Non-invasive real-time investigation of colorectal cells tight junctions by Raman microspectroscopy analysis combined with machine learning algorithms for organ-on-chip applications.

Introduction: Colorectal cancer is the third most common malignancy in developed countries. Diagnosis strongly depends on the pathologist's expertise and laboratory equipment, and patient survival is influenced by the cancer's stage at detection. Non-invasive spectroscopic techniques can aid early diagnosis, monitor disease progression, and assess changes in physiological parameters in both heterogeneous samples and advanced platforms like Organ-on-Chip (OoC).

Aluminum Nitride Thin Film Piezoelectric Pressure Sensor for Respiratory Rate Detection.

In this study, we propose a low-cost piezoelectric flexible pressure sensor fabricated on Kapton (™ ) substrate by using aluminum nitride (AlN) thin film, designed for the monitoring of the respiration rate for a fast detection of respiratory anomalies. The device was characterized in the range of 15-30 breaths per minute (bpm), to simulate moderate difficult breathing, borderline normal breathing, and normal spontaneous breathing. These three breathing typologies were artificially reproduced by setting the expiratory to inspiratory ratios (E:I) at 1:1, 2:1, 3:1.

Label-free electrochemical biosensor for direct detection of Oncostatin M (OSM) inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) biomarker in human serum.

Oncostatin M (OSM) is an interleukin-6 (IL-6) member family cytokine implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). OSM is a novel diagnostic biomarker over-expressed in the serum of IBD patients. This paper reports on the first electrochemical OSM immunosensor, developed using a multistep fabrication process aimed at covalently immobilizing OSM antibodies on a mixed self-assembled monolayer coated gold working electrode.

Acoustic Waves in Piezoelectric Layered Structure for Selective Detection of Liquid Viscosity.

The acoustic waves of higher orders propagating in a layered structure consisting of a silicon plate coated with piezoelectric and/or films were used for the development of a sensor with selective sensitivity to liquid viscosity in the range of 1-1500 cP. In that range, this sensor possessed low sensitivity to liquid conductivity and temperature T in the ranges of 0-2 S/m and 0-55 °C, respectively. The amplitude responses insensitive to the temperature instead of the phase were used to provide the necessary selectivity.

TEER and Ion Selective Transwell-Integrated Sensors System for Caco-2 Cell Model.

Monitoring of ions in real-time directly in cell culture systems and in organ-on-a-chip platforms represents a significant investigation tool to understand ion regulation and distribution in the body and ions' involvement in biological mechanisms and specific pathologies. Innovative flexible sensors coupling electrochemical stripping analysis (square wave anodic stripping voltammetry, SWASV) with an ion selective membrane (ISM) were developed and integrated in Transwell™ cell culture systems to investigate the transport of zinc and copper ions across a human intestinal Caco-2 cell monolayer. The fabricated ion-selective sensors demonstrated good sensitivity (1 × 10 M ion concentration) and low detection limits, consistent with pathophysiological cellular concentration ranges.

SARS-CoV-2 and omicron variant detection with a high selectivity, sensitivity, and low-cost silicon bio-nanosensor.

The recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has highlighted the urgent need for novel point-of-care devices to be promptly used for a rapid and reliable large screening analysis of several biomarkers like genetic sequences and antibodies. Currently, one of the main limitations of rapid tests is the high percentage of false negatives in the presence of variants and, in particular for the Omicron one. We demonstrate in this work the detection of SARS-CoV-2 and the Omicron variant with a cost-effective silicon nanosensor enabling high sensitivity, selectivity, and fast response.

-Based MFC with PEDOT:PSS/Graphene/Nafion Bioanode for Wastewater Treatment.

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a variety of bioelectrocatalytic devices that utilize the metabolism of microorganisms to generate electric energy from organic matter. This study investigates the possibility of using a novel PEDOT:PSS/graphene/Nafion composite in combination with acetic acid bacteria to create a pure culture MFC capable of effective municipal wastewater treatment. The developed MFC was shown to maintain its activity for at least three weeks.

A Monitoring Framework with Integrated Sensing Technologies for Enhanced Food Safety and Traceability.

A novel and low-cost framework for food traceability, composed by commercial and proprietary sensing devices, for the remote monitoring of air, water, soil parameters and herbicide contamination during the farming process, has been developed and verified in real crop environments. It offers an integrated approach to food traceability with embedded systems supervision, approaching the problem to testify the quality of the food product. Moreover, it fills the gap of missing low-cost systems for monitoring cropping environments and pesticides contamination, satisfying the wide interest of regulatory agencies and final customers for a sustainable farming.

A Novel Silicon Platform for Selective Isolation, Quantification, and Molecular Analysis of Small Extracellular Vesicles.

