Bioscience Research Research Articles

Classification of self-assembled fluorescent probes and their application in cancer diagnosis.

The high sensitivity, high selectivity, real-time monitoring capability, non-destructiveness, and versatility of small molecule fluorescent probes make them indispensable and powerful tools in bioscience research. Self-assembling fluorescent probes are a novel type of material that spontaneously assemble fluorescent dyes with specific molecules into nanoscale structures. Compared with ordinary small molecule fluorescent probes, self-assembled fluorescent probes have higher stability, selectivity, sensitivity, and temporal stability in detection. In recent years, the incidence and mortality of cancer have increased year by year, which has brought great challenges to the safety of human life, and traditional diagnostic methods such as nuclear magnetic resonance, ultrasound diagnosis, and X-ray tomography are time-consuming and have low resolution. The boundary between normal tissue and cancer tissue cannot be accurately distinguished during surgical resection, resulting in the possibility of recurrence after surgery. Fluorescent probes can quickly and efficiently diagnose and label cancerous tumor cells, which is of great significance for cancer discovery and treatment. In this paper, we review the classification of self-assembled fluorescent probes (molecular self-assembled fluorescent probes, nanomaterial self-assembled fluorescent probes and biological macromolecule self-assembled fluorescent probes) that are used in identifying and imaging cancerous tumor tissues. Furthermore, we discuss the current problems faced by self-assembled fluorescent probes through the specific identification and monitoring of enzymes with abnormal contents, active substances and low pH in the tumor microenvironment, hoping to give readers more inspiration.

Plant factory with artificial light design, realization, and economic analysis

It has been challenging to construct an autonomously controlled plant factory with artificial light (PFAL). It is also useful in engineering and bioscience research and education. The purpose of this research is to design and construct a micro-scale PFAL (µPFAL) with automatic environment control for a university project. Then, analyze the effectiveness of managing temperature, humidity, pH, EC, and CO2 on crop production, as well as the cost, and benefit of µPFAL. The µPFAL is made up of LED lighting, air condition, vertical cultivation, EC-pH regulation, a CO2 supply unit, and environmental control and monitoring. Control was provided via Arduino with PC monitor. For economic evaluation, cost-benefit analysis was used. The results of the control environment in µPFAL were achieved with a deviation of less than 2.5%. An Arduino-based environmental control system with a computer for monitoring was suited for university’s PFAL.Our µPFAL could produce 80.45 g/head fresh weight of green oak lettuce, the lettuce’s yield of 19 kg/m2/y. The payback period of µPFAL is 3.28 years, net present value of 82,543.30 THB, an internal rate of return of 24% and the B/C ratio of 1.22. Future research should include solar energy to assist µPFAL in meeting its sustainable goal.

Rethinking science diplomacy and global biosecurity: challenges, emerging practices and the way forward

Abstract The changing organization and nature of biotechnology and bio-innovations have led to the global phenomenon of ‘science at large’. This has given rise to two key trends in global biosecurity governance: the growing role of science diplomacy in addressing biosecurity concerns and the rise of distributed agencies, particularly involving young practitioners from the global South, who are participating in a decentralization of western-dominated biosecurity discourse through Track II science diplomacy. These trends require updated and inclusive regulatory innovations that acknowledge biosecurity and related regulatory-ethical discussions as crucial elements of public diplomacy. There is a particular need to align these efforts with emerging forms of societal funding and to foster novel public–private partnerships in advanced bioscience research. They also call for promoting multitrack science diplomacy by bolstering institutional support for science diplomacy and biosecurity. This could be in the form of dedicated funding, or the establishment of sustained platforms to enable regular mutual learning and interactions between an international group of scientists and policy-makers. These efforts should be complemented by investment to normalize cross-disciplinary and cross-sectoral dialogues, which are essential for building communities among both established and new stakeholders. These dialogues can foster mutual learning, cultural harmonization and the development of joint initiatives to address shared biosecurity concerns. This policy paper advocates for the formal integration of science diplomacy training into university science curriculums, especially at the postgraduate level. This training will equip the next generation of scientists to align scientific visions and enhance biosecurity compliance in an increasingly connected yet ideologically diverse world.

