Pen direct writing of multiplex-LFIA for detection of thiamphenicol and tylosin in milk.

Therapeutic and misuse of veterinary drugs, such as antibiotics, can increase the potential risk of residue contamination in animal-derived food products. For milk, these residual antibiotics can have an impact on efficiency in dairy processing factories, as well as economic loss, and can also cause side effects on consumer health. Lateral flow immunoassays (LFIAs) are gaining popularity for their ease of use, low cost and their fulfilment to the REASSURED (real-time connection/monitoring, easy sampling, affordable, specific, user-friendly, rapid/robust, equipment free, deliverable to end user) criteria.

Light-guided dynamic phantom to mimic microvasculature for biomedical applications: an exploration for pulse oximeter.

Significance: Dynamic phantoms capable of changing optical properties by control are essential for standardizing and calibrating spectroscopy systems such as the pulse oximeter. However, current liquid dynamic phantoms containing human blood have a short shelf life and require complex experimental setups. Some solid dynamic phantoms are influenced by the angular-dependent performance of the liquid crystal display (LCD), some have a low spatial resolution, and some have slow control of optical properties.

Evanescent wave quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy employing a side-polished fiber for methane sensing.

We present an all-fiber-based laser gas analyzer (LGA) employing quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) and a side-polished fiber (SPF). The LGA comprises a custom quartz tuning fork (QTF) with 0.8 mm prong spacing, two acoustic micro-resonators (mR) located on either side of the prong spacing, and a single-mode fiber containing a 17 mm polished section passing through both mRs and QTF.

Assessing thermal performance: Dataset from an experimental study on U-value variability.

In order to achieve energy savings in existing buildings, there is an increasing need for energy audits and performance checks. In this regard, estimating a building's U-value is crucial, and there are a variety of methods available for achieving this. Heat flow meters can be used to measure U-value in situ.

Erratum: Interlaboratory study on SbS interplay between structure, dielectric function, and amorphous-to-crystalline phase change for photonics.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.

Nanowood: A Unique Natural Nanomaterial That Can Be Obtained Using Household Chemicals.

At the nanometer scale, electrolyte solutions behave differently compared to their bulk counterparts. This phenomenon forms the basis for the field of nanofluidics, which is dedicated to studying the transport of fluids within and around objects with dimensions of less than 100 nm. Despite the increasing importance of nanofluidics for a wide range of chemical and biochemical applications, the ability to study this field in undergraduate laboratories remains limited due to challenges associated with producing suitable nanoscale objects.

Do You Want to Make a Battery? Insights from the Development and Evaluation of a Chemistry Public Engagement Activity.

Chemistry is often associated with formal learning environments and has been described as overly serious by the general public, lacking some of the fun and energy of other sciences. However, it is difficult to provide hands-on chemistry activities outside the lab and other formal learning environments. Here, a simple electrochemistry based activity has been used for public engagement using household items and play dough to create a fun and playful experience for all ages.

Correlation between proprioception, functionality, patient-reported knee condition and joint acoustic emissions.

Non-invasive assessment of joint status using acoustic emissions (AE) is a growing research area that has the potential to translate into clinical practice. The purpose of this study is to investigate the correlation of the knee's AE with measures of proprioception, self-assessment, and performance, as it can be hypothesised that, AE parameters will correlate with joint function metrics due to AE being recorded during interaction of the articular surfaces. Threshold to detect passive motion (TTDPM), Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Scores (KOOS) and 5 times sit-to-stand test (5STS) were collected from 51 participant.

Room Temperature Sensing of Volatile Organic Compounds Using Hybrid Layered SnO Mesoflowers and Laser-Induced Graphitic Carbon Devices.

In this work, we demonstrate chemiresistive volatile organic compound (VOC) sensors prepared by drop-cast assembly of layered tin monoxide mesoflowers (SnO-MFs) on additively produced laser-induced graphene-like carbon (LIG). The SnO-MFs were synthesized below 100 °C at ambient pressure and offer a low fabrication energy alternative route to typical furnace-prepared metal-oxide materials. The additive dropcast assembly of room-temperature operating metal oxide active material allows the substitution of LIG for metal current collectors and glass for alumina, reducing the environmental footprint of the sensor.

Design and Assembly of a Miniature Catheter Imaging System for In Vivo Heart Endoscopic Imaging.

In this paper, we present the design and fabrication of a novel chip-on-tip catheter, which uses a microcamera and optical fibres to capture in vivo images in a beating porcine heart thanks to a saline flush to clear the blood field. Here, we demonstrate the medical utility and mechanical robustness of this catheter platform system, which could be used for other optical diagnostic techniques, surgical guidance, and clinical navigation. We also discuss some of the challenges and system requirements associated with developing a miniature prototype for such a study and present assembly instructions.

Determination of an Anti-Parasitic Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient in Wastewater Effluents Using Capillary Zone Electrophoresis.

Ireland has a successful pharmaceutical industry with over 100 pharmaceutical manufacturing sites across the island. Although this success has many benefits, the irreversible effects emissions from pharmaceutical manufacturing can have on the environment are a major drawback. Although known pollutants are regularly monitored with limits set out by the Environmental Protection Agency, one significant pollutant has been overlooked: pharmaceutical pollution.

