Remote Sampling Research Articles

Remote sampling of persistent organic pollutants by a home-made thin film device

Fast and accurate determination of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) plays a crucial role in addressing concerns related to public security and environmental safety. Herein, a unique thin film based solid phase microextraction (denoted as TF-SPME) method was reported and used for on-site analysis of POPs via loading the TFs into a homemade sampling device and equipped on a drone, which can load up to 6 pieces of TFs at the same time. The parallel 6 pieces of TFs offered significant advantages in terms of efficiency, accuracy, cost-effectiveness and comparability of sampling. The detection limit for polychlorinated biphenyls and polyaromatic hydrocarbons was as low as 0.03 ng L−1, far below the regulatory thresholds for drinking water prescribed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The standard deviations were ranged between 2.7 % and 9.9 %, showcasing its remarkable precision on POPs analysis. Then, by facilely equipping TF-SPME on a drone, remotely controlled sampling and on-site analysis in real water samples was realized. The concentrations were determined to be from 0.12 ng L−1 to 1.01 ng L−1 for PCBs and 0.53 ng L−1 to 19.93 ng L−1 for PAHs in the river water of Guangzhou downtown area. This study demonstrates the possibility of practical monitoring POPs with constructing novel sampling device and hopefully expands the toolbox for remote analysis of potential chemotoxicity and biotoxicity samples.

Comparison of liquid and filter sampling techniques for recovery of Bacillus spores and Escherichia coli from environmental water

Historically, detecting water contamination has involved collecting and directly analyzing liquid samples, but recent advances in filter sampling methods offer numerous potential advantages. Emerging technologies, including environmental DNA (eDNA) samplers, could be used for remote microbial contamination sampling, but work is needed to determine if target microorganisms can be recovered from filters at comparable levels to traditional sampling methods. In this study, Escherichia coli and a surrogate for Bacillus anthracis spores were sampled from synthetic stormwater and quantified using both direct liquid and filter methods, and dwell time tests compared microorganism persistence in water and on filters. At nearly all tested timepoints, the recoveries of spores from membrane filters were within 0.5 log10 colony forming units per sample (CFU/sample) compared to the liquid-only samples, suggesting that the use of filter sampling is a feasible alternative to liquid-based sampling, and samples were held for up to 4 weeks without significant sample degradation. Recoveries for E. coli remained relatively consistent for ∼3 days in phosphate buffered saline (PBS), in synthetic stormwater, and on membrane filters, but decreases in recoveries were observed for samples held for >3 days. These results indicate that emerging water sampling technologies, which reduce logistical burdens and offer potential cost savings, can be leveraged to characterize biological contamination in water matrices with multiple types of microbiological agents.

Intensive, Real-Time Data Collection of Psychological and Physiological Stress During a 96-Hour Field Training Exercise at a Senior Military College: Feasibility and Acceptability Cohort Study.

Poor physical fitness, stress, and fatigue are factors impacting military readiness, national security, and economic burden for the United States Department of Defense. Improved accuracy of wearable biosensors and remote field biologic sample collection strategies could make critical contributions to understanding how physical readiness and occupational stressors result in on-the-job and environment-related injury, sleep impairments, diagnosis of mental health disorders, and reductions in performance in war-fighters. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of intensive biomarker and biometric data collection to understand physiological and psychological stress in Army Reserved Officer Training Corps cadets before, during, and after a 96-hour field training exercise (FTX). A prospective pilot study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of multimodal field data collection using passive drool saliva sampling, sweat sensors, accelerometry, actigraphy, and photoplethysmography. In addition, physical fitness (Army Combat Fitness Test), self-reported injury, and psychological resilience (Brief Resilience Scale) were measured. A total of 22 cadets were included. Two were lost to follow-up due to injury during FTX, for a retention rate of 91%. Assessments of performance and psychological resilience were completed for all remaining participants, resulting in 100% testing adherence. All participants provided saliva samples before the FTX, with 98% adherence at the second time point and 91% at the third. For sweat, data collection was not possible. Average daily wear time for photoplethysmography devices was good to excellent, meeting a 70% threshold with data collected for ≥80% of person-days at all time points. Of the participants who completed the FTX and 12 completed a post-FTX acceptability survey for a response rate of 60%. Overall, participant acceptance was high (≥80%) for all metrics and devices. This study demonstrates that wearable biosensors and remote field biologic sample collection strategies during a military FTX have the potential to be used in higher stakes tactical environments in the future for some, but not all, of the strategies. Overall, real-time biometric and biomarker sampling is feasible and acceptable during field-based training and provides insights and strategies for future interventions on military cadet and active-duty readiness, environmental stress, and recovery.

