Analysis of chemosensitivity of tumor spheroids exposed to two-dimensional gradient of combination drugs in a hydrogel-based diffusion microfluidic platform.

Background: Liver cancer stands as a leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally, challenging conventional treatments due to resistance to chemotherapy and targeted therapy. Although frontline medications show initial efficacy, prolonged use often leads to resistance and harm. Current clinical strategies rely on combination therapies, but evaluating their effectiveness remains challenging.

Study of cell migration trajectory on two-dimensional continuous stiffness gradient surface edited by grayscale photopolymerization.

In native tissues, cells encounter a diverse range of stiffness, which can significantly affect their behavior and function. The ability of cells to sense and respond to these mechanical cues is essential for various physiological processes, including cell migration. Cell migration is a complex process influenced by multiple factors, with substrate stiffness emerging as a critical determinant.

Development of a Folding Paper System To Enable the Analysis of Gene Profile of Short- and Long-Distance Cancer Cell Migration.

In cancer metastasis, where mortality rates remain high despite advancements in medical treatments, understanding the molecular pathways and cellular dynamics underlying tumor spread is critical for devising more effective therapeutic strategies. Here, a folding paper system was proposed and developed to mimic native tumor microenvironment. This system, composed of 7 stacked layers of paper enclosed in a holder, allows for the culture of cancer cells under conditions mimicking those found in solid tumors, including limited oxygen and nutrients.

Bionanotechnology and bioMEMS (BNM): state-of-the-art applications, opportunities, and challenges.

The development of micro- and nanotechnology for biomedical applications has defined the cutting edge of medical technology for over three decades, as advancements in fabrication technology developed originally in the semiconductor industry have been applied to solving ever-more complex problems in medicine and biology. These technologies are ideally suited to interfacing with life sciences, since they are on the scale lengths as cells (microns) and biomacromolecules (nanometers). In this paper, we review the state of the art in bionanotechnology and bioMEMS (collectively BNM), including developments and challenges in the areas of BNM, such as microfluidic organ-on-chip devices, oral drug delivery, emerging technologies for managing infectious diseases, 3D printed microfluidic devices, AC electrokinetics, flexible MEMS devices, implantable microdevices, paper-based microfluidic platforms for cellular analysis, and wearable sensors for point-of-care testing.

Analysis of Cellular Crosstalk and Molecular Signal between Periosteum-Derived Precursor Cells and Peripheral Cells During Bone Healing Process Using a Paper-Based Osteogenesis-On-A-Chip Platform.

Periosteum-derived progenitor cells (PDPCs) are highly promising cell sources that are indispensable in the bone healing process. Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are physiologically close to periosteum tissue and release multiple growth factors to promote the bone healing process. Co-culturing PDPCs and ADSCs can construct periosteum-bone tissue microenvironments for the study of cellular crosstalk and molecular signal in the bone healing process.

Investigation of Stem Cell-Like Characteristics and Immune Cell Interaction of Tumor Cells Survived from Continuous Shear Flow Environment.

When tumor cells are released from a primary tumor into the bloodstream or lymphatic circulation system, they are exposed to a continuous shear flow environment. This environment exerts physical stresses on the tumor cells, which can activate apoptotic pathways. However, certain tumor cells have the ability to adapt to these mechanical stresses, enhancing their likelihood of survival and promoting metastasis.

A Review on Microfluidics-Based Impedance Biosensors.

Electrical impedance biosensors are powerful and continuously being developed for various biological sensing applications. In this line, the sensitivity of impedance biosensors embedded with microfluidic technologies, such as sheath flow focusing, dielectrophoretic focusing, and interdigitated electrode arrays, can still be greatly improved. In particular, reagent consumption reduction and analysis time-shortening features can highly increase the analytical capabilities of such biosensors.

Cell marathon: long-distance cell migration and metastasis-associated gene analysis using a folding paper system.

