Potential of NIRS technology for the determination of cannabinoid content in industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.)

Posted on May 23, 2022 By LabLynx Journal articles

There are many approved methods for analyzing the cannabinoids from a given sample of the Cannabis plant, though some of them have downsides for the analyst. This is particularly notable in sample with significant quantities of acidic cannabinoids, which decarboxylate to their neutral cannabinoids with heat. This usually requires more non-destructive methods, such as near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). In this 2022 journal article, Jarén et al. of Universidad Pública de Navarra and Genscore Navarra S.L. in Spain provide their take on using NIRS methods combined with chemometric techniques to get quality results in analyzing cannabinoids, in comparison to using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). After introducing the current background on analytical methods for cannabinoid analysis, the authors describe their methodology and results. They conclude that "[t]he results obtained here demonstrate that NIR spectroscopy offers speed and simplicity unmatched by other traditional techniques." They add that "[a]ccordingly, it was tested as an alternative to conventional HPLC analysis for the evaluation of cannabinoid content, with promising results."

Health informatics: Engaging modern healthcare units: A brief overview

Posted on May 17, 2022 By LabLynx Journal articles

In the United States, Europe, and other parts of the world, the application of health informatics technologies continues to mature. However, in emerging economies such as India, China, and Bangladesh, the concept of health informatics and its application is still relatively new. In this 2022 paper published in Frontiers in Public Health, Yogesh and Karthikeyan discuss health informatics from the perspective of such emerging markets, the challenges those markets face, and the policies and standards required to ensure positive public health outcomes. The duo first introduce the topic health informatics and the breadth of technologies affecting it, including machine learning and deep learning. They also provide a few examples of related work on the topic before getting into how the Health Level 7 FHIR architecture plays an important role in health informatics. The authors then provide further perspectives on the current state of the art and future trends in health informatics, including from the perspective of India's medical system. They close by discussing a number of challenges India and other countries face in adopting health informatics tools, concluding that despite its promise, health informatics implementations are rarely straightforward. "There are no proven design blueprints for such a comprehensive infrastructure, and the goal is always shifting due to the nature of real-time patient, medical, and equipment data collection from a variety of sources," they add.