ABSTRACT
The additive manufacturing, also known as 3D-printing, allows for a complete control over the entire manufacturing process that can be tuned to any application. In recent years, it has been tested for its role in various areas like environmental contaminant monitoring, providing solutions for the energy generation and storage and healthcare. To encourage sustainable detection platforms for the pollutants, the sensing electrodes have been reported to be 3D printed because of enhanced electrochemical properties coming from the high surface area of the printed materials. In general, the conventional methods of electrode preparation are time consuming, expensive, and mostly not adaptable. 3D printing however, negates all these challenges. Similarly, in the energy generation and storage field, the rapid and lightweight materials used during 3D printing make them viable and suitable alternative. Since 3D printing is a bottom-up method for the fabrication, the amount of raw material consumed can be tuned and the by-products or wastage minimized. Apart from these demanding areas, additive manufacturing, in last 2 years which witnessed epidemic outspread, has supported health sector immensely in fight against COVID. 3D printing allowed the rapid manufacturing of COVID-19 detection kits and helped maintain the COVID-19 safeguards in place. Sample collection swabs, respirators and other components of the PPE kits were among many products developed using 3D printing during the pandemic. Keeping these things in mind, this review encapsulates the use of 3 D printing for energy application, detection of water and biological contaminants and as safeguard tool during covid pandemic.
ABSTRACT
Consistently emerging variants and the life-threatening consequences of SARS-CoV-2 have prompted worldwide concern about human health, necessitating rapid and accurate point-of-care diagnostics to limit the spread of COVID-19. Still, However, the availability of such diagnostics for COVID-19 remains a major rate-limiting factor in containing the outbreaks. Apart from the conventional reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, loop-mediated isothermal amplification-based (LAMP) assays have emerged as rapid and efficient systems to detect COVID-19. The present study aims to develop RT-LAMP-based assay system for detecting multiple targets in N, ORF1ab, E, and S genes of the SARS-CoV-2 genome, where the end-products were quantified using spectrophotometry, paper-based lateral-flow devices, and electrochemical sensors. The spectrophotometric method shows a LOD of 10 agµL-1 for N, ORF1ab, E genes and 100 agµL-1 for S gene in SARS-CoV-2. The developed lateral-flow devices showed an LOD of 10 agµL-1 for all four gene targets in SARS-CoV-2. An electrochemical sensor developed for N-gene showed an LOD and E-strip sensitivity of log 1.79 ± 0.427 pgµL-1 and log 0.067 µA/pg µL-1/mm2, respectively. The developed assay systems were validated with the clinical samples from COVID-19 outbreaks in 2020 and 2021. This multigene target approach can effectively detect emerging COVID-19 variants using combination of various analytical techniques at testing facilities and in point-of-care settings.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , SARS-CoV-2 , Humans , SARS-CoV-2/genetics , COVID-19/diagnosis , Sensitivity and Specificity , Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques/methods , Molecular Diagnostic Techniques/methods , RNA, Viral/geneticsABSTRACT
The outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 global pandemic (COVID-19) has affected billions of lives, posing critical challenges to the healthcare system, vaccine manufacturers, packaging scientists, and daily public activity. Biotechnological advances have allowed to create rapidly vaccines, yet the success of an efficient immunization mainly depends on the safe and timely delivery of vaccines. In particular, packaging plays a crucial role in protecting, preserving, transporting, and distributing vaccines. Here, we review advanced packaging for distribution and storage of COVID-19 vaccines, with focus on innovative hybrid packaging materials, cyclic olefin polymers with nanolayer glass, and vials for vaccines. We present vaccine packaging, auto-disable syringes, stoppers, and closures. We discuss the chronology of the packaging system, and the labeling of the vaccine packages, with emphasis on bar codes, quick response codes, vaccine vial monitors, anti-counterfeiting and traceability measures.
ABSTRACT
COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone throughout the world and has resulted in the loss of lives of many souls. Due to the restless efforts of the researchers working hard day and night, some success has been gained for the detection of virus. As on date, the traditional polymerized chain reactions (PCR), lateral flow devices (LFID) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) are being adapted for the detection of this deadly virus. However, a more exciting avenue is the detection of certain biomarkers associated with this viral infection which can be done by simply re-purposing our existing infrastructure. SARS-CoV-2 viral infection triggers various inflammatory, biochemical and hematological biomarkers. Because of the infection route that the virus follows, it causes significant inflammatory response. As a result, various inflammatory markers have been reported to be closely associated with this infection such as C-reactive proteins, interleukin-6, procalcitonin and ferritin. Sensing of these biomarkers can simultaneously help in understanding the illness level of the affected patient. Also, by monitoring these biomarkers, we can predict the viral infections in those patients who have low SARS-CoV-2 RNA and hence are missed by traditional tests. This can give more targets to the researchers and scientists, working in the area of drug development and provide better prognosis. In this review, we propose to highlight the conventional as well as the non-conventional methods for the detection of these inflammatory biomarkers which can act as a single platform of knowledge for the researchers and scientists working for the treatment of COVID-19.