Analyst最新文献

{"title":"A low-cost point-of-care device for the simultaneous detection of two sexually transmitted bacterial pathogens in vaginal swab samples","authors":"Erin K. Heiniger, Kevin P. Jiang, Sujatha Kumar and Paul Yager","doi":"10.1039/D5AN00496A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5AN00496A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Curable sexually transmitted infections (STIs) caused by the bacteria <em>Chlamydia trachomatis</em> (CT) and <em>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</em> (NG) are widespread globally. These infections are particularly dangerous for female patients, causing pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and increased risk of HIV acquisition. Vaginal self-swab sampling can improve access to STI screening but is still subject to treatment delays due to centralized processing. A low-cost point-of-care (POC) device capable of detecting these bacteria from a self- or clinician-collected vaginal swab could address this delay and allow for more timely treatment. In this work, vaginal swab materials from patients infected with CT or NG required a filtration step before lysis and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) detection using a UbiNAAT device. We have shown a simple, low-cost sample preparation method that supports rapid DNA detection from NG and CT on our POC UbiNAAT platform.</p>","PeriodicalId":63,"journal":{"name":"Analyst","volume":" 19","pages":" 4414-4426"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/an/d5an00496a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144825971","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cost-effective distance-based paper microfluidic sensor for hemoglobin quantification in human serum samples for rapid diagnosis and follow-up of blood disorders","authors":"Kawin Khachornsakkul, Natkrittaya Saengsawang, Elliot Friesen and Sameer Sonkusale","doi":"10.1039/D5AN00609K","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5AN00609K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Blood disorders such as anemia are among the most prevalent and debilitating disease conditions worldwide that require routine monitoring. Hemoglobin is clinically used as a key indicator for the rapid diagnosis of these blood-based diseases. However, a low-cost diagnostic tool to quantify hemoglobin remains a significant challenge. In this study, we present the first demonstration of a distance-based paper analytical device (dPAD) for the sensitive quantification of hemoglobin in human serum samples. The device is designed to incorporate a paper-based microfluidic delay zone to enhance its detection ability. The detection method relies on the oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) by hemoglobin to form oxidized TMB (oxTMB) in the presence of H<small>₂</small>O<small>₂</small>, resulting in a blue-green color. The change in the distance of this color is proportional to hemoglobin levels, which can be measured using a printed ruler on the device <em>via</em> naked-eye readout. The sensor exhibits a working linear range of 2.0–10.0 mg dL<small>⁻¹</small> (<em>R</em><small>²</small> = 0.9983) with a limit of detection (LOD) of 2.0 mg dL<small>⁻¹</small>, demonstrating high detection sensitivity while using only 2.0 μL of sample solution and requiring 10 min for analysis. It is also selective and shows no interferent effects for detecting hemoglobin. Furthermore, the method demonstrates excellent accuracy and precision for the determination of hemoglobin, with recoveries ranging from 99.16% to 102.50% and the highest RSD of 1.46%. With this characteristic, the method is superior to previous methods that employ expensive instruments and require skilled individuals for operation. Therefore, the developed dPAD sensor offers a simple, affordable, and accessible alternative tool for the rapid monitoring of hemoglobin levels for blood analysis, enabling rapid clinical diagnostics and prognosis, especially in resource-limited settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":63,"journal":{"name":"Analyst","volume":" 18","pages":" 4211-4220"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144813045","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"SERS mapping combined with explainable deep learning for exosome analysis to enhance lung cancer detection","authors":"Hui Chen, Luyao Wang, Dandan Fan, Pei Ma, Xuedian Zhang and Kailin Lin","doi":"10.1039/D5AN00685F","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5AN00685F","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Exosomes are critical biomarkers for early cancer diagnosis and prognosis due to their rich biological information. Nevertheless, analyzing exosomal biomarkers comprehensively remains challenging. