Rising Preference for Urine Specimens for Drug Abuse Testing

Drug abuse is defined as the deliberate consumption of illegal drugs or prescribed psychoactive involvement, or non-therapeutic performance enhancer drug for non-medicinal effects. The strong addiction may cause an irresistible, uncontrollable, and compulsive desire for its intake. 

Usually, even for legal drug testing. Other alternatives including oral fluids and hair are also garnering popularity. The initial screening is conducted on urine specimens, in both medical and legal drug testing with the help of immunoassays.

Samples of blood and nail can also be taken for testing. The samples of urine contain secreted metabolites that can be used for the detection of illicit drugs. Usually, drug testing is performed at hospitals, laboratories, workplaces, and at home.

The usage of illicit drugs is rising, which is projected to propel the demand for drug abuse testing in the coming years.

Immunoassays might give wrong results, due to cross-reactivity with structurally related compounds. It is required to use specific immunoassays for detecting methadone, oxycodone, fentanyl, and propoxyphene.

Testing is usually performed for detecting the use of the illicit drug or monitor medication compliance. The rising number of opioid dependency and pain management clinics has resulted in growing demands for urine drug testing.

The common method for urine drug abuse testing involves a two-step process, which involves immunoassay screening followed by mass spectrometry confirmation.

The major companies operating in the drug abuse testing industry are Siemens AG, Waters Corporation, Roche Holding AG, Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, Abbott Laboratories, Psychemedics Corporation, and Randox Laboratories Ltd.

Therefore, the rising cases of drug abuse led by increasing consumption of the illegal drug, or their overindulgence boost the demand for drug abuse testing.

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Expansion of Biopharmaceuticals Sector Boost Demand for Cell Isolation

Cell isolation is also known as cell separation or cell sorting. It is a process of isolating one cell population from other cells in a heterogeneous biological sample. The targeted cells are isolated and separated. 

Cell separation and isolation techniques are utilized for detecting diseases early, and in biopharmaceutical production, such as biosimilars, recombinant proteins, and monoclonal antibodies. Cell isolation is highly utilized in the healthcare sector, due to the hassle-free production of biopharmaceuticals. 

Cells require a more scrutinized filtration system as they are obtained from humans, plants, and animals, to prevent contamination from bacteria and viruses. It thus helps in improving the treatment of patients. 

Biopharmaceuticals are utilized in chronic disease treatment, more specifically cancer. The growing prevalence of cancer and other chronic diseases has resulted in increased biopharmaceutical demand. Biopharmaceuticals help in the early diagnosis of cancer. 

The expansion of the biopharmaceutical industry due to the massively growing population in emerging countries, such as India and China, leads to the growing demand for cell isolation biological structures. 

The cell isolation techniques support scientists in performing various applications, such as,

• Capturing tumor cells in the blood

• Isolating immune cells in peripheral blood

• Isolating the white blood cells from tissue

• Separation of bacteria from food

• conducting molecular analysis of specific cell populations

• recovering the mononucleated cells from blood

Cell Isolation Techniques 

There are several types of methods for isolating cell populations, these are usually based on one or more properties unique to the cell type such as density, protein, electric charge, size, expression, and others. 

Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting 

The fluorescence-activating cell sorting technology involves labeling cells with fluorescent markers depending on the targeted cell group’s internal or external characteristics. Based on the color, the cells are identified and sorted one at a time. 

Density Gradient Centrifugation 

The density gradient centrifugation involves centrifugation of the biological sample until cell types are isolated into layers based on their specific densities. 

Magnetic-Activated Cell Sorting (MACS)

The magnetic-activated cell sorting involves binding magnetic particles to cells through an antibody interaction with the surface markers of targeted cells. Further, the cell group is magnetically isolated from the rest of the biological sample. 

Filtration

It is a cell isolation method that depends on the cell size. It utilizes a filtration device that is specific to the size of the targeted cell group. The smaller cells pass-through the device, while the larger ones are trapped. 

