Disposable Probe Research Articles

Simultaneous bond-selective deuterium-based isotopic labeling sensing with disposable ultra-miniature CARS fiber probe.

Deuterium-based isotopic labeling is an important technique for tracking cellular metabolism with the Raman signals analysis of low-wavenumber (LW) C-D bonds and high-wavenumber (HW) C-H bonds. We propose and demonstrate a disposable ultra-miniature fiber probe to detect LW and HW coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) spectra for deuterated compounds simultaneously and bond-selectively sensing. The 10.78 µm diameter disposable fiber probe, comprised of focusing taper as fiber probe head and time-domain walk-off eliminating fiber section with designed length, realizes wide-frequency-interval dual Stokes pulse delivering and focusing. The fiber probe enables quantitative concentration determination with resolution down to 11 mM. The chemical vibration modes of LW region C-D bonds and HW region C-H bonds of the mixture samples of organic compounds and their deuterated counterparts in a simulated cell are simultaneously excited and characterized. The CARS disposable fiber probe introduces a promising handle for in vivo biochemical detection based on isotopic labeling sensing.

Automotive Diesel Fuel Internal Stability Testing with the Use of UV and Temperature as Degradation Factors

Diesel fuel stability can be considered from many points of view, of which the two considered most important are stability in contact with the environment and internal stability. Fuel stability in touch with the environment is often defined as oxidation stability, of which measurement procedures are well developed. The presented paper shows that fuel's internal stability can also be important. The internal stability of diesel fuel with the local use of thermal and ultraviolet radiation (UV) as degradation factors and fluorescence signals as a probe is presented in this paper. We show that the internal degradation of fuel with temperature use differs from that with UV and simultaneous both factors use. Our study shows that using temperature as a degradation factor introduces significant fluorescence fading. Moreover, the fluorescence signal restores significantly later than the sample stabilizes at room temperature. The novelty proposed based on examination is hybrid degradation and an examination cycle that enables the simultaneous use of degradation factors and fluorescence reading. For this purpose, a dedicated measurement setup of signal control and processing was constructed and programmed. The measurement procedure of the data series for specific wavelength enables calculation of signal shifts that allow the internal stability classification of diesel fuel samples in less than 30 min with the cost of a single disposable capillary probe and one polymer plug. Premium and regular fuel examination results show that internal fuel stability can be related to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) concentrations and can be modified with dedicated additives.

A Minimally Invasive Microwave Ablation Antenna With Highly Localized Ablation Zone

This letter proposes a novel inexpensive microwave ablation (MWA) antenna with a highly localized ablation zone. The antenna is designed based on a substrate integrated coaxial line, at the end of which a serpentine structure is used to radiate microwave power. The serpentine structure can effectively shorten the length of the radiation structure, making the ablation zone more localized. Due to its simple structure, a convenient and inexpensive printed circuit board technology can be used to fabricate the disposable ablation probe. In addition, the proposed topology has a small cross section and, thus, is very suitable for minimally invasive surgery. Simulation analysis and validation experiments have shown that the proposed MWA antenna can provide reliable performance, which means that it can serve as a promising candidate for minimally invasive ablation therapy.

Using an insulating fiber as the sampling probe and ionization substrate for ambient ionization-mass spectrometric analysis of volatile, semi-volatile, and polar analytes.

