Search Results (440)

Histamine (HIS) in food products can cause poisoning or intolerance reactions, which are usually associated with fish and seafood consumption. Therefore, the detection and quantification of histamine in fish and fish products are important for public health protection. This article provides an overview on the current methodologies and recent advances in histamine detection and quantification applied to fishery products. Among the evaluated studies, chromatographic techniques, especially HPLC, are the most common due to their good performance. However, chromatographic techniques present disadvantages, such as complex sample preparation and use of organic solvents, and attempts have been made to solve them with spectroscopic and enzymatic methodologies, and sensors models. Sensor-based methods (biosensors, electrochemical sensors, optical sensors) allow real-time or near-real-time detection of histamine, making them highly valuable for on-site quality control. The incorporation of selective recognition elements, such as enzymes, aptamers, or molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), significantly enhances the selectivity and reduces detection and quantification limits. However, challenges related to stability, interference, and lack of standardisation can limit their ability to fully replace traditional laboratory methods. Future research should therefore focus on developing robust, cost-effective, and standardised detection platforms capable of combining the accuracy of chromatographic methods with the speed and practicality of modern sensors, ultimately strengthening food quality control and reducing the risk of histamine-related intoxications worldwide. Full article

Pompeii preserves rare traces of ballistic marks on the stone ashlars of its northern fortification system, traditionally attributed to the Sullan siege of 89 BC. Although mentioned in the literature, these features have never been systematically documented through metric analysis. This study presents the first georeferenced morphometric dataset of circular cavities along the northern walls using reality-based 3D surveying and reverse-modelling techniques. A multiscale workflow allows the preliminary scoring and identification of potential ballistic imprints, their spatial cataloging, the selection of representative case studies for high-resolution acquisition, and subsequent geometric analysis. By treating each cavity as a geometric constraint, the analysis estimates Maximum Compatible Sphere values for the theoretical impacting projectiles and enables preliminary comparison with known calibers of Roman artillery ammunition. Full article

This article examines the extent to which it is possible to reconstruct part of the technical knowledge employed in pre-Hispanic Andean constructions. Drawing on chronicles, colonial representations, linguistic studies, ethnography and direct architectural analysis, it demonstrates that Andean societies possessed specialised trades and a wider repertoire of tools than is commonly recognised. A central finding is the identification of gaveras—wooden moulds for making adobe bricks—whose recognition here shows that carpentry techniques were more developed than has been assumed. The poor documentation of these objects—several of them miscatalogued in Peruvian museums—has reinforced the mistaken assumption that complex construction tools were not used in ancient Peru. The study combines three approaches: direct observation of the built fabric (marks, imprints and textures that reveal construction processes), review of the Quechua vocabulary associated with tools and trades—drawn from three sixteenth- and seventeenth-century dictionaries consulted in the Langas repository of the CNRS—and comparison with current practices in Andean communities. This is complemented by a comparison with records from other cultures and a systematic search of the database of the Ministry of Culture of Peru, where plumb bobs, floats, shovels, axes, chisels and other instruments rarely analysed from a constructive perspective were located. Taken together, the article demonstrates that pre-Hispanic architecture was neither intuitive nor improvised, but the outcome of a technical tradition carried out by specialists, tools that are little known today, and construction methods based on measurement, alignment control, mortar transfer and careful surface finishing. Full article

Traditional thermal polymerization for imprinted polymers suffers from long reaction time and initiator residues. This study proposes an initiator-free and fast reaction electron beam irradiation technique to synthesize enrofloxacin (ENRO) molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for sustained drug release. ENRO-based MIPs were prepared using methacrylic acid (MAA) as a functional monomer and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as a crosslinker under electron beam irradiation within 2 h. The structure was characterized by SEM, FTIR, DSC, and TG. Drug loading capacity was determined via solvent elution, and drug release behavior was evaluated in simulated physiological environments. The MIP exhibited a high drug loading ratio of 13.27% and porous morphology (SEM). FTIR confirmed complete template removal, while thermal analysis indicated uniform drug dispersion and enhanced stability. Cumulative release was pH-dependent: 72.12% at pH 7.4 (physiological) and 41.67% at pH 1.2 (gastric). Drug release kinetics followed the Korsmeyer–Peppas model (R² > 0.88), dominated by Fickian diffusion. Electron beam irradiation enables initiator-free synthesis of ENRO-based MIP with high loading capacity and pH-responsive sustained release, offering significant potential for targeted antibiotic delivery. Full article

