A rapid assay provides on-site quantification of tetrahydrocannabinol in oral fluid.

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive ingredient of cannabis, impairs cognitive and motor function in a concentration-dependent fashion. Drug testing is commonly performed for employment and law enforcement purposes; however, available tests produce low-sensitive binary results (lateral flow assays) or have long turnaround (gas chromatography­mass spectrometry). To enable on-site THC quantification in minutes, we developed a rapid assay for oral THC analysis called EPOCH (express probe for on-site cannabis inhalation). EPOCH features distinctive sensor design such as a radial membrane and transmission optics, all contained in a compact cartridge. This integrated approach permitted assay completion within 5 min with a detection limit of 0.17 ng/ml THC, which is below the regulatory guideline (1 ng/ml). As a proof of concept for field testing, we applied EPOCH to assess oral fluid samples from cannabis users (n = 43) and controls (n = 43). EPOCH detected oral THC in all specimens from cannabis smokers (median concentration, 478 ng/ml) and THC-infused food consumers. Longitudinal monitoring showed a fast drop in THC concentrations within the first 6 hours of cannabis smoking (half-life, 1.4 hours).

High-Throughput Synthesis of Liposome Using an Injection-Molded Plastic Micro-Fluidic Device.

For mass production of liposomes, we designed a plastic micro-channel device on the basis of 5 µm of micro-nozzle array forming T-junction with 100 µm depth of micro-channel. A micro-channel unit for synthesizing liposomes consisted of two micro-nozzle arrays for mixing two solutions as well as delivery and recovery channels for supplying solutions and collecting liposome suspension. The number of micro-nozzles was approximately 2400 for a micro-channel unit, and seven units were applied independently on a micro-channel plate. The plastic micro-channel plate was injection-molded for mass production using a micro-channel stamper previously fabricated by UV lithography and nickel electroforming process. A plastic cover plate with seven pairs of inlet and outlet ports was machined by mechanical milling and drilling and was assembled with a micro-channel plate using a holder to form a liposome synthesizing device. Flow and mixing of solutions in the micro-channels were tested using colored water to check the micro-fluidic characteristics of the device. Finally, a L-α-phosphatidylcholine (SOY PC) liposome was synthesized using EtOH solution of SOY PC (95%) and saline (0.85% NaOH solution) to find that the liposomes were around 230 and 260 nm in diameter, depending on the flow rate of the lipid solution.

The effect of the sagittal plane osteotomy inclination on the posterior tibial slope in medial open wedge HTO: experimental study with a square column model.

BACKGROUND: Medial open-wedge high tibial osteotomy (HTO) is an effective and safe treatment method for medial osteoarthritis of the knee. However, unintended changes in the posterior tibial slope (PTS) may occur. Several factors cause PTS alterations after medial open-wedge HTO; however, research on sagittal-plane osteotomy inclination (SPOI) in relation to the PTS is sparse. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the SPOI affects changes in the PTS after medial open-wedge HTO. The hypothesis was that an SPOI parallel to the PTS causes no change in the PTS after medial open-wedge HTO. METHODS: A square column model with a 10° posterior slope was produced using two three-dimensional (3D) programs and a 3D printer. Then, a series of medial open-wedge HTO procedures was performed on the square column model through virtual simulation using the two 3D programs, and an actual simulation was conducted using a 3D printer, a testing machine and a measurement system. The SPOI was divided into four types: ① SPOI 20° (posterior-inclined 10° osteotomy), ② SPOI 10° (osteotomy parallel to posterior slope), ③ SPOI 0° (anterior-inclined 10° osteotomy), and ④ SPOI - 10° (anterior-inclined 20° osteotomy). The correction angle was increased at intervals of 5° from 0° to 30°. The change in posterior slope was measured in the sagittal plane. RESULTS: The posterior slope was increased in SPOI 20° (posterior-inclined 10° osteotomy), maintained in SPOI 10° (osteotomy parallel to posterior slope), and decreased in SPOI 0° (anterior-inclined 10° osteotomy) and SPOI - 10° (anterior-inclined 20° osteotomy) based on the correction angle. CONCLUSIONS: In this study using a square column model, the SPOI affected the change in the PTS, and an SPOI parallel to the PTS caused no change in the PTS after medial open-wedge HTO.

Hydrogen production by electrochemical reaction using ethylene glycol with terephthalic acid.

In this study, ethylene glycol (EG) and terephthalic acid (TPA) were used to generate hydrogen using copper electrodes in an alkaline aqueous solution and the corresponding reaction mechanism was experimentally investigated. Both EG and TPA produced hydrogen; however, TPA consumed OH-, inhibiting the production of intermediary compounds of EG and causing EG to actively react with H2O, ultimately leading to enhanced hydrogen production. In addition, the initiation potential of water decomposition of the EG and TPA alkaline aqueous solution was 1.0 V; when 1.8 V (vs. RHE) was applied, the hydrogen production reached 440 mmol L-1, which was substantially greater than the hydrogen production rate of 150 mmol L-1 during water decomposition.

Correction: Hydrogen production by electrochemical reaction using ethylene glycol with terephthalic acid.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/D0RA10187G.].

Co-intercalation of Mg(2+) and Na(+) in Na(0.69)Fe2(CN)6 as a High-Voltage Cathode for Magnesium Batteries.

Thanks to the advantages of low cost and good safety, magnesium metal batteries get the limelight as substituent for lithium ion batteries. However, the energy density of state-of-the-art magnesium batteries is not high enough because of their low operating potential; thus, it is necessary to improve the energy density by developing new high-voltage cathode materials. In this study, nanosized Berlin green Fe2(CN)6 and Prussian blue Na(0.69)Fe2(CN)6 are compared as high-voltage cathode materials for magnesium batteries. Interestingly, while Mg(2+) ions cannot be intercalated in Fe2(CN)6, Na(0.69)Fe2(CN)6 shows reversible intercalation and deintercalation of Mg(2+) ions, although they have the same crystal structure except for the presence of Na(+) ions. This phenomenon is attributed to the fact that Mg(2+) ions are more stable in Na(+)-containing Na(0.69)Fe2(CN)6 than in Na(+)-free Fe2(CN)6, indicating Na(+) ions in Na(0.69)Fe2(CN)6 plays a crucial role in stabilizing Mg(2+) ions. Na(0.69)Fe2(CN)6 delivers reversible capacity of approximately 70 mA h g(-1) at 3.0 V vs Mg/Mg(2+) and shows stable cycle performance over 35 cycles. Therefore, Prussian blue analogues are promising structures for high-voltage cathode materials in Mg batteries. Furthermore, this co-intercalation effect suggests new avenues for the development of cathode materials in hybrid magnesium batteries that use both Mg(2+) and Na(+) ions as charge carriers.

Magnesium(II) bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl) imide-based electrolytes with wide electrochemical windows for rechargeable magnesium batteries.

We present a promising electrolyte candidate, Mg(TFSI)2 dissolved in glyme/diglyme, for future design of advanced magnesium (Mg) batteries. This electrolyte shows high anodic stability on an aluminum current collector and allows Mg stripping at the Mg electrode and Mg deposition on the stainless steel or the copper electrode. It is clearly shown that nondendritic and agglomerated Mg secondary particles composed of ca. 50 nm primary particles alleviating safety concern are formed in glyme/diglyme with 0.3 M Mg(TFSI)2 at a high rate of 1C. Moreover, a Mg(TFSI)2-based electrolyte presents the compatibility toward a Chevrel phase Mo6S8, a radical polymer charged up to a high voltage of 3.4 V versus Mg/Mg(2+) and a carbon-sulfur composite as cathodes.