A sharp metal needle used as the ionization emitter in conventional atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) mass spectrometry (MS) is usually required for analyte ionization through corona discharge (i.e., gas discharge). Nevertheless, we herein demonstrate that an insulating fiber (tip diameter: 10-60µm; length: ~ 1cm) made of glass or bamboo can function as an APCI-like ionization emitter. Although no direct electric contact is made on the fiber, the ionization of volatiles and semi-volatiles occurs when the fiber is placed close (~ 1mm) to the inlet of the mass spectrometer. No analyte ion signals can be observed without placing the insulating fiber in front of the mass spectrometer. The generation of ion species mainly relies on the electric field provided by the mass spectrometer. Presumably, owing to the high electric field provided by the mass spectrometer, the dielectric breakdown voltages of gas molecules in the air and the fiber are overcome, leading to the ionization of analytes in gas phase. In addition, the insulating fiber can function as a holder for sample solutions. Electrospray ionization-like processes derived from polar analytes such as amino acids, peptides, and proteins can readily occur when the insulating fiber deposited with a sample droplet is placed close to the inlet of the mass spectrometer. The feasibility of using the current approach for the detection of nonpolar and polar analytes from complex fetal bovine serum samples without tedious sample pretreatment is demonstrated in this work. The main advantage of using the suggested fiber is that the fiber can be used as the sampling probe to pick up samples and placed in front of a mass spectrometer for direct MS analysis. The application of using a robust, insulating, and disposable probe to pick up samples from real samples such as onion, honey, and pork samples followed by direct MS analysis is also demonstrated.

Endometrial Cytokines in Women with Reproductive Disorders

The purpose of this research was to study changes in endometrial cytokine concentrations in women suffering from reproductive disorders with and without chronic endometritis (CE) to justify pathogenetic treatment. Methods and Results: The study included 100 women of reproductive age with reproductive disorders. Group 1 included 50 patients with reproductive disorders and CE; Group 2 included 50 patients with reproductive disorders and without CE. Later on, all patients were divided into the following subgroups: Sub1A (n=31), and Sub2A (n=16) with an isolated bacterial flora, Sub1B (n=19) and Sub2B (n=34) with the absence of bacterial flora. The control group consisted of 31 fertile women. Endometrial aspiration pipe biopsy was performed on days 4-9 of the menstrual cycle (middle proliferative phase) using a disposable intrauterine probe (Taizhou Kechuang Medical Apparatus Co., Ltd, China) followed by histological examination of endometrial tissue. Laboratory diagnostics for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) was performed using the bacterial culture method. For the diagnosis of viral infection (HPV, HSV, CMV), cervical samples were studied using PCR. If STIs were detected, the patients were excluded from further research. Ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs was performed using the Aloka-5500 device with a 7MHz vaginal probe in two-dimensional visualization mode. The concentration of cytokines (IL-1β, INF-γ, TNF-α, ILs-4,6,8,10) in the endometrium was determined using the Protein Contour test systems (Saint Petersburg) and Multiskan EX ELISA Analyzer (Germany). In both groups, reproductive disorders were accompanied by hypoprogesteronemia and relative hyperestrogenemia, significantly apparent in CE. We found a 3-fold increase in the level of tissue pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-4,6,10, INF-γ), and a 4-fold increase in the level of TNF-α and IL-8 in Group 1, compared to the CG. In Group 2, we found a 1.4-fold increase in the levels of IL-1β and INF-γ, compared to the CG. In Sub 1a, the levels of IL-6 and IL-8 were significantly higher than in the control group. In Sub1A, the isolated bacterial flora caused a cytokine inflammatory response characterized by a significant increase in the concentration of INF-γ and TNF-α, compared to Sub2A and Sub2B (P<0.05). In Sub1A, we found a tendency towards a decrease in the tissue levels of IL-4 compared to Sub1B and Sub2B; the IL-10 level was significantly lower than in Sub2B (P=0.0009) Conclusion: The results obtained in the present study showed the peculiarities of changes in cytokines at the level of endometrial tissue both in chronic inflammation of the endometrium and in its absence in women with reproductive disorders. The severity of the immune response is significantly higher in patients with CE, with the most significant change in the role of IL-10.

Development and characterization of a disposable submillimeter fiber optic Raman needle probe for enhancing real-time in vivo deep tissue and biofluids Raman measurements.