Validation of a Remote Sampling Sensor for Measuring Urine Volume and Nitrogen Concentration in Grazing Dairy Cattle.

The purpose of this research was to validate a urine sensor (Lincoln University PEETER V2.0, Canterbury, New Zealand) that records the time and volume of urination events for dairy cows in addition to collecting a proportional urine sample from all urination events. Sixteen multiparous Holstein × Jersey mid-lactating cows (101 ± 5 days in milk, 498 ± 24.2 kg body weight, 26.2 ± 3.07 kg/d milk yield; mean ± standard deviation) were allocated herbage diets ranging in protein and sodium content to generate a range of urine volumes and urine nitrogen (UN) concentrations. Total collection of individual urination events occurred during a 72-h measurement period where PEETER V2.0 sensors were attached to cows. A mixed model ANOVA using lme4 package (version 1.1-35.5) in R (version 4.3.3) were used to compare the means. The average urine event size was 2.65 ± 1.1 L for total collection by observers and 2.68 ± 1.1 L as recorded by the sensor (mean ± standard deviation; p = 0.730). The urine nitrogen concentration was 5.76 ± 1.2 g N/L for samples collected by observers and 5.85 ± 1.3 g N/L for the samples collected by the sensor (p = 0.583). The calculated UN excretion was 156 ± 45.1 g/day for direct measurements and 162 ± 40.0 g/day for the sensor (p = 0.539. Contrasts with simultaneously measured data were undertaken using Lin's Concordance Correlation Coefficient (CCC) and a Pearson correlation coefficient (r). Correlations between the actual values and sensor values were strong, with little to moderate variability in the urine volume (CCC = 0.936, r = 0.937; n = 222), UN concentration (CCC = 0.840, r = 0.837, n = 48) and total UN excretion (CCC = 0.827, r = 0.836, n = 24). Considering the findings, the PEETER V2.0 urine sensor has the potential to reliably measure urine volumes and UN concentrations for estimations of the UN excretion of dairy cattle under grazing systems.

A low-cost homogenizing device for in-field and remote DNA and RNA extraction

Environmental monitoring of microorganisms is critical for the protection and enhancement of human and ecosystem health. Even though these molecular methods have overtaken traditional culture-based methods and become more accessible, these techniques still require expensive equipment and dedicated facilities to process samples which in the context of a global pandemic, remote sampling areas or low-income countries can be extremely challenging. Sample preparation and sample homogenisation are critical steps for molecular-based techniques, especially for the extraction of DNA and RNA. This study developed a low-cost, open-source, freely available 3D printed homogenizer for the processing of DNA and RNA extraction. The BoSL Beater 3D is a portable device that allows researcher to perform bead-beating steps commonly required for environmental sample extraction protocols in the field and without access to main’s power. The BoSL Beater 3D was tested on filtered wastewater samples and passive samplers exposed to wastewater over a 24-hour period and showed similar or better performance to the traditional laboratory bead beater for both the extraction of DNA and RNA. The cost of this 3D homogeniser is roughly $18 AUD ($296 AUD with the jigsaw, which is roughly 57 times cheaper than a traditional bead beater) and has the added usability of being portable and easily adaptable to any type of jigsaw. In combination to newly developed field extraction kits as well as portable PCR machines, this 3D homogeniser could provide the tool necessary to enable access to molecular testing in remote setting as well as developing countries, which may not have access to fully equipped laboratories, but also allow for timely reporting. In addition, the BoSL Beater 3D, in combination with field extraction kit, can allow more flexibility to researchers while sampling, shipping, and processing DNA and RNA samples, whilst maintaining quality of these samples.

