Paper-based analytics allows building portable and disposable devices for point-of-care (POC) diagnosis. Conventional methods for quantifying proteins exhibit substantial disadvantages related to costs and difficulty of the technique when used in settings where fast and cost-effective assays are needed. We report the successful application of a simple, rapid, easy to use, and label-free aptasensor strategy based on the selective fluorescence of the NMM IX dye. For the probe design, the three-dimensional (3-D) structures of the DNA components were carefully analyzed using software for the 3-D visualization of crystallographic structures. The chimeric aptafluorescence molecule consists of two modules, a detection aptamer and a transduction sequence that induces the specific fluorescence of NMM IX. In the presence of thrombin, a fluorescent spot visible to the naked eye can be observed. The fluorescent response is directly proportional to protein concentration and can be easily quantified colorimetrically using a low-cost microscopy system. The recognition probe design might be adaptable to other relevant biological analytes by changing the sequence of the aptamer. This proof of principle represents a contribution to the development of useful, cheap, reliable, and simple protein quantification assays for POC testing.
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is one of the most advanced optical measurement techniques for complex structure visualization. The advantages of OCT have been used for surface and subsurface defect detection in composite materials, polymers, ceramics, non-metallic protective coatings, and many more. Our research activity has been focused on timefrequency spectroscopic analysis in OCT. It is based on time resolved spectral analysis of the backscattered optical signal delivered by the OCT. The time-frequency method gives spectral characteristic of optical radiation backscattered or backreflected from the particular points inside the tested device. This provides more information about the sample, which are useful for further analysis. Nowadays, the applications of spectroscopic analysis for composite layers characterization or tissue recognition have been reported. During our studies we have found new applications of spectroscopic analysis. We have used this method for thickness estimation of thin films, which are under the resolution of OCT. Also, we have combined the spectroscopic analysis with polarization sensitive OCT (PS-OCT). This approach enables to obtain a multiorder retardation value directly and may become a breakthrough in PS-OCT measurements of highly birefringent media. In this work, we present the time-frequency spectroscopic algorithms and their applications for OCT. Also, the theoretical simulations and measurement validation of this method are shown.
A new arrangement of 3 Langmuir probes to evaluate the electric potential and estimate the electron temperature in the
LIBS plasma is introduced in this work. It consists of three nickel meshes (95% of transparency) on a basis for the
sample in a vacuum chamber. The sample (a 50 cents coin) was analyzed at 9 different pressures (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1, 2,
4, 6, 8 Torr). Measurements were made of the voltage signal induced in the electrodes relative to one another and to the
sample. Information about the on-time and the duration of the plasma under the decreased pressure conditions can be
extracted from these signals, which could in principle, be also correlated with the velocity of expansion of the plasma
and the establishment of thermodynamical equilibrium in the system plasma-background gas. Additionally, we
photographed the emitted light by LIBS plasma at maximum extension at different pressures by means of two digital
cameras at the right angles to one another and to the laser beam. In each case, the expanded plasma contour was
mathematically analyzed. In particular, the area of the plasma plume as recorded with the cameras was found to follow a
simple relationship with the background pressure in a way not different from an ideal gas.
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