Safety Applications Research Articles

Intelligent transportation system using wireless optical communication: a comparative study

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSs) are being proposed, examined, and applied to enhance road safety and traffic efficiency. However, the automotive industry has stringent criteria for safety applications that demand connections that are dependable and have low latency, and high data rates. In this paper, it is widely agreed that both Visible Light Communication (VLC) and Free Space Optics (FSO) represent promising solutions, because of their complementary advantages compared to Radio Frequency (RF). VLC technology is chosen in ITS overall other optical wireless systems primarily due to its low cost and lack of licensing or new infrastructure requirements. Hence, a comparative study is applied between standalone VLC system, and a hybrid FSO/VLC system in term of Bit Error Rate (BER), coverage distance, and Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR). The VLC/FSO system provides a reliable communication link over a long distance (900 m) compared to VLC standalone system with 10−6 BER and acceptable SNR of ∼\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\sim$$\\end{document} 25 dB.

Safe Application of 75% Trifloxystrobin-Tebuconazole as Water-Dispersible Granules in Paddy Based on Residue and Dietary Risk Assessment.

The present study describes the development of a highly effective approach for determining the residue distribution and dissipation of trifloxystrobin and tebuconazole, and their risk assessment in brown rice, husk, straw, and grain using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). The current study provides considerable novel information regarding the safe utilization of a mixture of trifloxystrobin and tebuconazole in paddy production. The samples demonstrated a range of mean recoveries between 72% and 86%, with a 1.1-9.2% relative standard deviation (RSD). The limits of quantification (LOQ) and half-lives (t1/2) for brown rice, husk, straw, and grain were, respectively, established to be 0.001-0.01 mg/kg and 4.1-7.7 days. The concentrations of terminal residues in the brown rice, husk, straw, and grain were, respectively, found to be 0.02-0.05, 0.03-0.11, 0.02-0.07, and 0.02-0.05 mg/kg after being treated twice at 168.75 g a.i./ha with 21 and 28 days of pre-harvest intervals (PHIs). Trifloxystrobin and tebuconazole presented a non-negligible chronic risk to human subjects, as evidenced by a risk quotient (RQ) value of less than 1.

GEOSPATIAL ASSESSMENT OF IRRIGATION WATER QUALITY IN MULTAN TEHSIL: A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS

Water pollution and scarcity threaten sustenance and quality of life. The water usage for irrigation necessitates its content evaluation to ensure safe application and to meet high productivity goals. Drawing upon prior reports addressing salinity concerns in diverse agricultural regions of Pakistan, our study focused on assessing the risks in the Multan Tehsil of Punjab. To accomplish this, well water samples (n=383) were examined for parameters such as electrical conductivity (EC), sodium absorption ratio (SAR), and Residual Sodium Carbonates (RSC). Laboratory analyses indicated elevated levels of selected parameters in water samples from southwestern sites, with 21.4% exceeding SAR limits, 28.7% surpassing RSC thresholds, and 66.1% crossing permissible EC limits. The underlying anthropogenic causes of groundwater pollution include an increased rate of run-off, leachate percolation, reduced infiltration, inadequate recharge of well water, and urban land expansion. Rather than relying on end-of-pipe management strategies, it is recommended to prioritize source water treatment

Encapsulation of a novel peptide derived from histatin-1 in liposomes against initial enamel caries in vitro and in vivo.