We report on the development and characterization of disposable submillimeter fiber optic Raman needle probe for enhancing real-time in vivo tissue and biofluids Raman measurements. The submillimeter Raman probe is designed and fabricated using an aluminum-coated multimode fiber tapered with a semispherical lens, resulting in the coaxial laser excitation/Raman collection configuration for maximizing tissue and biofluid Raman measurements. We demonstrate that, with the use of the Raman needle probe associated with the structured background subtraction algorithms developed, high quality tissue Raman spectra covering both the fingerprint (FP) (800-1800cm-1) and high-wavenumber (HW) (2800-3300cm-1) regions can be acquired within subseconds from different tissue types (e.g., skin, muscle, fat, cartilage, liver, and brain) and biofluids (e.g., blood, urine). By advancing the Raman needle probe into the murine brain tissue model, high quality depth-resolved deep tissue Raman spectra can also be acquired rapidly. This work shows that the submillimeter fiberoptic Raman needle probe is capable of achieving real-time collection of deep tissue and biofluids FP/HW Raman spectra with high signal to noise ratios. This opens a new avenue with dual functioning of Raman optical biopsy and fine needle aspiration biopsy for enhancing in vivo deep tissue and biofluids diagnosis and characterization in different organs.

Decreased Tongue Pressure Associated with Aging, Chewing and Swallowing Difficulties of Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Taiwan.

Personalized tongue pressure (TP) training focuses on improving swallowing. This study aims to establish the TP values of different age levels and compare changes between different swallowing status among community-dwelling elders. In this cross-sectional study, 1000 participants, aged 60 years old and above, were recruited from community care centers. All participants were classified into non chewing and/or swallowing difficulties (NCSD) and with chewing and/or swallowing difficulties (CSD) groups and their diseases and dieting status were recorded using a structured questionnaire. A disposable oral probe was used to measure TP by asking participants to compress it against the hard palate with maximum voluntary effort. Among 1000 elders, 63.10% had CSD and their TP (from 31.76 to 18.20 kPa) was lower than the NCSD group (from 33.56 to 24.51 kPa). Both groups showed the same tendency for TP decline with increasing age. Decline of TP makes CSD elderly have a poor appetite, eat a soft or liquid diet, and take longer to eat a meal (all p < 0.050). The secondary risk factor dominating TP decline for NCSD and CSD elders is having an education level less than primary school and an abnormal eating assessment, respectively. Our results demonstrated that TP decline has a significant relationship with age changes. Education level and an abnormal eating assessment score are closely associated with TP decline. A series of TP values can be used as a reference indicator of personalized medicine during the aging process among community-dwelling older adults.

Fiber optic surface plasmon resonance based disposable probe for the detection of phosphate ion in soil

Fabrication and characterization of a fiber optic surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based phosphate ion sensor utilizing the coating of cobalt oxide (CoO) over the gold coated unclad core of the fiber have been carried out. The interaction between CoO layer and incoming phosphate ion changes the effective refractive index of the CoO layer which affects the resonance wavelength in the SPR spectrum. The performance of the sensor has been evaluated in acidic solution (pH 4) of inorganic phosphate salt (KH2PO4). The sensor probe has been found to be irreversible implying one time use of the probe or disposable probe. However, the probe works for 0–100 ppm (0–1.03 mM) concentration range of the phosphate ion (H2PO4-). The sensor possesses maximum sensitivity of 0.3155 nm/ppm with 4.96 ppm as the limit of detection. The sensor is highly selective, fast in response and is suitable to determine the phosphate ion concentration in soil. Since the probe has been fabricated on optical fiber it has the advantages of simplicity, miniaturization and low cost.

Surface plasmon resonance based fiber optic potassium ion disposable sensing probe for soil testing

