Micro Membrane Filters for Passive Plasma Extraction From Whole Human Blood Using Silicon Nitride-based Microfilters and Plama Collection Using Agarose Gels

AbstractThe novelty of this study resides in the fabrication of a passive, operating on capillary force, penetration-flow microfluidic device for plasma separation, based on both silicon nitride combination (SiN-SiO-SiN)-based microfilters and agarose gels, and its characterization for plasma separation from whole human blood. The fabrication processes are compatible with IC process protocols, with merits of mass productions and precise size control. The fabrication process for silicon nitride membrane was reported at Lab Chip [1], and quantification its applications to affinity-based protein separation on the silicon nitride was reported at MicroTAS’07 [2]. Our method differs from that of group Yobas [3] in the specific separation method and materials, and of group Pizziconi [4] in the geometry of the filter, and fluidic components with the structure

β-lapachone induces growth inhibition and apoptosis in bladder cancer cells by modulation of BCL-2 family and activation of caspases

Aim: To study in vitro the molecular mechanism of apoptosis caused by b-lapachone, a quinone obtained from the bark of the lapacho tree (Tabebuia avellanedae). Materials and Methods: The study was carried out on human bladder carcinoma T24 cell line. Determination of cell viability was done using trypan blue exclusion method, apoptosis quantitative estimation — by DAPI staining and agarose gel electrophoresis for DNA fragmentation. Flow cytometry analysis, RT-PCR and Western blot analysis, colorimetric assay of caspase activity were applied as well. Results: It was found that in micromolar range of concentrations b-lapachone inhibited the viability of T24 cells by inducing apoptosis, which could be proved by formation of apoptotic bodies and DNA fragmentation. Treatment of T24 cells with b-lapachone resulted in a down-regulation of Bcl-2 expression and up-regulation of Bax expression. b-lapachone-induced apoptosis was also associated with activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9, inhibition of IAP expression, and degradation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, phospholipase C-g1 and b-catenin proteins. At the same time Fas and FasL levels were inhibited upon treatment with b-lapachone in a concentration-dependent manner. Conclusion: b-lapachone-induced apoptosis in T24 cells is mediated, at least in part, by the mitochondrial-signaling pathway.Цель: изучить механизмы апоптоза клеток карциномы мочевого пузыря человека Т24 при действии β-лапакона, хинона из коры дерева Tabebuia avellanedae. Материалы и методы: для определения жизнеспособности клеток использовали окраску трипановым синим; окрашивание DAPI и электрофоретический анализ фрагментации ДНК в агарозном геле, метод проточной цитометрии (для количественной оценки апоптоза); полимеразную цепную реакцию в режиме реального времени (РВ-ПЦР) и Вестерн блот-анализ (для оценки уровня экспрессии генов и белков), а также колориметрический анализ активности каспаз. Результаты: выявлено, что в микромолярных концентрациях β-лапакон понижает жизне- способность клеток линии Т24 путем активации апоптоза, что подтверждается формированием апоптотических тел и фрагментацией ДНК. Результаты РВ-ПЦР и иммуноблоттинга указывают на то, что обработка клеток β-лапаконом приводит к снижению экспрессии Bcl-2 и к активации Bax. Апоптоз, индуцированный β-лапаконом, также сопровож- дается активацией каспаз -3­­ и -9, ингибированием экспрессии семейства IAP, а также деградацией поли-(ADP-рибозо) полимеразы, фосфатазы C-γ1 и β-катенина. Тем не менее, уровень экспрессии Fas и FasL снижался при увеличении концентрации β-лапакона. Выводы: апоптоз, индуцированный при действии β-лапакона в клетках Т24, может быть час- тично опосредован митохондриальным сигнальным каскадом

The effects of the bacterial interaction with visible-light responsive titania photocatalyst on the bactericidal performance

Bactericidal activity of traditional titanium dioxide (TiO2) photocatalyst is effective only upon irradiation by ultraviolet light, which restricts the potential applications of TiO2 for use in our living environments. Recently carbon-containing TiO2 was found to be photoactive at visible-light illumination that affords the potential to overcome this problem; although, the bactericidal activity of these photocatalysts is relatively lower than conventional disinfectants. Evidenced from scanning electron microscopy and confocal Raman spectral mapping analysis, we found the interaction with bacteria was significantly enhanced in these anatase/rutile mixed-phase carbon-containing TiO2. Bacteria-killing experiments indicate that a significantly higher proportion of all tested pathogens including Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella flexneri and Acinetobacter baumannii, were eliminated by the new nanoparticle with higher bacterial interaction property. These findings suggest the created materials with high bacterial interaction ability might be a useful strategy to improve the antimicrobial activity of visible-light-activated TiO2

