Biosensores (Spain)

A flexible ammonium ion-sensing skin patch was developed based on a three-dimensional (3D) polystyrenesulfonate:polyaniline/copper microflower (PSS:PANI/CuMF) nanoarchitecture deposited on a flexible graphene electrode. The hierarchical 3D nanostructure integrates CuMF with a PSS:PANI network, providing a high-density electroactive surface, enhanced charge-transfer pathways, and stable ion-doping sites for NH4+ detection. The transducer was fabricated via a two-step electrochemical process and characterized using SEM and FTIR, confirming the formation of nanostructured CuMF and uniform nanopolymer coating. Coupled with adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV), the sensor exhibited dual linear ranges (0.01–20 mM and 20–60 mM), high sensitivity (127.9 μA mM–1 cm–2 in the low range), and a low detection limit of 3.3 μM. The nanoscale PSS:PANI framework enables reversible NH4+ doping/dedoping through fixed sulfonate sites, while CuMF enhances electron-transfer kinetics. Integration into a wearable patch platform demonstrated reliable detection of NH4+ in artificial sweat using a skin-mimicking model. This work presents a nanostructured, flexible electrochemical platform for noninvasive ammonium monitoring, with potential applications in wearable bioanalysis.

Microcin B17 (MccB17) is a ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide (RiPP) with antibacterial activity, natively produced by Escherichia coli. Despite its unique gyrase-inhibiting activity, therapeutic development has been limited, primarily due to its low solubility and narrow spectrum of activity. Here, we employed a genome mining approach to identify and functionally characterize novel MccB17-like biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) from uncharacterized environmental Pseudomonas isolates. Four BGCs sharing substantial sequence similarity were cloned and heterologously expressed in E. coli. Regardless of their similarity, the clusters triggered congener-dependent growth retardation and cell elongation, despite lacking detectable antibacterial activity in overlay assays. Transcription and production of modified MccB17-like peptides or their unmodified precursors were confirmed by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), respectively. Transcriptome profiling indicated differential induction of stress responses and metabolic shifts in host cells, with limited overlap among the different BGCs. Our findings suggest that structurally similar MccB17 congeners can elicit distinct physiological responses. This study expands the known range of MccB17-like RiPPs and highlights the importance of functionally exploring RiPP diversity beyond known antimicrobial activity, even among congeners. KEY POINTS: • In silico identification of uncharacterizedMccB17 congeners from Pseudomonas spp. • Functional analysis of novel variants reveals phenotypic effects on expression host • Transcriptomics reveals congener-specific effects despite similarity to E. coli MccB17.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is a crucial enzyme involved in regulating insulin and leptin signaling pathways, making it a promising target for treating type 2 diabetes. In this study, we synthesized 14 derivatives of indole- and pyrazole-fused glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) and evaluated their effects on PTP1B, using both its long (hPTP1B1-400) and short (hPTP1B1-285) forms. We analyzed enzymatic kinetics and selectivity over T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase (TCPTP). Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were performed to understand the binding mode of the compounds within PTP1B. Untargeted metabolomics, using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, assessed metabolic changes caused by the most potent PTP1B inhibitors in HepG2 cells. We also evaluated these inhibitors in vivo to determine their effects on insulin sensitivity through the insulin tolerance test (ITT) in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice. Two compounds, 4b (indole-fused) and 5g (pyrazole-fused), showed greater potency against the long form of PTP1B compared to the short form, indicating that both compounds preferentially bind to the disordered C-terminal region of PTP1B. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics studies supported this finding. Furthermore, enzymatic kinetics revealed that compounds 4b and 5g function as uncompetitive inhibitors of PTP1B, with K i values of 0.32 and 0.72 μM, respectively. Notably, both GA derivatives exhibited more pronounced inhibition of PTP1B compared to the well-established inhibitors ursolic acid and Ertiprotafib, while also demonstrating selectivity over TCPTP. Metabolomic analysis revealed that these compounds increased pantothenic acid and glycine levels, while decreasing glucose and fatty acid levels in HepG2 cells, suggesting enhanced glycolysis and reduced lipogenesis. Both compounds exhibited low cytotoxicity in HFF-1 cells and significantly reduced glucose levels in the ITT in STZ-induced diabetic mice, outperforming the insulin-sensitizing drug Pioglitazone.