Integrating FAIR Experimental Metadata for Multi-omics Data Analysis

The technological advancements in bio-science research are resulting in the generation of vast amounts of complex and heterogeneous data sets from individual studies. Efficient Research Data Management solutions based on FAIR principles can guide the research groups toward standardizing and packaging the study-specific research results into uniquely identifiable digital objects that are easily traceable and identifiable, leading to knowledge discovery, collaboration, and innovation. However, to explore the inter-dependencies among data sets originating from different study disciplines, it is crucial to deploy a generic data-centric RDM solution that overcomes inherent challenges and helps manage complex data sets. This solution should respect participating groups’ data and security policies while providing an integrated data view. In this paper, we introduce ARC Registry, a cloud-native search & exploration application that integrates experimental metadata from individual research groups that have deployed PLANTdataHUB (FAIR-RDM) solution. The focus is on the parts of PLANTdataHUB and ARC Registry that facilitate near-real-time integration of experimental metadata from standardized digital objects (Annotated Research Contexts) across participating research groups.

Five questions on improving diversity, equity and inclusion in UK bioscience research or “How can UK bioscience be changed so that those from marginalised groups can thrive?”

Diversity, equity, and inclusion play pivotal roles in advancing science and innovation by fostering a rich and supportive environment that benefits both individuals and society. UK bioscience research units are still on a journey towards being inclusive, and existing research on effecting changes in diversity, equity, and inclusion has yet to make an impact at the scale needed to transform the sector, leaving many to wonder How can UK bioscience be changed so that those from marginalised groups can thrive? This paper considers some of the questions that arise in addressing this, discusses what we already know and what we do not, and in doing so outlines a research agenda that aims to find out what works to effect diversity, equity and inclusion in UK bioscience.

Practical considerations for the high-level automation of a biosciences research laboratory

Demands of research laboratories vary drastically compared to streamlined and standardised environments. This renders automating complex workflows difficult for researchers. Research environments use new and different protocols often, and for a limited number of experiments; this generates questions around the time and resource investment for automation. However, reluctance to adopt automation does not override its advantages. Automation assists the expansion of research capabilities, allows additional time to focus on planning and analysis, and even prevents shutdowns due to unforeseen circumstances. This work explores the implementation of automation circumventing coding requirements for the end-user in a bioscience research laboratory with a focus on resource efficiency. Automated operation was compared against its human counterpart to demonstrate the benefits of the no-code automation: operation time (up to 66 % reduction), errors in execution (no errors), ease of protocol modification (against code-dependent robotic platforms), consumable usage (repeated virtual simulations to minimise waste), and quality of results (minimal coefficient of variation and high correlation). This is the first work that demonstrates the implications of adopting no-code (high-level) automation into perpetually evolving research environments. This work demonstrates that widening researcher participation in automation increases experimental efficiency, makes challenging experimental designs attainable, and builds a robust laboratory environment.

Optical fiber probe with a concave cavity for non-contact trapping

We demonstrate a non-contact trapping of a yeast cell by an optical fiber probe with a micron-size concave cavity both theoretically and experimentally. We fabricate the optical fiber tip with a micron-size concave cavity by the improved tube etching method. The size of the concave cavity can be controlled by the etching parameters, such as the etching time, the etching solution, and so on. The output fields from the fiber tips with concave cavities of two geometrical sizes (microns and tens of microns) are computed and analyzed. Then the optical forces on a yeast cell by these concave fiber tips (CFTs) are calculated and discussed. The theoretical results predicate that a micron-size CFT can be used for non-contact trapping of a yeast cell. We observe the non-contact trapping of a yeast cell by a micron-size CFT in the experiments and measure the trapping forces. The optical trapping and manipulation based on these micron-size CFTs may provide versatile applications in bio-science and medical research.

Multiplexed Near-Field Optical Trapping Exploiting Anapole States.

