19 research outputs found
Automated smartphone-based system for measuring sperm viability, DNA fragmentation, and hyaluronic binding assay score.
The fundamental test for male infertility, semen analysis, is mostly a manually performed subjective and time-consuming process and the use of automated systems has been cost prohibitive. We have previously developed an inexpensive smartphone-based system for at-home male infertility screening through automatic and rapid measurement of sperm concentration and motility. Here, we assessed the feasibility of using a similar smartphone-based system for laboratory use in measuring: a) Hyaluronan Binding Assay (HBA) score, a quantitative score describing the sperm maturity and fertilization potential in a semen sample, b) sperm viability, which assesses sperm membrane integrity, and c) sperm DNA fragmentation that assesses the degree of DNA damage. There was good correlation between the manual analysis and smartphone-based analysis for the HBA score when the device was tested with 31 fresh, unprocessed human semen samples. The smartphone-based approach performed with an accuracy of 87% in sperm classification when the HBA score was set at manufacturer's threshold of 80. Similarly, the sperm viability and DNA fragmentation tests were also shown to be compatible with the smartphone-based system when tested with 102 and 47 human semen samples, respectively
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Printed Flexible Plastic Microchip for Viral Load Measurement through Quantitative Detection of Viruses in Plasma and Saliva
We report a biosensing platform for viral load measurement through electrical sensing of viruses on a flexible plastic microchip with printed electrodes. Point-of-care (POC) viral load measurement is of paramount importance with significant impact on a broad range of applications, including infectious disease diagnostics and treatment monitoring specifically in resource-constrained settings. Here, we present a broadly applicable and inexpensive biosensing technology for accurate quantification of bioagents, including viruses in biological samples, such as plasma and artificial saliva, at clinically relevant concentrations. Our microchip fabrication is simple and mass-producible as we print microelectrodes on flexible plastic substrates using conductive inks. We evaluated the microchip technology by detecting and quantifying multiple Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) subtypes (A, B, C, D, E, G, and panel), Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), and Kaposi’s Sarcoma-associated Herpes Virus (KSHV) in a fingerprick volume (50 µL) of PBS, plasma, and artificial saliva samples for a broad range of virus concentrations between 102 copies/mL and 107 copies/mL. We have also evaluated the microchip platform with discarded, de-identified HIV-infected patient samples by comparing our microchip viral load measurement results with reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) as the gold standard method using Bland-Altman Analysis
Rapid, label-free CD4 testing using a smartphone compatible device
The most recent guidelines have called for a significant shift towards viral load testing for HIV/AIDS management in developing countries; however point-of-care (POC) CD4 testing still remains an important component of disease staging in multiple developing countries. Advancements in micro/nanotechnologies and consumer electronics have paved the way for mobile healthcare technologies and the development of POC smartphone-based diagnostic assays for disease detection and treatment monitoring. Here, we report a simple, rapid (30 minutes) smartphone-based microfluidic chip for automated CD4 testing using a small volume (30 mu L) of whole blood. The smartphone-based device includes an inexpensive (<$5) cell phone accessory and a functionalized disposable microfluidic device. We evaluated the performance of the device using spiked PBS samples and HIV-infected and uninfected whole blood, and compared the microfluidic chip results with the manual analysis and flow cytometry results. Through t-tests, Bland-Altman analyses, and regression tests, we have shown a good agreement between the smartphone-based test and the manual and FACS analysis for CD4 count. The presented technology could have a significant impact on HIV management in developing countries through providing a reliable and inexpensive POC CD4 testing
Rapid Real-Time Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing with Electrical Sensing on Plastic Microchips with Printed Electrodes
Rapid antimicrobial
susceptibility testing is important for efficient
and timely therapeutic decision making. Due to globally spread bacterial
resistance, the efficacy of antibiotics is increasingly being impeded.
Conventional antibiotic tests rely on bacterial culture, which is
time-consuming and can lead to potentially inappropriate antibiotic
prescription and up-front broad range of antibiotic use. There is
an urgent need to develop point-of-care platform technologies to rapidly
detect pathogens, identify the right antibiotics, and monitor mutations
to help adjust therapy. Here, we report a biosensor for rapid (<90
min), real time, and label-free bacteria isolation from whole blood
and antibiotic susceptibility testing. Target bacteria are captured
on flexible plastic-based microchips with printed electrodes using
antibodies (30 min), and its electrical response is monitored in the
presence and absence of antibiotics over an hour of incubation time.
We evaluated the microchip with <i>Escherichia coli</i> and
methicillin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (MRSA)
as clinical models with ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, daptomycin,
gentamicin, and methicillin antibiotics. The results are compared
with the current standard methods, i.e. bacteria viability and conventional
antibiogram assays. The technology presented here has the potential
to provide precise and rapid bacteria screening and guidance in clinical
therapies by identifying the correct antibiotics for pathogens
Motion-Based Immunological Detection of Zika Virus Using Pt-Nanomotors and a Cellphone
Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is an
emerging pandemic threat to humans
that can be fatal in newborns. Advances in digital health systems
and nanoparticles can facilitate the development of sensitive and
portable detection technologies for timely management of emerging
viral infections. Here we report a nanomotor-based bead-motion cellphone
(NBC) system for the immunological detection of ZIKV. The presence
of virus in a testing sample results in the accumulation of platinum
(Pt)-nanomotors on the surface of beads, causing their motion in H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> solution. Then the virus concentration is detected
in correlation with the change in beads motion. The developed NBC
system was capable of detecting ZIKV in samples with virus concentrations
as low as 1 particle/μL. The NBC system allowed a highly specific
detection of ZIKV in the presence of the closely related dengue virus
and other neurotropic viruses, such as herpes simplex virus type 1
and human cytomegalovirus. The NBC platform technology has the potential
to be used in the development of point-of-care diagnostics for pathogen
detection and disease management in developed and developing countries
Motion-Based Immunological Detection of Zika Virus Using Pt-Nanomotors and a Cellphone
Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is an
emerging pandemic threat to humans
that can be fatal in newborns. Advances in digital health systems
and nanoparticles can facilitate the development of sensitive and
portable detection technologies for timely management of emerging
viral infections. Here we report a nanomotor-based bead-motion cellphone
(NBC) system for the immunological detection of ZIKV. The presence
of virus in a testing sample results in the accumulation of platinum
(Pt)-nanomotors on the surface of beads, causing their motion in H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> solution. Then the virus concentration is detected
in correlation with the change in beads motion. The developed NBC
system was capable of detecting ZIKV in samples with virus concentrations
as low as 1 particle/μL. The NBC system allowed a highly specific
detection of ZIKV in the presence of the closely related dengue virus
and other neurotropic viruses, such as herpes simplex virus type 1
and human cytomegalovirus. The NBC platform technology has the potential
to be used in the development of point-of-care diagnostics for pathogen
detection and disease management in developed and developing countries