Randomized double-blind clinical studies of ularitide and other vasoactive substances in acute decompensated heart failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aims: Acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) has a poor prognosis and limited treatment options. No direct comparisons between ularitide-a synthetic natriuretic peptide being evaluated in ADHF-and other vasoactive substances are available. The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine haemodynamic effect sizes from randomized double-blind trials in ADHF.

Revealing the Cell-Material Interface with Nanometer Resolution by Focused Ion Beam/Scanning Electron Microscopy.

The interface between cells and nonbiological surfaces regulates cell attachment, chronic tissue responses, and ultimately the success of medical implants or biosensors. Clinical and laboratory studies show that topological features of the surface profoundly influence cellular responses; for example, titanium surfaces with nano- and microtopographical structures enhance osteoblast attachment and host-implant integration as compared to a smooth surface. To understand how cells and tissues respond to different topographical features, it is of critical importance to directly visualize the cell-material interface at the relevant nanometer length scale.

The Influence of Supporting Ions on the Electrochemical Detection of Individual Silver Nanoparticles: Understanding the Shape and Frequency of Current Transients in Nano-impacts.

We report the influence of electrolyte composition and concentration on the stochastic amperometric detection of individual silver nanoparticles at microelectrode arrays and show that the sensor response at certain electrode potentials is dependent on both the conductivity of the electrolyte and the concentration of chloride ions. We further demonstrate that the chloride concentration in solution heavily influences the characteristic current spike shape of recorded nanoparticle impacts: While typically too short to be resolved in the measured current, the spike widths are significantly broadened at low chloride concentrations below 10 mm and range into the millisecond regime. The analysis of more than 25 000 spikes reveals that this effect can be explained by the diffusive mass transport of chloride ions to the nanoparticle, which limits the oxidation rate of individual silver nanoparticles to silver chloride at the chosen electrode potential.

MEAs and 3D nanoelectrodes: electrodeposition as tool for a precisely controlled nanofabrication.

Microelectrode arrays (MEAs) are gaining increasing importance for the investigation of signaling processes between electrogenic cells. However, efficient cell-chip coupling for robust and long-term electrophysiological recording and stimulation still remains a challenge. A possible approach for the improvement of the cell-electrode contact is the utilization of three-dimensional structures.

Influence of Self-Assembled Alkanethiol Monolayers on Stochastic Amperometric On-Chip Detection of Silver Nanoparticles.

We investigate the influence of self-assembled alkanethiol monolayers at the surface of platinum microelectrode arrays on the stochastic amperometric detection of citrate-stabilized silver nanoparticles in aqueous solutions. The measurements were performed using a microelectrode array featuring 64 individually addressable electrodes that are recorded in parallel with a sampling rate of 10 kHz for each channel. We show that both the functional end group and the total length of the alkanethiol influence the charge transfer.

Matrix elasticity, replicative senescence and DNA methylation patterns of mesenchymal stem cells.

Matrix elasticity guides differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) but it is unclear if these effects are only transient - while the cells reside on the substrate - or if they reflect persistent lineage commitment. In this study, MSCs were continuously culture-expanded in parallel either on tissue culture plastic (TCP) or on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) gels of different elasticity to compare impact on replicative senescence, in vitro differentiation, gene expression, and DNA methylation (DNAm) profiles. The maximal number of cumulative population doublings was not affected by matrix elasticity.

On chip guidance and recording of cardiomyocytes with 3D mushroom-shaped electrodes.

The quality of the recording and stimulation capabilities of multielectrode arrays (MEAs) substantially depends on the interface properties and the coupling of the cell with the underlying electrode area. The purpose of this work was the investigation of a three-dimensional nanointerface, enabling simultaneous guidance and recording of electrogenic cells (HL-1) by utilizing nanostructures with a mushroom shape on MEAs.

Printed carbon microelectrodes for electrochemical detection of single vesicle release from PC12 cells.

We present a disposable system for recording neurotransmitter release from individual cells in vitro. A simple yet reliable microelectrode fabrication process is introduced using screen-printed carbon paste. It allows rapid fabrication of devices at low costs without standard clean-room technology.