Biomimetic mineralization mediated by proteins and peptides is a promising strategy for enamel repair, and its specific application model needs more research. In this work, we exploited a liposomal delivery system for a novel peptide (DK5) derived from histatin-1 (DK5-Lips) as a new biomimetic mineralization strategy against initial enamel caries. The DK5-Lips was prepared using calcium acetate gradient method and then the in vitro release, salivary stability, and cytotoxicity were studied. Initial enamel caries was created in bovine enamel blocks and subjected to pH-cycling model treated with DK5-Lips. Surface microhardness testing, polarized light microscopy (PLM), and transverse microradiography (TMR) were analyzed. Then the biocompatibility of DK5-Lips was evaluated in the caries model of Sprague-Dawley rats, and the anti-caries effect was assessed using Micro-CT analysis, Keyes scores, and PLM in vivo. DK5-Lips provided a mean particle size of (97.63 ± 4.94)nm and encapsulation efficiency of (61.46 ± 1.44)%, exhibiting a sustained release profile, excellent stability in saliva, and no significant toxicity on human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs). The DK5-Lips group had higher surface microhardness recovery, shallower caries depth, and less mineral loss in bovine enamel. Animal experiments showed higher volume and density values of residual molar enamel, lower Keyes score, and shallower lesion depth of the DK5-Lips group with good biocompatibility. As a safe and effective application model, DK5-Lips could significantly promote the remineralization of initial enamel caries both in vitro and in vivo. The potential of liposome utilization as vehicle for oral delivery of functional peptides may provide a new way for enamel restoration.

Microbial disinfection and safety applications of ozone generators: bactericidal effect

Ozone generator is one of the promising novel disinfectant technology that have recently been proposed as the alternative to conventional decontamination methods such as heat and chemical sanitizers. The objective of this research was to examine various properties of ozone generator to ensure safety and to further proper hygiene practical guideline. The tests are performed by evaluated the propertiesof chemical and microbiological on bacteria that cause clinically important pathogens at different times and cytotoxicity to Cellosaurus cell line OUMS-36 fibroblasts. Moreover, the efficacy of sterilization techniques (soaking, and spraying) of this disinfectants was compared as well. The results showed that ozone-sprayed water, ozone treated water, and ozone treated air has an ability to kill all bacteria within 1-3, 15-20 and 3-5 minutes respectively. Toxicity test and Phenol coefficient of ozone-treated water showed that it is low toxicity level and showed 0.125 times to phenol. Moreover, the use of immersion technique on smooth surface object were found to be more effective for cleaning contaminated than spraying and fabrics, which take only 15-20 minutes to disinfect. In summary, ozone generator is effective in disinfecting surfaces of objects and safe for cleaning surfaces, and other equipment. This research contributes to increasing confidence in safety and as a guideline to carry out for the better and suitable hygiene in the future.

Therapeutic frameworks in integration sessions in substance-assisted psychotherapy: A systematised review.

Serotonergic psychedelics and related substances have been explored as potential adjuncts in substance-assisted psychotherapy (SAPT) for treating various disorders. SAPT can be divided into three phases: preparation, administration and integration. Integration is commonly defined as the comprehension and effective application of insights from psychedelic experiences into everyday life. However, there is limited research regarding the most appropriate therapeutic approach during SAPT. In this article, we discuss the current evidence for different therapeutic frameworks for integration sessions when serotonergic psychedelics and entactogens are used as adjuncts to psychotherapy. We conducted a systematised review of the literature following PRISMA guidelines and searched PsycINFO, MEDLINE and Cochrane Library databases. The final synthesis included 75 clinical trials, mixed-methods investigations, treatment manuals, study protocols, quasi-experiments, qualitative investigations, descriptive studies, opinion papers, reviews, books and book chapters, published until 11 November 2022. The effects that various therapeutic approaches for integration sessions have on therapeutic outcomes have not been investigated by means of rigorous research. Most of the available evidence we retrieved was not supported by empirical data, thus limiting any conclusive statements regarding appropriate therapeutic frameworks for integration sessions for SAPT. Current clinical studies have used a range of therapeutic frameworks with the majority drawing from the humanistic-experiential tradition. While integration is regarded as crucial for the safe application of SAPT, there is currently an insufficient evidence base to suggest that any type of therapy is effective for guiding integration sessions. A systematic investigation of different therapeutic frameworks for integration and additional therapy-related factors is needed.

A Janus Gelatin Sponge with a Procoagulant Nanoparticle-Embedded Surface for Coagulopathic Hemostasis.