Optical tweezers have had a major impact on bioscience research by enabling the study of biological particles with high accuracy. The focus so far has been on trapping individual particles, ranging from the cellular to the molecular level. However, biology is intrinsically heterogeneous; therefore, access to variations within the same population and species is necessary for the rigorous understanding of a biological system. Optical tweezers have demonstrated the ability of trapping multiple targets in parallel; however, the multiplexing capability becomes a challenge when moving toward the nanoscale. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a resonant metasurface that is capable of trapping a high number of nanoparticles in parallel, thereby opening up the field to large-scale multiplexed optical trapping. The unit cell of the metasurface supports an anapole state that generates a strong field enhancement for low-power near-field trapping; importantly, the anapole state is also more angle-tolerant than comparable resonant modes, which allows its excitation with a focused light beam, necessary for generating the required power density and optical forces. We use the anapole state to demonstrate the trapping of 100's of 100 nm polystyrene beads over a 10 min period, as well as the multiplexed trapping of lipid vesicles with a moderate intensity of <250 μW/μm2. This demonstration will enable studies relating to the heterogeneity of biological systems, such as viruses, extracellular vesicles, and other bioparticles at the nanoscale.

Automated Dissection of Intact Single Cell From Tissue Using Robotic Micromanipulation System

Obtaining single cell from tissues is important for intersection of information and bioscience research. In this article, a robotic framework based on micromanipulation system has been proposed, which can automatically and intelligently cut down single cells intact from tissue sections. The proposed method consists of several steps. An attention mechanism improved (AMI) tip localization neural network is proposed to detect and track the needle tip of micro-scale displacement end-effector within the limited field of view under microscopy. Then, the transformation matrix between the camera and coordinate system of the robot is calculated. And the cutting trajectory is generated and optimized. Finally, the end-effector is controlled to obtain intact single cells from tissues by model predictive control (MPC). The performance of the framework is verified in paraffin tissue sections dissection experiment which shows proposed framework is robust and precise enough to obtain an intact single cell. The error of autonomous single cell dissection is no more than 0.61 <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu$</tex-math></inline-formula> <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$m$</tex-math></inline-formula> .

Creating a developmental framework for evaluating RRI implementation in research organisations

The evaluation of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) actions presents important challenges for the key stakeholders engaged in the process of RRI implementation, such as policy makers, programme managers, and researchers. While there is a considerable body of literature on the conceptualization of responsibility in research and a plethora of attempts to practice RRI, there is a need for increased attention to the monitoring and evaluation of case studies of RRI implementations in research organisations, in particular regarding their structural change effects. This paper aims to discuss a contextualised developmental framework for evaluating RRI implementation in research organisations, with a specific focus on achieving structural change through tailor-made action plans. The framework, developed through RRI evaluation work in the field of biosciences, adopts a systemic and process-oriented perspective, encompassing participatory, anticipatory, reflexive, and responsive dimensions. Concrete empirical examples from bioscience organizations are provided to illustrate how the framework relates to specific conditions, experiences, and solutions, demonstrating how conceptual insights have emerged from real-life practices and data analysis. While the framework was initially customized for the specific contexts of six bioscience research organizations, it holds potential for broader relevance and applicability in addressing challenges related to RRI design, implementation, and evaluation.

In-situ elemental quantitative imaging in plant leaves by LA-ICP-MS with matrix-matching external calibration

Due to the enormous interest in plants related to bioscience, environmental and toxicological research, analytical methods are expected with the ability of getting information on elemental transfer, distribution and contents in plants. In this work, a mixture of gelatin (GA) and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) was prepared to simulate plant matrix, a method based on laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) with matrix-matching external calibration was proposed for direct quantification of multiple elements in plants. The composition of GA&HPMC substrate was optimized, such as the concentration of spiked nitric acid, the mass fraction of both GA and HPMC in the substrate and the mass ratio of GA: HPMC. After spiking elemental solution, coating the mixture onto a glass slide and drying overnight at room temperature, GA&HPMC substrate was obtained. The substrate obtained with GA: HPMC of 8: 2 was used to fabricate the standard series, which exhibited good elemental homogeneity and similar elemental signal intensities in LA-ICP-MS detection to that obtained for plant Certified Reference Material (CRM). CRMs of different plants including Citrus leaf (GBW10019), Tea (GBW07605), Beans (GBW10021) and Scallions (GBW10049) were further pressed into pellets and subjected to the proposed method, and the quantification accuracy was demonstrated. The limits of detections of this method were found to be 0.003 (Ce)-104 (Ca) μg g−1, with a wide linear range (0.01–10000 μg g−1) for 17 target elements. The application potential of the method was further demonstrated by performing elemental imaging in Trigonotis peduncularis leaves. Rapid in-situ quantitative imaging of Zn, Cu, Sr and Mn was achieved, and the elemental quantitative distributions were discussed. The constructed substrate helped direct elemental quantification in plants. It provided a powerful and efficient tool for the investigation of the distribution and transfer of elements in plants, favoring further exploration of elemental bioavailability, transport and toxicity mechanisms.