Model based optimization for refractive index mismatched light sheet imaging.

Selective plane illumination microscopy (SPIM) is an optical sectioning imaging approach based on orthogonal light pathways for excitation and detection. The excitation pathway has an inverse relation between the optical sectioning strength and the effective field of view (FOV). Multiple approaches exist to extend the effective FOV, and here we focus on remote focusing to axially scan the light sheet, synchronized with a CMOS camera's rolling shutter. A typical axially scanned SPIM configuration for imaging large samples utilizes a tunable optic for remote focusing, paired with air objectives focused into higher refractive index media. To quantitatively explore the effect of remote focus choices and sample space refractive index mismatch on light sheet intensity distributions, we developed an open-source computational approach for integrating ray tracing and field propagation. We validate our model's performance against experimental light sheet profiles for various SPIM configurations. Our findings indicate that optimizing the position of the sample chamber relative to the excitation optics can enhance image quality by balancing aberrations induced by refractive index mismatch. We validate this prediction using a home-built, large sample axially scanned SPIM configuration and calibration samples. Our open-source, extensible modeling software can easily extend to explore optimal imaging configurations in diverse light sheet imaging settings.

Traditional vs novel out-of-office method for collecting cytology and HPV DNA - a comparative study.

The integration of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) detection into cervical cancer screening in Poland aims to improve early detection, yet challenges in coverage and adherence persist. Innovative approaches, like sampling for HPV testing and cytology outside medical settings, have been proposed. This study assesses the feasibility and agreement of results between traditional and novel sampling methods. A cohort of 50 women aged 25-74 underwent HPV DNA and liquid-based cytology sampling both in-office using standard method and outside the medical setting by trained personnel. Samples were analyzed for HPV DNA using Real-Time PCR and cytology according to the Bethesda System. Cytology and HPV DNA positivity rates showed substantial agreement between methods, with almost perfect agreement for high-risk HPV types. Visual assessment of the cervix was successfully conducted in all cases. Preliminary results suggest remote sampling for HPV DNA and cytology is a viable alternative to traditional methods, with the effectiveness in detecting HPV and cytological abnormalities comparable to this reported in literature, offering potential benefits for individuals with mobility limitations or logistical barriers to attending medical appointments. The study highlights the potential role of remote sampling for HPV DNA and cytology in enhancing cervical cancer screening accessibility and adherence. Implementation of such methods could improve coverage, particularly among underserved populations. Further research is needed to validate and optimize these approaches for broader clinical use.

Prospective Analysis of urINe LAM to Eliminate NTM Sputum Screening (PAINLESS) study: Rationale and trial design for testing urine lipoarabinomannan as a marker of NTM lung infection in cystic fibrosis.

Routine screening for nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease is dependent on sputum cultures. This is particularly challenging in the cystic fibrosis (CF) population due to reduced sputum production and low culture sensitivity. Biomarkers of infection that do not rely on sputum may lead to earlier diagnosis, but validation trials require a unique prospective design. The rationale of this trial is to investigate the utility of urine lipoarabinomannan (LAM) as a test to identify people with CF with a new positive NTM culture. We hypothesize that urine LAM is a sensitive, non-invasive screening test with a high negative predictive value to identify individuals with a relatively low risk of having positive NTM sputum culture. This is a prospective, single-center, non-randomized observational study in adults with CF, 3 years of negative NTM cultures, and no known history of NTM positive cultures. Patients are followed for two year-long observational periods with the primary endpoint being a positive NTM sputum culture within a year of a positive urine LAM result and a secondary endpoint of a positive NTM sputum culture within 3 years of a positive urine LAM result. Study implementation includes remote consent and sample collection to accommodate changes from the COVID-19 pandemic. This report describes the study design of an observational study aimed at using a urine biomarker to assist in the diagnosis of NTM lung infection in pwCF. If successful, urine LAM could be used as an adjunct to traditional sputum cultures for routine NTM screening.