Background: Despite the circulation of evolutionarily related cold-causing coronaviruses (CCCs) in the pre-COVID era, most individuals lacked pre-existing serum IgG and/or class-switched memory B cell (B_mem) reactivity for the SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) glycoprotein expressed by the ancestral Wuhan-Hu-1 (WH1) strain. Subsequent priming of the immune system through natural infection or prophylactic COVID-19 mRNA vaccination successfully generated robust B_mem responses against the WH1-S antigen, along with eliciting cross-reactivity for the future Omicron (BA.1) variant responsible for breakthrough infections (BTIs). However, to what extent immunological imprinting of B_mem towards the WH1-S antigen detrimentally constrains the elicitation of variant-specific antibody responses following subsequent booster vaccinations or BTIs—a phenomena referred to as “original antigenic sin”—remains an unresolved and open question. Methods: Using ImmunoSpot^®, we evaluated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from defined human cohorts for IgG⁺ ASC reactivity against Spike proteins representing CCCs and SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, we developed a novel dual-label inverted FluoroSpot assay to distinguish between strain-specific and cross-reactive IgG⁺ ASCs recognizing epitopes in the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants. Results: Our data demonstrate a lack of appreciable back-boosting of IgG⁺ B_mem recognizing structurally conserved epitopes shared between CCCs and SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, we found evidence for immunological imprinting and the preferential expansion of B_mem recognizing cross-reactive epitopes in the RBD following BTI. Nevertheless, Omicron strain-specific B_mem were detected in PBMC donors collected in 2025. Conclusions: Our novel inverted dual-label FluoroSpot methodology evidenced preferential expansion of cross-reactive B_mem following breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infection and supports the influence of original antigenic sin shaping the recall response. Moreover, the inverted dual-label assay provides a highly flexible and easily implementable technique for distinguishing between strain-specific and cross-reactive B cell responses and has broad applications in translational vaccine research against pathogens that undergo antigenic drift. Full article

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has become a neurodegenerative disease with an increasing incidence rate and a large economic and social burden worldwide. Amyloid-beta oligomer (AβO) has been confirmed as a key neurotoxic species and a core diagnostic biomarker in AD. Traditional methods for AβO detection have drawbacks, such as cumbersome operation, high cost, and dependence on sophisticated instruments, hindering their transformation into fast and real-time detection techniques. (Photo)electrochemical biosensors have attracted much attention due to their inherent advantages, such as high sensitivity, low cost, portability, and ease of miniaturization. This review systematically summarizes the latest progress of (photo)electrochemical biosensors for AβO detection, mainly based on two sensing modes: direct detection and sandwich-type detection. We comprehensively elaborated on the sensing performances and recognition elements, such as antibodies, aptamers, peptides, and molecularly imprinted polymers. The integration of functional nanomaterials and signal amplification strategies was emphasized to improve the sensitivity, selectivity, and stability of biosensors. In addition, we discussed the existing challenges and looked forward to the future development direction for the early diagnosis of AD. This article aims to provide a systematic reference for the rational design and practical application of advanced biosensors in biomarker detection and AD-related precision medicine. Full article

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have emerged as robust and versatile recognition elements for electrochemical sensing due to their high chemical and mechanical stability, cost-effective fabrication, and excellent selectivity toward target analytes. In recent years, MIP-based electrochemical sensors have gained significant attention for the detection of pharmaceutical contaminants in wastewater, addressing growing environmental and public health concerns. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamental principles of molecular imprinting Emphasis is placed on fabrication strategies and electrochemical detection techniques, including cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Furthermore, it discusses imprinting mechanisms for different classes of contaminants, matrix effects, and other challenges. By critically analyzing recent applications, this work highlights key factors influencing sensor performance, such as sensitivity, selectivity, and detection limits. Finally, we touch on future perspectives, focusing on the development of more reliable, scalable, and environmentally sustainable sensing platforms for real-world wastewater monitoring. Full article

Plasticizers enhance polymer flexibility and durability, yet many leach into aquatic environments as persistent contaminants. Phthalate esters (PAEs), the most widely used plasticizers, are of particular concern due to weak polymer binding, high mobility, and documented ecological and human health risks. Conventional analytical techniques such as GC–MS and HPLC provide high accuracy but rely on expensive instrumentation and laboratory-based analysis, limiting rapid and on-site monitoring. In response, electrochemical approaches have emerged as promising alternatives for both the detection and removal of PAEs, especially when coupled with sustainable and environmentally benign materials. This review summarizes recent advances in the electrochemical sensing and treatment of PAEs, highlighting green electrode materials, eco-friendly functionalization strategies, sensing mechanisms, and analytical performance. Key challenges, including matrix effects, environmental interferences, and gaps between laboratory studies and real-sample applications, are critically discussed. Sustainable electrochemical removal strategies—such as advanced oxidation, reductive degradation, and hybrid material-based processes—are also evaluated. Overall, integrating greener materials, molecular imprinting, and data-driven signal enhancement supports the development of robust, field-deployable, and environmentally responsible PAE monitoring and mitigation technologies. Full article

