Alginate Hydrogel Beads with a Leakproof Gold Shell for Ultrasound-Triggered Release.

Focused ultrasound has advantages as an external stimulus for drug delivery as it is non-invasive, has high precision and can penetrate deep into tissues. Here, we report a gold-plated alginate (ALG) hydrogel system that retains highly water-soluble small-molecule fluorescein for sharp off/on release after ultrasound exposure. The ALG is crosslinked into beads with calcium chloride and layered with a polycation to adjust the surface charge for the adsorption of catalytic platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs).

Rib detection using pitch-catch ultrasound and classification algorithms for a novel ultrasound therapy device.

Background: Noninvasive ultrasound (US) has been used therapeutically for decades, with applications in tissue ablation, lithotripsy, and physical therapy. There is increasing evidence that low intensity US stimulation of organs can alter physiological and clinical outcomes for treatment of health disorders including rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes. One major translational challenge is designing portable and reliable US devices that can be used by patients in their homes, with automated features to detect rib location and aid in efficient transmission of energy to organs of interest.

Single-step label-free nanowell immunoassay accurately quantifies serum stress hormones within minutes.

A non-faradaic label-free cortisol sensing platform is presented using a nanowell array design, in which the two probe electrodes are integrated within the nanowell structure. Rapid and low volume (≤5 μl) sensing was realized through functionalizing nanoscale volume wells with antibodies and monitoring the real-time binding events. A 28-well plate biochip was built on a glass substrate by sequential deposition, patterning, and etching steps to create a stack nanowell array sensor with an electrode gap of 40 nm.

Selective Sexual Dimorphisms in Musculoskeletal and Cardiopulmonary Pathologic Manifestations and Mortality Incidence in the Tumor Necrosis Factor-Transgenic Mouse Model of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective: To examine and quantify the sexual dimorphism in pathologic features manifested in the musculoskeletal and cardiopulmonary systems and incidence of mortality in the tumor necrosis factor-transgenic (TNF-Tg; Tg3647 strain) mouse model of inflammatory erosive arthritis.

Methods: Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were determined in male and female Tg3647 mice and sex-matched wild-type (WT) littermate mice. Longitudinal and cross-sectional pathologic outcomes in the musculoskeletal and cardiopulmonary systems were assessed via ultrasound, micro-computed tomography, grip strength measurements, histologic and serologic analyses, flow cytometry, and skeletal muscle physiologic measures.

Noninvasive ultrasound stimulation of the spleen to treat inflammatory arthritis.

Targeted noninvasive control of the nervous system and end-organs may enable safer and more effective treatment of multiple diseases compared to invasive devices or systemic medications. One target is the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway that consists of the vagus nerve to spleen circuit, which has been stimulated with implantable devices to improve autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Here we report that daily noninvasive ultrasound (US) stimulation targeting the spleen significantly reduces disease severity in a mouse model of inflammatory arthritis.

Enhanced microgas chromatography using correlation techniques for continuous indoor pollutant detection.

We present for the first time a proof-of-concept system implementing the stochastic injection techniques within a silicon-based microgas chromatograph (μGC) which differs from standard laboratory chromatographs by its small size, shorter column and corresponding elution times, and potential low cost when batch manufactured in high volumes. We demonstrate that stochastic injection techniques can enable the continuous detection of pollutants or toxic gases, with high temporal resolution (5 s) and order-of-magnitude improvements in limit of detection compared to a standard single-injection technique, thus greatly improving performance of air quality monitoring devices. Since micro-GC systems have the potential to 1 day become ubiquitous in indoor environments, such stochastic injection techniques could enable faster detection of toxic compounds at lower concentrations in both industrial and residential settings.

Electrokinetic probes for single-step screening of polyol stereoisomers: the virtues of ternary boronate ester complex formation.

Electrokinetic probes based on the differential migration of ternary boronate ester complexes permit the selective analysis of micromolar levels of UV-transparent polyol stereoisomers in urine samples via dynamic complexation-capillary electrophoresis that is applicable to single-step screening of in-born errors of sugar metabolism, such as galactosemia.

Reevaluation of the University of Wisconsin 2-year protocol for treating canine lymphosarcoma.

This retrospective study investigated a population of 96 dogs with newly diagnosed malignant lymphosarcoma that were treated with the commonly used University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-M) chemotherapy protocol. Pretreatment characteristics were analyzed to determine prognostic factors. Dogs with higher World Health Organization (WHO) stages (including stage IV) and dogs with hypercalcemia were at significantly higher risk of relapse (P=0.