The Modeled Seasonal Cycles of Surface N2O Fluxes and Atmospheric N2O

AbstractNitrous oxide (N2O) is a greenhouse gas and stratospheric ozone‐depleting substance with large and growing anthropogenic emissions. Previous studies identified the influx of N2O‐depleted air from the stratosphere to partly cause the seasonality in tropospheric N2O (aN2O), but other contributions remain unclear. Here, we combine surface fluxes from eight land and four ocean models from phase 2 of the Nitrogen/N2O Model Intercomparison Project with tropospheric transport modeling to simulate aN2O at eight remote air sampling sites for modern and pre‐industrial periods. Models show general agreement on the seasonal phasing of zonal‐average N2O fluxes for most sites, but seasonal peak‐to‐peak amplitudes differ several‐fold across models. The modeled seasonal amplitude of surface aN2O ranges from 0.25 to 0.80 ppb (interquartile ranges 21%–52% of median) for land, 0.14–0.25 ppb (17%–68%) for ocean, and 0.28–0.77 ppb (23%–52%) for combined flux contributions. The observed seasonal amplitude ranges from 0.34 to 1.08 ppb for these sites. The stratospheric contributions to aN2O, inferred by the difference between the surface‐troposphere model and observations, show 16%–126% larger amplitudes and minima delayed by ∼1 month compared to Northern Hemisphere site observations. Land fluxes and their seasonal amplitude have increased since the pre‐industrial era and are projected to grow further under anthropogenic activities. Our results demonstrate the increasing importance of land fluxes for aN2O seasonality. Considering the large model spread, in situ aN2O observations and atmospheric transport‐chemistry models will provide opportunities for constraining terrestrial and oceanic biosphere models, critical for projecting carbon‐nitrogen cycles under ongoing global warming.

Air quality monitoring using drones (UAV)

Abstract Air pollution causes many diseases and is a major environmental threat, therefore, it is essential to monitor and improve the air quality. With this work, we aim to assess atmospheric pollution using drone-mounted air sensors, with specific applications in Vietnam. We aim to measure Green-House Gas (GHG) emissions and other pollutants in urban and non-urban areas of interest including, but not limited to landfills and airports, to evaluate the effects of pollution on climate and health. The project will use a novel and creative approach to collect three-dimensional atmospheric data using smart sensors mounted on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). UAVs have been extensively applied in recent years, both in Vietnam and on a global scale, to multiple fields and with different scopes. Surveying, crop monitoring, irrigation and fertilization, surveillance and rescue support, and 2D and 3D mapping, are just a few examples of how UAVs can be used for agriculture, archaeology, forestry, urban planning, and architecture. In this project, we develop an integrated system of UAVs and smart sensors for air quality monitoring. To develop mitigation and adaptation strategies for reducing the environmental impact of transport, it is imperative to assess the emission sources and trends. Therefore, we are developing a system able to collect comprehensive atmospheric data using remote aerosol sampling, and chemical speciation. Furthermore, the potential of using smart sensors on other flying devices is explored.

Revolutionizing biomarker analysis one tip at a time—Coupling antibody to Volumetric Absorptive Microsamplers for sensitive LC-MS analysis