Introduction: Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), thanks to their cargo, are involved in cellular communication and play important roles in cell proliferation, growth, differentiation, apoptosis, stemness and embryo development. Their contribution to human pathology has been widely demonstrated and they are emerging as strategic biomarkers of cancer, neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases, and as potential targets for therapeutic intervention. However, the use of sEVs for medical applications is still limited due to the selectivity and sensitivity limits of the commonly applied approaches.

The Peculiarities of the Acoustic Waves of Zero-Order Focusing in Lithium Niobate Plate.

In this research, beam focusing in lithium niobate plate was studied for fundamental anti-symmetric (A) and symmetric (S) Lamb waves, and the shear-horizontal (SH) wave of zero-order. Using the finite element method, appropriate configuration of the interdigital transducer with arc-like electrodes was modeled accounting for the anisotropy of the slowness curves and dispersion of the modes in the plate. Profiles of the focalized acoustic beams generated by the proposed transducer were theoretically analyzed.

Modeling, Fabrication and Integration of Wearable Smart Sensors in a Monitoring Platform for Diabetic Patients.

The monitoring of some parameters, such as pressure loads, temperature, and glucose level in sweat on the plantar surface, is one of the most promising approaches for evaluating the health state of the diabetic foot and for preventing the onset of inflammatory events later degenerating in ulcerative lesions. This work presents the results of sensors microfabrication, experimental characterization and FEA-based thermal analysis of a 3D foot-insole model, aimed to advance in the development of a fully custom smart multisensory hardware-software monitoring platform for the diabetic foot. In this system, the simultaneous detection of temperature-, pressure- and sweat-based glucose level by means of full custom microfabricated sensors distributed on eight reading points of a smart insole will be possible, and the unit for data acquisition and wireless transmission will be fully integrated into the platform.

A Reliable BioFET Immunosensor for Detection of p53 Tumour Suppressor in Physiological-Like Environment.

The concentration of wild-type tumour suppressor p53 in cells and blood has a clinical significance for early diagnosis of some types of cancer. We developed a disposable, label-free, field-effect transistor-based immunosensor (BioFET), able to detect p53 in physiological buffer solutions, over a wide concentration range. Microfabricated, high-purity gold electrodes were used as single-use extended gates (EG), which avoid direct interaction between the transistor gate and the biological solution.

Inkjet Printing of Plate Acoustic Wave Devices.

In the paper, the results of production of Ag inkjet printed interdigital transducers to the acoustic delay line based on Y-cut X-propagation direction of lithium niobate plate for the frequency range from 1 to 14 MHz are presented. Additionally, morphological, structural, and electro-physical characteristics of the obtained electrodes were investigated. Mathematical modeling of the excitation of acoustic waves by these electrode structures was carried out.

Fabrication and characterization of AlN-based flexible piezoelectric pressure sensor integrated into an implantable artificial pancreas.

This study reports on the fabrication and characterization of an event detection subsystem composed of a flexible piezoelectric pressure sensor and the electronic interface to be integrated into an implantable artificial pancreas (IAP) for diabetic patients. The developed sensor is made of an AlN layer, sandwiched between two Ti electrodes, sputtered on Kapton substrate, with a preferential orientation along c-axis which guarantees the best piezoelectric response. The IAP is made of an intestinal wall-interfaced refilling module, able to dock an ingestible insulin capsule.

Dissipated power and induced velocity fields data of a micro single dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator for active flow control.

In recent years, single dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) plasma actuators have gained great interest among all the active flow control devices typically employed in aerospace and turbomachinery applications [1,2]. Compared with the macro SDBDs, the micro single dielectric barrier discharge (MSDBD) actuators showed a higher efficiency in conversion of input electrical power to delivered mechanical power [3,4]. This article provides data regarding the performances of a MSDBD plasma actuator [5,6].

PDMS/Kapton interface plasma treatment effects on the polymeric package for a wearable thermoelectric generator.

The present work highlights the progress in the field of polymeric package reliability engineering for a flexible thermoelectric generator realized by thin-film technology on a Kapton substrate. The effects of different plasma treatments on the mechanical performance at the interface of a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)/Kapton assembly were investigated. To increase the package mechanical stability of the realized wearable power source, the Kapton surface wettability after plasma exposure was investigated by static contact-angle measurements using deionized water and PDMS as test liquids.

Effect of top-down nanomachining on electrical conduction properties of TiO2 nanostructure-based chemical sensors.

The present research was motivated by the growing interest of the scientific community towards the understanding of basic gas-surface interaction mechanisms in 1D nanostructured metal oxide semiconductors, whose significantly enhanced chemical detection sensitivity is known. In this work, impedance spectroscopy (IS) was used to evaluate how a top-down patterning of the sensitive layer can modulate the electrical properties of a gas sensor based on a fully integrated nanometric array of TiO(2) polycrystalline strips. The aim of the study was supported by comparative experimental activity carried out on different thin film gas sensors based on identical TiO(2) polycrystalline sensitive thin films.