Fabrication and characterization of a fiber optic surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based potassium ion (K+) sensor utilizing the coating of dicyclohexeno-18-crown-6 ionophore incorporated in plasticized PVC membrane along with lipophilic pH sensitive dye chromoionophore-I over the silver coated unclad core of the fiber have been carried out. The interaction between ion selective cocktail layer and incoming K+ changes the effective refractive index of the sensing layer which affects the resonance wavelength in the SPR spectrum. To achieve best sensor performance, the thickness of the sensing layer has been optimized. The sensor probe has been found to be irreversible due to the very strong interaction between ionophore and target K+. The ring type structure of ionophore used provides a close fit to the incoming K+ and hence interacts strongly with it which makes K+ incapable of leaving the cavity of the ionophore. The washing of sensor probe with DI water could not break this bonding. This results in one time use of the probe or disposable type sensor probe. However, the probe works for 0 to 180 µg/mL concentration range of K+. The sensor is highly selective to K+ and is not affected by nitrate, phosphate, calcium and sodium ions and can be used to check the concentration of K+ in soil. In addition, the sensor possesses a response time of around 50 sec. Since the probe has been fabricated on optical fiber it has various advantages such as miniaturization, low cost, fast response, capability of real time monitoring and remote sensing.

A novel hybrid construction of MnMoO4 nanorods anchored graphene nanosheets; an efficient electrocatalyst for the picomolar detection of ecological pollutant ornidazole in water and urine samples

Nitroimidazole compounds are widely used antibiotics to encounter anaerobic bacterial and parasitic infections. The wide usage of antibiotic drugs became an ecological contaminant which in turn into potential monitoring. In this regards, we have designed and developed a new electrochemical sensing probe to monitor an antiprotozoal drug, ornidazole (ODZ), with the aid of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) integrated with manganese molybdate nanorods (MnMoO4) decorated graphene nanosheets (GNS) hybrid materials that prepared by feasible probe sonochemical method (parameters: 2–4 W, 5 mV amp, 20 kHz). The electrochemical investigations of the developed probe were performed by using rapid scan electrochemical workstations namely cyclic voltammetry (CV) and amperometric (i-t) techniques. The as-prepared MnMoO4/GNS nanocomposite was characterized and its purity of nanocomposite formation was confirmed by various analytical techniques like X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and Raman spectroscopy. In addition to that, the textural morphology of the MnMoO4/GNS nanocomposite was examined with the aid of field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The MnMoO4/GNS nanocomposite rotating disk glassy carbon electrode (RDGCE) plays a crucial role in electrochemical detection of ODZ, which results in excellent anti-interference ability, a lower detection limit of 845 pM, massive linear ranges from 10 to 770 nM, and good sensitivity of about 104.62 μA μM−1 cm−2. From the acquired electrochemical studies, we have developed a disposable electrochemical sensor probe using a low-cost screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) with MnMoO4/GNS nanocomposite. The MnMoO4/GNS/SPCE are capably employed in real-time sensing of ODZ in water and urine samples. These electrochemical studies revealed the integral new vision on the electrocatalytic performance of the modified SPCE and also shown excellent amplification results in ultra-trace levels.

Features of the Immune System Functioning with Persistence of Infectious Agents in Women with Chronic Endometrial Inflammation and Reproductive Disorders

