levels of Phase I & II detoxification enzymes and lipid peroxidation (LPO). A significant rise in the range of 2- to 3.5-fold was observed in Cyt p450, Cyt b5, and LPO in DMBA-treated animals. However, oral administration of yohimbine significantly restored the LPO, antioxidant, and detoxifying enzyme activities. Additionally, the levels of COX-2, IL-6, PCNA, and cyclin D1 were also found to be downregulated by yohimbine treatment. In conclusion, yohimbine improved the biochemical and immunohistochemical markers of DMBA-induced oral cancer and reverted to near normal values via ameliorating the underlying inflammation and oxidative stress conditions. Our study highlighted the potential of yohimbine as anticancer agent, especially against oral cancer and suggested its possible use as repurposed drug.

Mass spectrometry-based proteomics for source-level attribution after DNA extraction

Biological traces recovered from crime scenes serve as vital evidence in forensic investigations. While DNA evidence is frequently used to address the sub-source level of the hierarchy of propositions, the biological source of the DNA can be highly probative at the source level. Current body fluid detection methods pose certain limitations, such as reports of false positive results from some of the presumptive and/or confirmatory tests in current use. These tests are also individual tests for the detection of one body fluid, meaning that if the sample is suspected to be a mixture of multiple body fluids, then different tests would need to be conducted to confirm the body fluid(s) present, which may exhaust small amounts of available biological trace. Proteomics applications for the identification of body fluids have been previously explored, and potential biomarkers indicative of body fluids discovered from liquid-chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods have been reported. This work focuses on developing a mass spectrometry-based proteomics approach for the identification of body fluids by targeting discriminating peptide biomarkers from the non-DNA component left over after DNA extraction of samples. The non-DNA component is typically a waste product but with unappreciated evidential value. Our methodology for the purification of proteins from the post-DNA extraction waste includes an acetone precipitation and single-pot solid-phase-enhanced sample preparation (SP3) technique, microwave-assisted trypsin digestion, and LC-MS/MS analysis of the resultant peptides. Preliminary results from this proof-of-concept study include a list of potentially discriminating proteins and peptides for blood, saliva, and semen developed from the analysis of post-DNA extraction waste. Our method allows for multiple analytes to be targeted simultaneously from a DNA profiling waste stream and we anticipate that it could eventually be incorporated into standard forensic laboratory workflows.

Recent Innovations in Biosurfactant Production: Exploring Biomedical and Environmental Applications: A Review

The unique characteristics and ecological friendly nature of biosurfactants, which are compounds with amphiphilic properties derived from biological sources, have garnered considerable interest. This review article explores into the fascinating characteristics of biosurfactants, with a particular emphasis on identifying and studying microorganisms that produce biosurfactants in unusual conditions, such as harsh ecosystems and agricultural wastes. Using innovative techniques, researchers investigated a wide variety of microbial strains for their ability to produce biosurfactants and evaluated the biosurfactants that were recovered. Furthermore, researchers also conducted assays on a laboratory scale to explore their possible uses in fields including bioremediation and increased oil recovery. The effectiveness of biosurfactants in combating environmental problems and fostering sustainability is emphasized in this investigation. Additionally, researchers considered cost-effective techniques while evaluating the economic viability of biosurfactant production. These findings provide insight into strategies to effectively incorporate biosurfactants into new technologies for a range of applications. This study highlights the potential of biosurfactants as eco-friendly alternatives in industrial processes and enhances the awareness of their sources of production. The purpose is to explore a more sustainable future by integrating biosurfactants into widespread biomedical devices while supporting further research and advancement in the pharmaceutical industry.

Unlocking the Potential of Hydrosols: Transforming Essential Oil Byproducts into Valuable Resources

The global demand for sustainable and non-toxic alternatives across various industries is driving the exploration of naturally derived solutions. Hydrosols, also known as hydrolates, represent a promising yet underutilised byproduct of the extraction process of essential oils (EOs). These aqueous solutions contain a complex mixture of EO traces and water-soluble compounds and exhibit significant biological activity. To fully use these new solutions, it is necessary to understand how factors, such as distillation time and plant-to-water ratio, affect their chemical composition and biological activity. Such insights are crucial for the standardisation and quality control of hydrosols. Hydrosols have demonstrated noteworthy properties as natural antimicrobials, capable of preventing biofilm formation, and as antioxidants, mitigating oxidative stress. These characteristics position hydrosols as versatile ingredients for various applications, including biopesticides, preservatives, food additives, anti-browning agents, pharmaceutical antibiotics, cosmetic bioactives, and even anti-tumour agents in medical treatments. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of these activities is also essential for advancing their use. In this context, this review compiles and analyses the current literature on hydrosols’ chemical and biological properties, highlighting their potential applications and envisioning future research directions. These developments are consistent with a circular bio-based economy, where an industrial byproduct derived from biological sources is repurposed for new applications.

Effect of Winter Sowing and Different Fertilizer Sources on Physiological Parameters and Yield Components of Dragon’s Head (Lallemantia iberica Fisch. & C.A.Mey.)

