Exosomes are secreted by most cell types and circulate in body fluids. Recent studies have revealed that exosomes play a significant role in intercellular communication and are closely associated with the pathogenesis of disease. Therefore, exosomes are considered promising biomarkers for disease diagnosis. However, exosomes are always mixed with other components of body fluids. Consequently, separation methods for exosomes that allow high‐purity and high‐throughput separation with a high recovery rate and detection techniques for exosomes that are rapid, highly sensitive, highly specific, and have a low detection limit are indispensable for diagnostic applications. For decades, many exosome separation and detection techniques have been developed to achieve the aforementioned goals. However, in most cases, these two techniques are performed separately, which increases operation complexity, time consumption, and cost. The emergence of microfluidics offers a promising way to integrate exosome separation and detection functions into a single chip. Herein, an overview of conventional and microfluidics‐based techniques for exosome separation and detection is presented. Moreover, the advantages and drawbacks of these techniques are compared.
A chemiresistive
gas sensor based on a three-dimensional Ag-modified
reduced graphene oxide (3D Ag-rGO) aerogel is reported. We improve
the graphene-based sensor performance by optimization of operating
temperature, chemical modification, and new design of the material
geometrical structure. The self-assembly and Ag nanoparticle (NP)
decoration of the Ag-rGO aerogel are realized by a facile, one-step
hydrothermal method. An integrated low-power microheater fabricated
on a micromachined SiO2 membrane is employed to enhance
the performance of the sensor with a fast response to NO2 and a shortened recovery time. The 3D Ag-rGO-based sensor at a temperature
of 133 °C exhibits the highest response. At the same time, the
response to other gases is suppressed while the response of the Ag-rGO
sensor toward ammonia at 133 °C is reduced to half of the value
at room temperature, demonstrating a greatly improved selectivity
toward NO2. Additionally, the sensor exhibits a remarkably
fast response to 50 ppb NO2 and a low limit of detection
of 6.9 ppb.
H2S is a small molecule known to have multiple signaling
roles in animals. Recently, evidence shows that H2S also
has signaling functions in plants; however, the role of H2S in invasive plants is unknown. Spartina alterniflora is a typical invasive species growing along the beaches of southern
China. A physiological comparison proves that S. alterniflora is highly tolerant to salinity stress compared with the native species Cyperus malaccensis. To decipher the mechanism that
enables S. alterniflora to withstand
salinity stress, a chemico-proteomics analysis was performed to examine
the salt stress response of the two species; an inhibitor experiment
was additionally designed to investigate H2S signaling
on salinity tolerance in S. alterniflora. A total of 86 proteins belonging to nine categories were identified
and differentially expressed in S. alterniflora exposed to salt stress. Moreover, the expression level of enzymes
responsible for the H2S biosynthesis was markedly upregulated,
indicating the potential role of H2S signaling in the plant’s
response to salt stress. The results suggested that salt triggered l-CD enzyme activity and induced the production of H2S, therefore upregulating expression of the antioxidants ascorbate
peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and S-nitrosoglutathione reductase,
which mitigates damage from reactive nitrogen species. Additionally,
H2S reduced the potassium efflux, thereby sustaining intracellular
sodium/potassium ion homeostasis and enhancing S. alterniflora salt tolerance. These findings indicate that H2S plays
an important role in the adaptation of S. alterniflora to saline environments, which provides greater insight into the
function of H2S signaling in the adaptation of an invasive
plant species.
Multiple myeloma (MM), an incurable hematological malignancy with clonal proliferation of plasma cells, is mainly characterized by excessive production of monoclonal immunoglobulins and free light chains (FLCs). Kidney injury is one of the main clinical manifestations and is also a significant predictor of the prognosis of symptomatic MM patients, especially those who require dialysis-supported treatment. Overproduction of FLCs is the trigger for kidney injury, as they can induce the transcription of inflammatory and profibrotic cytokines in the proximal tubule and bind to Tamm–Horsfall protein in the distal tubules to form casts that obstruct the tubules, leading to kidney injury and even renal fibrosis. In addition to traditional antimyeloma treatment, high-cutoff hemodialysis (HCO-HD), which can effectively remove FLCs in vitro, has attracted much attention in recent years. Due to its greater membrane pore size, it has significant advantages in removing larger molecules and can be applied in rhabdomyolysis, sepsis, and even myeloma cast nephropathy. However, mounting questions have recently been raised regarding whether HCO-HD can truly provide clinical benefits in MM patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). Therefore, in this study, we discussed the pathological causes of AKI secondary to MM and summarized the current situation of HCO-HD in MM patients compared with other available extracorporeal techniques. In addition, pivotal clinical trials that reflect the ability of the clearance of FLCs and the side effects of HCO-HD are highlighted, and the relevant protocol of HCO-HD is also provided to assist clinicians in decision-making.
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