scholarly journals A Bottom-Up Approach for Developing Aptasensors for Abused Drugs: Biosensors in Forensics

Biosensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eda Aydindogan ◽  
Simge Balaban ◽  
Serap Evran ◽  
Hakan Coskunol ◽  
Suna Timur

Aptamer-based point-of-care (POC) diagnostics platforms may be of substantial benefit in forensic analysis as they provide rapid, sensitive, user-friendly, and selective analysis tools for detection. Aptasensors have not yet been adapted commercially. However, the significance of the applications of aptasensors in the literature exceeded their potential. Herein, in this review, a bottom-up approach is followed to describe the aptasensor development and application procedure, starting from the synthesis of the corresponding aptamer sequence for the selected analyte to creating a smart surface for the sensitive detection of the molecule of interest. Optical and electrochemical biosensing platforms, which are designed with aptamers as recognition molecules, detecting abused drugs are critically reviewed, and existing and possible applications of different designs are discussed. Several potential disciplines in which aptamer-based biosensing technology can be of greatest value, including forensic drug analysis and biological evidence, are then highlighted to encourage researchers to focus on developing aptasensors in these specific areas.

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 189
Author(s):  
Susana Campuzano ◽  
Paloma Yáñez-Sedeño ◽  
José Manuel Pingarrón

The multifaceted key roles of cytokines in immunity and inflammatory processes have led to a high clinical interest for the determination of these biomolecules to be used as a tool in the diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring and treatment of several diseases of great current relevance (autoimmune, neurodegenerative, cardiac, viral and cancer diseases, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes). Therefore, the rapid and accurate determination of cytokine biomarkers in body fluids, cells and tissues has attracted considerable attention. However, many currently available techniques used for this purpose, although sensitive and selective, require expensive equipment and advanced human skills and do not meet the demands of today’s clinic in terms of test time, simplicity and point-of-care applicability. In the course of ongoing pursuit of new analytical methodologies, electrochemical biosensing is steadily gaining ground as a strategy suitable to develop simple, low-cost methods, with the ability for multiplexed and multiomics determinations in a short time and requiring a small amount of sample. This review article puts forward electrochemical biosensing methods reported in the last five years for the determination of cytokines, summarizes recent developments and trends through a comprehensive discussion of selected strategies, and highlights the challenges to solve in this field. Considering the key role demonstrated in the last years by different materials (with nano or micrometric size and with or without magnetic properties), in the design of analytical performance-enhanced electrochemical biosensing strategies, special attention is paid to the methods exploiting these approaches.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yehe Liu ◽  
Andrew M. Rollins ◽  
Richard M. Levenson ◽  
Farzad Fereidouni ◽  
Michael W. Jenkins

AbstractSmartphone microscopes can be useful tools for a broad range of imaging applications. This manuscript demonstrates the first practical implementation of Microscopy with Ultraviolet Surface Excitation (MUSE) in a compact smartphone microscope called Pocket MUSE, resulting in a remarkably effective design. Fabricated with parts from consumer electronics that are readily available at low cost, the small optical module attaches directly over the rear lens in a smartphone. It enables high-quality multichannel fluorescence microscopy with submicron resolution over a 10× equivalent field of view. In addition to the novel optical configuration, Pocket MUSE is compatible with a series of simple, portable, and user-friendly sample preparation strategies that can be directly implemented for various microscopy applications for point-of-care diagnostics, at-home health monitoring, plant biology, STEM education, environmental studies, etc.


Micromachines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 697
Author(s):  
Siming Lu ◽  
Sha Lin ◽  
Hongrui Zhang ◽  
Liguo Liang ◽  
Shien Shen

Respiratory viral infections threaten human life and inflict an enormous healthcare burden worldwide. Frequent monitoring of viral antibodies and viral load can effectively help to control the spread of the virus and make timely interventions. However, current methods for detecting viral load require dedicated personnel and are time-consuming. Additionally, COVID-19 detection is generally relied on an automated PCR analyzer, which is highly instrument-dependent and expensive. As such, emerging technologies in the development of respiratory viral load assays for point-of-care (POC) testing are urgently needed for viral screening. Recent advances in loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), biosensors, nanotechnology-based paper strips and microfluidics offer new strategies to develop a rapid, low-cost, and user-friendly respiratory viral monitoring platform. In this review, we summarized the traditional methods in respiratory virus detection and present the state-of-art technologies in the monitoring of respiratory virus at POC.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priya Vizzini ◽  
Marisa Manzano ◽  
Carole Farre ◽  
Thierry Meylheuc ◽  
Carole Chaix ◽  
...  

