Blood Plasma Separation Using a Fidget-Spinner.

In this study, we present a simple, hand-powered, and electricity-free centrifuge platform based on a commercially available "fidget-spinner." The centrifugal force provided by this inexpensive and easy-to-use toy is sufficient to separate whole blood, producing a plasma yield rate and purity of 30% and 99%, respectively, separated in as little as 4-7 min. We verified the separated plasma by performing a paper-based HIV-1 p24 capsid protein enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, which achieved a recovery rate of up to 98%, indicating the plasma features extremely low matrix interference effects.

Investigation of bistable perception with the "silhouette spinner": sit still, spin the dancer with your will.

Many studies have used static and non-biologically related stimuli to investigate bistable perception and found that the percept is usually dominated by their intrinsic nature with some influence of voluntary control from the viewer. Here we used a dynamic stimulus of a rotating human body, the silhouette spinner illusion, to investigate how the viewers' intentions may affect their percepts. In two experiments, we manipulated observer intention (active or passive), fixation position (body or feet), and spinning velocity (fast, medium, or slow).