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been employed to detect exosomes due to its high sensitivity and reliable fingerprint. However, most Raman signals originate from surface molecules rather than exosomal cargo, as the SERS effect decreases significantly beyond 10 nm from the metal surface, while exosomes have a lipid bilayer of approximately 5 nm thickness. Herein, we demonstrate the enhanced detection accuracy of lung cancer cells by exhaustively analyzing SERS signals of exosomes, including surface and internal biomarkers, using a smart and explainable deep learning model. Specifically, gold nanocube superlattices (GNSs) were prepared by the Marangoni effect-driven self-assembly to obtain SERS mapping signatures of lung cancer-derived exosomes. The gradient-based category activation mapping (Grad-CAM) augmented-deep learning model was then constructed to recognize the signal patterns of exosomes to identify the presence of lung cancer and simultaneously visualize crucial features in the SERS spectra that contributed to lung cancer detection. The model was trained using SERS signals from both surface and internal biomarkers derived from normal and lung cancer cells, achieving a classification accuracy of 98.95%. In contrast, when trained solely on surface biomarkers, the model achieved an accuracy of 96.35%. Moreover, Grad-CAM highlighted interpretable molecular signatures in the SERS spectral data, reflecting the network's decision-making logic. These findings demonstrate the power of combining SERS mapping of exosomal biomarkers with explainable deep learning, bridging the gap between model performance and human-understandable explanations.</p>","PeriodicalId":63,"journal":{"name":"Analyst","volume":" 19","pages":" 4332-4341"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144797511","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A pyrene-modified carbon nanodot as a fluorescence nanosensor for nitroaniline herbicide detection and smartphone-assisted RGB analysis using hydrogel detection kits","authors":"Dilek Öztürk, Vildan Sanko, Alireza Khataee, Erhan Demirbaş, Mahmut Durmuş, Serkan Yeşilot, Zafer Kılıç, Ümit Demirbaş, Ahmet Şenocak and Süreyya Oğuz Tümay","doi":"10.1039/D5AN00624D","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5AN00624D","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Nitroaniline herbicides are widely used to combat broadleaf weeds, yet their high toxicity and persistence raise serious environmental and health concerns. Effective and sensitive detection of these herbicides in complex matrices such as soil is therefore crucial. In this study, a novel pyrene-modified carbon nanodot (<strong>4</strong>) was developed and used as a fluorescence nanosensor for the sensitive detection of nitroaniline herbicides in soil samples. The chemical, thermal, and morphological characterization of <strong>4</strong> was conducted using FT-IR, UV-Vis, fluorescence spectroscopy, TEM, and particle size analysis. Detection conditions were optimized by evaluating parameters such as selectivity, photostability, sensor concentration, interaction time, and interference from competitive species. The detection limit (LOD) and quantification limit (LOQ) were found to be as low as 1.50 nmol L<small>⁻¹</small> and 4.97 nmol L<small>⁻¹</small>, respectively, with linear responses observed at nanomolar levels and high correlation coefficients. The proposed fluorometric method was validated through spike tests and GC-MS analyses, and successfully applied to detect nitroaniline herbicides <em>via</em> a fluorescence “turn-off” response in soil samples. The sensing mechanism was attributed to a photoinduced electron transfer process between the herbicides and <strong>4</strong>. The sensor demonstrated high sensitivity, selectivity, and rapid detection capability. Additionally, hydrogel detection kits were fabricated by immobilizing <strong>4</strong> in a gelatin matrix, with Red-Green-Blue (RGB) color changes monitored through a smartphone application.</p>","PeriodicalId":63,"journal":{"name":"Analyst","volume":" 19","pages":" 4320-4331"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144797509","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A bright, water-soluble far-red fluorescent probe for detecting thiols in both mitochondria and lysosomes in living cells","authors":"Arindam Mondal, Niharika Pareek, Abdul Raheman Khan, Suban K. Sahoo, Animesh Samanta and Subrata Dutta","doi":"10.1039/D5AN00660K","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5AN00660K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Biological thiols such as glutathione (GSH), cysteine (Cys), and homocysteine (Hcy) are important molecules that help to keep the redox balance inside cells. Their subcellular distribution varies across organelles such as mitochondria and lysosomes, and dysregulated thiol levels are implicated in various pathological conditions. Therefore, the development of effective biothiol sensors for subcellular imaging is of significant interest. In this study, we have reported a water-soluble, far-red fluorescent probe (<strong>QNB-DNBS</strong>) based on a boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) fluorophore modified with a quaternary ammonium group and conjugated with a DNBS quencher. The incorporation of a quaternary ammonium group on BODIPY enhances aqueous solubility and also acts as a mitochondria and lysosome-targeting moiety. <strong>QNB-DNBS</strong> remains weakly fluorescent upon excitation at 600 nm but exhibits a significant fluorescence enhancement at 630 nm (<em>Φ</em> = 0.61 in the presence of GSH) upon reaction with thiols. The probe demonstrates exceptional sensitivity, with detection limits of 1.2 nM for GSH, 1.9 nM for Cys, and 4.7 nM for Hcy. <strong>QNB-DNBS</strong> enables real-time fluorescence imaging of thiols in human blood serum samples and cancer cells and effectively monitors thiol depletion during ferroptosis. These findings highlight the potential of <strong>QNB-DNBS</strong> as a powerful tool for selective and real-time thiol detection in biological systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":63,"journal":{"name":"Analyst","volume":" 18","pages":" 