The objective of our study was to investigate the specific features of immune status indicators in women of reproductive age with chronic endometritis (CE) and reproductive disorders. Methods and Results: The observational study involved 81 women of reproductive age with reproductive disorders. The main group (MG) included 50 women with CE (mean age of 29.2±5.34 years). The control group (CG) consisted of 31 fertile women also of reproductive age(mean age of 30.7 ± 5.9 years). MG was divided into the following subgroups: Subgroup A (SubA) included 31 patients with verified CE and an isolated infectious agent from endometrial tissue: Subgroup B (SubB) included 19 patients with verified CE and the absence of an infectious agent in the endometrial tissue. Endometrial aspiration pipe biopsy was performed on days 4-9 of the menstrual cycle (middle proliferative phase) using a disposable intrauterine probe (Taizhou Kechuang Medical Apparatus Co., Ltd, China) followed by histological examination of endometrial tissue. Laboratory diagnostics for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) was performed using the bacterial culture method. For the diagnosis of viral infection (HPV, HSV, CMV), cervical samples were studied using PCR. If STIs were detected, the patients were excluded from further research. Ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs was performed using the Aloka-5500 device with a 7MHz vaginal probe in two-dimensional visualization mode. The concentration of cytokines (IL-1β, INF-γ, TNF-α, ILs-4,6,8,10) in the endometrium was determined using the Protein Contour test systems (Saint Petersburg) and Multiskan EX ELISA Analyzer (Germany). The percentages and absolute counts of blood lymphocytes (CD3+, CD3+/CD8+/CD45+, CD19+/CD45+, and CD16+/CD56+/CD45+ cells) were determined by the method of indirect immunofluorescence with monoclonal antibodies using the BD FACSCalibur flow cytometer (USA). We found a significant increase in the blood concentrations of CD3+ cells, CD3+/CD8+/CD45+ cells, and CD19+/CD45+ cells and a decrease in the levels of CD16+/CD56+/CD45+ cells, microbicidal activity of oxygen-dependent function of neutrophils, and phagocytic activity of neutrophils, as well as a significant decrease in the levels of IgA, IgM, and IRI in MG, compared to CG. In SubA, compared to SubB, we found a significant decrease in CD3+ cells and CD19+/C45+ cells and a slight increase in immunoregulatory index. The concentrations of tissue cytokines in women of MG were characterized by a 3-fold increase in the level of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, ILs - 4, 6, 10, and INF-γ), and a 4-fold increase in the levels of TNF-α and IL-8, compared to CG. In SubA, in comparison with SubB, a significant decrease in anti-inflammatory cytokines (ILs-4,10) and chemokine IL-8 was revealed against the background of a significant increase in the concentrations of INF–γ and TNF–α. Conclusion: The results obtained indicate changes in the reactivity of the immune system in women with reproductive disorders and chronic inflammation in the endometrium. The most pronounced changes in the local immunity indicators are observed when opportunistic pathogens are detected in the endometrial tissue.

Hierarchical MnS@MoS2 architectures on tea bag filter paper for flexible, sensitive, and selective non-enzymatic hydrogen peroxide sensors

We report here the rational development of MnO2 nanorods coated tea bag filter paper (TBFP) as a self-standing, bendable, and disposable electrochemical probe for the sensitive and selective H2O2 detection and addresses their challenges in H2O2 sensing via the replacement of ‘O’ with ‘S’ in the form of MnS microcubes and its core@shell architecture with MoS2. The as-configured MnS@MoS2/TBFP overwhelms the constrains of conventional electrochemical probes including time and cost consumed electrode surface renewability and catalyst loading progression, and the practice of an insulating binder. The hierarchical open porous architectures of MoS2-shell favour the diffusion of H2O2 into the core-MnS microcubes, facilitating an analyte utilization efficacy at both the core and shell architectures. The impacts of core@shell morphological features, replacement of ‘O’ with ‘S’, surface defects, and lattice distribution of MnS@MoS2 toward non-enzymatic H2O2 sensing performances are elucidated using variant electrochemical techniques. With the synergism of uniformly implanted and exposed metallic active sites, efficient electron transfer rate, and high analyte utilization efficiency, MnS@MoS2/TBFP exposes the low detection limit (120 nM), excellent sensitivity (650 μA mM−1 cm−2), and wide linear range (500 nM-5 mM) on H2O2 detection. Furthermore, the scrutinized non-enzymatic H2O2 detection concerts of MnS/MoS2/TBFP are selective, decisive, repeatable, and stable, constructing the excellent recovery rates in human urine sample analyses. Thus, the collective benefits of free-standing, flexible, binder-less, re-functional, and cost-efficient MnS@MoS2/TBFP probe actualize the evolution of affordable and high performance H2O2 sensors.

Performance of the MP570T pulse oximeter in volunteers participating in the controlled desaturation study: a comparison of seven probes.

