Advances in Nanomaterial-Based Biosensors for Determination of Glycated Hemoglobin

Diabetes is a major public health burden whose prevalence has been steadily increasing over the past decades. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is currently the gold standard for diagnostics and monitoring glycemic control in diabetes patients. HbA1c biosensors are often considered to be cost-effective alternatives for smaller testing laboratories or clinics unable to access other reference methods. Many of these sensors deploy nanomaterials as recognition elements, detection labels, and/or transducers for achieving sensitive and selective detection of HbA1c. Nanomaterials have emerged as important sensor components due to their excellent optical and electrical properties, tunable morphologies, and easy integration into multiple sensing platforms. In this review, we discuss the advantages of using nanomaterials to construct HbA1c sensors and various sensing strategies for HbA1c measurements. Key gaps between the current technologies with what is needed moving forward are also summarized.

Seasonal litter contribution to total peat respiration from drained tropical peat under mature oil palm plantation

The amount of CO2 gas emissions in drained peatland for oil palm cultivation has been widely reported. However, the research addressing the contribution of litter respiration to peat and total respiration and its relationship with several environmental factors is found rare. The aim of this study was to measure peat and heterogeneous litter respiration of drained tropical peat in one year at a distance of 2.25 m and 4.50 m from mature oil palm trees of 14 years using the chamber method (Licor Li-830). In addition to CO2 efflux, we measured other environmental parameters, including peat temperature (10 cm depth), air temperature, groundwater table (GWL), and rainfall. Results showed that the mean total peat respiration (Rt) was 12.06 g CO2 m-2day-1, which consisted of 68% (8.24 g CO2 m-2day-1) peat (Rp) and root (Rr) respiration and 32% (3.84 g CO2 m-2day-1) of litter respiration (Rl) at the distance of 2.25 m from the palm tree. Meanwhile, at a farther distance, the Rt was 12.49 g CO2m-2day-1, the contribution of Rp was 56% (6.78 g CO2 m-2day-1), and Rl was higher than the closest distance (46%; 5.71 g CO2 m-2day-1). Thus, one-year observation resulting the mean Rt and Rr was 0.07–0.08 Mg CO2 ha-1 day-1, while Rl was 0.04–0.06 Mg CO2 ha-1 day-1. The means of Rt, Rp, and Rl were significantly different in the dry season than those recorded in the rainy season. The climatic-related variable such as peat and air temperature were chiefly governing respiration in peat under mature oil palm plantation, whereas the importance of other variables present at particular conditions. This paper provides valuable information concerning respiration in peat, especially for litter contribution and its relationship with environmental factors in peatland, contributing to global CO2 emission.

Drug Repurposing Prediction and Validation From Clinical Big Data for the Effective Treatment of Interstitial Lung Disease

Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) are a group of respiratory disorders characterized by chronic inflammation and fibrosis of the pulmonary interstitial tissues. Although the etiology of ILD remains unclear, some drug treatments are among the primary causes of ILD. In the present study, we analyzed the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System and JMDC Inc. insurance claims to identify a coexisting drug that reduced the incidence of ILD associated with the use of an anti-arrhythmic agent, amiodarone, and found that the thrombin inhibitor dabigatran prevented the amiodarone-induced ILD in both clinical datasets. In an experimental validation of the hypothesis, long-term oral treatment of mice with amiodarone caused a gradual decrease in body weight caused by respiratory insufficiency. In the lungs of amiodarone-treated mice, infiltration of macrophages was observed in parallel with a delayed upregulation of the platelet-derived growth factor receptor α gene. In contrast, co-treatment with dabigatran significantly attenuated these amiodarone-induced changes indicative of ILD. These results suggest that dabigatran is effective in preventing drug-induced ILD. This combinatorial approach of drug repurposing based on clinical big data will pave the way for finding a new treatment with high clinical predictability and a well-defined molecular mechanism.

Striatal TRPV1 activation by acetaminophen ameliorates dopamine D2 receptor antagonist-induced orofacial dyskinesia

Antipsychotics often cause tardive dyskinesia, an adverse symptom of involuntary hyperkinetic movements. Analysis of the US Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System and JMDC insurance claims revealed that acetaminophen prevented the dyskinesia induced by dopamine D₂ receptor antagonists. In vivo experiments further showed that a 21-day treatment with haloperidol increased the number of vacuous chewing movements (VCMs) in rats, an effect that was inhibited by oral acetaminophen treatment or intracerebroventricular injection of N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-arachidonylamide (AM404), an acetaminophen metabolite that acts as an activator of the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1). In mice, haloperidol-induced VCMs were also mitigated by treatment with AM404 applied to the dorsal striatum, an effect not seen in TRPV1-deficient mice. Acetaminophen prevented the haloperidol-induced decrease in the number of c-Fos⁺preproenkephalin⁺ striatal neurons in wild-type mice but not in TRPV1-deficient mice. Finally, chemogenetic stimulation of indirect pathway medium spiny neurons in the dorsal striatum decreased haloperidol-induced VCMs. These results suggest that acetaminophen activates the indirect pathway neurons by activating TRPV1 channels via AM404.

Cardioprotection mechanism of mangiferin on doxorubicin-induced rats: Focus on intracellular calcium regulation

CONTEXT

The molecular mechanism of doxorubicin (DOX) cardiotoxicity involves overproduction of free radicals that leads to intracellular calcium dysregulation and apoptosis. Mangiferin (MGR), a naturally occurring glucosylxanthone, has antioxidant and cardioprotective properties. However, its cardioprotection mechanism has yet to be revealed.

OBJECTIVE

This study determines whether the cardioprotective effect of MGR is caused by its effect on intracellular calcium regulation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were induced by DOX intraperitoneally with a total dose of 15 mg/kg bw. MGR was given orally at the doses of 30 and 60 mg/kg bw/d for seven consecutive weeks. The parameters examined were mRNA expression levels of proinflammatory cytokine gene (TNF-α), calcium regulatory gene (SERCA2a) and proapoptotic genes (caspase-9 and caspase-12), as well as cytosolic and mitochondrial calcium levels.

RESULTS

Treatment with MGR at 60 mg/kg bw/d significantly decreased the mRNA expression levels of TNF-α by 44.55% and caspase-9 by 52.79%, as well as the cytosolic calcium level by 24.15% (p < 0.05). SERCA2a and caspase-12 expressions were only slightly affected (27.27% increase and 24.85% decrease for SERCA2a and caspase-12, respectively, p > 0.05). Meanwhile, MGR 30 mg/kg bw/d gave insignificant results in all parameters.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

MGR protected against DOX-induced cardiac inflammation and apoptosis via down-regulation of proapoptotic and proinflammatory gene expressions, upregulation of SERCA2a gene expression, and normalization of cytosolic calcium level. Thus, the cardioprotective effect of MGR is at least in part due to the regulation of intracellular calcium homeostasis.