A high mortality rate was found in cancer patients with distant metastasis. Development of targeted drugs for effectively inhibiting cancer metastasis is the key for increasing therapeutic success. In the current study, a folding paper system was developed to mimic a tumor-vascular interface for the study of long-distance cell migration.

Electrochemical detection of acute renal disease biomarker by Galinstan nanoparticles interfaced to bilayer polymeric structured dirhenium heptoxide film.

This work describes a facile fabrication of an efficient electrochemical sensor utilizing sonication-derived Galinstan nanoparticles (Galinstan NPs) interfaced to annealed dirhenium heptoxide (ReO) thin-film on Silicon (Si) for the quantitative detection of the most promising acute renal disease biomarker Neutrophil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin (NGAL). Under optimized preconditions, the anti-NGAL antibodies were immobilized on the Galinstan NPs/ReO/Si electrode by carbodiimide crosslinking to detect NGAL. The composition, morphology, and structural properties of the electrode were elucidated by various physical characterizations.

Excellent physicochemical and sensing characteristics of a Re O based pH sensor at low post-deposition annealing temperature.

pH monitoring in clinical assessment is pivotal as pH imbalance significantly influences the physiological and extracellular functions of the human body. Metal oxide based pH sensors, a promising alternative to bulky pH electrodes, mostly require complex fabrication, high-temperature post-deposition treatment, and high expenses that inhibit their practical applicability. So, there is still room to develop a straightforward and cost-effective metal oxide based pH sensor comprising high sensitivity and reliability.

Highly sensitive and selective electrochemical detection of lipocalin 2 by NiO nanoparticles/perovskite CeCuO based immunosensor to diagnose renal failure.

The early detection of lipocalin 2 (LCN 2), a biomarker to diagnose acute kidney injury (AKI) and its consequences leading to renal failure, is highly challenging due to the lack of proper investigating tools. To overcome this issue, we developed nickel oxide nanoparticles modified cerium copper oxide (NiO Nps/CeCuO) thin film-based immunosensor to determine the presence of LCN 2 in the analyte. The sol-gel deposited CeCuO (on a silicon (Si) substrate) was post-annealed at different temperatures (700 °C, 800 °C, and 900 °C), where 800 °C showed the optimum electrochemical performance.

Leukocyte-Rich Platelet-Rich Plasma Has Better Stimulating Effects on Tenocyte Proliferation Compared With Leukocyte-Poor Platelet-Rich Plasma.

Background: Rotator cuff (RC) tendinopathy is one of the most common causes of shoulder pain. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been frequently used in clinical scenarios, but its efficacy remains inconsistent.

Purpose: To investigate the different responses of human tenocytes from torn RCs to leukocyte-rich PRP (LR-PRP) and leukocyte-poor PRP (LP-PRP) in a 2-chamber coculture device.

Analysis of a Cancer Stem Cell-Derived Single Colony Raised in a Microwell Array.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) were reported to play important roles in cancer initialization, progression, and metastasis. In order to study the variation between CSCs and non-CSCs, single-cell analysis is conducted but technically complicated. In the current work, a microwell array made by an agarose hydrogel was developed for the study of a CSC-derived single colony.

Analysis of the Internal Hypoxic Environment in Solid Tumor Tissue Using a Folding Paper System.

Hypoxia is a nonphysiological oxygen tension which is common in most malignant tumors. Hypoxia stimulates complicated cell signaling networks in cancer cells, e.g.

Characterization of stem cell-like property in cancer cells based on single-cell impedance measurement in a microfluidic platform.

Investigation of stem cell-like property in cancer cells is important for the development of new therapeutic drugs targeting at malignant tumors. Currently, the standard approach for identifying cancer stem cell-like cells relies on the recognition of stem cell surface markers. However, the reliability remains controversial among biologists.

Impedimetric quantification of migration speed of cancer cells migrating along a Matrigel-filled microchannel.