Apart from the wide and safe application of natural polymer-based hemostatic materials/devices, it is still desirable to develop new types of hemostatic materials that can achieve both potent coagulopathic hemostasis and a facile preparation process. In this work, one Janus gelatin sponge (J-ZGS) is readily constructed for both coagulation-dependent and coagulopathic hemostasis by embedding zein nanoparticles on the surface of a self-prepared gelatin sponge (S-GS): zein nanoparticles were facilely prepared by an antisolvent method to achieve procoagulant blood-material interactions, while S-GS was prepared by freeze-drying a foaming gelatin solution. Due to the distinct secondary structure, the optimal zein nanoparticles possessed a higher in vitro hemostatic property than the pristine zein powder and other nanoparticles, the underlying mechanism of which was revealed as the superior RBC/platelet adhesion property in the presence/absence of plasma proteins. Compared with S-GS and a commercial gelatin sponge, J-ZGS achieved a significantly higher in vitro hemostatic property and similarly good blood compatibility/cytocompatibility. Moreover, in vivo artery-injury models confirmed the outstanding hemostatic performance of J-ZGS under both coagulation-dependent and coagulopathic conditions. Our work offers an appealing approach for developing potent hemostatic sponges from natural polymer-based nanoparticles that could be further extended to versatile hemostatic materials for coagulopathic hemostasis.

Detection of glyphosate residues in agricultural products using liquid-crystal-based sensor exploiting competitive binding of glyphosate and Cu2+ at the aqueous/LC interface and capillary tube test strip

Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide that poses both health and environmental risks. In this study, we propose a liquid crystal (LC)-based assay for glyphosate detection that exploits the unique properties of LC materials. The nematic LC 4-cyano-4′-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) was employed as the sensing material and a self-assembled monolayer of octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) was used to modify glass substrates. The assay involved strong competition for coordination with Cu2+ for glyphosate, resulting in changes in the LC texture. By monitoring and analyzing the optical images of the LC film using polarizing microscopy, we detected and quantified the glyphosate concentrations. The proposed assay demonstrated high sensitivity and selectivity toward glyphosate in the detection range of 1–300 nM with a limit of detection of 0.26 nM. Moreover, the assay successfully applied to analyze glyphosate in spiked samples, including tap water, soil, and cabbage, and satisfactory recovery rates were achieved. Based on this detection principle, capillary tube test strips were developed for on-site applications. The detection thresholds of the test strips were controlled by varying the Cu2+ concentration. The developed LC-based assay is a rapid and reliable glyphosate detection method with potential applications in environmental monitoring and food safety.

Advanced Integration of Glutathione-Functionalized Optical Fiber SPR Sensor for Ultra-Sensitive Detection of Lead Ions.

It is crucial to detect Pb2+ accurately and rapidly. This work proposes an ultra-sensitive optical fiber surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor functionalized with glutathione (GSH) for label-free detection of the ultra-low Pb2+ concentration, in which the refractive index (RI) sensitivity of the multimode-singlemode-multimode (MSM) hetero-core fiber is largely enhanced by the gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)/Au film coupling SPR effect. The GSH is modified on the fiber as the sensing probe to capture and identify Pb2+ specifically. Its working principle is that the Pb2+ chemically reacts with deprotonated carboxyl groups in GSH through ligand bonding, resulting in the formation of stable and specific chelates, inducing the variation of the local RI on the sensor surface, which in turn leads to the SPR wavelength shift in the transmission spectrum. Attributing to the AuNPs, both the Au substrates can be fully functionalized with the GSH molecules as the probes, which largely increases the number of active sites for Pb2+ trapping. Combined with the SPR effect, the sensor achieves a sensitivity of 2.32 × 1011 nm/M and a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.43 pM. It also demonstrates exceptional specificity, stability, and reproducibility, making it suitable for various applications in water pollution, biomedicine, and food safety.