The constant pursuit of efficient and cost-effective methods for analyzing human samples drives ongoing innovation in biomedical research. Introduced in 2014, Volumetric Absorptive Microsampling (VAMS) technology ensures fixed blood volume absorption and enhanced sample uniformity. Our study aims to enhance VAMS functionality by integrating sample preparation onto the device primarily used for sample collection. This involves the adsorption of antibodies onto VAMS tips, enabling instant sample clean-up at the time of sample collection. Using human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) as a model analyte, we evaluated the qualitative and quantitative performance of Affinity-VAMS. First, we showed that adsorbing and covalently binding monoclonal antibodies to VAMS tips results in capturing of the target analyte in comparison to unmodified VAMS. Due to the ease of preparation, we moved forward using antibody adsorption to VAMS tip and optimized the procedure. Optimization of the procedure involved fine-tuning the antibody coupling step, washing process, and determining the optimal amount of antibody required, leading to a streamlined process with significant time savings up to two days. Recovery experiments demonstrate successful capture of the target analyte by the Affinity-VAMS, while matrix effects and stability assessments indicate no negative effects from serum matrix or storage conditions. Finally, quantitative analysis shows promising performance of the Affinity-VAMS in detecting different concentrations of the target analyte in the concentration range between 7.5 - 25 ng·mL−1. The calculated correlation factor was R2 of 0.9988 and limit of detection 2.5 ng·mL−1. The precision lays within the ICH guidelines for bioanalytical method validation. While this report is focused on the proof of concept of the Affinity-VAMS, our findings demonstrate the potential for the usage of modified VAMS in remote sampling and integrated sample processing, enhancing biomarker analysis in clinical and research settings.

Assessing freedom from chronic wasting disease in semi-domesticated reindeer in Norway and Sweden

Establishing freedom from disease is a key component of surveillance and may have direct consequences for trade and economy. Transboundary populations pose challenges in terms of variable legislation, efforts, and data availability between countries, often limiting surveillance efficiency. Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a contagious prion disease of cervids. The long incubation period and slow initial epidemic growth make it notoriously difficult to detect CWD in the early phase of an epidemic. The recent emergence of CWD in wild reindeer in Norway poses a threat to approximately 250,000 semi-domesticated reindeer in Norway and 250,000 in Sweden, including transboundary populations. Here, we provide a first analysis of surveillance data (2016–2022) from all reindeer districts in Norway and Sweden to determine the probability of freedom from CWD infection. During the six years, 6017 semi-domesticated reindeer were tested in Sweden and 51,974 in Norway. Most samples came from healthy slaughtered animals (low risk). Reindeer use large and remote areas and (high risk) samples from fallen stock and animals with clinical signs were difficult to obtain. A scenario tree model was run for seven different set of values for the input parameters (design prevalence within and between districts, probability of introduction, and relative risks) to determine the effect on surveillance sensitivity. At the national level, the mean probability of disease freedom was 59.0 % in Sweden and 87.0 % in Norway by 2021. The most marked effect on sensitivity was varying the design prevalence both within and between districts. Uncertainty about relative risk ratios affected sensitivity for Sweden more than for Norway, due to the higher proportion of animals in the high-risk group in the former (13.8 % vs. 2.1 %, respectively). A probability of disease freedom of 90 % or higher was reached in 8.2 % of the 49 districts in Sweden and 43.5 % of the 46 districts in Norway for a design prevalence of 0.5 %. The probability of freedom remained below 60 % in 29 districts (59.2 %) in Sweden and 10 districts (21.7 %) in Norway. At the national level, only Norway had a sufficiently large number of samples to reach a probability of more than 95 % of disease freedom within a period of 10 years. Our cross-border assessment forms an important knowledge base for designing future surveillance efforts depending on the spatial pattern of prevalence of CWD and risk of spread.

Strategies for Comprehensive Immune Monitoring of Clinical Trials to Advance Human Immunotherapy in Remote Settings

Abstract Comprehensive immune monitoring of clinical trials relies on the ability to generate high-quality data to gain insights into disease detection and treatment. Execution of longitudinal clinical trials in flow cytometry is complex due to logistical challenges in high-quality sample collection. Our group has developed a novel blood “immune signature” of cancer nonresponsiveness that predicts failure to make a clinical response to checkpoint immunotherapies targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway. Recent advances in CyTOF™ technology allow us to expand clinical implementation to remote settings with a 50-plus-marker panel. CyTOF is the only technology that allows remote asynchronous sample collection with the largest immunophenotyping panel yielding reproducible results. This approach is uniquely enabled using a stable lyophilized large-scale staining panel and achieving comprehensive marker coverage in one panel minimizes blood sample required. CyTOF enables a simplified workflow including blood collection and processing in remote locations to enable the simplest clinical trial infrastructure complexity and cost, easily implemented in current hospital labs. This study is designed to demonstrate the clinical impact and utility of CyTOF for a highly simplified workflow for multi-site clinical trials. We report on the first phase of this project that implements this simplified workflow across remote clinical collection sites, data integration, and analysis.