4155-4168"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144797564","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Electrochemical and plasmonic detection methods yield comparable analytical performance for DNA hybridization","authors":"Nicolas Fontaine, Arielle Dauphin, Miriam Gaida, Rosalie Simard and Philippe Dauphin-Ducharme","doi":"10.1039/D5AN00741K","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5AN00741K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >DNA-based biosensors have been engineered for the measurement of different molecular targets. Depending on the means through which binding is transduced, this may introduce differences in analytical performance, especially when looking at the target's molecular weight and length. To address this question, we developed a combined approach of two commonly used transduction methods in DNA-based biosensors – electrochemistry and surface plasmon resonance – for concomitant surface interrogation. Specifically, we looked at the limits of detection and maximal responses of redox-reporter-modified DNA interfaces of increasing lengths binding to their complementary sequences. In doing so, along with comparable limits of detection, we observed that both methods produced similar sigmoidal target-responses that monotonically varied as a function of sequence length. We envision that our combined electrochemical-surface plasmon resonance (eSPR) approach showcases that SPR could be used as a first method to help engineer recognition elements before purchasing costly redox modifications, and in turn accelerate their translation into sensing platforms.</p>","PeriodicalId":63,"journal":{"name":"Analyst","volume":" 19","pages":" 4389-4394"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/an/d5an00741k?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144786933","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Extension of microscale surface ion conduction (μSIC) to the sensing of charged small molecules: application to per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFASs)","authors":"Md Ruhul Amin, Beatrise Berzina, Umesha Peramune and Robbyn K. Anand","doi":"10.1039/D5AN00584A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5AN00584A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Surface ion conduction-based sensing, which detects changes in ionic conductivity upon target binding, has been widely used for molecular detection. However, many sensors in this class, such as chemically modified solid-state nanopores, face challenges related to complex fabrication and inconsistent immobilization of target-specific probes at the nanoscale. In contrast, we previously introduced the microscale surface ion conduction (μSIC) sensor as a solution for detecting biological analytes. In this work, we demonstrate the adaptability of the μSIC sensor for organic pollutant detection, specifically targeting per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in drinking and brackish waters. By integrating C18 reversed-phase silica gel chromatographic beads as a solid substrate, we enable label-free, non-optical detection of PFASs. This approach offers several advantages, including being labor-efficient, portable, and cost-effective, compared to conventional detection methods. By integrating an additional preconcentration step using faradaic ion concentration polarization (fICP) with a lateral flow assay (LFA) (fICP–LFA), the sensor's sensitivity was increased almost 77 times while the limit of detection (LOD) of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) was improved 1137-fold. It was also observed that the shift in current (signal) produced by the sensor does not change significantly over a range of background electrolyte (BGE) concentrations spanning three orders of magnitude. This work is significant as it implements a chromatographic solid phase as a substrate for label-free sensing, creating an avenue to develop a new class of sensors or to monitor chromatographic interactions. Further, we demonstrate that the μSIC sensor can be adopted for non-biological molecules, and to the best of our knowledge, this work is the first surface charge-based detection of PFASs.</p>","PeriodicalId":63,"journal":{"name":"Analyst","volume":" 18","pages":" 4059-4069"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/an/d5an00584a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144786934","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of IgG stability in a low pH elution buffer using ATR-FTIR spectroscopic imaging and microfluidics","authors":"Céline van Haaren, Bernadette Byrne and Sergei G. Kazarian","doi":"10.1039/D5AN00664C","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5AN00664C","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) represent the largest class of biopharmaceuticals, playing a vital role in the treatment of a wide range of diseases. Although the production of high quality mAbs has significantly improved over the last three decades, particularly in terms of scale and yield, the antibody's complex nature poses several challenges during bioprocessing. One of the main challenges in the production of mAbs is the formation of aggregates, which may cause harmful immunogenic responses in patients if not removed from the final drug product. Exposure to a low pH environment during protein A chromatography and viral inactivation is thought to be the major contributor to aggregate formation and has therefore been a topic of study for many years. Here, we