Physiomimetic Fluidic Culture Platform on Microwell-Patterned Porous Collagen Scaffold for Human Pancreatic Islets.

Pancreatic islet transplantation is one of the clinical options for certain types of diabetes. However, difficulty in maintaining islets prior to transplantation limits the clinical expansion of islet transplantations. Our study introduces a dynamic culture platform developed specifically for primary human islets by mimicking the physiological microenvironment, including tissue fluidics and extracellular matrix support.

Firefly Rats: Illuminating the Scientific Community in Transplantation Research.

Fireflies produce light through luciferase-catalyzed reactions involving luciferin, oxygen, and adenosine triphosphate, distinct from other luminescent organisms. This unique feature has revolutionized molecular biology and physiology, serving as a valuable tool for cellular research. Luciferase-based bioluminescent imaging enabled the creation of transgenic animals, such as Firefly Rats.

Low-Temperature Direct Growth of Nanocrystalline Multilayer Graphene on Silver with Long-Term Surface Passivation.

A wide variety of transition metals, including copper and gold, have been successfully used as substrates for graphene growth. On the other hand, it has been challenging to grow graphene on silver, so realistic applications by combining graphene and silver for improved electrode stability and enhanced surface plasmon resonance in organic light-emitting diodes and biosensing have not been realized to date. Here, we demonstrate the surface passivation of silver through the single-step rapid growth of nanocrystalline multilayer graphene on silver via low-temperature plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD).

Micropyramid-patterned, oxygen-permeable bottomed dish for high density culture of pancreatic islets.

The need for maintaining cell-spheroid viability and function within high-density cultures is unmet for various clinical and experimental applications, including cell therapies. One immediate application is for transplantation of pancreatic islets, a clinically recognized treatment option to cure type 1 diabetes; islets are isolated from a donor for subsequent culture prior to transplantation. However, high seeding conditions cause unsolicited fusion of multiple spheroids, thereby limiting oxygen diffusion to induce hypoxic cell death.

A wearable eddy current based pulmonary function sensor for continuous non-contact point-of-care monitoring during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pulmonary function testing (PFT) allows for quantitative analysis of lung function. However, as a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a majority of international medical societies have postponed PFTs in an effort to mitigate disease transmission, complicating the continuity of care in high-risk patients diagnosed with COVID-19 or preexisting lung pathologies. Here, we describe the development of a non-contact wearable pulmonary sensor for pulmonary waveform analysis, pulmonary volume quantification, and crude thoracic imaging using the eddy current (EC) phenomenon.

Noninvasive transcranial classification of stroke using a portable eddy current damping sensor.

Existing paradigms for stroke diagnosis typically involve computed tomography (CT) imaging to classify ischemic versus hemorrhagic stroke variants, as treatment for these subtypes varies widely. Delays in diagnosis and transport of unstable patients may worsen neurological status. To address these issues, we describe the development of a rapid, portable, and accurate eddy current damping (ECD) stroke sensor.

Novel effect and the mechanistic insights of fruiting body extract of medicinal fungus Antrodia cinnamomea against T47D breast cancer.

Introduction: Tamoxifen, an anti-oestrogenic drug for estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer, was observed to stimulate tumor growth or drug resistance in patients. Antrodia cinnamomea (AC), a precious medicinal fungus has been traditionally used as a folk remedy for cancers in Asian countries. The objective of this study was to investigate the bioefficacy and the underlying molecular mechanisms of the AC fruiting bodies extracts (AC-3E) against human ER+ T47D breast cancer cells, and compare the effect with that of tamoxifen.