Aptamer-Conjugated Multi-Quantum Dot-Embedded Silica Nanoparticles for Lateral Flow Immunoassay.

Lateral flow immunoassays (LFIAs) are widely used for their low cost, simplicity, and rapid results; however, enhancing their reliability requires the meticulous selection of ligands and nanoparticles (NPs). SiO@QD@SiO (QD) nanoparticles, which consist of quantum dots (QDs) embedded in a silica (SiO) core and surrounded by an outer SiO shell, exhibit significantly higher fluorescence intensity (FI) compared to single QDs. In this study, we prepared QD@PEG@Aptamer, an aptamer conjugated with QD using succinimidyl-[(N-maleimidopropionamido)-hexaethyleneglycol]ester, which is 130 times brighter than single QDs, for detecting carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 through LFIA.

Development of Scalable Elastic Gelatin Hydrogel Films Crosslinked with Waterborne Polyurethane for Enhanced Mechanical Properties and Strain Recovery.

Exploiting novel crosslinking chemistry, this study pioneers the use of waterborne polyurethane (WPU) to chemically crosslink porcine-derived gelatin, producing enhanced gelatin hydrogel films through a solvent-casting method. Our innovative approach harnesses the reactive isocyanate groups of WPU, coupling them effectively with gelatin's hydroxyl and primary amino groups to form robust urea and urethane linkages within the hydrogel matrix. This method not only preserves the intrinsic elasticity of polyurethane but also significantly augments the films' tensile strength and strain.

Single-Step Production of Doubly Re-entrant Microstructures Through Reaction-Diffusion Photolithography for Omniphobic Surfaces.

Omniphobic surfaces, which repel virtually any liquid regardless of its wettability, have been developed using doubly re-entrant microstructures. Although various microfabrication techniques have been explored, these often require multiple complex steps. In this study, reaction-diffusion photolithography (RDP) is used to fabricate micropost arrays with doubly re-entrant geometries through a single-step ultraviolet (UV) exposure process.

Longitudinal corneal hysteresis changes predict structural progression in medically controlled, early-to-moderate, open-angle glaucoma with a history of refractive surgery.

Background: The present study aims to identify the relationship between longitudinal changes in corneal hysteresis (CH) and progressive retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thinning in a cohort of medically controlled, early-to-moderate open-angle glaucoma (OAG) patients with a history of laser refractive surgery (LRS).

Methods: A total of 123 consecutive eyes with a diagnosis of medically controlled (peak intraocular pressure (IOP)<18 mm Hg), early-to-moderate OAG with a history of LRS underwent measurements of CH, corneal-compensated intraocular pressure (IOPcc) and RNFL thicknesses every 6 months. Linear models were used to investigate the relationship between CH change and RNFL thickness change over time.