Development and validation of an episodic memory measure in the Mobile Toolbox (MTB): Arranging Pictures

ABSTRACT Introduction Arranging Pictures is a new episodic memory test based on the NIH Toolbox (NIHTB) Picture Sequence Memory measure and optimized for self-administration on a personal smartphone within the Mobile Toolbox (MTB). We describe evidence from three distinct validation studies. Method In Study 1, 92 participants self-administered Arranging Pictures on study-provided smartphones in the lab and were administered external measures of similar and dissimilar constructs by trained examiners to assess validity under controlled circumstances. In Study 2, 1,021 participants completed the external measures in the lab and self-administered Arranging Pictures remotely on their personal smartphones to assess validity in real-world contexts. In Study 3, 141 participants self-administered Arranging Pictures remotely twice with a two-week delay on personal iOS smartphones to assess test-retest reliability and practice effects. Results Internal consistency was good across samples (ρxx = .80 to .85, p < .001). Test-retest reliability was marginal (ICC = .49, p < .001) and there were significant practice effects after a two-week delay (ΔM = 3.21 (95% CI [2.56, 3.88]). As expected, correlations with convergent measures were significant and moderate to large in magnitude (ρ = .44 to .76, p < .001), while correlations with discriminant measures were small (ρ = .23 to .27, p < .05) or nonsignificant. Scores demonstrated significant negative correlations with age (ρ = -.32 to −.21, p < .001). Mean performance was slightly higher in the iOS compared to the Android group (MiOS = 18.80, NiOS = 635; MAndroid = 17.11, NAndroid = 386; t(757.73) = 4.17, p < .001), but device type did not significantly influence the psychometric properties of the measure. Indicators of potential cheating were mixed; average scores were significantly higher in the remote samples (F(2, 850) = 11.415, p < .001), but there were not significantly more perfect scores. Conclusion The MTB Arranging Pictures measure demonstrated evidence of reliability and validity when self-administered on personal device. Future research should examine the potential for cheating in remote settings and the properties of the measure in clinical samples.

Aberration correction for deformable-mirror-based remote focusing enables high-accuracy whole-cell super-resolution imaging

Single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) enables three-dimensional (3D) investigation of nanoscale structures in biological samples, offering unique insights into their organization. However, traditional 3D super-resolution microscopy using high numerical aperture (NA) objectives is limited by imaging depth of field (DOF), restricting their practical application to relatively thin biological samples. Here, we developed a unified solution for thick sample super-resolution imaging using a deformable mirror (DM) which served for fast remote focusing, optimized point spread function (PSF) engineering, and accurate aberration correction. By effectively correcting the system aberrations introduced during remote focusing and sample aberrations at different imaging depths, we achieved high-accuracy, large DOF imaging ( ∼8 μm ) of the whole-cell organelles [i.e., nuclear pore complex (NPC), microtubules, and mitochondria] with a nearly uniform resolution of approximately 35 nm across the entire cellular volume.