Abstract Collective Perception (CP) allows connected autonomous vehicles to share and fuse processed sensor data via V2X communication. It can potentially allow for an increased object update rate, extended field-of-view awareness, and redundancy but it first requires a thorough evaluation and validation. Due to the CP’s field testing practical challenges most of the previous work on CP has considered large scale-simulations with a focus on connectivity/network aspects. More recently, large-scale collaborative perception synthetic datasets and open source benchmarks have appeared, allowing the perception engineers to study CP from a perception point of view, which is missing so far. In this paper, the first building blocks (work in progress) towards CP scenario-based testing for a roundabout navigation use case are been set by proposing a Bayesian CP algorithm and its testing plan. The CP algorithm is described and metrics for CP assessment are discussed focusing on the fused information content produced by the algorithm. The next steps towards a hybrid evaluation plan combining real-world agents and simulation are outlined.

La evolución tecnológica y digital está revolucionando la educación actual, facilitando nuevas oportunidades para mejorar procesos de aprendizaje. Algunos de estos avances han impactado de manera cuantificable en los entornos educativos, como lo demuestra el creciente uso de plataformas digitales, herramientas tecnológicas y entornos virtuales de aprendizaje. Estos elementos ayudan a desarrollar nuevas metodologías que potencian el aprendizaje activo. Estudios recientes indican que más del 80% de las instituciones educativas han incorporado tecnología en sus procesos de enseñanza, mejorando el rendimiento académico y fomentando habilidades como el pensamiento crítico y la alfabetización digital. Sin embargo, persisten desafíos relacionados con el acceso equitativo, ya que un 30% de estudiantes carecen de conectividad o dispositivos adecuados. Por ello, se enfatiza la necesidad de políticas públicas que promuevan la equidad digital.

Introduction: Stress is the result of a set of disorders that occur on a daily basis, causing an irregularity in the individual's homeostasis. Entering the academic environment brings with it various divergent situations that can culminate in a possible appearance or increase in stress, bringing changes in the emotional state due to the more intense pace of life, learning difficulties, and a decline in academic performance. Aim: To carry out a comparative study on perceived stress among Physiotherapy and Law students at the Centro Universitário de Caratinga (UNEC) - Nanuque Campus. Methodology: This is a quantitative, exploratory and descriptive study, in which the presence of stress was studied and analyzed among Physiotherapy and Law students from the 1st and 9th periods enrolled at the UNEC - Nanuque Campus, using a structured and validated questionnaire that assessed the students' level of stress. Results: Composed of 107 students from the Physiotherapy and Law courses from the 1st and 9th periods, the sample identified that in both courses more than 50% of the students showed medium stress, the Physiotherapy course showed higher levels of stress than the Law course and when compared by gender between the courses, women showed a higher level of stress than men. Conclusion: The study highlighted the possible reasons for increased stress in students, showing that it can negatively affect some aspects of social and academic life, and that attitudes are needed to minimize damage and possible stressors.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is increasingly used as a treatment option for unprotected left main stem artery (unprotected left main stem percutaneous intervention) disease. However, whether patient outcomes have improved over time is uncertain. Using the United Kingdom national PCI database, we studied all patients undergoing unprotected left main stem percutaneous intervention between 2009 and 2017. We excluded patients who presented with ST-segment-elevation, cardiogenic shock, and with an emergency indication for PCI. Between 2009 and 2017, in the study-indicated population, 14 522 unprotected left main stem percutaneous intervention procedures were performed. Significant temporal changes in baseline demographics were observed with increasing patient age and comorbid burden. Procedural complexity increased over time, with the number of vessels treated, bifurcation PCI, number of stents used, and use of intravascular imaging and rotational atherectomy increased significantly through the study period. After adjustment for baseline differences, there were significant temporal reductions in the occurrence of peri-procedural myocardial infarction (P<0.001 for trend), in-hospital major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events (P<0.001 for trend), and acute procedural complications (P<0.001 for trend). In multivariable analysis examining the associates of in-hospital major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events, while age per year (odds ratio, 1.02 [95% CIs, 1.01-1.03]), female sex (odds ratio, 1.47 [1.19-1.82]), 3 or more stents (odds ratio, 1.67 [05% [1.02-2.67]), and patient comorbidity were associated with higher rates of in-hospital major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events, by contrast use of intravascular imaging (odds ratio, 0.56 [0.45-0.70]), and year of PCI (odds ratio, 0.63 [0.46-0.87]) were associated with lower rates of in-hospital major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events. Despite trends for increased patient and procedural complexity, in-hospital patient outcomes have improved after unprotected left main stem percutaneous intervention over time.

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Introdução: Métodos eletroquímicos usando eletrodos seletivos de íons (ISE), sofreram um desenvolvimento significativo, nos últimos anos, contribuindo nas dosagens de eletrólitos, em diferentes amostras, de soro, plasma e soluções aquosas, realizadas rotineiramente em laboratórios de análises clínicas. Métodos como a potenciometria indireta, disponíveis , atualmente, em equipamentos como o EC90,por biosensores, com a renovação contínua da ponte de salina e com calibrações de 1 ponto e 2 pontos.