Highly Sensitive Potentiometric pH Sensor Based on Polyaniline Modified Carbon Fiber Cloth for Food and Pharmaceutical Applications.

This study introduces a potentiometric pH sensor that is extremely sensitive and specifically designed for food and pharmaceutical applications. The sensor utilizes a pH-sensitive interface fabricated by electropolymerizing polyaniline (PANI) on carbon fiber cloth (CFC). Structural and morphological analyses of PANI-CFC and CFC have been conducted by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

Kinetic Monte Carlo simulation analysis of the conductance drift in Multilevel HfO-based RRAM devices.

The drift characteristics of valence change memory (VCM) devices have been analyzed through both experimental analysis and 3D kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) simulations. By simulating six distinct low-resistance states (LRS) over a 24-hour period at room temperature, we aim to assess the device temporal stability and retention. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of multi-level operation and reveal insights into the conductive filament (CF) dynamics.

Sensitivity analysis of transabdominal fetal pulse oximetry using MRI-based simulations.

Transabdominal fetal pulse oximetry offers a promising approach to improve fetal monitoring and reduce unnecessary interventions. Utilizing realistic 3D geometries derived from MRI scans of pregnant women, we conducted photon simulations to determine optimal source-detector configurations for detecting fetal heart rate and oxygenation. Our findings demonstrate the theoretical feasibility of measuring fetal signals at depths up to 30 mm using source-detector (SD) distances greater than 100 mm and wavelengths between 730 and 850 nm.

State-of-the-art and future perspectives in ingestible remotely controlled smart capsules for drug delivery: A GENEGUT review.

An emerging concern globally, particularly in developed countries, is the rising prevalence of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), such as Crohn's disease. Oral delivery technologies that can release the active therapeutic cargo specifically at selected sites of inflammation offer great promise to maximise treatment outcomes and minimise off-target effects. Therapeutic strategies for IBD have expanded in recent years, with an increasing focus on biologic and nucleic acid-based therapies.

Treatment effect analysis of the Frailty Care Bundle (FCB) in a cohort of patients in acute care settings.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to explore the feasibility of using machine learning approaches to objectively differentiate the mobilization patterns, measured via accelerometer sensors, of patients pre- and post-intervention.

Methods: The intervention tested the implementation of a Frailty Care Bundle to improve mobilization, nutrition and cognition in older orthopedic patients. The study recruited 120 participants, a sub-group analysis was undertaken on 113 patients with accelerometer data (57 pre-intervention and 56 post-intervention), the median age was 78 years and the majority were female.

Distortion-Free Magnetic Tracking of Metal Instruments in Image-Guided Interventions.

Electromagnetic tracking (EMT) can benefit image-guided interventions in cases where line of sight is unavailable. However, EMT can suffer from electromagnetic distortion in the presence of metal instruments. Metal instruments are widely used in laparoscopic surgery, ENT surgery, arthroscopy and many other clinical applications.

Geometrically Controlled Microscale Patterning and Epitaxial Lateral Overgrowth of Nitrogen-Polar GaN.

In this Letter, we report on a novel two-step epitaxial growth technique that enables a significant improvement of the crystal quality of nitrogen-polar GaN. The starting material is grown on 4° vicinal sapphire substrates by metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy, with an initial high-temperature sapphire nitridation to control polarity. The material is then converted to a regular array of hexagonal pyramids by wet-etching in a KOH solution and subsequently regrown to coalesce the pyramids back into a smooth layer of improved crystal quality.

Spiky Gold Nanoparticles, a Nanoscale Approach to Enhanced Ex Vivo T-Cell Activation.

While existing synthetic technologies for ex vivo T-cell activation face challenges like suboptimal expansion rates and low effectiveness, artificial antigen-presenting cells (aAPCs) hold great promise for enhanced T-cell based therapies. In particular, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), known for their biocompatibility, ease of synthesis, and versatile surface chemistry, are strong candidates for use as nanoscale aAPCs. In this study, we developed spiky AuNPs with branched geometries to present activating ligands to primary human T-cells.

Development of a Personalized Multiclass Classification Model to Detect Blood Pressure Variations Associated with Physical or Cognitive Workload.

Comprehending the regulatory mechanisms influencing blood pressure control is pivotal for continuous monitoring of this parameter. Implementing a personalized machine learning model, utilizing data-driven features, presents an opportunity to facilitate tracking blood pressure fluctuations in various conditions. In this work, data-driven photoplethysmograph features extracted from the brachial and digital arteries of 28 healthy subjects were used to feed a random forest classifier in an attempt to develop a system capable of tracking blood pressure.

Micro-Ring Resonator Assisted Photothermal Spectroscopy of Water Vapor.

We demonstrated, for the first time, micro-ring resonator assisted photothermal spectroscopy measurement of a gas phase sample. The experiment used a telecoms wavelength probe laser that was coupled to a silicon nitride photonic integrated circuit using a fibre array. We excited the photothermal effect in the water vapor above the micro-ring using a 1395 nm diode laser.