A systematic review and meta-analysis of surgical treatments for malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Background: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive disease of the pleural lining with a dismal prognosis. Surgical treatments of MPM with a curative intent include extrapleural pneumonectomy and extended pleurectomy/decortication (P/D). This meta-analysis aimed to compare the perioperative and long-term outcomes of EPP and extended P/D for selected surgical candidates.

Systematic review of pleurectomy in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Introduction: Pleurectomy/decortication (P/D) in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma includes a number of procedures with different clinical indications and therapeutic intents. To unify the nomenclature, IMIG and IASLC recently defined P/D-related procedures according to surgical technique, including 'extended P/D', 'P/D' and 'partial pleurectomy'. The present systematic review aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of these techniques.

Polyimide/SU-8 catheter-tip MEMS gauge pressure sensor.

This paper describes the development of a polyimide/SU-8 catheter-tip MEMS gauge pressure sensor. Finite element analysis was used to investigate critical parameters, impacting on the device design and sensing characteristics. The sensing element of the device was fabricated by polyimide-based micromachining on a flexible membrane, using embedded thin-film metallic wires as piezoresistive elements.

Nano-stenciled RGD-gold patterns that inhibit focal contact maturation induce lamellipodia formation in fibroblasts.

Cultured fibroblasts adhere to extracellular substrates by means of cell-matrix adhesions that are assembled in a hierarchical way, thereby gaining in protein complexity and size. Here we asked how restricting the size of cell-matrix adhesions affects cell morphology and behavior. Using a nanostencil technique, culture substrates were patterned with gold squares of a width and spacing between 250 nm and 2 µm.

Link between alginate reaction front propagation and general reaction diffusion theory.

We provide a common theoretical framework reuniting specific models for the Ca(2+)-alginate system and general reaction diffusion theory along with experimental validation on a microfluidic chip. As a starting point, we use a set of nonlinear, partial differential equations that are traditionally solved numerically: the Mikkelsen-Elgsaeter model. Applying the traveling-wave hypothesis as a major simplification, we obtain an analytical solution.

Fluidic microstructuring of alginate hydrogels for the single cell niche.

Controlling alginate gel formation by diffusion of Ca(2+) ions through a filter barrier, a layer-by-layer deposition technique with resolution on the size scale of a single cell is presented. It offers the possibility of exposing cells under biocompatible conditions to microheterogeneous three-dimensional environments, mimicking the layered structure of extracellular matrix in tissues.

Microcollimator for micrometer-wide stripe irradiation of cells using 20-30 keV X rays.

Abstract Pataky, K., Villanueva, G., Liani, A.

An oligomerized 53BP1 tudor domain suffices for recognition of DNA double-strand breaks.

53BP1, the vertebrate ortholog of the budding yeast Rad9 and fission yeast Crb2/Rhp9 checkpoint proteins, is recruited rapidly to sites of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). A tandem tudor domain in human 53BP1 that recognizes methylated residues in the histone core is necessary, but not sufficient, for efficient recruitment. By analysis of deletion mutants, we identify here additional elements in 53BP1 that facilitate recognition of DNA DSBs.

NMR spectroscopy and perfusion of mammalian cells using surface microprobes.

NMR spectra of mammalian cells are taken using surface microprobes that are based on microfabricated planar coils. The surface microprobe resembles a miniaturized Petri dish commonly used in biological research. The diameter of the planar coils is 1 mm.