1525-P: Ventromedial Hypothalamic Nucleus Subset Stimulates Tissue Thermogenesis via Preoptic Outputs

Changes in energy status ignite neural circuits that maintain body weight by engaging peripheral mechanisms that control energy expenditure; obesity results for when these responses are no longer sufficient. The key neural circuits that stimulate energy expenditure have not yet been established, but previous research has identified several critical sites (e.g. preoptic area (POA) and ventromedial hypothalamus (VMN)) that could be part of an interconnected system that controls tissue thermogenesis, which is essential for body weight control. Activating SF1-cre VMN cells in male diet-induced obese mice reduces body fat by 25% in 72 hours. This function is likely mediated at least in part by release of the peptide pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), since knockout of PACAP in the VMN induces obesity at thermoneutrality (30C) and suppresses temperature above both the brown and beige adipose tissue in response to feeding. Because some VMN cells densely project to the POA, we hypothesized that VMN PACAP cells activate tissue thermogenesis via preoptic outputs. We placed temperature-sensing microchips above a traditional brown (interscapular brown adipose tissue (iBAT) and beige (inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) adipose tissue in Adcyap1(gene for PACAP)cre mice with DIO-ChR2 in the VMN and fiber optic implants in two major VMN outputs: the POA and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST). Activating VMN fibers in the POA that contain PACAP in both male and female mice, but not the BST, increased iBAT and iWAT temperature, and the effect was most robust when the mice were fasted. In summary, these data indicate that VMN PACAP connections with the POA is important for the induction of tissue thermogenesis, particularly when feeding conditions change. VMN PACAP, as well as associated signaling targets, are critical components to energy balance by activating adipose tissue mechanisms that stimulate energy expenditure. Disclosure A.J.Elmendorf: Other Relationship; Eli Lilly and Company. C.A.Mahler: Stock/Shareholder; AbbVie Inc., Pfizer Inc., AstraZeneca. B.Lorentz: Research Support; Eli Lilly and Company. J.Flak: Research Support; Eli Lilly and Company. Funding American Diabetes Association (Pathway 17-INI-15 to J.F.); Ralph W. and Grace M. Showalter Research Trust; Indiana University; Indiana Biosciences Research Institute

A commentary on key methodological developments related to nutritional life cycle assessment (nLCA) generated throughout a 6-year strategic scientific programme.

Rothamsted Research (RRes) is the world's oldest agricultural research centre, notable for the development of the first synthetic fertilizer (superphosphate) and long-term farming experiments (LTEs) spanning over 170 years. In 2015, RRes recruited several life cycle assessment (LCA) experts and began adopting the method to utilize high resolution agronomical data covering livestock (primarily ruminants), grassland/forage productivity and quality, and arable systems established on its North Wyke Farm Platform (NWFP) and the LTEs. The NWFP is a UK 'National Bioscience Research Infrastructure' (NBRI) developed for informing and testing systems science utilising high-resolution data to determine whether it is possible to produce nutritious food sustainably. Thanks largely to the multidisciplinary knowledge at RRes, and its collaborators, its LCA Team has been at the forefront of methodological advances during a 6-year Institute Strategic Programme (ISP) 'Soil-to-Nutrition' (S2N). While S2N investigated the co-benefits and trade-offs of new mechanistic understanding of efficient nutrient use across scales from pot to landscape, this commentary specifically synthesizes progress in incorporating human nutrition in the context of environmental footprinting, known as 'nutritional LCA' (nLCA). We conclude our commentary with a brief discussion on future pathways of exploration and methodological developments covering various activities along entire agri-food supply-chains.

Multiple Bioimaging Applications Based on the Excellent Properties of Nanodiamond: A Review.