AbstractPaper-based DNA biosensors are powerful tools in point-of-care diagnostics since they are affordable, portable, user-friendly, rapid and robust. However, their sensitivity is not always as high as required to enable DNA quantification. To improve the response of standard dot blots, we have applied a new enhancement strategy that increases the sensitivity of assays based on the use of biotinylated silica-nanoparticles (biotin-Si-NPs). After immobilization of a genomic Campylobacter DNA onto a paper membrane, and addition of a biotinylated-DNA detection probe, hybridization was evidenced using streptavidin-conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in the presence of luminol and H2O2. Replacement of the single biotin by the biotin-Si-NPs boosted on average a 30 fold chemiluminescent read-out of the biosensor. Characterization of biotin-Si-NPs onto a paper with immobilized DNA was done using a scanning electron microscope. A limit of detection of 3 pg/μL of DNA, similar to the available qPCR kits, is achieved, but it is cheaper, easier and avoids inhibition of DNA polymerase by molecules from the food matrices. We demonstrated that the new dot blot coupled to biotin-Si-NPs successfully detected Campylobacter from naturally contaminated chicken meat, without needing a PCR step. Hence, such an enhanced dot blot paves the path to the development of a portable and multiplex paper based platform for point-of-care screening of chicken carcasses for Campylobacter.Graphical abstract


Micromachines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 1464
Author(s):  
Florina Silvia Iliescu ◽  
Ana Maria Ionescu ◽  
Larisa Gogianu ◽  
Monica Simion ◽  
Violeta Dediu ◽  
...  

The deleterious effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic urged the development of diagnostic tools to manage the spread of disease. Currently, the “gold standard” involves the use of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2 detection. Even though it is sensitive, specific and applicable for large batches of samples, qRT-PCR is labour-intensive, time-consuming, requires trained personnel and is not available in remote settings. This review summarizes and compares the available strategies for COVID-19: serological testing, Point-of-Care Testing, nanotechnology-based approaches and biosensors. Last but not least, we address the advantages and limitations of these methods as well as perspectives in COVID-19 diagnostics. The effort is constantly focused on understanding the quickly changing landscape of available diagnostic testing of COVID-19 at the clinical levels and introducing reliable and rapid screening point of care testing. The last approach is key to aid the clinical decision-making process for infection control, enhancing an appropriate treatment strategy and prompt isolation of asymptomatic/mild cases. As a viable alternative, Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) is typically low-cost and user-friendly, hence harbouring tremendous potential for rapid COVID-19 diagnosis.


Foods ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 1635
Author(s):  
Arun K. Bhunia ◽  
Bledar Bisha ◽  
Andrew G. Gehring ◽  
Byron F. Brehm-Stecher

As the world population has grown, new demands on the production of foods have been met by increased efficiencies in production, from planting and harvesting to processing, packaging and distribution to retail locations. These efficiencies enable rapid intranational and global dissemination of foods, providing longer “face time” for products on retail shelves and allowing consumers to make healthy dietary choices year-round. However, our food production capabilities have outpaced the capacity of traditional detection methods to ensure our foods are safe. Traditional methods for culture-based detection and characterization of microorganisms are time-, labor- and, in some instances, space- and infrastructure-intensive, and are therefore not compatible with current (or future) production and processing realities. New and versatile detection methods requiring fewer overall resources (time, labor, space, equipment, cost, etc.) are needed to transform the throughput and safety dimensions of the food industry. Access to new, user-friendly, and point-of-care testing technologies may help expand the use and ease of testing, allowing stakeholders to leverage the data obtained to reduce their operating risk and health risks to the public. The papers in this Special Issue on “Advances in Foodborne Pathogen Analysis” address critical issues in rapid pathogen analysis, including preanalytical sample preparation, portable and field-capable test methods, the prevalence of antibiotic resistance in zoonotic pathogens and non-bacterial pathogens, such as viruses and protozoa.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Léonard Bezinge ◽  
Akkapol Suea-Ngam ◽  
Andrew J. deMello ◽  
Chih-Jen Shih

This account reviews the major amplification strategies utilizing nanomaterials in electrochemical biosensing for robust and sensitive molecular diagnostics.


2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander C. Sun ◽  
Drew A. Hall

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 153-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suchitra S. Acharya ◽  
Brittny Rule ◽  
Omar McMillan ◽  
Thomas J. Humphries

In patients with severe hemophilia A, recurrent bleeding into joints results in increased morbidity and reduced quality of life. Prophylaxis using replacement factor products, especially when initiated early, has established benefits in terms of reducing joint bleeds and preserving joint function. Poor adherence to prophylactic regimens is a common cause for breakthrough bleeds and resultant arthropathy. Improving prophylaxis management, especially in the transitional age group, is a challenge. Here, we discuss the current status of ultrasonography (US) in hemophilia A, challenges in its wider implementation, and the potential for use of point-of-care US (POCUS) as an adjunct in the routine management of patients with hemophilia following prophylaxis regimens. Using POCUS, in which US is performed by trained hematologists and nonphysician operators (rather than comprehensive US performed by imaging specialists), specific clinical questions can be addressed in a time-efficient, user-friendly manner to promote adherence to prophylaxis and guide or modify treatment approaches. This review also discusses barriers to acceptance of POCUS as a part of routine management of patients with hemophilia, including questions related to its diagnostic accuracy, dependence on trained operators, agreement on appropriate scoring systems, and potential usefulness in patient management.


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