Structural switching aptamer-based electrochemical sensor for mycotoxin patulin detection

In this study, an electrochemical and aptamer-based aptasensor was developed for the sensitive detection of patulin, a mycotoxin commonly found in fruits and fruit-based products. The aptasensor used an innovative structural switching signal-off platform for detecting patulin. The aptamer immobilization on screen-printed carbon electrodes was achieved through Au electrodeposition and thiol group (-SH) route. Response surface methodology was used to determine the optimal incubation times for the aptamer, blocking agent, and target molecule, which were found to be 180 min, 40 min, and 89 min, respectively. The response of the aptamer to different concentrations of patulin was measured using square wave voltammetry by exploiting the structural switching mechanism. The sensor response was determined by quantifying differences in the aptasensor's background current. The aptasensor exhibited a linear working range of 1–25 μM and a low detection limit of 3.56 ng/mL for patulin. The aptasensor's relative standard deviation and accuracy were determined to be 0.067 and 94.4%, respectively. A non-specific interaction was observed at low concentrations of two other mycotoxins, ochratoxin A and zearalenone. The interference from ochratoxin A in the measurements was below 10%. In real sample tests using apple juice, interference, particularly at low concentrations, had changed the recovery of patulin negatively with a significant effect on the structural switching behavior. Nevertheless, at a concentration of 25 ng/mL, the interference effect was eliminated, and the recovery standard deviation improved to 6.6%. The aptasensor's stability was evaluated over 10 days, and it demonstrated good performance, retaining 13.12% of its initial response. These findings demonstrate the potential of the developed electrochemical aptasensor for the sensitive detection of patulin in fruit-based products, with prospects for application in food safety and quality control.

(Corrosion Division H. H. Uhlig Award) A Journey From Ice-Breakers to Biomedical Implants: Multifacets of Corrosion

Understanding of corrosion mechanisms enables safe, durable and sustainable application of metallic materials in various fields. The presentation will shortly summarize a personal selection of most important lessons learned in the last 30 years of corrosion research, and then highlights some recent developments for methodologies to study atmospheric and immersion corrosion by respirometry. The approach is based on monitoring the rate of cathodic reactions with help of different types of sensors; this enables a real-time, simultaneous quantification of the rate of the O2 reduction reaction (OER) and the H2 evolution reaction (HER). The respirometric setups can be coupled with electrochemistry, enlarging the corrosion cases to be studied from open-circuit conditions to potential-controlled systems. Examples will be presented, to illustrate the potential of these techniques to reveal insights on corrosion mechanisms of active (e.g. Mg and Zn) and passive metals and alloys (e.g. stainless steels). For passive metals and alloys, special focus in this presentation will be on transpassive dissolution. In essence, three processes can take place in this potential regime: metal dissolution, oxide film formation, and oxygen evolution from water oxidation. In this case, respirometric determination of the oxygen evolution reaction (ORR) helps to distinguish the current (charge) consumed for metal oxidation reactions vs. water oxidation. Most recent developments to enable high-resolution respirometric measurements – and hence to study corrosion in the passive state and its localized breakdown – will be presented.

Intradural Pituitary Hemitransposition: Technical Note and Case Series Illustration.

