Detection of aflatoxin B1 by aptamer-based biosensor using PAMAM dendrimers as immobilization platform

A simple aptamer-based fluorescent assay for the detection of Aflatoxin B1 in infant rice cereal

A fluorescent assay for the rapid, sensitive and specific detection of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was developed in this study. Initially, a DNA/DNA duplex was formed between a fluorescein-labeled AFB1 aptamer and its partially complementary DNA strand containing a quencher moiety, resulting in fluorescence quenching due to the close proximity of fluorophore and quencher. Upon the addition of AFB1, an aptamer/AFB1 complex was generated to release the quencher-modified DNA strand, thus recovered the fluorescence of fluorescein and enabled quantitative detection for AFB1 by monitoring fluorescence enhancement. Under optimized conditions, this assay exhibited a linear response to AFB1 in the range of 5-100ng/mL with a detection limit down to 1.6ng/mL. Trials of this assay in infant rice cereal with satisfactory recovery in the range of 93.0%-106.8%, demonstrate that the new assay could be a potential sensing platform for AFB1 determination in food.

High-throughput screening approaches and combinatorial development of biomaterials using microfluidics

From the first microfluidic devices used for analysis of single metabolic by-products to highly complex multicompartmental co-culture organ-on-chip platforms, efforts of many multidisciplinary teams around the world have been invested in overcoming the limitations of conventional research methods in the biomedical field. Close spatial and temporal control over fluids and physical parameters, integration of sensors for direct read-out as well as the possibility to increase throughput of screening through parallelization, multiplexing and automation are some of the advantages of microfluidic over conventional, 2D tissue culture in vitro systems. Moreover, small volumes and relatively small cell numbers used in experimental set-ups involving microfluidics, can potentially decrease research cost. On the other hand, these small volumes and numbers of cells also mean that many of the conventional molecular biology or biochemistry assays cannot be directly applied to experiments that are performed in microfluidic platforms. Development of different types of assays and evidence that such assays are indeed a suitable alternative to conventional ones is a step that needs to be taken in order to have microfluidics-based platforms fully adopted in biomedical research. In this review, rather than providing a comprehensive overview of the literature on microfluidics, we aim to discuss developments in the field of microfluidics that can aid advancement of biomedical research, with emphasis on the field of biomaterials. Three important topics will be discussed, being: screening, in particular high-throughput and combinatorial screening; mimicking of natural microenvironment ranging from 3D hydrogel-based cellular niches to organ-on-chip devices; and production of biomaterials with closely controlled properties. While important technical aspects of various platforms will be discussed, the focus is mainly on their applications, including the state-of-the-art, future perspectives and challenges.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Microfluidics, being a technology characterized by the engineered manipulation of fluids at the submillimeter scale, offers some interesting tools that can advance biomedical research and development. Screening platforms based on microfluidic technologies that allow high-throughput and combinatorial screening may lead to breakthrough discoveries not only in basic research but also relevant to clinical application. This is further strengthened by the fact that reliability of such screens may improve, since microfluidic systems allow close mimicking of physiological conditions. Finally, microfluidic systems are also very promising as micro factories of a new generation of natural or synthetic biomaterials and constructs, with finely controlled properties.

Analytical methods for determination of mycotoxins: An update (2009-2014)

Mycotoxins are a problematic and toxic group of small organic molecules that are produced as secondary metabolites by several fungal species that colonise crops. They lead to contamination at both the field and postharvest stages of food production with a considerable range of foodstuffs affected, from coffee and cereals, to dried fruit and spices. With wide ranging structural diversity of mycotoxins, severe toxic effects caused by these molecules and their high chemical stability the requirement for robust and effective detection methods is clear. This paper builds on our previous review and summarises the most recent advances in this field, in the years 2009-2014 inclusive. This review summarises traditional methods such as chromatographic and immunochemical techniques, as well as newer approaches such as biosensors, and optical techniques which are becoming more prevalent. A section on sampling and sample treatment has been prepared to highlight the importance of this step in the analytical methods. We close with a look at emerging technologies that will bring effective and rapid analysis out of the laboratory and into the field.

A fabricated electro-spun sensor based on Lake Red C pigments doped into PAN (polyacrylonitrile) nano-fibers for electrochemical detection of Aflatoxin B1 in poultry feed and serum samples

The aim of this work was to fabricate a novel nano-fiber modified electrode, involving Lake Red C (LRC) pigments doped into electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibrous films.