Porcine astrovirus (PoAstV) was first detected by electron microscopy in the feces of piglets with diarrhea in 1980. There are five known genotypes of PoAstV, which are thought to be more closely related to other species than to each other. This divergence among genotypes suggests different ancestral origin of PoAstVs. PoAstVs have been detected across the globe including South Africa, Canada, China, Colombia, and Chile. All five genotypes are present in the US with high incidence. It is currently thought to be endemic in commercial swine in the US and potentially elsewhere. One study of fecal samples from 509 pigs from 255 farms across 19 US states showed PoAstV4 was the most prevalent genotype in 62% (317/509) of samples. At least one PoAstV genotype was found in 64% (326/509) of the samples. It is common for multiple astroviruses to be detected in a single pig at once, which could provide opportunity for recombination to occur and lead to the emergence of new strains. Multiple studies have connected PoAstV to a range of disease manifestations, with the virus frequently detected in feces of pigs displaying diarrheal symptoms as well as asymptomatic pigs. PoAstV5 is a cause of clinical enteritis, while PoAstV3 has been identified and characterized in the central nervous system of pigs with neurologic signs and nonsuppurative polioencephalomyelitis. Additionally, PoAstV4 has been identified in nasal samples from pigs with respiratory disease.Researchers have investigated cases of bronchitis and/or tracheitis in pigs where PCR results were negative for influenza virus and other known causes of respiratory virus infection. Next generation sequencing revealed reads of PoAstV4. In a retrospective study of cases of tracheitis and/or bronchitis of unknown etiology, RNA in situ hybridization (ISH) was used to detect PoAstV4 RNA in airway epithelium (trachea, bronchi, or bronchioles), revealing PoAstV4 RNA in 73% (85/117) of cases. So PoAstV4 is strongly associated with lesions of epitheliotropic viral infection in young pigs with clinical respiratory disease.Accurate tests and vaccines for PoAstV4 infection are clearly needed.    

The use of standing surface acoustic waves (SSAWs) in microfluidic channels gained significant momentum when researchers demonstrated size-based cell separation (acoustophoresis) using lateral acoustic forces. Using interdigitated transducers (IDTs) positioned on piezoelectric substrates, SSAWs were found to create pressure nodes along the channel width, allowing larger particles to experience greater acoustic radiation forces and migrate toward these nodes faster than smaller particles. Acoustic-based microfluidic devices were successfully applied to circulating tumor cell (CTC) isolation from clinical blood samples in ~2015, demonstrating recovery rates >80% using tilted-angle standing surface acoustic waves, though these systems relied primarily on size-based separation principles. The integration of acoustic methods with microfluidics offered key advantages including label-free operation, biocompatibility, non-contact manipulation, and preservation of cell viability, addressing limitations of earlier methods like centrifugation, FACS, and magnetic separation that could damage cells or require labeling. Despite these advances in acoustic microfluidics, significant challenges persist in affinity-based rare cell isolation, particularly mass transport limitations in microfluidic channels operating at high Peclet numbers (Pe>10⁶) where convective flow dominates over diffusion. In traditional microfluidic affinity capture systems, cells flow predominantly in the center of laminar flow channels where fluid velocity is highest, resulting in minimal interaction with capture agents immobilized on channel walls and requiring extremely long channels or impractically slow flow rates to achieve adequate capture efficiency. The extremely low concentration of CTCs , combined with their phenotypic heterogeneity and the low diffusion coefficients of cells creates a "needle in a haystack" challenge that existing acoustic separation methods based solely on size discrimination cannot adequately address.

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Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed novel enzyme compositions and methods that effectively hydrolyze smoke-derived phenolic glycosides in fruits and beverages to reduce undesirable smoke aromas and flavors.

A novel theoretical model enables efficient and cost-effective solar-driven water splitting to generate clean, storable hydrogen fuel.

Position-sensitive radiation detection has been used in semiconductor detector development for decades. Traditional approaches have relied on segmented electrodes to achieve spatial resolution. Conventional semiconductor radiation detectors utilize segmented electrodes where each electrode segment is physically separated and individually read out to determine the position of radiation interactions. Traditional segmented electrode designs have long suffered from highly non-uniform electric fields within the detector volume, particularly at electrode edges and corners. These field concentrations can cause premature breakdown and inconsistent charge collection. This non-uniformity can also lead to position-dependent signal variations, pulse time dispersion, and potential electrical connections between adjacent electrodes from radiation damage. Moreover, common approaches to manufacturing of segmented electrodes requires precise mask alignment and complex fabrication processes, resulting in higher production costs and reduced yields.

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