Proposal of a Rapid Detection System Using Image Analysis for ELISA with an Autonomous Centrifugal Microfluidic System.

In this study, with the aim of adapting an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system for point-of-care testing (POCT), we propose an image analysis method for ELISAs using a centrifugal microfluidic device that automatically executes the assay. The developed image analysis method can be used to quantify the color development reaction on a TMB (3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine) substrate. In a conventional ELISA, reaction stopping reagents are required at the end of the TMB reaction.

Significant Enhancement of Piezoelectric Response in AlN by Yb Addition.

This study employs first-principles calculations to investigate how introducing Yb into aluminum nitride (AlN) leads to a large enhancement in the material's piezoelectric response (). The maximum is calculated to be over 100 pC/N, which is 20 times higher than that of AlN. One reason for such a significant improvement in is the elastic-softening effect, which is indicated by a decrease in the elastic constant, .

Biocompatible and flexible paper-based metal electrode for potentiometric wearable wireless biosensing.

A paper-based electrode is a very attractive component for a disposable, nontoxic, and flexible biosensor. In particular, wearable biosensors, which have recently been attracting interest, not only require these characteristics of paper-based electrodes but must also be able to detect various ions and biomolecules in biological fluids. In this paper, we demonstrate the detection ability of paper-based metal electrodes for wearable biosensors as part of a wireless potentiometric measurement system, focusing on the detection of pH and sodium ions.

Cobalt-Catalyzed Intramolecular Hydroacylation Involving Cyclopropane Cleavage.

A simple cobalt-diphosphine catalyst has been found to efficiently promote intramolecular cyclization of ortho-cyclopropylvinyl- and cyclopropylidenemethyl-substituted benzaldehydes into benzocyclooctadienone and benzocycloheptadienone derivatives, respectively. This ring-opening hydroacylation likely involves aldehyde C-H oxidative addition, olefin insertion, cyclopropane cleavage by β-carbon elimination, and C-C bond-forming reductive elimination, as was supported by mechanistic experiments and DFT calculations.

Biocompatible and Na-sensitive thin-film transistor for biological fluid sensing.

In this study, we develop a Na-sensitive thin-film transistor (TFT) for a biocompatible ion sensor and investigate its cytotoxicity. A transparent amorphous oxide semiconductor composed of amorphous In-Ga-Zn-oxide (a-InGaZnO) is utilized as a channel of the Na-sensitive TFT, which includes an indium tin oxide (ITO) film as the source and drain electrodes and a TaO thin-film gate, onto which a Na-sensitive membrane is coated. As one of the Na-sensitive membranes, the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) membrane with bis(12-crown-4) as the ionophore used on the TFT sensors shows good sensitivity and selectivity to changes in Na concentration but has high cytotoxicity owing to the leaching of its plasticizer to the solution; the plasticizer is added to solve and entrap the ionophore in the PVC membrane.