We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress
Sign In
Advertise with Us
LGC Clinical Diagnostics

Download Mobile App




Events

09 Apr 2024 - 12 Apr 2024
15 Apr 2024 - 17 Apr 2024
23 Apr 2024 - 26 Apr 2024

Wearable Sensing Patch Enables Rapid Quantitative Analysis of Urea in Body Fluids

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 24 Feb 2023
Print article
Image: New approach enables faster testing of urea in body fluids (Photo courtesy of HFIPS)
Image: New approach enables faster testing of urea in body fluids (Photo courtesy of HFIPS)

Urea, which is excreted in sweat, urine, saliva and blood, is a key indicator of renal function in clinical diagnosis. Effective determination of urea levels can enable early detection of diseases. There has been growing focus on wearable fluorescence-based sensors, although traditional fluorescent hydrogels are excited by short wavelengths, hampering the detection of biological samples. Now, researchers have developed a wearable sensing patch that enables the rapid quantitative analysis of urea.

Spontaneous and background fluorescence can interfere with the detection of biological samples. Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), which can eliminate the self-fluorescence and background interference of biological samples, are an effective strategy for detecting human biomarkers with high sensitivity. Researchers from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science (HFIPS) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Beijing, China) have developed a polyacrylamide (PAM) hydrogel sensor based on an upconversion optical probe, which was composed of UCNPs and p-dimethylamino-cinnamaldehyde (p-DMAC). As a result of the internal filtration effect, the red product produced by the reaction of urea and p-DMAC quenched the green fluorescence of the UCNPs and caused the upconversion fluorescence to change from yellow to red, thus realizing the fluorescence detection of urea.

Based on this, the researchers fabricated a flexible wearable sensor by combining PAM hydrogel and a portable sensor platform built using 3D printing technology. The researchers found the limits of detection of the self-designed upconversion fluorescent probe and the hydrogel sensor to be just 1.4 μM and 30 μM, respectively, which was much lower than the urea content in sweat, implying higher sensitivity. The sensor patch design paves the way for a convenient approach to accurately detect biomarkers in body fluids and for development into a device that could provide disease warning and clinical diagnosis, according to the researchers.

Related Links:
Chinese Academy of Sciences

Platinum Member
COVID-19 Rapid Test
OSOM COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test
HLX
Complement 3 (C3) Test
GPP-100 C3 Kit
Gold Member
ADAMTS-13 Protease Activity Test
ATS-13 Activity Assay

Print article

Channels

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel
Image: MOF materials efficiently enrich cfDNA and cfRNA in blood through simple operational process (Photo courtesy of Science China Press)

Blood Circulating Nucleic Acid Enrichment Technique Enables Non-Invasive Liver Cancer Diagnosis

The ability to diagnose diseases early can significantly enhance the effectiveness of clinical treatments and improve survival rates. One promising approach for non-invasive early diagnosis is the use... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: The low-cost portable device rapidly identifies chemotherapy patients at risk of sepsis (Photo courtesy of 52North Health)

POC Finger-Prick Blood Test Determines Risk of Neutropenic Sepsis in Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

Neutropenia, a decrease in neutrophils (a type of white blood cell crucial for fighting infections), is a frequent side effect of certain cancer treatments. This condition elevates the risk of infections,... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: The OvaCis Rapid Test discriminates benign from malignant epithelial ovarian cysts (Photo courtesy of INEX)

Intra-Operative POC Device Distinguishes Between Benign and Malignant Ovarian Cysts within 15 Minutes

Ovarian cysts represent a significant health issue for women globally, with up to 10% experiencing this condition at some point in their lives. These cysts form when fluid collects within a thin membrane... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.