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) in pigs has been a widely used technique for producing gene-edited pigs for biomedical research, yet its wide-spread application through serial cloning remains markedly limited. Unlike in mice, where the serial cloning can be sustained across numerous generations, in pigs it is usually limited to only a few rounds. Specifically, porcine serial cloning has not been reported beyond three consecutive generations in live-born offspring, with blastocyst development rates declining from approximately 4.4% in G1 to 1–5% in G2–G3, and live-birth cloning efficiency (offspring/recipient) dropping sharply with each successive round. Compelling evidence suggests that cumulative epigenetic instability, incomplete embryo genome activation, DNA methylation reprogramming, persistent donor-cell memory, and imprinting disruption collectively erode transcriptional integrity across generations. Although several manipulations, including epigenetic modifiers, transiently improved the early development, they failed to sustain the reprogramming across several generations. Here, we synthesize comparative advances in serial cloning across species and propose that species-specific differences in chromatin plasticity and cytoplasmic reprogramming capacity define a porcine “reprogramming ceiling”. Deciphering and overcoming this barrier will be critical for advancing sustainable livestock engineering, xenotransplantation and translational medicine biotechnology. Full article

Protein recognition underpins advances in drug discovery, immunoassays, clinical diagnostics and biosensing. As a biomimetic alternative to natural receptors, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have been developed to emulate antibody–antigen complementarity by generating binding cavities that mirror the size, shape and functionality of target macromolecules through template-directed polymerization and subsequent template removal. However, protein imprinting has historically been hampered by low imprinting efficiency and limited selectivity, rendering conventional protein-imprinted polymers (PIPs) inadequate for many contemporary biomedical applications. Functional ionic liquids (ILs)—a class of designer solvents and materials distinguished by tunable structures, exceptional physicochemical properties and favorable biocompatibility—have emerged as versatile additives to address the principal limitations of traditional PIPs, including poor selectivity, sluggish mass transfer and destabilization of protein conformation. Here, we provide a systematic review of the multifaceted roles that ILs play within protein-imprinting systems, delineating their employment as template-anchoring motifs, functional monomers, cross-linkers, porogens and structural stabilizers, and evaluating the consequent effects on polymer architecture and recognition performance. We further probe the multiplicity of non-covalent interactions between ILs and template proteins—highlighting the synergistic modulation afforded by electrostatic forces, hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions and π-π stacking—and consider how such interplay can be harnessed to fine-tune binding-site fidelity. Consolidating recent progress, we summarize IL-enabled PIP applications in protein-specific recognition, biosensor development and analysis of complex real-world samples, and we critically examine the prevailing technical challenges and prospects for translation. The evidence indicates that ILs, by furnishing abundant interaction sites, accelerating mass transport and stabilizing native protein conformations, can markedly enhance PIP adsorption capacity, target specificity and recyclability, positioning them as a cornerstone for next-generation protein separation and enrichment materials and paving the way toward industrial deployment of protein-imprinting technologies. Full article

Pipecolic acid (PA) is an important biomarker associated with peroxisomal and neurological disorders, necessitating the development of rapid, selective, and cost-effective detection methods beyond conventional chromatographic techniques. In this study, a molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor (PA-MIP/Au) was developed for the selective determination of PA. The sensor was fabricated by electropolymerizing pyrrole on a gold electrode in the presence of PA as a template, followed by template removal to create specific recognition cavities. The electrochemical behavior and analytical performance were evaluated using cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) in a ferri/ferrocyanide redox system. The sensor exhibited a linear response over 5–100 µM, with a detection limit of 1.05 µM. This range covers the reported physiological plasma concentrations of pipecolic acid (0.7–2.6 µM) and extends to elevated levels observed in pathological conditions, thereby demonstrating its suitability for clinical and biochemical monitoring applications. The sensor also demonstrated high selectivity against structurally similar amino acids, good repeatability, reproducibility, and stability, retaining over 87% of its initial response after 28 days. Recovery studies in spiked artificial plasma samples yielded values between 97.2% and 98.4%, confirming its applicability in complex matrices. Overall, the proposed sensor offers a simple, rapid, and cost-effective alternative for PA determination with potential for clinical and point-of-care applications. Full article