Mortality associated with the use of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants in cancer patients:Dabigatran versus rivaroxaban

Abstract Objective This study assesses the mortality outcomes of non‐vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) in cancer patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE) and atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods Medical records of cancer patients receiving NOACs for VTE or AF between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2016, were retrieved from Taiwan's National Health Institute Research Database. NOACs were compared using the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) method. The primary outcome was cancer‐related death. Secondary outcomes were all‐cause mortality, major bleeding, and gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. Results Among 202,754 patients who received anticoagulants, 3591 patients (dabigatran: 907; rivaroxaban: 2684) with active cancers were studied. Patients who received dabigatran were associated with lower risks of cancer‐related death at one year (HR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.54–0.93) and at the end of follow‐ups (HR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.64–0.98) compared with rivaroxaban. Patients who received dabigatran were also associated with lower risks of all‐cause mortality (HR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.67–0.97), major bleeding (HR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.47–0.88), and GI bleeding (HR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.39–0.84) at the end of follow‐ups compared with rivaroxaban. Conclusion Compared with rivaroxaban, the use of dabigatran may be associated with a lower risk of cancer‐related death and all‐cause mortality

158 μm emission as an indicator of galaxy star formation rate

Observations of local star-forming galaxies (SFGs) show a tight correlation between their singly ionized carbon line luminosity () and star formation rate (SFR), suggesting that may be a useful SFR tracer for galaxies. Some other galaxy populations, however, are found to have lower than local SFGs, including the infrared (IR)-luminous, starburst galaxies at low and high redshifts as well as some moderately SFGs at the epoch of re-ionization (EoR). The origins of this ' deficit' is unclear. In this work, we study the -SFR relation of galaxies using a sample of z = 0-8 galaxies with extracted from cosmological volume and zoom-in simulations from the Feedback in Realistic Environments (fire) project. We find a simple analytic expression for /SFR of galaxies in terms of the following parameters: mass fraction of -emitting gas (Zgas), gas metallicity (Zgas), gas density (ngas), and gas depletion time (). We find two distinct physical regimes: -rich galaxies, where tdep is the main driver of the deficit and -poor galaxies where Zgas is the main driver. The observed deficit of IR-luminous galaxies and early EoR galaxies, corresponding to the two different regimes, is due to short gas depletion time and low gas metallicity, respectively. Our result indicates that the deficit is a common phenomenon of galaxies, and caution needs to be taken when applying a constant -to-SFR conversion factor derived from local SFGs to estimate cosmic SFR density at high redshifts and interpret data from upcoming line intensity mapping experiments

Level structure of 153Dy and the competition between collective and few-particle excitation modes in Dy Nuclei

The 153Dy level structure has been studied through the 124Sn(34S, 5n) reaction. The low-spin collective character of 153Dy gives way to single particle yrast configurations at I > 41 2; an I= 47 2 isomer at 5591 ke V shows the single particle character (and overall oblate shape) to be well established at that spin. Nuclear shape charges in Dy nuclei are discussed

Aligned νi13 2 bands coupled to different shapes in 186Hg

The structure of 186Hg has been studied through the 156Gd(34S, 4n) reaction. Three bands with even spin and parity are observed; two of them are established up to high spin and are found to cross with little interaction at I= 16+. Cranked shell model calculations suggest that these two bands can be associated with a decoupled νi13 2 pair based on a prolate and on an oblate or triaxial shape, respectively

Four-valence-proton yrast states in Er8268150

The level structure of the four-valence-proton N=82 nucleus Er150 has been studied by -ray spectroscopy following reactions of 225-255 MeV Ni58,60 beams on Mo92,94,95 and Nb93 targets. Yrast levels in Er150 are established up to 9.5 MeV excitation energy; they include isomeric levels at 2797, 7372, and 9509 keV. The observed levels up to 5222 keV are interpreted in terms of shell model configurations involving the four valence protons outside the Gd146 core. They include states with dominant seniority two and four configurations h1124, h1123s12, and h1123d32, and octupole excitations. The levels above 5222 keV must involve excitation of the Gd146 core, and they are not interpreted in detail. The energies of the h1124 levels are found to agree reasonably with predictions based on empirical two-body interactions taken from the h1122 spectrum of Dy148. Even better agreement is obtained by taking account also of the known h1123 energies in Ho149. The dependence of E2 transition probabilities in N=82 nuclei on the h112 subshell occupation number is discussed