Enisa Omanovic-Miklicanin

A chemiluminescence sensor for the determination of hydrogen peroxide

A chemiluminescence one-shot sensor for hydrogen peroxide is described. It is prepared by immobilization of cobalt chloride and sodium lauryl sulphate in hydroxyethyl cellulose matrix cast on a microscope cover glass. Luminol, sodium phosphate and the sample are mixed before use and applied on the membrane by a micropipette. The calibration graph is linear in the range 20-1600mug/L, and the detection limit of the method (3sigma) is 9mug/L. A relative standard deviation of 4.5% was obtained for 100mug/L H(2)O(2) (n=11). The sensor has been applied successfully to the determination of hydrogen peroxide in rainwater.

Application of isothermal titration calorimetry in evaluation of protein–nanoparticle interactions

Nanoparticles (NPs) offer a number of advantages over small organic molecules for controlling protein behaviour inside the cell. Protein binding to the surface of NPs depends on their surface characteristics, composition and method of preparation (Mandal et al. in J Hazard Mater 248–249:238–245, 2013). It is important to understand the binding affinities, stoichiometries and thermodynamical parameters of NP–protein interactions in order to see which interaction will have toxic and hazardous consequences and thus to prevent it. On the other side, because proteins are on the brink of stability, they may experience interactions with some types of NPs that are strong enough to cause denaturation or significantly change their conformations with concomitant loss of their biological function. Structural changes in the protein may cause exposure of new antigenic sites, “cryptic” peptide epitopes, potentially triggering an immune response which can promote autoimmune disease (Treuel et al. in ACS Nano 8(1):503–513, 2014). Mechanistic details of protein structural changes at NP surface have still remained elusive. Understanding the formation and persistence of the protein corona is critical issue; however, there are no many analytical methods which could provide detailed information about the NP–protein interaction characteristics and about protein structural changes caused by interactions with nanoparticles. The article reviews recent studies in NP–protein interactions research and application of isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) in this research. The study of protein structural changes upon adsorption on nanoparticle surface and application of ITC in these studies is emphasized. The data illustrate that ITC is a versatile tool for evaluation of interactions between NPs and proteins. When coupled with other analytical methods, it is important analytical tool for monitoring conformational changes in proteins.

Development of new chemiluminescence biosensors for determination of biogenic amines in meat

Development of chemiluminescence one-shot biosensors for determination of biogenic amines is described and compared with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method coupled with pre-column derivatisation. The biosensors are based on enzymatic oxidation to 4-aminobutyraldehyde with putrescine oxidase or diamine oxidase as catalysts. The lowest measured concentration for the biosensor with putrescine oxidase was 1mg/L. The detection limit, calculated as 3σ value, was 0.8mg/L. The biosensor with diamine oxidase had the lowest measured concentration of 1mg/L of putrescine. Detection limit, calculated as 3σ value, was 1.3mg/L. Biosensors were tested on five different meat samples, and the results were compared with HPLC coupled with pre-column derivatization. Results showed that new biosensors could be used in determination of putrescine concentration in meat samples but improvements, such as sample pretreatment before determination or design of interference free biosensor, are required.

Cost Effectiveness and Increasing of Accuracy of Medical Devices In Legal Metrology System: Case Study Bosnia and Herzegovina

Appropriate treatment of patients largely depends on the correct and accurate diagnosis of medical experts. When diagnosing diseases and treating patients, medical personnel rely on results from tests received using various medical devices. Medical devices are classified as products of special importance for retaining the health of many people, and as such are subject to numerous regulatory investigations that determine the entire life-cycle of the devices, from production, sales, use and disposal. The aspect of safety, accuracy and precision, that is, the functionality of medical devices, is becoming increasingly important given that during the use of medical devices various factors lead to the degradation of performance. In this case, a strict, professional and independent inspection of the functionality of medical devices is of the utmost importance for ensuring precise diagnostics and treatment of the patient. The safety aspect of medical devices in health care is regulated worldwide by various agencies or by the application of international standards in healthcare facilities that ensure that the functionality of medical devices is checked at least once a year. Also, the introduction of medical devices into legal metrology in all countries of the world has made great strides in increasing safety, accuracy and quality of medical services, resulting in optimization of maintenance costs for medical devices. The aim of this study, with the help of statistical and economic methods, is to analyse the connections between a number of medical devices over which periodic inspection was initiated with increasing accuracy and safety of them, and to present and quantify the cause-effect reaction in the form of cost reduction for medical institutions.