Chloramphenicol is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent whose use in food-producing animals is prohibited in many countries due to its association with severe adverse effects, including idiosyncratic aplastic anemia and genotoxicity. Despite these restrictions, chloramphenicol residues continue to be detected in food products, environmental compartments, and biological matrices, highlighting the need for reliable and sensitive analytical monitoring. This review provides a comprehensive overview of current analytical strategies for the detection of drugs in food and environmental samples, covering screening and confirmatory techniques, sample preparation approaches, and regulatory aspects. Rapid screening methods, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), lateral flow immunoassays (LFIAs), and biosensors based on antibodies, aptamers, and molecularly imprinted polymers, enable fast and cost-effective preliminary detection. Recent advances in nanomaterials and signal amplification strategies, including fluorescent reporters and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), have significantly improved sensitivity and assay performance. However, confirmatory methods based on liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) remain the reference standard due to their superior selectivity, sensitivity, and quantitative reliability. Attention is given to sample preparation workflows, including QuEChERS-based protocols and microextraction techniques, which enable efficient analysis of complex matrices. Finally, current regulatory frameworks and analytical challenges related to zero-tolerance policies are discussed, emphasizing the importance of robust and validated analytical methods for effective monitoring and food safety assurance. Full article

Albumin is an important biomarker in biological fluids and plays a critical role, particularly in the diagnosis of renal dysfunction. Therefore, the sensitive detection of low concentrations of albumin in urine is of great importance. In this study, a composite nanohydrogel modified with carbon dots has been developed for the selective detection of albumin from human urine. The composite nanohydrogels were synthesised using a molecular imprinting technique specifically designed to recognise albumin. Characterisation studies were conducted using ZetaSizer, SEM, EDX, CLSM and ATR-FTIR methods. The albumin-binding capacities of the carbon dots (C-Dots) and synthesised composite nanohydrogels were evaluated using fluorescence spectroscopy. The effects of different concentration conditions on binding efficiency were systematically investigated. Selectivity studies have shown that albumin-imprinted nanohydrogels can detect target molecule albumin four times more selectively than competitive molecules, Hb and IgG. Imprinting efficiency was estimated by comparing the signals of albumin obtained from non-imprinted and albumin-imprinted composite nanohydrogels. Finally, artificial urine samples mimicking real biological environment conditions were examined to evaluate matrix effect on the albumin detection. The repeatability and long-term stability of albumin detection, performed with four consecutive and six-month measurements, was evaluated using the %RSD value, confirming that the albumin determination performance was maintained. Full article

Candida albicans (C. albicans) is an opportunistic fungal pathogen and a major cause of nosocomial infections, especially in immunocompromised patients. Conventional diagnostic approaches such as blood culture and biochemical assays are accurate but require multi-step sample processing and prolonged turnaround times, limiting their applicability for rapid clinical screening. In the present study, we developed an electrochemical biosensor based on molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) technology for the rapid and selective detection of intact C. albicans cells. The MIP layer was electropolymerized onto a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE), forming selective recognition cavities complementary to the fungal morphology. Electrochemical characterization and detection were performed using cyclic voltammetry in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). The system demonstrated a wide linear detection range, enabling reliable quantification of C. albicans across concentrations spanning from 1 to 10⁴ CFU/mL and achieved an ultralow limit of detection (LOD) of 1.30 CFU/mL, demonstrating high sensitivity. High selectivity was confirmed against E. coli, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa, demonstrating that the imprinted cavities effectively distinguish fungal cells from bacterial contaminants. These findings highlight the promise of MIP-based electrochemical biosensors as a simple, low-cost, and portable alternative for early fungal diagnostics. Full article

Haemophilus influenzae (H. influenzae) is an important respiratory pathogen that can cause various invasive and non-invasive bacterial infections requiring rapid and sensitive detection. In recent years, electrochemical biosensors have emerged as a practical alternative for pathogen detection due to their high sensitivity, portability and short analysis time. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are a class of synthetic receptors designed to mimic biological recognition through template-directed polymerization. In this study, an electrochemical biosensor based on MIPs was developed for the selective detection of H. influenzae. The polymeric film composed of methacrylamide (MAM), acrylamide (AAM), and vinylpyrrolidone (VP) monomers was fabricated on a gold screen-printed electrode (gold-SPE). The results of cyclic voltammetry (CV) revealed a strong redox current shift corresponding to bacteria concentrations within an analytical range of 1–10,000 CFU/mL with LOD 1.03 CFU/mL, with relative standard deviation (RSD) values below 9% across the tested concentration range. The optimized composition yielded and exhibited excellent selectivity when tested against non-target bacteria such as Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. Full article