BackgroundThe performance of the pulse oximeter was evaluated based on the ISO 80601-2-61:2011 (E) guidelines. This study aimed to determine whether the various finger probes of the MP570T pulse oximeter (MEK-ICS Co., Ltd., Korea) would provide clinically reliable peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) readings over a range of 70-100% arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) during non-motion conditions.MethodsEach volunteer (n = 12) was connected to a breathing circuit for the administration of a hypoxic gas mixture. For frequent blood sampling, an arterial cannula was placed in a radial artery. The following seven pulse oximeter probes were simultaneously attached to each volunteer’s fingers: (1) WA-100 reusable finger probe (MEDNIS Co., Ltd., Korea), (2) MDNA disposable finger probe (MEDNIS Co., Ltd.), (3) IS-1011 disposable finger probe (Insung Medical Co., Ltd., Korea), (4) CJ340NA disposable finger probe (CHUN JI IN Medical Co., Ltd., Korea), (5) NellcorTM OxiMax DS-100A reusable finger probe (Medtronic, USA), (6) NellcorTM OxiMax MAX-N disposable finger probe (Medtronic), and (7) OXI-PRO DA disposable finger probe (Bio-Protech Inc., Korea). ResultsA total of 275 SpO2-SaO2 pairs were included in the analysis. The accuracy of the root mean square (Arms) of each probe was 2.83%, 3.98%, 3.75%, 6.84%, 3.43%, 5.17%, and 3.84%, respectively.ConclusionsThe MP570T pulse oximeter with WA-100 reusable, MDNA disposable, IS-1011 disposable, NellcorTM OxiMax DS-100A reusable, and OXI-PRO DA disposable finger probes meets an acceptable standard of SpO2 accuracy under non-motion conditions.

Non-Destructive Evaluation Device for Monitoring Fluid Viscosity.

There is an increasing need for non-destructive, low-cost devices for real-time fluid viscosity monitoring. Therefore, in this study, a method based on structural health monitoring is adapted for monitoring fluid properties. A device is built such that an inexpensive and disposable viscosity probe be possible. The design incorporates a sensor/actuator pair using a piezoelectric material layered with copper/brass and capable of monitoring viscosity changes in low volume liquids (e.g., vacutainer vial). Experiments performed with the new device show a definite pattern of wave propagation in viscous solutions. A numerical model is built to investigate the wave propagation in the fluid. For experimental measurements, the sensor part of the device detects the generated pressure wave in fluid (e.g., air, water, glycerin) by the actuator part. The phase shift between the actuator and the sensor signals is then recorded and plotted for different concentrations of glycerin and water at room temperature. The results of this study show a direct correlation between the phase shift and varying viscosity in the ultrasonic frequency range from 6 to 9 MHz. The numerical simulation, performed utilizing acoustic modal and harmonic response analysis, results also demonstrate the same trend as the experimental results: a phase shift increases with the viscosity of the fluid.

Single fiber OCT imager for breast tissue classification based on deep learning.

We investigated a deep learning strategy to analyze optical coherence tomography image for accurate tissue characterization based on a single fiber OCT probe. We obtained OCT data from human breast tissue specimens. Using OCT data obtained from adipose breast tissue (normal tissue) and diseased tissue as confirmed in histology, we trained and validated a convolutional neural network (CNN) for accurate breast tissue classification. We demonstrated tumor margin identification based CNN classification of tissue at different spatial locations. We further demonstrated CNN tissue classification in OCT imaging based on a manually scanned single fiber probe. Our results demonstrated that OCT imaging capability integrated into a low-cost, disposable single fiber probe, along with sophisticated deep learning algorithms for tissue classification, allows minimally invasive tissue characterization, and can be used for cancer diagnosis or surgical margin assessment.

Intraoperative imaging based on common-path time-domain reflectometry for brain tumor surgery

Minimally invasive intraoperative imaging plays a crucial role in delicate microsurgeries for precise operation monitoring in which fiber optic imaging can be considered as an endoscopy and surgical proximity guidance tool due to its compactness. This paper presents a near-infrared time-domain reflectometric common-path optical coherence tomography imaging technique using a bare-fiber probe mounted directly on a scanning galvanometer. The common-path setup allows the use of a freely adjustable optical path length and a disposable fiber probe, as well as eliminating the need for an additional dedicated reference optical path. Experimental results demonstrate clear discrimination between the brain tumor tissue and the normal tissue for mouse brains with the images acquired in real-time over a wide area. The proposed method enables real-time and in situ visualization of tumor resection for intraoperative imaging, and this study demonstrates the feasibility of its application to microsurgical interventions.

