Digital image correlation for surface deformation measurement: historical developments, recent advances and future goals

The robust, sensitive, and selective detection of targeted biomolecules in their native environment by prospective nanostructures holds much promise for real-time, accurate, and high throughput biosensing. However, in order to be competitive, current biosensor nanotechnologies need significant improvements, especially in specificity, integration, throughput rate, and long-term stability in complex bioenvironments. Advancing biosensing nanotechnologies in chemically “noisy” bioenvironments require careful engineering of nanoscale components that are highly sensitive, biorecognition ligands that are capable of exquisite selective binding, and seamless integration at a level current devices have yet to achieve. This review summarizes recent advances in the synthesis, assembly, and applications of nanoengineered reporting and transducing components critical for efficient biosensing. First, major classes of nanostructured components, both inorganic reporters and organic transducers, are discussed in the contex...

Synthesis, Assembly, and Applications of Hybrid Nanostructures for Biosensing

Real-time and continuous monitoring of physiological signals is essential for mobile health, which is becoming a popular tool for efficient and convenient medical services. Here, an active pulse sensing system that can detect the weak vibration patterns of the human radial artery is constructed with a sandwich-structure piezoelectret that has high equivalent piezoelectricity. The high precision and stability of the system result in possible medical assessment applications, including the capability to identify common heart problems (such as arrhythmia); the feasibility to conduct pulse palpation measurements similar to well-trained doctors in Traditional Chinese Medicine; and the possibility to measure and read blood pressure.

Human Pulse Diagnosis for Medical Assessments Using a Wearable Piezoelectret Sensing System

Due to their relative synthetic and chemical simplicity compared to antibodies, aptamers afford enhanced stability and functionality for the detection of environmental contaminants and for use in environmental monitoring. Furthermore, nucleic acid aptamers can be selected for toxic targets which may prove difficult for antibody development. Of particular relevance, aptamers have been selected and used to develop biosensors for environmental contaminants such as heavy metals, small-molecule agricultural toxins, and water-borne bacterial pathogens. This review will focus on recent aptamer-based developments for the detection of diverse environmental contaminants. Within this domain, aptamers have been combined with other technologies to develop biosensors with various signal outputs. The goal of much of this work is to develop cost-effective, user-friendly detection methods that can complement or replace traditional environmental monitoring strategies. This review will highlight recent examples in this area. Additionally, with innovative developments such as wearable devices, sentinel materials, and lab-on-a-chip designs, there exists significant potential for the development of multifunctional aptamer-based biosensors for environmental monitoring. Examples of these technologies will also be highlighted. Finally, a critical perspective on the field, and thoughts on future research directions will be offered.

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Aptamer-Based Biosensors for Environmental Monitoring.

Mechanical and fracture properties of concrete reinforced with recycled and industrial steel fibers using Digital Image Correlation technique and X-ray micro computed tomography

Cyanotoxins, produced by cyanobacteria, are a series of widely present toxins frequently found in fresh water during algal blooms. They are extremely hazardous and persistent, which makes them a serious threat to human and animal health. In this paper, we developed an aptamer-based microcantilever array sensor to detect microcystin-leucine-arginine (MC-LR), one of the most concerned liver toxin. For this assay, an easily synthesized thiol-modified aptamer with specific recognition for MC-LR was used as a probe. The aptamer was covalently and directionally immobilized on the gold surface of a microcantilever by one-step immobilization via its thiol group, which simplified the conventional preparation of micocantilever array sensors. Interactions between the immobilized aptamer and MC-LR successfully changed the surface stress of the microcantilever, resulting in a bending conformation. The detection range was from 1 to 500 μg L−1, and the cantilever deflection had a good linear relationship within the concentration range of 1–50 μg L−1. Additionally, this sensor could identify MC-LR from other congeners. Thus, the aptamer-based microcantilever sensor operated in stress mode could achieve simple, rapid, real-time, label-free and quantitative detection of MC-LR, making it a convenient and economical approach for MC-LR detection. The aptamer-based microcantilever array sensor has great potential for detecting various cyanotoxins while new aptamers specific for cyanotoxins are available, which may be developed to monitor the environment and protect life health.

Shangquan Wu

Papers

Label-free aptamer-based detection of microcystin-LR using a microcantilever array biosensor

Aptamer-based microcantilever-array biosensor for profenofos detection.

Quantification of cell viability and rapid screening anti-cancer drug utilizing nanomechanical fluctuation.

Full-field wrist pulse signal acquisition and analysis by 3D Digital Image Correlation

Interpolation bias for the inverse compositional Gauss–Newton algorithm in digital image correlation