Cancer metastasis, that cancer cells migrate from primary to distance site, is the major cause of death for cancer patients. Investigation of the correlation between cell migration and extracellular stimulation is critical to develop effective therapy for suppressing cancer metastasis. However, the existing cell migration assays remain limitations to faithfully investigate cell migration capability.

A Review on Microdevices for Isolating Circulating Tumor Cells.

Cancer metastasis is the primary cause of high mortality of cancer patients. Enumeration of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the bloodstream is a very important indicator to estimate the therapeutic outcome in various metastatic cancers. The aim of this article is to review recent developments on the CTC isolation technologies in microdevices.

Visualization and Quantification of 3D Tumor Cell Migration under Extracellular Stimulation.

To investigate tumor cell migration capability, the scratch/wound healing assay and the Transwell assay are the most commonly used assays in the current biomedical research laboratory. However, both assays have their limitations and may mislead the interpretation of the results. In the current study, visualization and quantification of tumor cell migration process was realized in a three-dimensional (3D) environment.

Experimental Characterization of an Embossed Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer Cell.

Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer (CMUT) is a promising ultrasonic transducer in medical diagnosis and therapeutic applications that demand a high output pressure. The concept of a CMUT with an annular embossed pattern on a membrane working in collapse mode is proposed to further improve the output pressure. To evaluate the performance of an embossed CMUT cell, both the embossed and uniform membrane CMUT cells were fabricated in the same die with a customized six-mask sacrificial release process.

Association of subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue with overall survival in Taiwanese patients with bone metastases - results from a retrospective analysis of consecutively collected data.

Background: Growing evidence indicates that measures of body composition may be related to clinical outcomes in patients with malignancies. The aim of this study was to investigate whether measures of regional adiposity-including subcutaneous adipose tissue index (SATI) and visceral adipose tissue index (VATI)-can be associated with overall survival (OS) in Taiwanese patients with bone metastases.

Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data.

Investigation of uniform sized multicellular spheroids raised by microwell arrays after the combined treatment of electric field and anti-cancer drug.

Nowadays, cancer disease is continuously identified as the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Cancer chemotherapeutic agents have been continuously developing to achieve high curative effectiveness and low side effects. However, solid tumors present the properties of low drug penetration and resistance of quiescent cells.

Paper/polymer composited microfluidic platform for screening cell viability and protein expression under a chemical gradient environment.

Culturing cells in three-dimensional (3D) environment can obtain a better clinical prediction for evaluating chemotherapy protocols and become a standard culture practice in cancer research. However, it involves tedious and time consuming operation. In the current work, a paper/polymer composited microfluidic platform was developed for screening cell viability and protein expression under chemical gradient environment.

Real-time detection of antibiotics cytotoxicity in rabbit periosteal cells using microfluidic devices with comparison to conventional culture assays.

Background: Local antibiotic application has been widely used in orthopedic surgery. The dose-related toxicity of antibiotics towards periosteal tissues and resulting effects on osteogenic expression are yet to be studied.

Methods: Periosteal cells harvested from the medial tibia of New Zealand White rabbits were used.

Prognostic significance of pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in older patients with metastatic cancer.

Background: Treatment options for older patients with malignancies remain suboptimal. An accurate prognostic stratification could inform treatment decisions, which can potentially improve patient outcomes. Here, we sought to investigate whether the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) may have prognostic significance in patients with metastatic malignant tumors, with a special focus on older individuals.

The influence of laser intensity activated plasmonic gold nanoparticle-generated photothermal effects on cellular morphology and viability: a real-time, long-term tracking and monitoring system.

In this study, a microfluidic apparatus embedded with microstructures was designed and aligned with a laser and dark-field microscope for real-time, long-term observation of photothermal effects on cells. Gold nanorods (AuNRs, 10 ppm) were incubated with MG-63 human osteosarcoma cells for 3 h. Then, the cells were exposed to a continuous-wave laser at a wavelength of 830 nm for 10, 20, and 30 min at 5, 9, 14, 24, and 32 W cm-2.