Buoyancy-Activated Cell Sorting (BACS)

The buoyancy-activated cell sorting involves revolutionary cell isolation technology. In this, microbubbles bind to cells, while the targeted cells are removed through floatation. 

The major companies operating in the industry are Merck KGaA, Terumo Corporation, STEMCELL Technologies Inc., Dickinson and Company, Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., and Becton. 

Therefore, the expansion of the biopharmaceutical sector in emerging economies leads to the growing demand for cell isolation to improve healthcare. 

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How Sepsis Can Be Diagnosed Fairly Early?

Sepsis comes to the forefront with a response to an infection. From time to time, chemicals released by the immune system in the blood for fighting an infection can trigger a chain reaction of irritation all over the body. This is sepsis, and it can lead to organ failure or even death.

Any infection can be a cause of sepsis, but some are more prone to cause sepsis than others. These include, urinary, respiratory,  gastrointestinal, and skin infections. In the respiratory tract, SARS-CoV-2 are prevalent causes of sepsis.

The Complications and Cost of Sepsis

Sepsis can take a toll in terms of people impacted, costs to the healthcare system, and lives lost. Sepsis is a prime reason for deaths of children in the U.S., overtaking pediatric cancers. Worldwide, 3.4 million children expire because of sepsis every year, including 6,800 children from severe sepsis. More adults in the country die as a result of sepsis than from breast cancer, prostate cancer, and overdoses of opioid combined.

Even patients getting over sepsis can have lasting and life-altering health influences. Actually, 50% of sepsis patients have with long-term psychological and physical impacts.

Antimicrobial Resistance and Problem of Sepsis

Time is key when concerned with sepsis. Early diagnosis of sepsis and quick introduction of antimicrobial therapy is correlated with upgraded results for patients. That urgent requirement for beginning therapy can prompt providers for administering broad-spectrum antimicrobials well before receiving the lab results enabling more targeted treatment.

Unfortunately, this reflexive usage of broad-spectrum antimicrobials can deepen the more and more serious problem of antimicrobial resistance. It’s a circular issue, the broad-spectrum antimicrobials used for treating sepsis can lead to better antimicrobial resistance. And pathogens becoming resistant can cause sepsis when an infection can’t be controlled.

A key to disrupting this pattern is fast identification of the causative pathogen, which is targeted, instead of empiric broad-spectrum, therapy.

It is because of the promulgating cases of hospital acquired infections and sepsis, the demand for sepsis diagnosis around the world.

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North America is Dominating the Quantum Computing Market

 In 2021, the quantum computing market size stood at USD 458 million, which is projected to witness a 31.2% CAGR during 2021–2030, reaching USD 5,274 million by 2030 as per P&S Intelligence. The deployment of these solutions has witnessed a robust upswing in numerous industries, including BFSI, logistics, support, and cybersecurity, as market players are heavily spending in this field.

 

In 2021, the hardware category had the largest revenue share, of 62.5%. Key players are heavily investing in the growth of robust hardware equipment, to help this powerful software.

Quantum Computing Industry Growth and Demand Forecast to 2030

in 2021, the optimization category had the highest share revenue of 63.8% in the market, based on application. This can be ascribed to the fact that a maximum number of organizational issues revolve over streamlining business processes, for which optimization services are most vital. thus, market players are concentrating more on creating a solution that can be functional for optimization purposes.

 

portfolio risk optimization, Inflation detection, risk modelling, trade trajectory optimization, trading techniques, instability detection, and asset cost optimization are just a few of the complex issues that quantum computers can solve with unmatched speed.

 

In 2021, the industry for quantum computing solutions in the BFSI market held the highest revenue share of approximately USD 145.4 million, On the basis of industry. this can be credited to the banks which are concentrating more on spending on this potential technology to modernize their business methods, to enhance their security.

 

The industry in the healthcare sector is projected to grow at the highest pace in the coming years. This will mainly be because of the snowballing demand for enhanced diagnosis and treatment measures for chronic illnesses. Furthermore, such computing technologies play a vital role in drug development and discovery.