Lesions located in the retrosellar region, interpeduncular cistern, and petroclival region are among the most difficult to access in neurosurgery. Transcranial approaches are useful; however, the large distance between the surgeon and the lesion as well as the presence of major neurovascular structures surrounding the lesion may limit surgical exposure. A midline transsphenoidal route avoids transgression of the neurovascular plane and provides direct access to the interpeduncular cistern. To safely access the interpeduncular fossa, it requires mobilization of the pituitary gland. The pituitary hemitransposition technique permits mobilization of the gland, while preserving its venous drainage and arterial supply to the gland on one of its sides, preserving gland function. The authors aim to describe the intradural pituitary hemitransposition technique and to demonstrate its safe application for resection of skull base tumors in the retrosellar space. The authors describe the surgical technique and illustrate its application in 5 cases of different types of skull base tumors, including a video demonstrating all the steps to perform this approach. In addition, the authors discuss the advantages and limitations of this technique compared with other approaches to the retrosellar space. The intradural pituitary hemitransposition technique was used to safely resect a chondrosarcoma, chordoma, craniopharyngioma, teratoma, and meningioma involving the parasellar and retrosellar spaces, while minimizing endocrine morbidity. We had one patient with mild, albeit permanent hyperprolactinemia and hypothyroidism after surgery. No other patients had permanent dysfunction related to surgery. The endonasal endoscopic intradural pituitary hemitransposition approach is an effective technique for resection of lesions located within the retrosellar and petroclival regions, allowing adequate exposure while potentially optimizing the preservation of the pituitary function.

Pengendalian Risiko Keselamatan dan Kesehatan Kerja Menggunakan Metode Hiradc di PT. HA Indonesia

PT. HA Indonesia is a type of Fast Moving Consumer Goods manufacturer and one of the largest food and beverage companies in Indonesia which produces chili sauce, soy sauce, syrup, and canned food. This research takes a case study in the chili sauce production area. This research is a descriptive study, namely explaining the application of occupational safety and health in the chili sauce production area. The method used is HIRADC (Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Determining Control) with the first stage namely identifying hazards, then assessing risks, and the final stage namely controlling hazards. The results of this research are based on hazard identification, there are 24 cases of potential danger, with the risk assessment being that there are 75% or 18 cases of potential danger with low risk (low risk), and as many as 25% or 6 cases of potential danger with severe risk (extreme risk). Suggestions for company owners are to carry out administrative controls, such as: implementing the 5R program, namely clean, tidy, cared for, diligent, and concise; carry out periodic checks on every machine used; pay attention to the facilities and infrastructure in the production area.

Efficacy of Nanoparticles in Water Treatment

Nanoparticles have emerged as a promising tool in water treatment due to their unique physicochemical properties, such as high surface area, reactivity, and selectivity. The use of nanoparticles in water treatment can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of traditional water treatment processes, such as coagulation, flocculation, adsorption, and filtration. Nanoparticles can be functionalized with various surface chemistries, which enables their selective removal of specific contaminants, including heavy metals, organic compounds, and microorganisms. Nanoparticles can also be used as catalysts to promote the degradation of organic pollutants and disinfection of water. However, the use of nanoparticles in water treatment also presents challenges, such as potential toxicity to humans and the environment, and the need for effective nanoparticle recovery and disposal. Further research is needed to optimize the use of nanoparticles in water treatment and ensure their safe and sustainable application. This paper presents an overview of current trends in the utilization of Nanoparticles for water treatment/disinfection.

Metal-organic framework derived in-situ 3D porous CuS@carbon octahedron for enhanced electrochemical detection of ascorbic acid

Sensitive and reliable detection of the antioxidant ascorbic acid (AA) is crucial for biosensing and food safety applications. Herein, CuS/carbon composites (CuS@C-c) with porous octahedral structure were successfully fabricated by pre-carbonization and then sulfidation of the precursor Cu-MOF templates, which allowed for the in-situ encapsulation of CuS into the carbon matrix, simultaneously endowing the CuS@C-c with high conductivity and rigid structure protection. Benefiting from the unique structural features, the CuS@C-c displayed significantly improved electrochemical performance compared with hydrothermal disordered structural products (CuS@C-h). The CuS@C-c was employed for preparing the modified electrode and exhibited distinguished electrocatalytic oxidation of AA with a wide linear range of 0.1–1000.0 μmol/L and a low detection limit of 0.03 μmol/L, which could be attributed to synergistic contributions of CuS and carbon matrix, as well as their unique 3D open porous structure, which provided abundant accessible active sites and accelerating electron transfer. The developed electrode showed good anti-interference ability, long-term stability, and reproducibility and was able to efficiently detected AA contents in pharmaceuticals and human urine samples with acceptable recoveries.

