SERS sensing for cancer biomarker: Approaches and directions

These days, cancer is thought to be more than just one illness, with several complex subtypes that require different screening approaches. These subtypes can be distinguished by the distinct markings left by metabolites, proteins, miRNA, and DNA. Personalized illness management may be possible if cancer is categorized according to its biomarkers. In order to stop cancer from spreading and posing a significant risk to patient survival, early detection and prompt treatment are essential. Traditional cancer screening techniques are tedious, time-consuming, and require expert personnel for analysis. This has led scientists to reevaluate screening methodologies and make use of emerging technologies to achieve better results. Using time and money saving techniques, these methodologies integrate the procedures from sample preparation to detection in small devices with high accuracy and sensitivity. With its proven potential for biomedical use, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been widely used in biosensing applications, particularly in biomarker identification. Consideration was given especially to the potential of SERS as a portable clinical diagnostic tool. The approaches to SERS-based sensing technologies for both invasive and non-invasive samples are reviewed in this article, along with sample preparation techniques and obstacles. Aside from these significant constraints in the detection approach and techniques, the review also takes into account the complexity of biological fluids, the availability of biomarkers, and their sensitivity and selectivity, which are generally lowered. Massive ways to maintain sensing capabilities in clinical samples are being developed recently to get over this restriction. SERS is known to be a reliable diagnostic method for treatment judgments. Nonetheless, there is still room for advancement in terms of portability, creation of diagnostic apps, and interdisciplinary AI-based applications. Therefore, we will outline the current state of technological maturity for SERS-based cancer biomarker detection in this article. The review will meet the demand for reviewing various sample types (invasive and non-invasive) of cancer biomarkers and their detection using SERS. It will also shed light on the growing body of research on portable methods for clinical application and quick cancer detection.

Analysis of freezing of a sessile water droplet on surfaces over a range of wettability

HYPOTHESIS

Nonwetting surfaces, by virtue of their water-repelling trait, offer desirable anti-icing characteristics. Surface roughness, type and wettability are important interfacial characteristics that affect the icing dynamics that can be tailored to achieve desired anti-icing designs.

EXPERIMENTS AND SIMULATIONS

The present study systematically explores the effect of surface roughness on the freezing behaviour of water droplets on surfaces ranging in their wettability. Surfaces with tailored textures and wettability were fabricated using chemical etching and electrodeposition by varying the voltage. The surfaces studied include bare copper, five different dry nonwetting copper surfaces, and five different lubricant-infused copper surfaces that ranged in surface texture fractal dimension from nearly 1.0 to 1.92 and wettability measures of average water contact angle from 91° to 162° and sliding angle from less than 3° to greater than 50°. A computational model is developed to simulate the freezing dynamics on the surfaces studied.

FINDINGS

With increasing roughness features, the freezing time increased due to the dual effects of increased contact angle and poor interfacial conductance caused by trapped air or infused liquid within the asperity textures. In general, the nonwetting surfaces increased the freezing time by a factor of at least 1.33 and up to about 3.2 compared to freezing on bare copper surfaces. The computational model shows close agreement with experimental measurements on the freeze front progression as well as freeze time. Design guidelines on the suitability of the different nonwetting surfaces for anti-icing purposes are derived from the systematic study, with the overall design recommendation favoring lubricant infused surfaces.

Collaborative Machine Learning: Schemes, Robustness, and Privacy

Distributed machine learning (ML) was originally introduced to solve a complex ML problem in a parallel way for more efficient usage of computation resources. In recent years, such learning has been extended to satisfy other objectives, namely, performing learning in situ on the training data at multiple locations and keeping the training datasets private while still allowing sharing of the model. However, these objectives have led to considerable research on the vulnerabilities of distributed learning both in terms of privacy concerns of the training data and the robustness of the learned overall model due to bad or maliciously crafted training data. This article provides a comprehensive survey of various privacy, security, and robustness issues in distributed ML.

Nano-Biosensors for Detection and Monitoring (Volume 1)

Nano-biosensing technology is a continuously evolving and expanding field with applications concerning biological substances and sensing platforms, which include the detection of chemical, biological, and environmental elements and welfare [...].

