Electrochemical Sensors Applied for In vitro Diagnosis

Electrochemical sensing technology has received extensive attention from researchers for its unique detection and analysis methods as well as the promising applications in clinical diagnosis.Compared with other detection methods,such as capillary electrophoresis,high‐performance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry,the electrochemical sensor overcomes the disadvantages of expensive cost and complicated operation,as an ideal device for in vitro detection.In this article,we mainly introduce some methods for the detection of biologically important compounds and cancer biomarkers,and briefly summarize the characteristics of these methods at first.And then,we also focus on the latest research progress in the application of electrochemical sensing technology to biologically important compounds’and cancer biomarkers’detection.Finally,the development trend and challenges of electrochemical sensing technology for in vitro diagnosis are also prospected.

A delayed diagnosis of unsuspected retinoblastoma in an in vitro fertilisation infant with retinopathy of prematurity

Dear Editor,I am Dr.Tian Tian,from the Department of Ophthalmology,Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine,Shanghai,China.I write to present a rare case report of a delayed diagnosis of unsuspected retinoblastoma（RB）in an in vitro fertilisation（IVF）infant with retinopathy of prematurity.

Membranes for the life sciences and their future roles in medicine

Since the global outbreak of COVID-19,membrane technology for clinical treatments,including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO)and protective masks and clothing,has attracted intense research attention for its irreplaceable abilities.Membrane research and applications are now playing an increasingly important role in various fields of life science.In addition to intrinsic properties such as size sieving,dissolution and diffusion,membranes are often endowed with additional functions as cell scaffolds,catalysts or sensors to satisfy the specific requirements of different clinical applications.In this review,we will introduce and discuss state-of-the-art membranes and their respective functions in four typical areas of life science:artificial organs,tissue engineering,in vitro blood diagnosis and medical support.Emphasis will be given to the description of certain specific functions required of membranes in each field to provide guidance for the selection and fabrication of the membrane material.The advantages and disadvantages of these membranes have been compared to indicate further development directions for different clinical applications.Finally,we propose challenges and outlooks for future development.

Application of adaptive pressure-driven microfluidic chip in thyroid function measurement

The improvement in accuracy of in vitro diagnosis has always been the focus of early screening of thyroid dysfunction.We constructed a microfluidic chip based on a polystyrene polymer substrate.Total triiodothyronine(TT3),total thyroxine(TT4),free triiodothyronine(FT3),free thyroxine(FT4),and thyrotropin(TSH) in human whole blood samples were analysed by fluorescence immunoassay to evaluate thyroid function.The results indicate that the microfluidic chip shows a good linear relationship in the detection of TT3,TT4,FT3,FT4,and TS H standards,and the correlation coefficient(r) is not less than0.9900.In addition,the chip also has strong anti-interference(RSD%≤5%) and good repeatability(CV≤8%),and its inter-batch differences are small(CV ≤15%).The results of practical application in clinical thyroid function mea surement indicated its high accuracy(r≥0.9900).It provides a new method for the determination of thyroid function and lays a foundation for subsequent clinical application.