The Impact of a Combined Battery Thermal Management and Safety System Utilizing Polymer Mini-Channel Cold Plates on the Thermal Runaway and Its Propagation

Lithium-ion batteries are widely used in mobile applications because they offer a suitable package of characteristics in terms of specific energy, cost, and life span. Nevertheless, they have the potential to experience thermal runaway (TR), the prevention and containment of which require safety measures and intensive thermal management. This study introduces a novel combined thermal management and safety application designed for large aspect-ratio battery cells such as pouches and thin prismatics. It comprises polymer-based mini-channel cold plates that can indirectly thermally condition the batteries’ faces with liquid. They are lightweight and space-saving, making them suitable for mobile systems. Furthermore, this study experimentally clarifies to which extent the application of polymer mini-channel cold plates between battery cells is suitable to delay TR by heat dissipation and to prevent thermal runaway propagation (TRP) to adjacent cells by simultaneously acting as a thermal barrier. NMC pouch cells of 12.5 Ah capacity were overcharged at 1 C to induce TR. Without cold plates, TR and TRP occurred within one hour. Utilizing the polymer mini-channel cold plates for face cooling, the overcharge did not produce a condition leading to cell fire in the same time frame. When the fluid inlet temperature was varied between 5 and 40 °C, the overcharged cell’s surface temperature peaked between 50 and 60 °C. Indications were found that thermal conditioning with the polymer cold plates significantly slowed down parts of the process chain before cell firing. Their peak performance was measured to be just under 2.2 kW/m2. In addition, thermal management system malfunction was tested, and evidence was found that the polymer cold plates prevented TRP to adjacent cells. In conclusion, a combined thermal management and safety system made of polymer mini-channel cold plates provides necessary TR-related safety aspects in lithium battery systems and should be further investigated.

Antiviral research and detecting viral nucleic acids based on the CRISPR-Cas technology

Viruses constructed from nucleic acids, either deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or ribonucleic acid (RNA), are encased in a protein covering and require a living cell to reproduce. Symptoms of viral infections can range from asymptomatic to severe illness, and their impact has become increasingly apparent in recent years. For instance, globally, the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic alone has resulted in millions of infections and millions of fatalities. Consequently, the development of effective tools for antiviral resistance is an urgent need. Early detection of viral infections can be achieved through nucleic acid detection, while gene editing techniques offer a promising solution for treating and counteracting the harmful effects of viruses, thereby minimizing economic and property loss. The Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) and associated (CRISPR-associated, Cas) protein system (CRISPR-Cas) is an emerging gene editing tool that has demonstrated remarkable accuracy and efficiency with its rapidly expanding applications. This review delves into the principles and applications of Cas12a, Cas13, and other systems in nucleic acid detection, highlighting the significant contributions of Cas9, Cas12a, Cas13, and other systems in establishing resistance against DNA and/or RNA viral infections, and outlines the strengths and limitations of the CRISPR-Cas system in current applications. Precautions and suggestions for the systems safe application are also presented, with an optimistic outlook for its prospects.

Efficient detection of flusilazole by an electrochemical sensor derived from MOF MIL-53(Fe) for food safety