Microfluidic Bio-Sensors and Their Applications

Biosensors are a promising tool for a wide variety of target analyte detection and enable point-of-care diagnostics with reduced volume and space [...].

Microfluidic-Assisted Synthesis of Metal-Organic Framework -Alginate Micro-Particles for Sustained Drug Delivery

Drug delivery systems (DDS) are continuously being explored since humans are facing more numerous complicated diseases than ever before. These systems can preserve the drug's functionality and improve its efficacy until the drug is delivered to a specific site within the body. One of the least used materials for this purpose are metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). MOFs possess many properties, including their high surface area and the possibility for the addition of functional surface moieties, that make them ideal drug delivery vehicles. Such properties can be further improved by combining different materials (such as metals or ligands) and utilizing various synthesis techniques. In this work, the microfluidic technique is used to synthesize Zeolitic Imidazole Framework-67 (ZIF-67) containing cobalt ions as well as its bimetallic variant with cobalt and zinc as ZnZIF-67 to be subsequently loaded with diclofenac sodium and incorporated into sodium alginate beads for sustained drug delivery. This study shows the utilization of a microfluidic approach to synthesize MOF variants. Furthermore, these MOFs were incorporated into a biopolymer (sodium alginate) to produce a reliable DDS which can perform sustained drug releases for up to 6 days (for 90% of the full amount released), whereas MOFs without the biopolymer showed sudden release within the first day.

Progress in Fluorescence Biosensing and Food Safety towards Point-of-Detection (PoD) System

The detection of pathogens in food substances is of crucial concern for public health and for the safety of the natural environment. Nanomaterials, with their high sensitivity and selectivity have an edge over conventional organic dyes in fluorescent-based detection methods. Advances in microfluidic technology in biosensors have taken place to meet the user criteria of sensitive, inexpensive, user-friendly, and quick detection. In this review, we have summarized the use of fluorescence-based nanomaterials and the latest research approaches towards integrated biosensors, including microsystems containing fluorescence-based detection, various model systems with nano materials, DNA probes, and antibodies. Paper-based lateral-flow test strips and microchips as well as the most-used trapping components are also reviewed, and the possibility of their performance in portable devices evaluated. We also present a current market-available portable system which was developed for food screening and highlight the future direction for the development of fluorescence-based systems for on-site detection and stratification of common foodborne pathogens.

Analogous foliar uptake and leaf-to-root translocation of micelle nanoparticles in two dicot plants of diverse families

Bio-inspired nanoparticles, including metallic, micelles, and polymeric, have been explored as a novel tool in the quest for effective and safe agrochemicals. Although nanoparticles (NPs) are being rapidly investigated for their usefulness in agricultural production and protection, little is known about the behaviour and interaction of oil-in-water micelle nanoparticles or nano-micelles (NM) with plants. We loaded a bio-based resin inherent of tree from the Pinaceae family as active material and produced stable nano-micelles using a natural emulsifier system. Here, we show that foliar-applied nano-micelle can translocate in two dicot plants belonging to diverse families (Coriandrum sativum -Apiaceae and Trigonella foenumgraecum -Fabaceae) via similar mode. Fluorescent-tagged NM (average diameter 11.20nm) showed strong signals and higher intensities as revealed by confocal imaging and exhibited significant adhesion in leaf compared to control. The NM subsequently translocates to other parts of the plants. As observed by SEM, the leaf surface anatomies revealed higher stomata densities and uptake of NM by guard cells; furthermore, larger extracellular spaces in mesophyll cells indicate a possible route of NM translocation. In addition, NM demonstrated improved wetting-spreading as illustrated by contact angle measurement. In a field bioassay, a single spray application of NM offered protection from aphid infestation for at least 9 days. There were no signs of phytotoxicity in plants post-application of NM. We conclude that pine resin-based nano-micelle provides an efficient, safe, and sustainable alternative for agricultural applications.

