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Ganesan M, Selvan Christyraj JRS, Venkatachalam S, Yesudhason BV, Chelladurai KS, Mohan M, Kalimuthu K, Narkhede YB, Christyraj JDS. Foldscope microscope, an inexpensive alternative tool to conventional microscopy-Applications in research and education: A review. Microsc Res Tech 2022; 85:3484-3494. [PMID: 35876424 DOI: 10.1002/jemt.24205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Microscope is a device used for the visualization of tiny objects which are not visible to the naked eye. Traditional microscopes have been crucial for the advancement of contemporary science and medicine. Recent advancements in the field of microscopy have fueled its exponential growth rate. However, due to their expensive cost and complicated structure, modern microscopes remain inaccessible to the majority of the public. Nonetheless, the foldscope paper microscope has made it possible for anyone to explore and understand the world of microbes and organisms. In this review, we have listed foldscope-based research projects in various domains, as well as their key properties when compared to traditional research microscopes. In addition, we have briefly explored the impact of a foldscope microscope on public health, clinical diagnostics, forensic science, agriculture, basic science, developmental biology, and education. Moreover, the major drawbacks of paper microscopes and the current steps being taken to upgrade foldscope and its features are discussed in this review. Finally, we have concluded with our perspective that the microscope may be updated to imitate the advancement of a conventional microscope. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The foldscope, a low-cost instrument for studying the microscopic world. Foldscope applications were compared to conventional microscopes in many sectors. The foldscope microscope's existing limitations and potential prospects are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mijithra Ganesan
- Regeneration and Stem Cell Biology Lab, Centre for Molecular and Nanomedical Sciences, International Research Centre, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Johnson Retnaraj Samuel Selvan Christyraj
- Regeneration and Stem Cell Biology Lab, Centre for Molecular and Nanomedical Sciences, International Research Centre, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Saravanakumar Venkatachalam
- Regeneration and Stem Cell Biology Lab, Centre for Molecular and Nanomedical Sciences, International Research Centre, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Beryl Vedha Yesudhason
- Regeneration and Stem Cell Biology Lab, Centre for Molecular and Nanomedical Sciences, International Research Centre, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Karthikeyan Subbiahanadar Chelladurai
- Regeneration and Stem Cell Biology Lab, Centre for Molecular and Nanomedical Sciences, International Research Centre, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Manikandan Mohan
- College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.,VAXIGEN International Research Center Private Limited, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Kalishwaralal Kalimuthu
- Division of Cancer Research, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - Yogesh B Narkhede
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame du Lac, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Jackson Durairaj Selvan Christyraj
- Regeneration and Stem Cell Biology Lab, Centre for Molecular and Nanomedical Sciences, International Research Centre, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
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Hasandka A, Singh AR, Prabhu A, Singhal HR, Nandagopal MSG, Mani NK. Paper and thread as media for the frugal detection of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Anal Bioanal Chem 2022; 414:847-865. [PMID: 34668042 PMCID: PMC8724062 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-021-03671-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) make up a significant proportion of the global burden of disease in vulnerable groups and tend to substantially impair the quality of life of those affected, making timely detection of UTIs a priority for public health. However, economic and societal barriers drastically reduce accessibility of traditional lab-based testing methods for critical patient groups in low-resource areas, negatively affecting their overall healthcare outcomes. As a result, cellulose-based materials such as paper and thread have garnered significant interest among researchers as substrates for so-called frugal analytical devices which leverage the material's portability and adaptability for facile and reproducible diagnoses of UTIs. Although the field may be only in its infancy, strategies aimed at commercial penetration can appreciably increase access to more healthcare options for at-risk people. In this review, we catalogue recent advances in devices that use cellulose-based materials as the primary housing or medium for UTI detection and chart out trends in the field. We also explore different modalities employed for detection, with particular emphasis on their ability to be ported onto discreet casings such as sanitary products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amrutha Hasandka
- Microfluidics, Sensors and Diagnostics Laboratory (μSenD), Department of Biotechnology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Ankita Ramchandran Singh
- Microfluidics, Sensors and Diagnostics Laboratory (μSenD), Department of Biotechnology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Anusha Prabhu
- Microfluidics, Sensors and Diagnostics Laboratory (μSenD), Department of Biotechnology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Hardik Ramesh Singhal
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - M S Giri Nandagopal
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India
| | - Naresh Kumar Mani
- Microfluidics, Sensors and Diagnostics Laboratory (μSenD), Department of Biotechnology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India.
