Application of NMR for quantification of magnetic nanoparticles and development of paper-based assay

H1 NMR relaxometry is a method that is extremely sensitive to the presence of magnetic nanoparticles, which significantly affect the transverse relaxation time of the water proton. Accordingly, the use of magnetic nanoparticles as labels allows detection of even extremely small amounts of the test substance. This paper analyzes the prospects for applying the method of solid-phase NMR-relaxometric determination of biologically active molecules. The nitrocellulose membranes are chosen as a solid phase and nanoparticles based on iron core with a carbon shell are used as magnetic labels. The possibility of detecting small concentrations of magnetic particles in porous medium is demonstrated. Finally, the ability to detect extremely low concentrations of an analyte, in this case, streptavidin protein (0.5 ng/ml to 100 ng/ml), which is actively used in various fields of biology and medicine, is demonstrated. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.Russian Science Foundation, RSF: 17-15-01116The work was carried out within the Russian Science Foundation project 17-15-01116. equipment of the Ural Center for Shared Use Modern nanotechnology UrFU was used

Environmental Changes of the Aral Sea (Central Asia) in the Holocene: Major Trends

From the 20th International Radiocarbon Conference held in Kona, Hawaii, USA, May 31-June 3, 2009.Changes of the Aral Sea level have been observed in 3 sediment boreholes, 2 outcrops, and associated archaeological sites. The obtained results are supported by 25 radiocarbon dates. Major trends of lake-level changes have been reconstructed in some detail for the last 2000 yr, and additional data provide an outline of fluctuations throughout the Holocene. Several distinct changes are shown to precede the modern, human-induced regression of the Aral Sea. These include: 1) the latest maximum in the 16th-20th centuries AD (53 m asl); 2) a Medieval "Kerderi" minimum of the 12th-15th centuries AD (29 m asl); 3) the early Medieval maximum of the 4th-11th centuries AD (52 m asl); and 4) a near BC/AD lowstand, whose level is not well established. Since then, events are only inferred from sparse data. The studied cores contain several sandy layers representing the lowering of the lake level within the Holocene, including the buried shore-bar of ~4500 cal BP (38 m asl), and shallow-water sediments of ~5600 cal BP (44 m asl), 7200 cal BP (28 m asl), and 8000 cal BP (26.5 m asl).The Radiocarbon archives are made available by Radiocarbon and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform February 202