Performance Health Index for Complex Cyber Infrastructures

Most IT systems depend on a set of configuration variables (CVs), expressed as a name/value pair that collectively defines the resource allocation for the system. While the ill effects of misconfiguration or improper resource allocation are well-known, there is no effective a priori metrics to quantify the impact of the configuration on the desired system attributes such as performance, availability, etc. In this paper, we propose a Configuration Health Index (CHI) framework specifically attuned to the performance attribute to capture the influence of CVs on the performance aspects of the system. We show how CHI , which is defined as a configuration scoring system, can take advantage of the domain knowledge and the available (but rather limited) performance data to produce important insights into the configuration settings. We compare the CHI with both well-advertised segmented non-linear models and state-of-the-art data-driven models, and show that the CHI not only consistently provides better results but also avoids the dangers of a pure data drive approach which may predict incorrect behavior or eliminate some essential configuration variables from consideration.

Recent Advances in Microfluidic Platform for Physical and Immunological Detection and Capture of Circulating Tumor Cells

CTCs (circulating tumor cells) are well-known for their use in clinical trials for tumor diagnosis. Capturing and isolating these CTCs from whole blood samples has enormous benefits in cancer diagnosis and treatment. In general, various approaches are being used to separate malignant cells, including immunomagnets, macroscale filters, centrifuges, dielectrophoresis, and immunological approaches. These procedures, on the other hand, are time-consuming and necessitate multiple high-level operational protocols. In addition, considering their low efficiency and throughput, the processes of capturing and isolating CTCs face tremendous challenges. Meanwhile, recent advances in microfluidic devices promise unprecedented advantages for capturing and isolating CTCs with greater efficiency, sensitivity, selectivity and accuracy. In this regard, this review article focuses primarily on the various fabrication methodologies involved in microfluidic devices and techniques specifically used to capture and isolate CTCs using various physical and biological methods as well as their conceptual ideas, advantages and disadvantages.

Gold Nanoparticles and Plant Pathogens: An Overview and Prospective for Biosensing in Forestry

Plant diseases and their diagnoses are currently one of the global challenges and cause significant impact to the economy of farmers and industries depending on plant-based products. Plant pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, and pollution caused by the nanomaterial, as well as other important elements of pollution, are the main reason for the loss of plants in agriculture and in forest ecosystems. Presently, various techniques are used to detect pathogens in trees, which includes DNA-based techniques, as well as other microscopy based identification and detection. However, these methodologies require complex instruments and time. Lately, nanomaterial-based new biosensing systems for early detection of diseases, with specificity and sensitivity, are developed and applied. This review highlights the nanomaterial-based biosensing methods of disease detection. Precise and time effective identification of plant pathogens will help to reduce losses in agriculture and forestry. This review focuses on various plant diseases and the requirements for a reliable, fast, and cost-effective testing method, as well as new biosensing technologies for the detection of diseases of field plants in forests at early stages of their growth.

Performance Evaluation of Magnetic Resonance Coupling Method for Intra-Body Network (IBNet)

Effective management of emerging medical devices can lead to new insights in healthcare. Thus, a human body communication (HBC) is becoming increasingly important. In this paper, we present magnetic resonance (MR) coupling as a promising method for intra-body network (IBNet). The study reveals that MR coupling can effectively send or receive signals in biological tissue, with a maximum path loss of PL 33 dB (i.e. at 13.56 MHz), which is lower than other methods (e.g., galvanic, capacitive, or RF) for the same distance. The angular orientation of the transmitter and receiver coils at short and long distances also show a minor variation of the path loss (0.19 PL 0.62 dB), but more dependency on the distance (0.0547 dB/cm). Additionally, different postures during the MR coupling essentially do not affect path loss (PL 0.21 dB). In the multi-nodal transmission scenario, the MR coupling demonstrates that two nodes can simultaneously receive signals with -16.77 dBm loss at 60 cm and 100 cm distances, respectively. Such multi-node MR transmission can be utilized for communication, sensing, and powering wearable and implantable devices.

