Chitosan Film Sensor for Ammonia Detection in Microdiffusion Analytical Devices.

Chitosan films have attracted increased attention in the field of sensors because of chitosan's unique chemico-physical properties, including high adsorption capacity, filmability and transparency. A chitosan film sensor was developed through the dispersion of an ammonia specific reagent (Nessler's reagent) into a chitosan film matrix. The chitosan film sensor was characterized to assess the film's properties by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).

Analysis of annual distributions of hemoglobin A values as a method to test for HbA standardization.

Background And Aims: The monitoring of yearly distributions of HbA measured has been indicated as a reliable indicator of worldwide standardization.

Materials And Methods: Measurements/year of HbA have been collected over three consecutive years in 15 Italian laboratories each using the same analytical method over three years period. HbA distributions, cleaned of replicated measurements, were compared by the overlapping area of the raw probability density functions expressed by coefficient eta (η), and by comparing the reference intervals for the central part of each distribution estimated by the indirect method refineR using the R package "refineR".

Trimester-specific reference intervals for thyroid function parameters in pregnant Caucasian women using Roche platforms: a prospective study.

Background: Standard thyroid function parameters reference intervals (RI) are unsuitable during pregnancy, potentially resulting in incongruous treatments that may cause adverse effects on pregnancy outcomes. We aimed at defining trimester-specific TSH, FT4 and FT3 RI, using samples longitudinally collected from healthy Caucasian women.

Materials And Methods: Blood samples from 150 healthy Caucasian women, who had a physiological gestation and a healthy newborn at term, were collected in each trimester and at around six months post-partum.

An origami microfluidic paper device for on-site assessment of urine tampering. First use of Nessler's reagent for the colorimetric determination of creatinine.

The relevance of the problem of urine tampering is well-known in forensic toxicology, with sample dilution being the most used method to cheat toxicological controls. Among the criteria to assess urine integrity, the quantification of creatinine probably represents the most popular method. The present paper presents a simple and low-cost analytical device for on-site creatinine determination as first-line screening for urine dilution.