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Abstract
More than 60 years ago, Richard Feynman gave a lecture titled "There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom: An Invitation to Enter a New Field of Physics", where he called on others to join the then-nascent field of nanotechnology. In a similar spirit, we wish to invite chemists, biologists, physicists, bioengineers, educators, high school students, and inventors of all backgrounds to join us in the emerging field of frugal science. In this Review, we define frugal science and use six case studies to describe the broad applications of frugal science, from synthetic biology to disease diagnostics. We conclude by establishing an argument for curiosity-driven research through frugal science to enable broader access in chemical and bioengineering research and drive innovation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Byagathvalli
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Elio J Challita
- Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30311, United States
| | - M Saad Bhamla
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
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Parmar DP, Rathod JS, Karkhanawala MM, Bhole PK, Rathod DS. Foldscope: A smartphone based diagnostic tool for fungal keratitis. Indian J Ophthalmol 2021; 69:2836-2840. [PMID: 34571644 PMCID: PMC8597444 DOI: 10.4103/ijo.ijo_3331_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Smartphone-based microscopy tool like foldscope (FS) may serve the purpose of a low-cost diagnostic alternative to the compound light microscope especially in areas with limited resources. The purpose of this study was to detect fungal pathogens causing keratitis on direct smear by smartphone-mounted FS and to evaluate the efficacy of FS against routine compound light microscope (CLM). Methods: The prospective study was conducted at a tertiary eye care center from September 2019 to March 2020. The study included 60 smear examinations (Gram stain [GM] n = 30, Lactophenol Cotton Blue [LCB] n = 30) to detect fungal pathogens from corneal scraping material of clinically suspected fungal keratitis (FK) cases. The diagnostic utility of FS was compared with CLM for both GM and LCB wet mount. Data collected were used to quantify the agreement using Cohen’s kappa between CLM and FS imaging. Results: Forty-six samples out of 60 were positive for fungi using CLM. GM stain and LCB showed 22/30 (73.33%) and 24/30 (80%) positive results with CLM, respectively. Moderate agreement (0.49) was observed between CLM and FS with the smartphone method. LCB mount showed high specificity of 1.00 over 0.87 of GM stain for FS with the smartphone. Conclusion: Direct smear can be an early and sensitive measure to diagnose FK other than clinical suspicion. The smartphone-mounted FS has limited sensitivity as an alternative to CLM, but excellent specificity in the present study for FK. The FS as a smartphone-based diagnostic tool is simple, portable, and inexpensive in resource-constrained rural or remote clinical and public health settings in the absence of CLM and other higher diagnostic modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipali P Parmar
- M and J Institute of Ophthalmology, (Government Eye Hospital), B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
| | - Jay S Rathod
- M and J Institute of Ophthalmology, (Government Eye Hospital), B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
| | | | - Pradnya K Bhole
- M and J Institute of Ophthalmology, (Government Eye Hospital), B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
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Burrington LR, Baryal E, Hui K, Lambert E, Harding ST, Oza JP. The Fold-Illuminator: A low-cost, portable, and disposable incubator-illuminator device. Synth Syst Biotechnol 2021; 6:95-101. [PMID: 33997359 PMCID: PMC8099501 DOI: 10.1016/j.synbio.2021.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Fluorescent reporters have revolutionized modern applications in the fields of molecular and synthetic biology, enabling applications ranging from education to point-of-care diagnostics. Past advancements in these fields have primarily focused on improving reaction conditions, the development of new applications, and the broad dissemination of these technologies. However, field and classroom-based applications have remained limited in part due to the nature of fluorescent signal detection, which often requires the use of costly lab equipment to observe and quantify fluorescence readouts. Users without access to laboratory equipment rely on qualitative assessments of fluorescence, a process that remains highly variable from user-to-user even within the same classroom. To overcome this challenge, we have developed a foldable illuminator and incubator device to support field-applications of synthetic biology-based biosensors for education and diagnostics. The Fold-Illuminator is an affordable, portable, and recyclable device that allows for the visible detection of fluorescent biomolecules. The Fold-Illuminator's design allows for assembly in under 10 min, a user can then utilize the optional heating element to incubate biochemical reactions and visualize fluorescence outputs in a defined and light-controlled environment. Interchangeable LED strips and light-filtering screens provide modularity to pair with the fluorescence wavelengths of interest. The user can then unfold the device for convenient storage, transport, or even recycling. The cost for the Fold-Illuminator is $5.58 USD and is compatible with an optional heating element for an additional $3.98 cost, with potential for further reductions in cost for larger quantities. Open-source templates for cutting device parts from paper stock are provided for both printing and cutting by hand; cutting can also be achieved with consumer-grade smart cutting machines such as the Cricut®. Combined with the broad applications of fluorescent reporters, the Fold-Illuminator has the potential to improve access to fluorescence visualization and quantification for new users as well as emerging field applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan R Burrington
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, College of Science and Math, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93407, USA
| | - Emran Baryal
- Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93407, USA
| | - Katherine Hui
- Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93407, USA
| | - Emmett Lambert
- Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93407, USA
| | - Sarah T Harding
- Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93407, USA
| | - Javin P Oza
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, College of Science and Math, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93407, USA
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