Cotton-based diagnostic devices.
A good diagnostic procedure avoids wasting medical resources, is easy to use, resists contamination, and provides accurate information quickly to allow for rapid follow-up therapies. We developed a novel diagnostic procedure using a "cotton-based diagnostic device" capable of real-time detection, i.e., in vitro diagnostics (IVD), which avoids reagent contamination problems common to existing biomedical devices and achieves the abovementioned goals of economy, efficiency, ease of use, and speed. Our research reinforces the advantages of an easy-to-use, highly accurate diagnostic device created from an inexpensive and readily available U.S. FDA-approved material (i.e., cotton as flow channel and chromatography paper as reaction zone) that adopts a standard calibration curve method in a buffer system (i.e., nitrite, BSA, urobilinogen and uric acid assays) to accurately obtain semi-quantitative information and limit the cross-contamination common to multiple-use tools. Our system, which specifically targets urinalysis diagnostics and employs a multiple biomarker approach, requires no electricity, no professional training, and is exceptionally portable for use in remote or home settings. This could be particularly useful in less industrialized areas.
Institute of Nanoengineering and Microsystems, National Tsing Hua University, No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan.
Shang-Chi
SC
Lin
1] Institute of Nanoengineering and Microsystems, National Tsing Hua University, No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan [2] Department of Ophthalmology, Taichung Veteran General Hospital, No.1650, Sec. 4, Taiwan Blvd., Xitun Dist., Taichung City 407, Taiwan.
Min-Yen
MY
Hsu
Institute of Nanoengineering and Microsystems, National Tsing Hua University, No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan.
Chen-Meng
CM
Kuan
Institute of Nanoengineering and Microsystems, National Tsing Hua University, No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan.
Hsi-Kai
HK
Wang
Department of Nephrology, Taichung Veteran General Hospital, No.1650, Sec. 4, Taiwan Blvd., Xitun Dist., Taichung City 407, Taiwan.
Chia-Ling
CL
Chang
Department of Engineering and System Science, National Tsing Hua University, No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan.
Fan-Gang
FG
Tseng
Institute of Nanoengineering and Microsystems, National Tsing Hua University, No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan.
Chao-Min
CM
Cheng
D003124:Colorimetry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D032561:Cotton Fiber; D019937:Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D016482:Urinalysis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods