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

Rapid Optical Rotatory Dispersion Polarimetry Over Wide Continuous Spectrum Based on Pixelated-Polarization

Morphology and motility are essential criteria for assessing sperm viability. However, the human sperm head is small (∼3–4 μm) and requires a relatively high-magnification microscope objective, while the sperm flagella (∼45 μm) are poorly visible with complex 3D properties. Microscopic dynamic observation of intact sperm in 3D is challenging. Conventional inspection methods with a limited depth of field are inadequate for this issue. To provide a solution to this critical need, we develop pixelated polarization-based parallel phase-shifting digital holographic microscopy for the 3D dynamic observation of human sperm. Compared to conventional holographic imaging, this approach can effectively separate the object wavefront and avoid image quality degradation while fully exploiting the spatial bandwidth of the camera. We propose the use of the Stokes parameter reconstruction method to reconstruct the object wavefront and investigate the effect of the sampling interval on the system resolution by spectral analysis. The methodology achieves the retrieval of the 3D trajectory and motion parameters of sperm and reconstructs the sperm head orientation and the thin, highly-dynamic flagellum. The system allows for more comprehensive information on sperm motility and morphology, which is significant for male reproductive research. It also has significant potential for 3D dynamic observation of micro-organisms.

3D dynamic observation of human sperm by parallel phase-shifting digital holographic microscopy based on pixelated polarization

Array sensing is increasingly important in the development of microcantilever (MC) sensors, and response consistency is the foundation for MC array sensing. In the present work, we investigated the response consistency of MC array sensing. The responses of two types of commercially available MC arrays were studied under conditions of temperature change, solution replacement and biochemical molecular interaction. For the thermal response, the deflections of both arrays were found to be proportional to temperature, and the responses of the MCs in both arrays were consistent with each other. The thermal response sensitivity for each MC during temperature increase and decrease also showed good consistency. Moreover, the MC array showed good consistency for the response induced by solution replacement. Finally, we also demonstrated that the MC array had good consistency in biochemical detection, exemplified by aflatoxin antibody-antigen binding. The good response consistency makes this technology reliable and accurate for biochemical sensing.

Shangquan Wu

Papers

Rapid Optical Rotatory Dispersion Polarimetry Over Wide Continuous Spectrum Based on Pixelated-Polarization

3D dynamic observation of human sperm by parallel phase-shifting digital holographic microscopy based on pixelated polarization

Performance analysis of microcantilever array sensing