Overview of Next-generation Sequencing Platforms Used in Published Draft Plant Genomes in Light of Genotypization of Immortelle Plant (Helichrysium Arenarium) -

Introduction: Major advancements in DNA sequencing methods introduced in the first decade of the new millennium initiated a rapid expansion of sequencing studies, which yielded a tremendous amount of DNA sequence data, including whole sequenced genomes of various species, including plants. A set of novel sequencing platforms, often collectively named as “next-generation sequencing” (NGS) completely transformed the life sciences, by allowing extensive throughput, while greatly reducing the necessary time, labor and cost of any sequencing endeavor. Purpose: of this paper is to present an overview NGS platforms used to produce the current compendium of published draft genomes of various plants, namely the Roche/454, ABI/SOLiD, and Solexa/Illumina, and to determine the most frequently used platform for the whole genome sequencing of plants in light of genotypization of immortelle plant. Materials and methods: 45 papers were selected (with 47 presented plant genome draft sequences), and utilized sequencing techniques and NGS platforms (Roche/454, ABI/SOLiD and Illumina/Solexa) in selected papers were determined. Subsequently, frequency of usage of each platform or combination of platforms was calculated. Results: Illumina/Solexa platforms are by used either as sole sequencing tool in 40.42% of published genomes, or in combination with other platforms - additional 48.94% of published genomes, followed by Roche/454 platforms, used in combination with traditional Sanger sequencing method (10.64%), and never as a sole tool. ABI/SOLiD was only used in combination with Illumina/Solexa and Roche/454 in 4.25% of publications. Conclusions: Illumina/Solexa platforms are by far most preferred by researchers, most probably due to most affordable sequencing costs. Taking into consideration the current economic situation in the Balkans region, Illumina Solexa is the best (if not the only) platform choice if the sequencing of immortelle plant (Helichrysium arenarium) is to be performed by the researchers in this region.

A telehealth system for automated diagnosis of asthma and chronical obstructive pulmonary disease

This paper presents the development and real-time testing of an automated expert diagnostic telehealth system for the diagnosis of 2 respiratory diseases, asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The system utilizes Android, Java, MATLAB, and PHP technologies and consists of a spirometer, mobile application, and expert diagnostic system. To evaluate the effectiveness of the system, a prospective study was carried out in 3 remote primary healthcare institutions, and one hospital in Bosnia and Herzegovina healthcare system. During 6 months, 780 patients were assessed and diagnosed with an accuracy of 97.32%. The presented approach is simple to use and offers specialized consultations for patients in remote, rural, and isolated communities, as well as old and less physically mobile patients. While improving the quality of care delivered to patients, it was also found to be very beneficial in terms of healthcare.

Towards green nanotechnology: maximizing benefits and minimizing harm

The ultimate goal of any economic, technological and social development is to improve human health and well-being. Thus, the society brings new requirements to new technologies, moving towards clean and green technology development. Green nanotechnology, as a branch of green technology, significantly contributes to environmental sustainability by producing nanomaterials and nanoproducts without harming human health and the environment, and by producing nanoproducts that provide solutions to environmental problems as well. Green nanotechnology is based on the existing principles of green chemistry and green engineering – it uses less materials and renewable inputs wherever possible, and thereby saving energy and fuel. The main benefits of green nanotechnology are: increased energy efficiency, reduced waste and greenhouse gas emissions, and minimized the consumption of non-renewable raw materials.

Application of biological surface adsorption index approach (BSAI) in characterization of interactions between gold nanoparticles and biomolecules

The biological surface adsorption index approach (BSAI) presents a novel approach for characterization of nanoparticles (NPs) in biological sys-tems. It is used for identification and quantitation of intermolecular forces that govern the adsorption properties of biomolecules on NPs surface. BSAI presents very important step in characterization of NPs-biomolecules interactions. Knowledge about the mechanism of interactions could help in prediction of NPs eventual toxicity in biological systems.

Application of internet of things in food packaging and transportation

Food safety is a scientific field which includes a number of routines and inspections at every stage of the food chain that should be adopted to avoid potentially dangerous health risks. Novel and efficient solutions across the supply chain are the consequence of constant upgrades of information and communication technologies. With the help of internet of things (IoT) connected testing equipment, food quality can be monitored at any point from farm to table, connecting at the same time food producers, transportation and hospitality/retail companies. Relying on the fact that food transporting and packaging units are the most critical points in food production, the survey of IoT applications in food packaging and transportation is given in this paper. To demonstrate the significance of IoT appliance and defined concepts, a proposal of low cost solution based on IoT for real-time food traceability and monitoring in food transportation process is presented.