Electrochemical Sensing in 3D Cell Culture Models: New Tools for Developing Better Cancer Diagnostics and Treatments

Currently, conventional pre-clinical in vitro studies are primarily based on two-dimensional (2D) cell culture models, which are usually limited in mimicking the real three-dimensional (3D) physiological conditions, cell heterogeneity, cell to cell interaction, and extracellular matrix (ECM) present in living tissues. Traditionally, animal models are used to mimic the 3D environment of tissues and organs, but they suffer from high costs, are time consuming, bring up ethical concerns, and still present many differences when compared to the human body. The applications of microfluidic-based 3D cell culture models are advantageous and useful as they include 3D multicellular model systems (MCMS). These models have demonstrated potential to simulate the in vivo 3D microenvironment with relatively low cost and high throughput. The incorporation of monitoring capabilities in the MCMS has also been explored to evaluate in real time biophysical and chemical parameters of the system, for example temperature, oxygen, pH, and metabolites. Electrochemical sensing is considered as one of the most sensitive and commercially adapted technologies for bio-sensing applications. Amalgamation of electrochemical biosensing with cell culture in microfluidic devices with improved sensitivity and performance are the future of 3D systems. Particularly in cancer, such models with integrated sensing capabilities can be crucial to assess the multiple parameters involved in tumour formation, proliferation, and invasion. In this review, we are focusing on existing 3D cell culture systems with integrated electrochemical sensing for potential applications in cancer models to advance diagnosis and treatment. We discuss their design, sensing principle, and application in the biomedical area to understand the potential relevance of miniaturized electrochemical hybrid systems for the next generation of diagnostic platforms for precision medicine.

Human Epididymis Protein 4 Quantification and Interaction Network Analysis in Seminal Plasma

BACKGROUND

A well-known tissue marker of ovarian cancer, Human Epididymis protein 4 (HE4) is the member of whey acidic four-disulfide core proteins family. Purified from human seminal plasma and characterized as a cross-class protease inhibitor, HE4 was proposed to shield spermatozoa against proteolytic factors. However, its exact biological function is unknown. Proteins usually function in conjunction with other proteins in the system and thus, identification and analysis of protein networks become essential to decode protein functions.

OBJECTIVE

This study was performed to explore possible role(s) of HE4 in reproductive physiology via identification of its interactome in human seminal plasma.

METHODS

HE4 binding proteins were identified through co-immunoprecipitation and MALDITOF/ MS analysis. Also, HE4 was quantified by ELISA in fertile and infertile human seminal plasma samples.

RESULTS

Ten HE4 binding proteins were identified, viz. protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 21, protein kinase CLK3, Ankyrin repeat domain-containing protein36A, prostatic acid phosphatase, KIF5C, Spectrin repeat containing, nuclear envelope 1, isoform CRAf, tropomyosin 4, vezatin, utrophin and fibronectin1. This interaction network suggests that HE4 plays multiple roles, specifically in capacitation, sperm motility and maturation. Further, HE4 concentration in human seminal plasma samples was determined by Elisa. Higher HE4 expression in normozoospermia compared to azoospermia and asthenozoospermia affirms its importance in fertilization.

CONCLUSION

Based on identified interactome, it is plausible that HE4 plays a crucial role in fertilization, specifically in sperm maturation, motility and capacitation.

Correction to "Targeted Reinforcement of Macrophage Reprogramming Toward M2 Polarization by IL-4-Loaded Hyaluronic Acid Particles"

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.8b03182.].

Targeted Reinforcement of Macrophage Reprogramming Toward M2 Polarization by IL-4-Loaded Hyaluronic Acid Particles

Alteration of macrophage polarization from inflammatory (M1) to anti-inflammatory (M2) phenotype can have striking implications for the regeneration of injured tissues, treatment of inflammatory diseases, and relief of autoimmune disorders. Although certain cytokines like interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13 are capable of inducing M2 macrophage polarization, their therapeutic potential in vivo is suffering from low efficacy due to their instability and poor access to target cells. Here, we report the synthesis of IL-4-loaded hyaluronic acid (HA) particle for the targeted delivery of cytokines through the high affinity of HA to CD44 receptors of macrophages. HA carriers composed of low, middle, and high molecular weight (MW) polymers were synthesized using divinyl sulfone (DVS) cross-linking. The MW of HA had a negligible effect on the physicochemical properties and biocompatibility of the macrophages, but as an indicative of M2 polarization, a significant change in the arginase-1 (Arg-1) activity, TNF-α release, and IL-10 secretion was observed for the HA particles prepared with high MW polymers. Therefore, these particles were loaded with IL-4 for simultaneous macrophage targeting and M1 to M2 reprogramming, evidenced by a remarkable increase in the Arg-1 to iNOS ratio, as well as CD163 and CD206 upregulation in the M1 macrophages, which were initially triggered by lipopolysaccharide and interferon-γ.

Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Spectroscopy and Microfluidics: Towards Ultrasensitive Label-Free Sensing

Raman scattering and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy have demonstrated their potential as ultrasensitive detection techniques in the past decades. Specifically, and as a result of the flourishing of nanotechnology, SERS is nowadays one of the most powerful sensing techniques, not only because of the low detection limits that it can achieve, but also for the structural information that it offers and its capability of multiplexing. Similarly, microfluidics technology is having an increased presence not only in fundamental research, but also in the industry. The latter is because of the intrinsic characteristics of microfluidics, being automation, high-throughput, and miniaturization. However, despite miniaturization being an advantage, it comes together with the need to use ultrasensitive techniques for the interrogation of events happening in extremely small volumes. The combination of SERS with microfluidics can overcome bottlenecks present in both technologies. As a consequence, the integration of Raman and SERS in microfluidics is being investigated for the label-free biosensing of relevant research challenges.

Molecularly imprinted polymers for sample preparation and biosensing in food analysis: Progress and perspectives

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are biomimetics which can selectively bind to analytes of interest. One of the most interesting areas where MIPs have shown the biggest potential is food analysis. MIPs have found use as sorbents in sample preparation attributed to the high selectivity and high loading capacity. MIPs have been intensively employed in classical solid-phase extraction and solid-phase microextraction. More recently, MIPs have been combined with magnetic bead extraction, which greatly simplifies sample handling procedures. Studies have consistently shown that MIPs can effectively minimize complex food matrix effects, and improve recoveries and detection limits. In addition to sample preparation, MIPs have also been viewed as promising alternatives to bio-receptors due to the inherent molecular recognition abilities and the high stability in harsh chemical and physical conditions. MIPs have been utilized as receptors in biosensing platforms such as electrochemical, optical and mass biosensors to detect various analytes in food. In this review, we will discuss the current state-of-the-art of MIP synthesis and applications in the context of food analysis. We will highlight the imprinting methods which are applicable for imprinting food templates, summarize the recent progress in using MIPs for preparing and analysing food samples, and discuss the current limitations in the commercialisation of MIPs technology. Finally, future perspectives will be given.

Influence of surface chemistry on the ionic conductivity of vertically aligned carbon nanotube composite membranes

The ionic conductivity and electrochemical properties of vertically aligned CNT composite membranes produced by template-based catalyst-free chemical vapor deposition is tuned by chemical modification of their inner surfaces using simple oxidation.

Microbial cell lysis and nucleic acid extraction via nanofluidic channel

This paper presents a microfluidic device with a nano-channel prepared by focused ion beam (FIB) milling for microbial cell lysis and nucleic acid extraction.

Periodically tailored titania nanotubes for enhanced drug loading and releasing performances

Structural engineering of titania nanotubes (TNTs) with periodically shaped structures was successfully demonstrated as a strategy to improve drug loading and releasing performances of TNTs/Ti implants.

The influence of nanopore dimensions on the electrochemical properties of nanopore arrays studied by impedance spectroscopy

The understanding of the electrochemical properties of nanopores is the key factor for better understanding their performance and applications for nanopore-based sensing devices. In this study, the influence of pore dimensions of nanoporous alumina (NPA) membranes prepared by an anodization process and their electrochemical properties as a sensing platform using impedance spectroscopy was explored. NPA with four different pore diameters (25 nm, 45 nm and 65 nm) and lengths (5 μm to 20 μm) was used and their electrochemical properties were explored using different concentration of electrolyte solution (NaCl) ranging from 1 to 100 μM. Our results show that the impedance and resistance of nanopores are influenced by the concentration and ion species of electrolytes, while the capacitance is independent of them. It was found that nanopore diameters also have a significant influence on impedance due to changes in the thickness of the double layer inside the pores.

Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity of Picrorhiza kurroa (Leaves) Extracts

Picrorhiza kurroa is a well-known herb in Ayurvedic medicine. Although it shows antioxidant, antiinflammatory and immunomodulatory activities, it is most valued for its hepatoprotective effect. The rhizomes are widely used against indigestion problems since ancient times due to improper digestive secretions. Aim of this study was to explore antioxidant study of P. kurroa leaves for a new source of naturally occurring antioxidants. Two pure compounds, luteolin-5-O-glucopyranoside (1) and picein (2) were isolated from butanol extract through column chromatography. Different extracts of P. kurroa leaves (ethanol, ethyl acetate, butanol) were quantified for isolated compound (2) by high-performance liquid chromatography. All the extracts and isolated compounds were evaluated for its antioxidant activity using two assays, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical and 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) assay. The linear detection range was 1.56-200 μg/ml for picein. The limit of detection and limit of quantification for picein were 2.34 and 7.81 μg/ml, respectively. Butanol and ethyl acetate extract showed greater antioxidant activity as compare to ethanol extract. Compound 1 and ascorbic acid showed nearly similar antioxidant activity where as 2 showed no activity at standard concentration. The IC₅₀ values for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical and 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) assay for ascorbic acid, compound 1, ethanol extract and its different fractions (ethyl acetate and butanol) were found to be 0.81, 1.04, 67.48, 39.58, 37.12 and 2.59, 4.02, 48.36, 33.24, 29.48 μg, respectively.

Self-ordering Electrochemistry: A Simple Approach for Engineering Nanopore and Nanotube Arrays for Emerging Applications

In this paper, we present recent work from our group focussed on the fabrication of nanopore and nanotube arrays using self-ordered electrochemistry, and their application in several key areas including template synthesis, molecular separation, optical sensing, and drug delivery. We have fabricated nanoporous anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) with controlled pore dimensions (20–200 nm) and shapes, and used them as templates for the preparation of gold nanorod/nanotube arrays and gold nanotube membranes with characteristic properties such as surface enhanced Raman scattering and selective molecular transport. The application of AAO nanopores as a sensing platform for reflective interferometric detection is demonstrated. Finally, a drug release study on fabricated titania nanotubes confirms their potential for implantable drug delivery applications.

Nanopore gradients on porous aluminum oxide generated by nonuniform anodization of aluminum

A method for surface engineering of structural gradients with nanopore topography using the self-ordering process based on electrochemical anodization of aluminum is described. A distinct anodization condition with an asymmetrically distributed electric field at the electrolyte/aluminum interface is created by nonparallel arrangement between electrodes (tilted by 45°) in an electrochemical cell. The anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) porous surfaces with ordered nanopore structures with gradual and continuous change of pore diameters from 80 to 300 nm across an area of 0.5-1 cm were fabricated by this anodization using two common electrolytes, oxalic acid (0.3 M) and phosphoric acid (0.3 M). The formation of pore gradients of AAO is explained by asymmetric and gradual distribution of the current density and temperature variation generated on the surface of Al during the anodization process. Optical and wetting gradients of prepared pore structures were confirmed by reflective interferometric spectroscopy and contact angle measurements showing the ability of this method to generate porous surfaces with multifunctional gradients (structural, optical, wetting). The study of influence of pore structures on cell growth using the culture of neuroblastoma cells reveals biological relevance of nanopore gradients and the potential to be applied as the platform for spatially controllable cell growth and cell differentiation.

AIM-BLAST-AJAX Interfaced Multisequence Blast

AIM-BLAST, AJAX Interfaced Multisequence Blast, is a simplified tool developed to facilitate the multiple sequences blast using AJAX as an interface. This tool has been integrated with the SOAP services of EBI NCBI Blast and the functionality of AJAX (Asynchronous Javascript and XML), so as to minimize the enormous bandwidth consumption while carrying out blast analysis for many sequences at an instance. Although a few tools for multiple sequences blast are already available online, they are restricted only to a limited number of genomes and consume several bytes of data transfer for receiving the results. Further, AIM-BLAST also has enhanced features for automated parsing of the Blast results of individual sequence and presenting them as “one sequence-one function” manner. This will save the users time and effort in interpreting the bulky blast results to identify one suitable hit. The results of the blast search in this tool are displayed in an easily interpretable table format that makes the tool user-friendly too. Hence this tool, with a laconic framework, will remain a well structured, flexible and a highly controlled Blast Program for investigating numerous sequences at a stretch with the consumption of reduced level of data transfer.