Investigating the Regulation of Neural Differentiation and Injury in PC12 Cells Using Microstructure Topographic Cues.

In this study, we designed and manufactured a series of different microstructure topographical cues for inducing neuronal differentiation of cells in vitro, with different topography, sizes, and structural complexities. We cultured PC12 cells in these microstructure cues and then induced neural differentiation using nerve growth factor (NGF). The pheochromocytoma cell line PC12 is a validated neuronal cell model that is widely used to study neuronal differentiation.

Point-of-care testing detection methods for COVID-19.

COVID-19 is an acute respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, which has high transmissibility. People infected with SARS-CoV-2 can develop symptoms including cough, fever, pneumonia and other complications, which in severe cases could lead to death. In addition, a proportion of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 may be asymptomatic.

Osteosarcoma: a review of current and future therapeutic approaches.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary bone malignancy that affects children and young adults. OS is characterized by a high degree of malignancy, strong invasiveness, rapid disease progression, and extremely high mortality rate; it is considered as a serious threat to the human health globally. The incidence of OS is common in the metaphysis of long tubular bones, but rare in the spine, pelvis, and sacrum areas; moreover, majority of the OS patients present with only a single lesion.

Single-Cell Analysis of Highly Metastatic Circulating Tumor Cells by Combining a Self-Folding Induced Release Reaction with a Cell Capture Microchip.

Nondestructive analysis of the single-cell molecular phenotype of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) is of great significance to the precise diagnosis and treatment of cancer but is also a huge challenge. To address this issue, here, we develop a facile analysis system that integrates CTCs' capture and molecular phenotype analysis. An isothermal nucleic acid amplification technique named self-folding induced release reaction (sFiR), which has high-efficiency signal amplification capabilities and can run under physiological conditions, is first developed to meet the high requirements for sensitivity and nondestructivity.

Effect of additives on the growth of HKUST-1 crystals synthesized by microfluidic chips with concentration gradient.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted considerable attention as novel nanoporous materials that combine the properties of organic and inorganic porous materials. HKUST-1 is one of the most well-developed and representative MOFs with wide applications in gas storage and separation, adsorption, and capture. In this study, we used microfluidics, an advanced technique of manipulation of small fluid volumes in microscale or even nanoscale channels, to investigate the effect of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) on the growth of HKUST-1 crystals.

Organ-on-a-chip: recent breakthroughs and future prospects.

The organ-on-a-chip (OOAC) is in the list of top 10 emerging technologies and refers to a physiological organ biomimetic system built on a microfluidic chip. Through a combination of cell biology, engineering, and biomaterial technology, the microenvironment of the chip simulates that of the organ in terms of tissue interfaces and mechanical stimulation. This reflects the structural and functional characteristics of human tissue and can predict response to an array of stimuli including drug responses and environmental effects.

A fully portable microchip real-time polymerase chain reaction for rapid detection of pathogen.

Point-of-care detection for pathogen is of critical need for wide epidemic warning and medical diagnosis. In this work, we have designed and developed a fully portable and integrated microchip based real-time polymerase chain reaction machine for rapid pathogen detection. The instrument consists of three functional components including heating, optical, and electrical modules, which are integrated into a portable compact box.

An Automated and Miniaturized Rotating-Disk Device for Rapid Nucleic Acid Extraction.

The result of molecular diagnostic and detection greatly dependent on the quality and integrity of the isolated nucleic acid. In this work, we developed an automated miniaturized nucleic acid extraction device based on magnetic beads method, consisting of four components including a sample processing disc and its associated rotary power output mechanism, a pipetting module, a magnet module and an external central controller to enable a customizable and automated robust nucleic acid sample preparation. The extracted nucleic acid using 293T cells were verified using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the data implies a comparable efficiency to a manual process, with the advantages of performing a flexible, time-saving (~10 min), and simple nucleic acid sample preparation.

Peptide-templated multifunctional nanoprobe for feasible electrochemical assay of intracellular kinase.