Disposable Colorimetric Paper-Based Probe for the Detection of Amine-Containing Gases in Aquatic Sediments

Amine compounds are considered highly important in environmental pollution, industrial, and medicinal fields. The objective of this work was to develop a disposable, highly accurate, highly selective, and low-cost paper-based probe through the combination of color change of seven pH indicators for the detection of amine compounds in the gaseous state. The probe was designed with seven rings which were printed using the wax-printing technique and colored with different pH indicators. The colors of the probe were analyzed using red, green, and blue (RGB) values extracted from the images obtained with a homemade smartphone application. The chemometric tools, principal component analysis, and hierarchical cluster analysis methods were adapted to further classify amine gases. The colorimetric probe showed an excellent capability for detecting the amines with high accuracy, prompt response, and high selectivity. These dye arrays have been proven to detect ethanolamine (NH2CH2CH2OH), dimethylamine ((CH3)2NH), and trimethylamine ((CH3)3N) gases at parts per million scale.

Capillary Sensor with Disposable Optrode for Diesel Fuel Quality Testing.

Diesel fuel quality can be considered from many different points of view. Fuel producers, fuel consumers, and ecologists have their own ideas. In this paper, a sensor of diesel fuel quality type, and fuel condition that is oriented to the fuel’s consumers, is presented. The fuel quality types include premium, standard, and full bio-diesel classes. The fuel conditions include fuel fit for use and fuel degraded classes. The classes of fuel are connected with characteristics of engine operation. The presented sensor uses signal processing of an optoelectronic device monitoring fuel samples that are locally heated to the first step of boiling. Compared to previous works which consider diesel fuel quality sensing with disposable optrodes which use a more complex construction, the sensor now consists only of a capillary probe and advanced signal processing. The signal processing addresses automatic conversion of the data series to form a data pattern, estimates the measurement uncertainty, eliminates outlier data, and determines the fuel quality with an intelligent artificial neural network classifier. The sensor allows the quality classification of different unknown diesel fuel samples in less than a few minutes with the measurement costs of a single disposable capillary probe and two plugs.

Smart bandage dyed with sensor probe encapsulated in alginate for wound healing monitoring ضمادة ذکية مصبوغة بصبغة استشعار مغلفة بألجينات الکالسيوم لرصد التئام الجروح