Abstract 993: Comprehensive immunophenotypic strategies to enable equity in remote settings for improved cancer prognosis

Abstract Improved cancer prognosis begins with insights obtained from high quality data during clinical trials. Execution of longitudinal clinical trials in flow cytometry is complex, primarily due to logistical challenges in high quality sample collection. For instance, highly remote indigenous population centers are both disadvantaged in access to healthcare and often underrepresented in clinical trials. This paradox is highlighted in the case of Australian First Nations communities, for which lung cancer prevalence peaks in males at twice the magnitude of the general population. Our group has developed a novel blood “immune signature” that robustly predicts failure to make a clinical response to checkpoint therapies targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway. Encouraged by these groundbreaking findings, which were achieved through applying a comprehensive 38-plex immunophenotyping CyTOF panel to biobanked cancer samples, recent advances in CyTOF technology now give us the opportunity to expand our clinical implementation to remote settings, with a further expanded panel to 50+ markers. CyTOF is the only technology that allows easily implemented remote asynchronous sample collection and the largest immunophenotyping panel that yields reproducible results. Asynchronous collection is uniquely enabled using a stable lyophilized large-scale staining panel and achieving comprehensive marker coverage in one panel minimizes blood sample required. Furthermore, the new technology enables a highly simplified workflow including blood collection and processing in remote locations to enable the simplest clinical trial infrastructure complexity and cost, easily implemented in current hospital lab environments. As such, this study is designed to ultimately demonstrate both clinical impact of the large panel and utility of CyTOF technology for highly simplified and robust workflow for multi-site clinical trials. This project has 3 phases; i) implementation and evaluation of the collection, analysis technique and data management of this new approach across multiple sites, ii) collection of samples for analysis both pre- and post- initiation of therapy to establish efficacy and optimize as necessary, and iii) blinded clinical trial. We will report on the first phase of this project which is implementing new workflow across clinical collection site, data integration and analysis. This workflow would enable highly simplified collection to access indigenous and under-served populations spread across remote sites in Australia. Citation Format: Natalie J. Smith, Michael Cohen, Julie Alipaz, Christina Loh, David King, Barbara Fazekas de St Groth, Helen M. McGuire. Comprehensive immunophenotypic strategies to enable equity in remote settings for improved cancer prognosis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 993.

Minimally Invasive Method of Measuring Anti-Müllerian Hormone Level in Dried Blood Spots of Indonesian Infertile Population

This study aims to evaluate the certainty of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels in dried blood spots (DBS) compared to serum AMH. A total of 109 infertile women who planned to undergo their controlled ovarian stimulation cycle were recruited. Serum and DBS samples were collected from each patient for the quantification of AMH levels. Serum AMH was measured with an automated clinical chemistry assay (Roche) while DBS AMH was measured using the Ansh Labs DBS AMH ELISA reagent kit. Mean AMH level in DBS was [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]ng/mL, which ranged from 0.01 to 17.3[Formula: see text]ng/mL, while the mean AMH in serum samples was [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]ng/mL (0.01–10.8[Formula: see text]ng/mL). Comparable accuracy for low AMH quantification was observed between the two methods over basal antral follicle counts (AFC) as a clinical comparator (AUC 86%, cutoff [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]ng/mL, [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] vs. 85%, cutoff [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]ng/mL, [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], respectively for DBS and serum sample). Likewise, DBS AMH achieved high concordance for low AMH discrimination in comparison to serum AMH method (AUC 99% vs. 93%, respectively). A strong linear Spearman regression ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]) and sufficient agreement (94.5%, mean difference of −1.6, 2.7 to −5.9) was demonstrated among studied groups with mathematical Passing and Bablok regression equation of [Formula: see text]. The confidence interval of intercept (−0.12, 95% CI [−0.29 to −0.01]) and slope (1.80, 95% CI [1.66–1.94]) indicated a constant and proportional difference between the two methods but it was not significant ([Formula: see text]). AMH measurement in DBS could be useful as an alternative approach to screening ovarian reserve through a more convenient remote sample collection.

Biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease and neurodegeneration in dried blood spots-A new collection method for remote settings.