Nanodiamonds (NDs) are emerging as a promising candidate for multimodal bioimaging on account of their optical and spectroscopic properties. NDs are extensively utilized for bioimaging probes due to their defects and admixtures in their crystal lattice. There are many optically active defects presented in NDs called color centers, which are highly photostable, extremely sensitive to bioimaging, and capable of electron leap in the forbidden band; further, they absorb or emit light when leaping, enabling the nanodiamond to fluoresce. Fluorescent imaging plays a significant role in bioscience research, but traditional fluorescent dyes have some drawbacks in physical, optical and toxicity aspects. As a novel fluorescent labeling tool, NDs have become the focus of research in the field of biomarkers in recent years because of their various irreplaceable advantages. This review primarily focuses on the recent application progress of nanodiamonds in the field of bioimaging. In this paper, we will summarize the progress of ND research from the following aspects (including fluorescence imaging, Raman imaging, X-ray imaging, magnetic modulation fluorescence imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, cathodoluminescence imaging, and optical coherence tomography imaging) and expect to supply an outlook contribution for future nanodiamond exploration in bioimaging.

Guarding Against Catastrophic Biological Risks: Preventing State Biological Weapon Development and Use by Shaping Intentions.

Guarding Against Catastrophic Biological Risks: Preventing State Biological Weapon Development and Use by Shaping Intentions.

Antimicrobial resistance: a Biochemical Society position statement

Antimicrobial resistance: a Biochemical Society position statement

Impact of bioscience DAOs on research and innovation.

The decentralised science community aims to use new technologies, including smart contracts, to solve some of the issues related to current research and funding structures: reproducibility; misaligned incentives; challenges with peer review; diversity and inclusion. We discuss some of the routes to decentralised funding of biosciences research, including the emergence of decentralised autonomous organisations (DAOs), to allow new ways of coordination and collaboration.

The Need for Biosecurity Education in Biotechnology Curricula.

The growth of biotechnology in recent decades and the dual-use nature of most bioscience research are making their misuse, or accidental misuse or release, more likely and present as threats to biosecurity. A proactive approach is through educating the next generation of scientists to be more security conscious. However, current educational and professional programs in biosecurity are lacking. In this perspective, we recommend that biosecurity educational opportunities should be implemented and expanded for undergraduate and graduate students who will likely use one or more methods in the field of biotechnology. We then propose that biosecurity education is a key factor in a path toward sustainable and safe research. Finally, a set of 17 biosecurity competencies organized into 6 distinct themes is outlined.

Deconstructed simulation for initial interview practice.

Journal of Dental EducationEarly View ADVANCING THROUGH INNOVATION Deconstructed simulation for initial interview practice Mark Scarbecz MA, PhD, Corresponding Author Mark Scarbecz MA, PhD [email protected] Department of Bioscience Research, University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) College of Dentistry, Memphis, Tennessee, USA Correspondence Mark Scarbecz, MA, PhD, Department of Bioscience Research, University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) College of Dentistry, 875 Union Ave., Memphis, TN, USA. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorNakeshi L. Dyer EdD, Nakeshi L. Dyer EdD Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Community Oral Health, University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) College of Dentistry, Memphis, Tennessee, USASearch for more papers by this authorJamie Pitt BA, MMHPE, Jamie Pitt BA, MMHPE Center for Healthcare Improvement and Patient Simulation (CHIPS), University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), Memphis, Tennessee, USASearch for more papers by this author Mark Scarbecz MA, PhD, Corresponding Author Mark Scarbecz MA, PhD [email protected] Department of Bioscience Research, University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) College of Dentistry, Memphis, Tennessee, USA Correspondence Mark Scarbecz, MA, PhD, Department of Bioscience Research, University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) College of Dentistry, 875 Union Ave., Memphis, TN, USA. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorNakeshi L. Dyer EdD, Nakeshi L. Dyer EdD Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Community Oral Health, University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) College of Dentistry, Memphis, Tennessee, USASearch for more papers by this authorJamie Pitt BA, MMHPE, Jamie Pitt BA, MMHPE Center for Healthcare Improvement and Patient Simulation (CHIPS), University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), Memphis, Tennessee, USASearch for more papers by this author First published: 13 September 2022 https://doi.org/10.1002/jdd.13107Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Early ViewOnline Version of Record before inclusion in an issue RelatedInformation

Assessing the value of precision medicine health technologies to detect and manage melanoma.

Assessing the value of precision medicine health technologies to detect and manage melanoma.