Hybrid integrated platform of PDMS microfluidics and silica capillary for effective CE and ESI-MS coupling

We present an effective hybrid integration of PDMS microfluidic devices and fused silica capillaries. These hybrid microfluidic integrated PDMS and silica capillary (iPSC) modules exhibit a novel architecture and method for leakage free CE sample injection requiring only a single high voltage source. Use of the iPSC devices is based on a modular approach which allows the capillary to be reused over 1,000 times whilst replacing the fluidics below it for different experiments. Integrating fused silica capillaries with PDMS microfluidics allows the direct application of a wide variety of well established conventional CE protocols for complex analyte separations and ESI-MS coupling, allowing users to focus on the sample analysis rather than the development of new separation protocols. The iPSC fabrication method is simple (3 steps) and quick (7 min)

A translational framework for entrepreneurship research

In this paper, we put forward a new translational research framework for entrepreneurship, which leverages translational research from biomedical science and design science to lay the ground for a new research ecosystem of entrepreneurship. Instead of describing, explaining and predicting, our framework places emphasis on framing, experimenting and interacting. It comprises three modes of translational research, which allow for moving discoveries made in basic entrepreneurship research to entrepreneurial practice (T1), entrepreneurial communities (T2) and entrepreneurship policy (T3). These are alternative modes of research, marking different scientific domains, that can ensure the outcomes of our basic science are understood, adapted to and adopted by stakeholders in the best way possible. This new ecosystem can expand our scope of action as entrepreneurship researchers, open new pathways to materialize the elusive “scholarly impact” and advance the conversation and practice of engaged scholarship

Симптоми на ЛОР органите при пациенти с гастроезофагеална рефлуксна болест (ГЕРБ)

Въведение: Гастроезофагеалната рефлуксна болест (ГЕРБ) се дефинира, като хронично възпаление на долната трета на хранопровода в резултат на връщане на част от стомашното съдържание (а понякога и гастродуоденален рефлукс) към хранопровода и/или в съседни органи (фаринкса, ларинкса, бронхите), което води до променлив спектър от езофагеални и/или извън езофагеални признаци и симптоми, свързани или не с тъканни лезии.Цел: Да се определи разпространението на някои симптоми в ЛОР органите при пациенти с гастро-езофагеална рефлуксна болест (ГЕРБ).Материал и методи: Извършено е проучване на 54 пациенти в продължение на 18 месеца. При всички пациенти са осъществени: стандартно изследване на ЛОР органи; изследвания на гастроинтестинален тракт: горна ендоскопия (по Лос Анджелиската класификация, 2003 г.), контрастна рентгенография на хранопровода и стомаха с Бариев сулфат; pH тест. Резултатите се обработиха в програмата SPSS, версия 10.0.Резултати: Пациентите с типични симптоми на гастроезофагеална рефлуксна болест бяха 48 (88%). При двадесет и седем болни се установиха промени в лигавицата на хранопровода – клас А – 27 (50%), клас Б – 17 (31.5%) и 10 (18.5%) – от класове C + D. При по-тежки степени на езофагити бяха диагностицирани по-изявени симптоми и промени в устната кухина.Заключение: Нашите резултати, както и на други автори потвърждават, че промените в ЛОР органите при болни с ГЕРБ зависят от степентта на възпалителните промени в хранопровода

Orbital Complications of Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

Objective: Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is an operating procedure for surgical treatment of diseases of the paranasal sinuses. There are precised indications for this surgical intervention. Like any invasive intervention there is a risk of occurrence of complications. Some of the most common are the orbital complications.Methods: By analyzing the available literature, the authors compare and summarize the results of various studies on this subject.Results: Orbital complications are rare but can be with severe consequences, including the complete loss of vision, and even death. Most of them after adequate treatment have not substantial implications but the underestimation can have serious consequences.Conclusion: The first step to avoid complications is prevention. If we have doubts of complications they must be precised instantly and act responsibly towards them. In the presence of this complication, one should be immediately consulted with an ophthalmologist and periodic assessment of IOP and visual acuity

Thin film diffusion barrier formation in PDMS microcavities

We describe a method to form glass like thin film barrier in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microcavities. The reactive fragments for the surface reaction were created from O2 and hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDS) in RF plasma environment. The reaction is based on migration of the reactive fragments into the microcavities by diffusion, to form a glass like thin film barrier to conceal the naked surface of PDMS. The barrier successfully blocked penetration of a fluorescent dye rhodamine B (RhB) into PDMS. The thickness of the barrier could be controlled by the time of reaction and the pressure inside the reaction chamber. There is a wide range of applications of such a technique in various fields, e.g. for coating the covered surfaces of microfluidic channels, tubes, capillaries, medical devices, catheters, as well as chip-integrated capillary electrophoresis and advanced electronic and opto-fluidic packaging

CLINICAL APPLICATION OF THE HAEMOPERFUSION DEVICES BULSORB 160 COMBINED WITH HAEMODIALYSIS

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Dynamics of superconducting nanowires shunted with an external resistor

We present the first study of superconducting nanowires shunted with an external resistor, geared towards understanding and controlling coherence and dissipation in nanowires. The dynamics is probed by measuring the evolution of the V-I characteristics and the distributions of switching and retrapping currents upon varying the shunt resistor and temperature. Theoretical analysis of the experiments indicates that as the value of the shunt resistance is decreased, the dynamics turns more coherent presumably due to stabilization of phase-slip centers in the wire and furthermore the switching current approaches the Bardeen's prediction for equilibrium depairing current. By a detailed comparison between theory and experimental, we make headway into identifying regimes in which the quasi-one-dimensional wire can effectively be described by a zero-dimensional circuit model analogous to the RCSJ (resistively and capacitively shunted Josephson junction) model of Stewart and McCumber. Besides its fundamental significance, our study has implications for a range of promising technological applications.Comment: 15 pages, 14 figure