We aimed to evaluate the precision of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and neurodegenerationbiomarkermeasurements from venous dried plasma spots (DPSv enous) for the diagnosis and monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases in remote settings. In a discovery (n=154) and a validation cohort (n=115), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP); neurofilament light (NfL); amyloid beta (Aβ) 40, Aβ42; and phosphorylated tau (p-tau181 and p-tau217) were measured in paired DPSvenous and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid plasma samples with single-molecule array. In the validation cohort, a subset of participants (n=99) had cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers. All DPSvenous and plasma analytes correlated significantly, except for Aβ42. In the validation cohort, DPSvenous GFAP, NfL, p-tau181, and p-tau217 differed between CSF Aβ-positive and -negative individuals and were associated with worsening cognition. Our data suggest that measuring blood biomarkers related to AD pathology and neurodegeneration from DPSvenous extends the utility of blood-based biomarkers to remote settings with simplified sampling conditions, storage, and logistics. A wide array of biomarkers related to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and neurodegenerationwere detectable in dried plasma spots (DPSvenous). DPSvenous biomarkers correlated with standard procedures and cognitive status. DPSvenous biomarkers had a good diagnostic accuracy discriminating amyloid status. Our findings show the potential interchangeability of DPSvenous and plasmasampling. DPSvenous may facilitate remote and temperature-independent sampling for AD biomarker measurement. Innovative tools for blood biomarker sampling may help recognizing the earliest changes of AD.

Spatial and temporal variations of currently used pesticides (CUPs) concentrations in ambient air in Wallonia, Belgium

Pesticides are among the most widely used chemicals thus contributing to a global contamination of the environment. Studies in North America and Europe have reported ambient air concentrations of Currently Used Pesticides in rural and urban locations as well as in remote areas. Monitoring pesticides in air is required for a better understanding of human exposure through inhalation and to assess potential health effects related to this exposure pathway. In this study, 46 pesticides were analyzed in ambient air in sampling stations distributed over Wallonia during a year, from May 2015 to May 2016. Different typologies were defined for sampling sites (remote areas, urban sites, agricultural sites, livestock area, and sites with other professional uses). Ambient air was sampled for 14 days with an active air sampler at a flow rate of 4 m³/h. Quartz filters and PUF/XAD-2/PUF cartridges were used to sample both gas and particulate phase pesticides. On the 46 pesticides studied, 6 insecticides, 18 herbicides and 18 fungicides were detected. Herbicides were measured in 68.3% of samples throughout the year, whereas fungicides and insecticides were measured in 62.6% and 13.2% of the samples, respectively. The highest mean concentrations for all pesticides were measured in spring-summer, whereas few pesticides were measured at low concentrations in winter. Six pesticides were measured in the remote sampling station at lower concentrations than in all other sites highlighting volatility of these pesticides. The highest number of different pesticides and the highest concentrations were measured in agricultural stations, where uses of plant protection products are higher. Finally, less volatile pesticides were only detected near application areas and at low concentrations. Together, these results provide better insight on the spatial and temporal variations of pesticides concentrations in ambient air, which were related to pesticides uses as well to atmospheric volatility and persistence.

Design of Light-Driven Biocompatible and Biodegradable Microrobots Containing Mg-Based Metallic Glass Nanowires.

Light-driven microrobots capable of moving rapidly on water surfaces in response to external stimuli are widely used in a variety of fields, such as drug delivery, remote sampling, and biosensors. However, most light-driven microrobots use graphene and carbon nanotubes as photothermal materials, resulting in poor biocompatibility and degradability, which greatly limits their practical bioapplications. To address this challenge, a composition and microstructure design strategy with excellent photothermal properties suitable for the fabrication of light-driven microrobots was proposed in this work. The Mg-based metallic glass nanowires (Mg-MGNWs) were embedded with polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) to fabricate biocompatible and degradable microrobots with excellent photothermal effect and complex shapes. Consequently, the microrobot can be precisely driven by a near-infrared laser to achieve high efficiency and remote manipulation on the water surface for a long period of time, with a velocity of 9.91 mm/s at a power density of 2.0 W/cm2. Due to the Marangoni effect, programmable and complex motions of the microrobot such as linear, clockwise, counterclockwise, and obstacle avoidance motions can be achieved. The biocompatible and degradable microrobot fabrication strategy could have great potential in the fields of environmental detection, targeted drug delivery, disease diagnosis, and detection.