 

In 2021, North America held the highest revenue share by generating $208.2 million, because of the heavy expenditure made by government and private companies for the growth of this technology. For example, in January 2019, the U.S. Congress accepted the National Quantum Initiative, approving above USD 1.2 billion expenditure in quantum science and technology in the coming 5–10 years. these initiatives will result in the snowballing acceptance of this technology in academic, industrial, and government facilities.

 

Thus, the government is the main reason behind the growing use of quantum computing, by spending on research and development. Additionally, the high investment in IT, early acceptance of emerging technologies, and constant technological improvements help in the enlargement of the market in this continent.

 

Hence, because of the robust upswing in numerous areas, including financial services, logistics and support, and cybersecurity, as market players are heavily spending in this field the demand for the quantum computing market will surge in the future as well. 

 

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APAC is Dominating the Power Electronics Market

 The power electronics market was valued at $38,522 million in 2021, and it is set to reach $56,269 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 4.3% between 2021 and 2030, according to a research report by P&S Intelligence.

This can be credited to the increasing infrastructure development, snowballing expenditure by consumers, high research and development spending, increasing requirement for energy-efficient items in 5G devices, automobiles, and data centers, and other products needed for telecom infrastructure, growing electricity generation industry, and the increasing number of vendors.

Power Electronics Industry Demand Forecast to 2030

 Silicon category held the largest revenue share and is projected to grow at a significant rate in the years to come. This can be accounted to the high usage of these variants in several verticals, including ICT and electronics, the increasing need for them from India and China, and their better cost-efficiency.

 

The modules category is projected to grow at the fastest rate in the years to come. This can be credited to the extensive usage of these components in inverters, wind turbines, photovoltaic inverters, and micro-inverters, where such modules are vital components of power architecture. By this, the industry development is inclined by the snowballing requirement for renewable resources, which need converters to switch DC to AC and vice-versa.

 

The low-voltage category is projected to grow at the highest growth rate. This can be ascribed to these products’ wide deployment in consumer electronics and the enhancements in energy harvesting methods.

 

Furthermore, the extensive usage of power electronics in automobiles to deliver consistent output, control interfaces, and thermal control with the support of converters, is the major reason contributing to the growth of the industry.

 

APAC held the largest revenue share and is projected to continue its dominance in the years to come. This is because of the rapid industrialization, increasing population, growing trend of EVs and HEVs, improving consumer spending, the large consumer base for end products, availability of skilled and cheap labor, advanced technologies, and favorable government initiatives helping the renewable energy sector.

 

The budding trend of European and American companies shifting their production operations to China and India, will indeed contribute to the growth of the industry in the coming years. 

 

North America held a considerable revenue share in the power electronics market, owing to the surge in the pace of technological enhancement in the end-user industries, adoption of smartphones in large numbers, rise in internet usage, and increase in the sale of EVs, to reduce carbon emissions.

 

Therefore, the increasing infrastructure development, snowballing expenditure by consumers, high research and development spending, and rising requirement for energy-efficient items in 5G devices will drive the power electronics industry in the future. 

 

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Home Sleep Testing is Preferred by People, why?

Most of us do not give proper attention to sleep, but it should be given proper attention. If not, you can be at a risk of developing sleep apnea. Now most of you might be wondering what is it. In simple terms it is a disorder in which, the breathing stops and starts, causing certain disturbances in sleep.

Home sleep testing can help you in diagnosing sleep apnea. A home sleep test is conducted in the home of the patient confirm obstructive sleep apnea. 

The further diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of OSA is an in-lab sleep study, requiring an overnight stay in a sleep facility.

What is the Process of Home Sleep Testing?

Patients exhibiting a high pre-test probability for OSA are excellent candidates for an HST.  If the results do not point toward  sleep apnea, an in-lab test may be taken to confirm results.  HSTs are suitable for patients, in good health.