الملخص العربي تم تطوير ضمادة ذکية لمتابعة التئام الجروح ، وذلک اعتمادا علي تغير اللون عند التئام الجروح. يمکن أن يؤدي تطوير اداة استشعار لدرجة الحموضة بالتقنية اللونية النسيجية إلى استخدام تطبيقات فعالة ، حيث أنه يمثل إمکانية متابعة الاس الهيدروجيني بطريقة سريعة باستخدام خامة رخيصة ومرنة. تم تحضير صبغة التراي سيانوهيدرازون واستخدامها کمادة استشعار لدرجة الحموضة والقاعدية. حيث تم تغليف صبغة التراي سيانوهيدرازون المتجاوبة لدرجة الاس الهيدروجيني کمادة داخلية والجينات الکالسيوم کجدار خارجي للکبسولة ، والتي تم تحميلها على شاش قطني بطريقة الغمر. هذه التغيرات في اللون القابل لاعادة الاستخدام والتي تتجاوب مع تغيرات الأس الهيدروجيني کانت نتيجة لتخليق الشحنة الاليکترونية العالية لمرکب التراي سيانوهيدرازون أنيون المنتج الذي يؤدي إلى انتاج جزيء من نوع الکوينويد حيث تم استخدام هذا الملون في المواد النسيجية التقنية لاکسابها القدرة على استشعار الرقم الهيدروجيني. اعتمد النهج المعتمد في هذه الدراسة على صباغة القطن الشاش باستخدام صبغة التراي سيانوهيدرازون محملة داخل کابسولات الکالسيوم الجينات لمتابعة التئام الجروح. أظهر الشاش المصبوغة تغيرا واضحا في اللون عند التعرض لمحاليل قاعدية وحمضية کما هو موضح بإحداثيات اللون. تشير نتائجنا إلى تغير واضح في اللون يظهر بالعين المجردة ، من اللون البرتقالي إلى اللون الأرجواني ، والتي يمکن التعرف عليها على سطح الأقمشة المستخدمة. تم دراسة التشکل السطحي وتکوين الشاش القطني المعالج تحت المجهر الإلکتروني الماسح الضوئي ، الأشعة السينية المشتتة للطاقة ، ورسم الخرائط العنصري. تمت دراسة الشاش القطني المعالج من خلال استکشاف نفاذية الهواء ، والصلابة ، وثبات اللون Abstract Novel in-situ dressing bandage-based disposable probe that changes color upon wound healing was developed. Developing colorimetric technical textile pH-sensor can lead to attractive end-use applications as it represents the potential for inexpensive, fast, flexible pH-sensors. Herein we describe the preparation of tricyanofuran-hydrazone based disperse colorant to act as a color changeable pH-sensor. The pH responsive tricyanofuran-hydrazone was encapsulated as a core material in Ca-alginate microcapsule as a wall-former, which was loaded onto a cotton gauze by padding. This reversible color change depending on pH variations was due to charge delocalization of tricyanofuran-hydrazone anion form generated that led to a quinoid-type molecular switching. This tricyanofuran-hydrazone colorant was employed for use in technical textile materials with a pH sensing capability. The approach adopted in the present study was based on dyeing of cotton gauze using tricyanofuran-hydrazone that can afford numerical results for the pH of the wound fluid. The dyed gauze matrix showed a clear reversible color change upon exposure to acid-base solutions as indicated by color coordinates. Our results indicate an obvious color change shown to the naked eye, from orange to purple, which can be recognized at the surface of the employed fabrics when exposed to basic conditions. The surface morphology of the treated cotton gauze was investigated under scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray, and mapping.The treated cotton gauze was studied by exploring of the air-permeability, stiffness, and colorfastness.

Survey on the use of point-of-care ultrasound detection in 300 emergency departments of tertiary hospital in China in 2018

To investigate the possession of ultrasound equipment and use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in emergency department of tertiary hospitals in China to figure out the present condition of POCUS in the emergency department. Questionnaire survey was performed through the internet, which included equipment possession, usage, and the sterile technique of the probe in the emergency department of tertiary hospitals. Between September and December in 2018, a total of 2 994 questionnaires link was clicked, and 718 survey responses were collected. After removing duplicated and non-tertiary hospitals questionnaires, the final questionnaire survey covered 300 tertiary hospitals, of which 250 were tertiary A hospitals (83.3%). The number of emergency department which own bedside ultrasound machine was 173 (57.7%), 40.6% (122) of the departments had only one ultrasonic machine. The main sources of equipment were new bought machines (119, 68.8%), given (38, 22.0%) or rented old machines from the ultrasound department (42, 24.3%). None of the emergency physicians in 92 (30.7%) departments mastered the POCUS skills, and 52.7% of the response hospital had less than a quarter emergency physicians grasp the skills. Fees of the POCUS could be charged in 52 (30.1%) of them. The main methods to clean or sterilize the probes were to wipe the probe by cleaning dry paper (97, 56.1%), sterile wet paper (69, 39.9%) or special probe disinfector (23, 13.3%), and used probe protective sleeve and sterile gel (12, 6.9%) as necessary; 79 (45.7%) departments had no conventional probe disinfection measures. When the ultrasonic was used to guide the punctures, the prevention of infection policies were the sterile gloves and saline (106, 61.3%), disposable probe protective sleeve and sterile gel (55, 31.8%). The propagation of POCUS in emergency department is needed to develop in tertiary hospitals in China. The right way to clean the probes need to be emphasized.