SOI MEMS Electro-Thermal Actuators for Biomedical Applications: Operation in 0.9% NaCl Solution.

In recent years, the immense potential for MEMS devices in the biomedical industry has been understood. It has been determined that, among their many plausible functions, their use may also extend to single human red blood cell diagnostics, whereby biomarkers of quantifiable magnitudes may be detected. Without a doubt, the mechanical and thermal specifications by which potential devices must be able to function are very strict.

Challenges and recommendations when selecting empirical antibiotics in patients with cirrhosis.

There is abundant evidence that bacterial infections are severe complications in patients with cirrhosis, being the most frequent trigger of acute-on-chronic liver failure and causing death in one of every four patients during hospitalization. For these reasons, early diagnosis and effective treatment of infections are mandatory to improve patient outcomes. However, treating physicians are challenged in daily practice since diagnosing bacterial infections is not always straightforward.

Coupled Finite Element-Finite Volume Multi-Physics Analysis of MEMS Electrothermal Actuators.

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are the instruments of choice for high-precision manipulation and sensing processes at the microscale. They are, therefore, a subject of interest in many leading industrial and academic research sectors owing to their superior potential in applications requiring extreme precision, as well as in their use as a scalable device. Certain applications tend to require a MEMS device to function with low operational temperatures, as well as within fully immersed conditions in various media and with different flow parameters.

The Effects of Cold Arm Width and Metal Deposition on the Performance of a U-Beam Electrothermal MEMS Microgripper for Biomedical Applications.

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have established themselves within various fields dominated by high-precision micromanipulation, with the most distinguished sectors being the microassembly, micromanufacturing and biomedical ones. This paper presents a horizontal electrothermally actuated 'hot and cold arm' microgripper design to be used for the deformability study of human red blood cells (RBCs). In this study, the width and layer composition of the cold arm are varied to investigate the effects of dimensional and material variation of the cold arm on the resulting temperature distribution, and ultimately on the achieved lateral displacement at the microgripper arm tips.

Analytical, Numerical and Experimental Study of a Horizontal Electrothermal MEMS Microgripper for the Deformability Characterisation of Human Red Blood Cells.

Microgrippers are typical microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) that are widely used for micromanipulation and microassembly in both biological and micromanufacturing fields. This paper presents the design, modelling, fabrication and experimental testing of an electrothermal microgripper based on a 'hot and cold arm' actuator design that is suitable for the deformability characterisation of human red blood cells (RBCs). The analysis of the mechanical properties of human RBCs is of great interest in the field of medicine as pathological alterations in the deformability characteristics of RBCs have been linked to a number of diseases.

Susceptibility profiles of Propionibacterium acnes isolated from patients with acne vulgaris.

The wide prescription of antibiotics in patients with acne vulgaris has generated the concern of emergence of antibiotic-resistant Propionibacterium acnes. To study the susceptibility profiles of P. acnes isolated from patients with acne vulgaris, 90 isolates were isolated from sebum collected from lesions of 191 patients.

Impact of TNF haplotypes in the physical course of acne vulgaris.

Background: The role of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the TNF gene in acne vulgaris remains controversial.

Methods: Genomic DNA was isolated from 185 patients with acne vulgaris and 165 healthy controls. SNPs at positions -376, -308 and -238 of the promoter region of TNF were defined.

Haplotypes of IL-12Rβ1 impact on the clinical phenotype of hidradenitis suppurativa.

Antigen presentation in chronic skin disorders is mediated through the interleukin (IL)-12/IL-23 pathway and, hence, through the IL-12 receptor. Recent evidence suggesting dysregulated antigen presentation in skin lesions of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) led to investigate the role of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the gene IL-12RB1 coding for the IL12-Rβ1 receptor subunit. Genomic DNA was isolated from 139 patients and 113 healthy controls; nine SNPs in the transcribed region of IL12RB1 were genotyped.

Impact of Toll-like receptor-4 and tumour necrosis factor gene polymorphisms in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa.

Background: Recent evidence has suggested that deranged immune responses play a role in the pathogenesis of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS).

Objectives: To investigate the role of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) genes in the physical course of HS; these genes encode for proteins implicated in the immune response of the host.

Methods: DNA was isolated from 190 patients with HS and 84 healthy controls.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms of toll-like receptor-4 protect against acne conglobata.

Background: Former studies have shown that Propionibacterium acnes may stimulate expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in keratinocytes of patients with acne vulgaris.

Objective: To investigate the impact of single nucleotide polumorphisms (SNPs) of the TLR4 gene in acne vulgaris.

Methods: Genomic DNA was isolated from 191 patients with acne vulgaris and 75 healthy controls.