Flusilazole is a triazole fungicide with residues that are potentially toxic to humans. It enters the human body mainly through food, although its bactericidal activity is substantial. In this study, an electrochemical sensor Fe/Fe2O3@C with a core–shell structure was constructed to efficiently detect flusilazole by annealing MIL-53(Fe) which was prepared by a simple solvothermal method. Transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the apparent morphology of MIL-53(Fe) and Fe/Fe2O3@C, and their structures were further characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, and the mapping of elements by energy dispersive spectroscopy. The electrochemical behavior of Fe/Fe2O3@C in the detection of flusilazole was evaluated by differential pulse voltammetry under optimal conditions. The results of the study indicate that the Fe/Fe2O3@C electrochemical sensor displayed excellent detection capabilities for flusilazole, where the sensor exhibited a wide detection range from 1.00 × 10−4 to 1.00 × 10−12 mol/L with an incredibly low LOD of 593 fM, making it highly sensitive to trace amounts of flusilazole. Moreover, Fe/Fe2O3@C demonstrated superior reproducibility, stability, and resistance to interference, highlighting its reliability in practical applications. The sensor was also successfully utilized to quantitatively detect flusilazole in various real samples, which suggests that Fe/Fe2O3@C has broad-spectrum environmental resistance and can effectively and rapidly detect flusilazole residues in different types of food items and environmental matrices. The study also delved into the mechanism of Fe/Fe2O3@C for the detection of flusilazole, providing a deeper understanding of the functionality of this sensor. Overall, these findings emphasize the practical significance of Fe/Fe2O3@C as an electrochemical sensor, showcasing its potential for real-world applications in food safety and environmental monitoring.

RNA-Seq of Phenotypically Distinct Eimeria maxima Strains Reveals Coordinated and Contrasting Maturation and Shared Sporogonic Biomarkers with Eimeria acervulina.

Strains of Eimeria maxima, an enteric parasite of poultry, vary in virulence. Here, we performed microscopy and RNA sequencing on oocysts of strains APU-1 (which exhibits more virulence) and APU-2. Although each underwent parallel development, APU-1 initially approached maturation more slowly. Each strain sporulated by hour 36; their gene expression diverged somewhat thereafter. Candidate biomarkers of viability included 58 genes contributing at least 1000 Transcripts Per Million throughout sporulation, such as cation-transporting ATPases and zinc finger domain-containing proteins. Many genes resemble constitutively expressed genes also important to Eimeria acervulina. Throughout sporulation, the expression of only a few genes differed between strains; these included cyclophilin A, EF-1α, and surface antigens (SAGs). Mature and immature oocysts uniquely differentially express certain genes, such as an X-Pro dipeptidyl-peptidase domain-containing protein in immature oocysts and a profilin in mature oocysts. The immature oocysts of each strain expressed more phosphoserine aminotransferase and the mature oocysts expressed more SAGs and microneme proteins. These data illuminate processes influencing sporulation in Eimeria and related genera, such as Cyclospora, and identify biological processes which may differentiate them. Drivers of development and senescence may provide tools to assess the viability of oocysts, which would greatly benefit the poultry industry and food safety applications.

Mn2+-Triggered Swing-Arm Robot Strategy Using Anemone-Like Thi@AuPd@Cu-MOFs as Signaling Probes for the Detection of T-2 Toxin.

Herein, we synthesized anemone-like copper-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) loaded with gold-palladium nanoparticles (AuPd@Cu-MOFs) and polyethylenimine-reduced graphene oxide/gold-silver nanosheet composites (PEI-rGO/AuAg NSs) for the first time to construct the sensor and to detect T-2 toxin (T-2) using triple helix molecular switch (THMS) and signal amplification by swing-arm robot. The aptasensor used PEI-rGO/hexagonal AuAg NSs as the electrode modification materials and anemone-like AuPd@Cu-MOFs as the signal materials. The prepared PEI-rGO/hexagonal AuAg NSs had a large specific surface area, excellent electrical conductivity, and good stability, which successfully improved the electrochemical performance of the sensors. The AuPd@Cu-MOFs with high porosity provided a great deal of attachment sites for the signaling molecule thionine (Thi), thereby increasing the signal response. The aptasensor developed in this study demonstrated a remarkable detection limit of 0.054 fg mL-1 under optimized conditions. Furthermore, the successful detection of T-2 in real samples was achieved using the fabricated sensor. The simplicity of the THMS-based method, which entails modifying the aptamer sequence, allows for easy adaptation to different target analytes. Thus, the sensor holds immense potential for applications in quality supervision and food safety.