Jacobsonratliff3740

The application of lab-on-a-chip systems to biomedical engineering and medical biology is rapidly growing. Reciprocating micropumps show significant promise as automated bio-fluid handling systems and as active reagent-to-sample mixers. Here, we describe a thorough fluid dynamic analysis of an active micro-pump-mixer designed for applications of preclinical blood analysis and clinical diagnostics in hematology. Using high-speed flow visualization and micro-particle image velocimetry measurements, a parametric study is performed to investigate the fluid dynamics of six discrete modes of micropump operation. With this approach, we identify an actuation regime that results in optimal sample flow rates while concomitantly maximizing reagent-to-sample mixing.3D printed microfluidic devices are made of stiff and easy-to-fatigue materials and hence are difficult to have robust pneumatic valves. In this work, we describe a type of prefabricated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) valves, named the "Luer-lock" valve, which can be incorporated in 3D printed microfluidic devices utilizing the Luer-lock mechanism. Luer-lock design has been adopted for fluidic connections worldwide; it is facile, reliable, and inexpensive. To take advantage of the Luer-lock design, we added "valve ports" to our 3D printed microfluidic devices; prefabricated PDMS valve modules could be embedded into these valve ports, in a leak-free manner, by screwing tight the Luer-locks. In the experiment, we succeeded in fabricating pneumatic valves with a footprint diameter of 0.8 mm and verified the functionality of these valves with a shut-off pressure of 140 mbar and a maximal switching frequency of ∼1 Hz. As a demonstration, we show the serial encoding of core-shell hydrogel microfibers using the Luer-lock valves. Since the Luer-lock valves can be mass-produced and the CAD model of Luer-locks can be easily distributed, we believe that our approach has the potential to be easily adopted by researchers around the globe.Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are tumor cells detached from the original lesion and getting into the blood and lymphatic circulation systems. They potentially establish new tumors in remote areas, namely, metastasis. Isolation of CTCs and following biological molecular analysis facilitate investigating cancer and coming out treatment. Since CTCs carry important information on the primary tumor, they are vital in exploring the mechanism of cancer, metastasis, and diagnosis. However, CTCs are very difficult to separate due to their extreme heterogeneity and rarity in blood. Recently, advanced technologies, such as nanosurfaces, quantum dots, and Raman spectroscopy, have been integrated with microfluidic chips. These achievements enable the next generation isolation technologies and subsequent biological analysis of CTCs. C-82 prodrug In this review, we summarize CTCs' separation with microfluidic chips based on the principle of immunomagnetic isolation of CTCs. Fundamental insights, clinical applications, and potential future directions are discussed.

The Go Red for Women (GoRedW) campaign aims to increase awareness of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke in women. However, assessing the effects of social campaigns on information-seeking behaviors may be challenging. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the effect of GoRedW using a large sample of unbiased real-world data from Google Trends (GTr) and evaluate the temporal correlation of online search queries for CVD and stroke in women with GoRedW.

We conducted a retrospective study using GTr, a public tool from the Google search engine to obtain relative search volumes (RSVs) related to CVD and stroke in women in the period January 2004 to April 2019 in the USA. In addition, trends of GoRedW were compared with those of the well-established Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) campaign.

RSVs increased for queries of GoRedW and all searched terms for CVD but not for stroke in women during February compared to other months of the year without active campaign. The strong pattern with peaks of tampaigns and interventions. Our study showed an increase in the RSVs for queries of GoRedW and all CVD terms which correlated with the active campaign months over a 15-year period.

Coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention are frequently and increasingly performed worldwide. Although catheters for coronary angiography are considered as single-use devices, some people still question this decision. This study evaluated the structural characteristics and thermal stability of new and reprocessed catheters.

Five catheters (Judkins left) of the same brand and manufacturer were selected for each analysis. We evaluated new catheters, catheters reprocessed once (first), twice (second), thrice (third), and seven times (seventh). The optical analyses of the proximal, middle and distal parts of the catheters were performed by magnifying glass. Besides, thermogravimetric analyses were done.

After reprocessing, the crushing, color changes, folds, dents, deformations, and lumen narrowing were observed; the stainless-steel framework, the external tortuosity, the interlaced mesh of stainless-steel wires and loss of polymeric material were visualized. Thermogravimetric analysis showed lost of mass of the catheters.

This study demonstrated that the structural integrity and mass of catheters are lost with reprocessing. These findings may be caused by several steps of reprocessing; however, regardless of which step or steps were responsible, the presence of structural integrity loss leads to the recommendation of not reusing this type of device.

This study demonstrated that the structural integrity and mass of catheters are lost with reprocessing. These findings may be caused by several steps of reprocessing; however, regardless of which step or steps were responsible, the presence of structural integrity loss leads to the recommendation of not reusing this type of device.

Ischemic cardiomyopathy is the most frequent etiology of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and a result of ventricular structural, functional and electrical remodeling. T peak to end (Tpe) interval is an electrocardiographic parameter that represents repolarization heterogeneity and had prognostic value for ventricular arrhythmia. Patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy face a significant burden of arrhythmias. Mechanical dispersion is a functional remodeling parameter that can be measured by time to peak longitudinal strain using speckle tracking echocardiography. This study aimed to assess the relationship between Tpe interval with time to peak longitudinal strain in ischemic cardiomyopathy patients.

This study was conducted with an observational analytical cross-sectional design. Ischemic cardiomyopathy subjects were included at Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung, from August to October 2019. Tpe interval was measured manually with the tangential method. Time to peak longitudinal strain was measured using speckle tracking echocardiography.