The effects of autumn sowing and chemical, organic, and biological fertilizer sources were explored on yield components and physiological traits of dragon’s head (Lallemantia iberica Fisch. & C.A.Mey). The study was conducted as a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with three replications in a field experiment in the 2017-2018 crop year. The fertilizer treatments included organic fertilizers (vermicompost, manure, and humic acid), biofertilizer (Thiobacillus mixed with sulfur), chemical fertilizer (macro NPK), and control (no fertilizer). The studied traits included seed yield per ha, harvest index, biological yield per ha, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoid, proline, and dissolved carbohydrate. The results of the comparison of the means revealed that the winter sowing outperformed the spring sowing evidently and increased traits like seed yield per ha, biological yield per ha, and harvest index significantly. The fertilization of the plants in both sowing seasons, especially in the winter sowing, increased seed yield per ha, biological yield per ha, and harvest index so that the vermicompost-fertilized winter-sown plants produced the highest seed yield per ha (0.91 g), whereas the application of manure was related to the highest harvest index in the winter sowing (27.9%). The highest biological yield (8797 kg ha-1) was related to the treatment of Thiobacillus of the winter-sown plants. Proline content was higher in the spring sowing plants, and the control treatment in the spring sowing had the highest proline content (0.120 mg g-1). Concerning dissolved carbohydrates, the spring sowing and the unfertilized plants had the highest content (20.3 mg g-1). On the other hand, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoid were higher in the treatments of Thiobacillus and vermicompost, which resulted in achieving higher yields due to the increase in photosynthesis rate. According to the results, the winter sowing of the dragon’s head in the Azerbaijan region of Iran and the use of Thiobacillus and vermicompost could be recommended for obtaining plants with optimum quality parameters.

Decoding organic compounds in lava tube sulfates to understand potential biomarkers in the Martian subsurface

Exploring molecular biomarkers in lava tube speleothems offers insights into environmental dynamics, biogeochemical processes, and subsurface life, with implications for astrobiology, particularly in Martian analog environments. Despite extensive biomarker research in marine and terrestrial settings, lava tube studies are limited. This study employed molecular, isotope and mineralogical characterization to analyze sulfate speleothems from six lava tubes of Lanzarote (Canary Islands), considered analog for the Moon and Mars. The combination of mass spectrometry, thermogravimetry, and mineralogical techniques, revealed geological processes, biomarkers and their biological sources. The identified minerals were primarily calcium and sodium sulfates. Sulfur isotope analyses indicated volcanic and oceanic origins, while carbon isotope composition and pyrolysis analyses suggested influences from vegetation and microbial activity. Lipidic profiles highlighted branched and n-alkanes, as well as palmitic and stearic acid methyl esters, suggesting microbial origins. These findings contribute to understanding geological and environmental dynamics in lava tubes and recognizing potential biosignatures on Earth and other planets.

A Bibliographic Review of Diclofenac Sodium Determination with Electrochemically Modified Sensors in Different Biological, Pharmaceutical, and water Sources

Diclofenac sodium (DS) attracts the interest of researchers because it is one of the most prevalent pharmaceuticals in aqueous matrices and has the potential to harm aquatic life. However, most of the techniques used to analyze it are expensive and require a highly trained professional to perform them. On the other hand, there is the possibility of testing DS with electrochemical sensors. They are currently available for determining contaminants in different samples (tablets, blood, urine), but only a few articles analyze DS in wastewater. This is how the selection of articles for the review was organized by the type of modifier used in the working electrode. In addition, recent improvements in DS detection using electrochemical techniques in pharmaceutical formulations, biological fluids, and environmental materials were provided and discussed, along with a brief description of the results and methods used in the development publications. Keywords: diclofenac sodium, wastewater, modifier, electrochemical detection.. Resumen El diclofenaco sódico (DS) atrae el interés de los investigadores porque es uno de los productos farmacéuticos más presentes en matrices acuosas y tiene el potencial de dañar la vida acuática. Sin embargo, la mayoría de las técnicas utilizadas para analizarlo son costosas y requieren de un profesional altamente capacitado para realizarlas. Por otro lado, existe la posibilidad de probar DS con sensores electroquímicos. Actualmente están disponibles para la determinación del contaminante en diferentes muestras (tabletas, sangre, orina), pero sólo unos pocos artículos analizan el DS en aguas residuales. Es así como la selección de los artículos para la revisión se organizó por el tipo de modificador utilizado en el electrodo de trabajo. Además, se brindaron y discutieron mejoras recientes en la detección de DS mediante técnicas electroquímicas en formulaciones farmacéuticas, fluidos biológicos y materiales ambientales, junto con una breve descripción de los resultados y métodos empleados en las publicaciones de desarrollo. Palabras Clave: Diclofenaco Sódico, Aguas Residuales, Modificador, Detección Electroquímica.

Hyperdimensional computing: A fast, robust, and interpretable paradigm for biological data.

Advances in bioinformatics are primarily due to new algorithms for processing diverse biological data sources. While sophisticated alignment algorithms have been pivotal in analyzing biological sequences, deep learning has substantially transformed bioinformatics, addressing sequence, structure, and functional analyses. However, these methods are incredibly data-hungry, compute-intensive, and hard to interpret. Hyperdimensional computing (HDC) has recently emerged as an exciting alternative. The key idea is that random vectors of high dimensionality can represent concepts such as sequence identity or phylogeny. These vectors can then be combined using simple operators for learning, reasoning, or querying by exploiting the peculiar properties of high-dimensional spaces. Our work reviews and explores HDC's potential for bioinformatics, emphasizing its efficiency, interpretability, and adeptness in handling multimodal and structured data. HDC holds great potential for various omics data searching, biosignal analysis, and health applications.