investigate the stability of an IgG4 mAb in a low pH elution buffer (pH 3.5) under flow using ATR-FTIR spectroscopic imaging. This method, making use of a microfluidic set-up, enables non-destructive monitoring of mAb structural stability under bioprocessing-relevant conditions. Samples were (i) prepared through dialysis into the elution buffer and (ii) collected directly after elution from the protein A column, after which their stability was assessed under flow at two different temperatures (30 °C and 45 °C). Spectroscopic images and associated IR absorption spectra revealed that in both cases the protein in the low pH buffer underwent small, but measurable, structural changes at 30 °C. However, at 45 °C, the protein rapidly aggregated as indicated by a major shift in the Amide I peak position from 1637 cm<small>⁻¹</small> to 1625 cm<small>⁻¹</small>, representing formation of inter-molecular beta sheets. These results confirm the destabilising effect of the low pH environment and demonstrate the applicability of ATR-FTIR spectroscopic imaging in combination with microfluidics as a powerful analytical tool for the analysis of protein structural stability under flow.</p>","PeriodicalId":63,"journal":{"name":"Analyst","volume":" 18","pages":" 4201-4210"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/an/d5an00664c?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144786935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Revealing the different effects induced by antipsychotic drugs using an electrochemical microsensor to measure exocytosis in living cells","authors":"Wenxue Chen, Xuefeng Wang, Yuan Zhang, Zihui Li, Haoliang Li, Qiongya Wan, Xinxin Li, Dan Zheng and Pengcheng Xu","doi":"10.1039/D5AN00606F","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5AN00606F","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Real-time monitoring of neurotransmitter release in living cells is crucial for understanding neural functions and the efficacy of drug actions. Here, we developed an electrochemical microsensor chip using a multidimensional nanosensitive material (MNG-1) that detects dopamine (DA) with high sensitivity, enabling real-time analysis of exocytosis in living cells. Our sensor-based technique does not require advanced equipment and can detect single exocytotic events using a standard electrochemical workstation and a small Faraday cage, allowing for rapid and statistically significant data collection. We investigated the mechanisms of action of antipsychotic drugs (APs) and found that, in addition to antagonizing DA receptors, APs also influence DA release from living cells. Our experiments demonstrated that haloperidol, sulpiride, and chlorpromazine affect DA secretion from PC12 cells differently, with haloperidol significantly inhibiting secretion. Moreover, increased haloperidol concentration reduced the quantity of DA secreted. This study offers a simple, efficient, and low-cost method for real-time quantitative exocytosis research, with significant potential in neuroscience and drug mechanism research.</p>","PeriodicalId":63,"journal":{"name":"Analyst","volume":" 18","pages":" 4122-4130"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144778690","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rapid and accurate biological sex estimation by LAP-MALDI MS analysis of child teeth","authors":"Lily R. Adair, Mary E. Lewis and Rainer Cramer","doi":"10.1039/D5AN00636H","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5AN00636H","url":null,"abstract":"<p >We recently introduced a new rapid workflow for biological sex estimation of human skeletal remains from archaeological sites based on LAP-MALDI MS and MS/MS analysis of amelogenin peptides extracted from tooth enamel. With this workflow, a simple classification rule for biological sex estimation was established using panels of MS and MS/MS ion signals. Importantly, the employed LAP-MALDI analysis required only a single 1 μL sample droplet and no further peptide separation. Here, we present the application of this rapid workflow and associated classification rule to a set of nine teeth from individuals of unknown biological sex dating to the medieval period (900–1540 CE), including teeth from four children, which were also assessed by conventional osteology. For the five teeth from adult skeletons, the recorded LAP-MALDI MS and MS/MS ion signal panels led to a 100% agreement in the assignment of the biological sex between osteology and LAP-MALDI. Such ion signal panels also provided biological sex estimation for the four child teeth, including three deciduous teeth. Two of these estimates agreed with the osteological assessment. The other two were not in agreement with the osteological assessment. In one case, predominately female osteological characteristics were obtained, while LAP-MALDI analysis clearly identified the individual as male owing to the unambiguous detection of the Y-chromosomal amelogenin peptide SM<small>_ox</small>IRPPY. In the other case, male osteological characteristics were found, but the osteological assessment was more ambiguous and LAP-MALDI analysis could not detect any MS or MS/MS ion signals of SM<small>_ox</small>IRPPY that would have substantiated a male assignment.</p>","PeriodicalId":63,"journal":{"name":"Analyst","volume":" 18","pages":" 4051-4058"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/an/d5an00636h?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144769926","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}