A new tactics for the detection of S. aureus via paper based geno-interface incorporated with graphene nano dots and zeolites

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a pathogenic bacteria which causes infectious diseases and food poisoning. Current diagnostic methods for infectious disease require sophisticated instruments, long analysis time and expensive reagents which restrict their application in resource-limited settings. Electrochemical paper based analytical device (EPAD) was developed by integrating graphene nano dots (GNDs) and zeolite (Zeo) using specific DNA probe. The ssDNA/GNDs-Zeo modified paper based analytical device (PAD) was characterized using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The genosensor was optimized at pH7.4 and incubation temperature of 30°C. A linear current response with respect to target DNA concentrations was obtained. The limit of detection (LOD) of the proposed sensor was found out to be 0.1nM. The specificity was confirmed by introducing non-complimentary target DNA to ssDNA/GNDs-Zeo modified PAD. The suitability of the proposed EPAD genosensor was demonstrated with fruit juice samples mixed with S. aureus. The proposed EPAD genosensor is a low cost, highly specific, easy to fabricate diagnostic device for detection of S. aureus bacteria which requires very low sample volume and minimum analysis time of 10s.

Magnetically Coated Bioabsorbable Stents for Renormalization of Arterial Vessel Walls after Stent Implantation

The insertion of a stent in diseased arteries is a common endovascular procedure that can be compromised by the development of short- and long-term inflammatory responses leading to restenosis and thrombosis, respectively. While treatment with drugs, either systemic or localized, has decreased the incidence of restenosis and thrombosis these complications persist and are associated with a high mortality in those that present with stent thrombosis. We reasoned that if stents could be made to undergo accelerated endothelialization in the deployed region, then such an approach would further decrease the occurrence of stent thrombosis and restenosis thereby improving clinical outcomes. Toward that objective, the first step necessitated efficient capture of progenitor stem cells, which eventually would become the new endothelium. To achieve this objective, we engineered intrinsic ferromagnetism within nonmagnetizable, biodegradable magnesium (Mg) bare metal stents. Mg stents were coated with biodegradable polylactide (PLA) polymer embedding magnetizable iron-platinum (FePt) alloy nanoparticles, nanomagnetic particles, ⁿMags, which increased the surface area and hence magnetization of the stent. ⁿMags uniformly distributed on stents enabled capture, under flow, up to 50 mL/min, of systemically injected iron-oxide-labeled (IO-labeled) progenitor stem cells. Critical parameters enhancing capture efficiency were optimized, and we demonstrated the generality of the approach by showing that ⁿMag-coated stents can capture different cell types. Our work is a potential paradigm shift in engineering stents because implants are rendered as tissue in the body, and this "natural stealthiness" reduces or eliminates issues associated with pro-inflammatory immune responses postimplantation.

Eptifibatide is associated with significant cost savings and similar clinical outcomes to abciximab when used during primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-elevation myocardial infarction: An observational cohort study of 3863 patients

INTRODUCTION

Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors are recommended by guidelines in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention. There are few studies directly comparing these agents. The aim of this study was to assess whether eptifibatide is a safe and cost-effective alternative to abciximab in the treatment of primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

METHODS

This was an observational cohort study of 3863 patients who received a GPIIb/IIIa inhibitor whilst undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention from 2007 to 2014. Patients who did not receive a GPIIb/IIIa inhibitor were excluded. Time to first major adverse cardiac event defined as death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, stroke or target vessel revascularization, and total hospital costs were compared between the groups.

RESULTS

In all, 1741 patients received abciximab with 2122 receiving eptifibatide. Patients who received eptifibatide had higher rates of previous MI/percutaneous coronary intervention and were more likely to undergo a procedure from the radial route. Unadjusted Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed no significant difference in the 1-year event rates between patients given eptifibatide versus abciximab (p = 0.201). Age-adjusted Cox analysis demonstrated no difference in 1-year outcome between abciximab and eptifibatide (hazard ratio: 0.83; 95% confidence interval: 0.73-1.39), which persisted after multivariate adjustment (hazard ratio: 0.92; 95% confidence interval: 0.79-1.56) including the incorporation of a propensity score (hazard ratio: 0.88; 95% confidence interval: 0.71-1.44). Eptifbatide was associated with significant cost savings being 87% cheaper overall compared to abciximab (on average £650 cheaper per patient and saving approximately £950,000).

CONCLUSION

This observational data suggest that eptifibatide is associated with similar outcomes and significant cost savings compared to abciximab when used in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Early EEG power predicts MRI injury in infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy

OBJECTIVE

Early identification of infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy who have adverse outcomes despite neuroprotection with therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is urgently needed. Recent studies have found limited value of amplitude integrated EEG (aEEG) for predicting short-term outcomes in this population. Other quantitative electroencephalography (EEG) variables reflecting EEG amplitude, such as EEG power, could provide early stratification of a high-risk cohort in this population. The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare early EEG power and aEEG as predictors of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) injury in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

STUDY DESIGN

We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of 78 encephalopathic infants treated with TH between January 2009 and April 2013. About 56 infants had no/mild injury on MRI (group A), whereas 22 had moderate/severe MRI injury (group B). Total EEG power (TEP) and aEEG were obtained soon after initiation of hypothermia and then compared for their ability to predict future MRI injury.

RESULTS

TEP, calculated at a mean age of 8.9 h, was significantly higher in infants in group A as compared to group B (71.6±64.8 vs 26.9±65.3, P=0.02). Odds ratios for predicting moderate-severe MRI injury for TEP<10 μV², TEP<20 μV², burst Suppression or worse aEEG pattern were 55 (confidence interval (CI) 6.4 to 471), 12.5 (CI 3.8 to 40.7) and 6.7 (CI 2.0 to 19.8), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Early TEP is a reliable predictor of moderate-severe MRI injury in encephalopathic infants undergoing TH and may enable early stratification of infants who may benefit from adjuvant therapeutic interventions.

Aloe vera assisted facile green synthesis of reduced graphene oxide for electrochemical and dye removal applications

In the present work, the suitability of Aloe vera (AV) as a ‘green reducing agent’ has been investigated for the reduction of graphene oxide (GO).

Detection of alprazolam with a lab on paper economical device integrated with urchin like Ag@ Pd shell nano-hybrids

We present results of the studies relating to fabrication of a microfluidic biosensor chip based on urchin like Ag@ Pd shell nano-hybrids that is capable of sensing alprazolam through electrochemical detection. Using this chip we demonstrate, with high reliability and in a time efficient manner, the detection of alprazolam present in buffer solutions at clinically relevant concentrations. Methylene blue (MB) was also doped as redox transition substance for sensing alprazolam. Nano-hybrids modified EμPAD showed wide linear range 1-300ng/ml and low detection limit of 0.025ng/l. Low detection limit can further enhance its suitability for forensic application. Nano-hybrids modified EμPAD was also employed for determination of drug in real samples such as human urine. Reported facile lab paper approach integrated with urchin like Ag@ Pd shell nano-hybrids could be well applied for the determination of serum metabolites.