Protein kinases play a critical role in regulation of intracellular signal transduction, whose aberrant expression is closely associated with various dangerous human diseases. In this paper, we propose a feasible electrochemical assay of intracellular kinase by incorporating peptide nanoprobe-assisted signal labeling and signal amplification. Protein kinase A (PKA)-specific peptide P1 is self-assembled on the surface of a gold electrode, serine of which could be phosphorylated with catalysis of PKA in the presence of adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP).

Synthesis of Biomaterials Utilizing Microfluidic Technology.

Recently, microfluidic technologies have attracted an enormous amount of interest as potential new tools for a large range of applications including materials synthesis, chemical and biological detection, drug delivery and screening, point-of-care diagnostics, and in-the-field analysis. Their ability to handle extremely small volumes of fluids is accompanied by additional benefits, most notably, rapid and efficient mass and heat transfer. In addition, reactions performed within microfluidic systems are highly controlled, meaning that many advanced materials, with uniform and bespoke properties, can be synthesized in a direct and rapid manner.

The Effect of Additives on the Early Stages of Growth of Calcite Single Crystals.

As crystallization processes are often rapid, it can be difficult to monitor their growth mechanisms. In this study, we made use of the fact that crystallization proceeds more slowly in small volumes than in bulk solution to investigate the effects of the soluble additives Mg and poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) on the early stages of growth of calcite crystals. Using a "Crystal Hotel" microfluidic device to provide well-defined, nanoliter volumes, we observed that calcite crystals form via an amorphous precursor phase.

The Crystal Hotel: A Microfluidic Approach to Biomimetic Crystallization.

A "crystal hotel" microfluidic device that allows crystal growth in confined volumes to be studied in situ is used to produce large calcite single crystals with predefined crystallographic orientation, microstructure, and shape by control of the detailed physical environment, flow, and surface chemistry. This general approach can be extended to form technologically important, nanopatterned single crystals.

3D Droplet Microfluidic Systems for High-Throughput Biological Experimentation.

Herein, we describe the development of a multilayer droplet microfluidic system for creating concentration gradients and generating microdroplets of varying composition for high-throughput biochemical and cell-based screening applications. The 3D droplet-based microfluidic device consists of multiple PDMS layers, which are used to generate logarithmic concentration gradient reagent profiles. Parallel flow focusing structures are used to form picoliter-sized droplets of defined volumes but of varying composition.

A comparative study to analyze the efficacy and safety of flexible ureteroscopy combined with holmium laser lithotripsy for residual calculi after percutaneous nephrolithotripsy.

A certain proportion of patients with initial Percutaneous nephrolithotripsy (PCNL) management require ancillary procedures to increase the stone-free rate. In this study, we aim to analyze the efficacy and safety of flexible ureteroscopy combined with holmium laser lithotripsy (F-UL) for treatment of residual calculi after PCNL by comparison with extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL). Total of 96 patients with residual renal calculi (4 mm to 20 mm) after PCNL was enrolled from May 2010 to March 2013.

Label-free in-flow detection of single DNA molecules using glass nanopipettes.

With the view of enhancing the functionality of label-free single molecule nanopore-based detection, we have designed and developed a highly robust, mechanically stable, integrated nanopipette-microfluidic device which combines the recognized advantages of microfluidic systems and the unique properties/advantages of nanopipettes. Unlike more typical planar solid-state nanopores, which have inherent geometrical constraints, nanopipettes can be easily positioned at any point within a microfluidic channel. This is highly advantageous, especially when taking into account fluid flow properties.

Electrorheological fluid and its applications in microfluidics.

Microfluidics is a low-cost technique for fast-diagnosis and microsynthesis. Within a decade it might become the foundation of point-of-care and lab-on-a-chip applications. With microfluidic chips, high-throughput sample screening and information processing are made possible.

A simple method of fabricating mask-free microfluidic devices for biological analysis.

