Infection on a chip: a microscale platform for simple and sensitive cell-based virus assays.

The plaque assay has long served as the "gold standard" to measure virus infectivity and test antiviral drugs, but the assay is labor-intensive, lacks sensitivity, uses excessive reagents, and is hard to automate. Recent modification of the assay to exploit flow-enhanced virus spread with quantitative imaging has increased its sensitivity. Here we performed flow-enhanced infection assays in microscale channels, employing passive fluid pumping to inoculate cell monolayers with virus and drive infection spread.

Sperm motion in a microfluidic fertilization device.

Microfluidics has shown promise as a new platform for assisted reproduction. To assess the potential of microfluidics for fertilization, we studied sperm and fluid motion in microchannels to better understand the flow characteristics in a microfluidic device, how sperm interacted with this flow, and how sperm-oocyte attachment occurs in the device. There is a threshold fluid velocity where sperm transition from traveling with the fluid to a regime in which the sperm can move independently of the flow.

PDMS bonding by means of a portable, low-cost corona system.

A hand-held corona treater is presented as an effective, inexpensive, and portable alternative for irreversible bonding of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to glass.

Reduction of polyspermic penetration using biomimetic microfluidic technology during in vitro fertilization.

Efforts to improve the in vitro embryo production process in pigs have included modifying culture medium and number of spermatozoa inseminated in order to reduce the incidence of polyspermy. Polyspermy is a pathological condition which results in aberrant embryonic development. The microchannels are designed to more closely mimic the function of the oviduct and create a flow pattern of spermatozoa past the oocytes similar to the pattern in the oviduct.

Comparison of three morphine regimens in postsurgical patients using patient-controlled analgesia.

Objective: To compare the efficacy and toxicity of three patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) morphine regimens.

Design: A prospective, randomized, pilot study of three PCA morphine regimens: (1) 1 mg with 6-minute lockout (n = 10), (2) 2 mg with 12-minute lockout (n = 12), and (3) 2 mg with 20-minute lockout (n = 12).

Setting: Large teaching institution.