Sensitive Biosensor Based on Urease/In2O5Sn Nano-Coated Fluorinated SnO2 for Urea Detection in Blood Serum

Journal of Analytical Chemistry - A sensitive electrochemical matrix based on In2O5Sn nanoparticles modified fluorinated tin oxide (SnO2:F) conducting glass was reported. Besides, urease (Urs) was...     

Soft lithography microfabrication of functionalized thermoplastics by solvent casting

A soft lithographic method is described for casting functional thermoplastic devices with microscale features without the need for specialized tools or equipment. In the thermoplastic soft lithography process, termed solvent casting, low temperature supersaturated solutions of thermoplastic are poured over solvent permeable PDMS molds which allow omnidirectional solvent removal as they template functional microstructures into the thermoplastic layers. Rapid gelation of supersaturated solutions enables the deposition of multiple patterned layers of varying composition, with self‐adhesion of the solvent‐laden thermoplastic ensuring intimate bonding between adjacent layers. This latter feature is further used in this work to realize sealed thermoplastic microfluidic devices with high fidelity replication of microchannel features with negligible channel deformation. The incorporation of functional dopants into patterned thermoplastic layers allows the fabrication of thermoplastic devices with embedded fluorescent sensors and integrated conductive elements. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2015 , 53, 1315–1323     

Application of molecularly imprinted polymer for solid phase extraction and preconcentration of Hydrochlorothiazide in pharmaceutical and serum sample analysis

A new polymeric sorbent prepared by utilizing molecular imprinting technology was used for the selective extraction of hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) from pharmaceutical and human serum sample. The molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was prepared using HCT as the template, methacrylic acid (MAA) as the functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EDMA) as the cross-linker monomer, and dimethylformamide (DMF) as a solvent. The optimized conditions of MIPs as a selective sorbent for the preconcentration of the HCT were studied. The results showed that the drug could be quantitatively and selectively maintained in the column to be then eluted from the sorbent by using methanol-acetic acid mixture (9:1). HCT could be determined spectrophotometrically at λ_max = 270 nm. This method made it possible to quantitize HCT in the range of 0.1–21.0 μg ml^-1, by less than 0.55% of RSD%, with a detection limit (S/N = 3) of 0.073 ng ml^-1. The preconcentration factor of 1000, recoveries of up to 96% and retention capacity of 75.0 mg g_-1 were achieved using this technique.     

Sensing Lorazepam with a glassy carbon electrode coated with an electropolymerized-imprinted polymer modified with multiwalled carbon nanotubes and gold nanoparticles

We report on an electrode for the amperometric determination of lorazepam. A glassy carbon electrode was coated with a molecular imprint made by electropolymerization of ortho-phenylenediamine and filled with multiwalled carbon nanotubes and gold nanoparticles, which enhances the transmission of electrons. The sensor was studied with respect to its response to hexacyanoferrate (III) as a probe and by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry. The linear response range to Lorazepam is from 0.5 nM to 1.0 nM and from 1.0 nM to 10.0 nM, with a detection limit of 0.2 nM (at an S/N of 3). The electrode was successfully applied to determine Lorazepam in spiked human serum.

Microscale patterning of thermoplastic polymer surfaces by selective solvent swelling

A new method for the fabrication of microscale features in thermoplastic substrates is presented. Unlike traditional thermoplastic microfabrication techniques, in which bulk polymer is displaced from the substrate by machining or embossing, a unique process termed orogenic microfabrication has been developed in which selected regions of a thermoplastic surface are raised from the substrate by an irreversible solvent swelling mechanism. The orogenic technique allows thermoplastic surfaces to be patterned using a variety of masking methods, resulting in three-dimensional features that would be difficult to achieve through traditional microfabrication methods. Using cyclic olefin copolymer as a model thermoplastic material, several variations of this process are described to realize growth heights ranging from several nanometers to tens of micrometers, with patterning techniques include direct photoresist masking, patterned UV/ozone surface passivation, elastomeric stamping, and noncontact spotting. Orogenic microfabrication is also demonstrated by direct inkjet printing as a facile photolithography-free masking method for rapid desktop thermoplastic microfabrication.     

Effect of nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma on plasma coagulation in healthy persons and patients under treatment with Warfarin

Recently, nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma has been used in medical devices for sterilization, blood coagulation, induction of apoptosis in cancer cells, etc. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of cold atmospheric plasma on coagulation time in patients under treatment with warfarin as an anticoagulant agent (group A) and to compare this impact in healthy persons (group B). To measure the coagulation time, Clotting Time (CT) is used. After obtaining informed consent from each subject, two venous blood samples are taken to check CT. One sample is processed with plasma (case sample) and the other sample is not processed with plasma. CT in both samples is measured by a physician and recorded in a form in addition to demographic characteristics and drug history. The data are analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The Mann–Whitney test is used for comparison between groups and the Wilcoxon signed‐ranks test is used to compare the difference between CT before and after plasma processing. The results show the significant effect of plasma on the reduction of plasma coagulation time, and this reduction is higher in the warfarin‐treated group.     

Selective pretreatment and determination of phenazopyridine using an imprinted polymer-electrospray ionization ion mobility spectrometry system

In this research, selective separation and determination of phenazopyridine (PAP) is demonstrated using molecular imprinted polymer (MIP) coupled with electrospray ionization ion mobility spectrometry (ESI-IMS). In the non-covalent approach, selective MIP produced using PAP and methacrylic acid (MAA) as a template molecule and monomer, respectively. The created polymer is utilized as a media for solid-phase extraction (SPE), revealing selective binding properties for the analyte from pharmaceutical and serum samples. A coupled MIP-IMS makes it possible to quantitize PAP in the range of 1-100 ng mL⁻¹ and with a 0.2 ng mL⁻¹ detection limit. Furthermore, the MIP selectivity is evaluated by application of some substances with analogous and different molecular structures to that of PAP. This method is successfully applied for the determination of PAP in pharmaceutical and serum samples.     

Prediction of in-plane elastic properties of graphene in the framework of first strain gradient theory

Meccanica - In the present study, the in-plane elastic stiffness coefficients of graphene within the framework of first strain gradient theory are calculated on the basis of an accurate molecular...