We report a simple, low-cost, rapid, and mask-free method to fabricate two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) microfluidic chip for biological analysis researches. In this fabrication process, a laser system is used to cut through paper to form intricate patterns and differently configured channels for specific purposes. Bonded with cyanoacrylate-based resin, the prepared paper sheet is sandwiched between glass slides (hydrophilic) or polymer-based plates (hydrophobic) to obtain a multilayer structure.

Logic control of microfluidics with smart colloid.

We report the successful realization of a microfluidic chip with switching and corresponding inverting functionalities. The chips are identical logic control components incorporating a type of smart colloid, giant electrorheological fluid (GERF), which possesses reversible characteristics via a liquid-solid phase transition under external electric field. Two pairs of electrodes embedded on the sides of two microfluidic channels serve as signal input and output, respectively.

Wax-bonding 3D microfluidic chips.

We report a simple, low-cost and detachable microfluidic chip incorporating easily accessible paper, glass slides or other polymer films as the chip materials along with adhesive wax as the recycling bonding material. We use a laser to cut through the paper or film to form patterns and then sandwich the paper and film between glass sheets or polymer membranes. The hot-melt adhesive wax can realize bridge bonding between various materials, for example, paper, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) film, glass sheets, or metal plate.

An introduction to micro-ecology patches.

Bacterial systems offer excellent tests of how well the general theoretical predictions of ecology dynamics do or do not in fact conform to reality. We believe that the basic rules that govern the cohabitation of competing species for limited resources are the same from bacteria to man, we just don't know the rules, and that fundamental studies of the games bacteria play will give fundamental insight into the vastly more complex systems we hope to attack later. In this tutorial review we discuss how simplified micro-ecologies constructed using tools of micro and nanofabrication techniques offer some idea of how physical principles and analysis can address the issue of complex ecology dynamics.

Manipulation of microfluidic droplets by electrorheological fluid.

Microfluidics, especially droplet microfluidics, attracts more and more researchers from diverse fields, because it requires fewer materials and less time, produces less waste and has the potential of highly integrated and computer-controlled reaction processes for chemistry and biology. Electrorheological fluid, especially giant electrorheological fluid (GERF), which is considered as a kind of smart material, has been applied to the microfluidic systems to achieve active and precise control of fluid by electrical signal. In this review article, we will introduce recent results of microfluidic droplet manipulation, GERF and some pertinent achievements by introducing GERF into microfluidic system: digital generation, manipulation of "smart droplets" and droplet manipulation by GERF.

Polydimethylsiloxane-based conducting composites and their applications in microfluidic chip fabrication.

This paper reviews the design and fabrication of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based conducting composites and their applications in microfluidic chip fabrication. Owing to their good electrical conductivity and rubberlike elastic characteristics, these composites can be used variously in soft-touch electronic packaging, planar and three-dimensional electronic circuits, and in-chip electrodes. Several microfluidic components fabricated with PDMS-based composites have been introduced, including a microfluidic mixer, a microheater, a micropump, a microdroplet controller, as well as an all-in-one microfluidic chip.

Design and fabrication of monodisperse hollow titania microspheres from a microfluidic droplet-template.

We report a facile microfluidic methodology to fabricate monodisperse hollow titania microspheres with a tunable surface morphology.

Microfluidic fabrication of porous polymer microspheres: dual reactions in single droplets.

We report the microfluidic fabrication of macroporous polymer microspheres via the simultaneous reactions within single droplets, induced by UV irradiation. The aqueous phase of the reaction is the decomposition of H(2)O(2) to yield oxygen, whereas the organic phase is the polymerization of NOA 61, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), and tri(propylene glycol) diacrylate (TPGDA) precursors. We first used a liquid polymer precursor to encapsulate a multiple number of magnetic Fe(3)O(4) colloidal suspension (MCS) droplets in a core-shell structure, for the purpose of studying the number of such encapsulated droplets that can be reliably controlled through the variation of flow rates.