Patients with other medical conditions, including congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and neuromuscular disease might not be apt candidates for an HST and may needing-lab study.

Patients will either pick up sleep apnea devices from the sleep center or get a home delivery. A sleep professional will coach the patient on how to place the devices on the body and which buttons to push.

The person will make use of the HST device from one night to three nights depending on the recommendation of the doctor, then he/she will return the device.

A sleep professional will analyze the test and forwards the results to the physician determining a diagnosis. The patient will meet with the physician to deliberate over the possible treatment options.

There are certain advantages of a home sleep testing, and some of them are as follows-

• The most suitable for numerous people is the fact that this test is conducted at home, so they can sleep on their own bed. The issue of sleeping in a different bed, particularly on the first night, is a big cause of concern for a lot of people.

• Some people are not at all comfortable in taking part in the in-lab study for other reasons. They are anxious about how they will be able to fall asleep with all those wires, all over the body and also head and they worry about being observed by a sleep technician all night.

• The HST is a tool for offering otherwise unwilling patients, who would not consent to coming to a lab for a sleep test, a convenient way of exploring the possibility of sleep apnea.

• In some sleep centers there can be a long wait, until there is an availability of bed is available for a sleep study. This can be very problematic for people with people with severe sleep apnea. HST offers a quicker diagnosis. When time is the key HST is the way to go.

• For those worried about expenses for health care, HST is an economical substitute. Costs for HST is nothing as compared to the cost of an in-lab study.

Whether it is home sleep testing or lab testing, sleep apnea devices are used in both the procedures, and that’s why the value of the industry will reach USD 13,386.5 million BY 2030.

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How Micropropagation Can Help in Reproduction of Plants

Micropropagation is an artificial procedure of growing plants vegetatively via tissue culture or cell culture methods. In this process of propagation, plants are formed invitro by asexual means of reproduction or by vegetative propagation.

Plants can be formed both asexually i.e., through vegetative parts’ multiplication, or sexually, seed making. One of the processes of asexual reproduction is by reproducing genetic replicas of plants that are raised as clonal propagation wherein plants can be inhabited by a single individual via asexual reproduction.

Propagation of Banana

Edible bananas don’t possess seeds and are conventionally grown vegetatively via suckers 10- 15 in number reliant on the variety. Therefore, a short rate of multiplication affects this technique harshly. In the past few years, tissue culture propagation of bananas via shoot tip along with floral auspices has been used to surge banana production.

The procedure includes initiation of cultures from sterilized shoot tips gotten from the parent banana plant, shooting and rooting in the test tube, principally seasoning in the laboratory, secondary seasoning in the nursery, and plating in the ground.

Benefits of Micropropagation

• Plant tissue in partial quantities is put to use for the formation of a huge number of replicas in a year using micropropagation. It would need some expenditure to generate an equivalent number of floras using ordinary plans.

• The process of micropropagation stretches a decent choice in contrast to those plant species that validate protection from practices of outmoded mass proliferation.

• Large number of plants can be reserved in smaller spaces. This supports sparing risked species and the volume of germplasm.

• The development of in- vitro frameworks should be possible any day of the year. Similarly, a nursery can make organic products, elaborate, and tree species dependably.

• Amplified harvest of plants and extended force in horticulture species is accomplished.

• Quick worldwide trade of plant material without the hazard of sickness presentation is given. The time essential for isolation is limited by this approach.

• The micropropagation process is additionally appreciated for seed creation in specific harvests as the requirement of hereditary protection to a thoughtful extent is important for seed making.

Four Stages of Micropropagation

The method of micropropagation can be segmented into 4 stages:

• Starting stage

• Intermediate stage

• Multiplication stage

• Rooting or preplant stage

• Acclimatization

Hence, For the fast reproduction of plants, micro-propagation is a sophisticated and well-adapted method. Because of the speed of propagation, it has a great profit-making potential, and such factors will drive the Micropropagation industry in the future. 

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