Membrane-based microfluidic systems for medical and biological applications

Microfluidic devices with integrated membranes that enable control of mass transport in constrained environments have shown considerable growth over the last decade. Membranes are a key component in several industrial processes such as chemical, pharmaceutical, biotechnological, food, and metallurgy separation processes as well as waste management applications, allowing for modular and compact systems. Moreover, the miniaturization of a process through microfluidic devices leads to process intensification together with reagents, waste and cost reduction, and energy and space savings. The combination of membrane technology and microfluidic devices allows therefore magnification of their respective advantages, providing more valuable solutions not only for industrial processes but also for reproducing biological processes. This review focuses on membrane-based microfluidic devices for biomedical science with an emphasis on microfluidic artificial organs and organs-on-chip. We provide the basic concepts of membrane technology and the laws governing mass transport. The role of the membrane in biomedical microfluidic devices, along with the required properties, available materials, and current challenges are summarized. We believe that the present review may be a starting point and a resource for researchers who aim to replicate a biological phenomenon on-chip by applying membrane technology, for moving forward the biomedical applications

TOTAL HIP ARTHROPLASTY IN PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS – A REPORT ON TWO CASES

Rheumatoid arthritis is traditionally considered a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disorder of unknown etiology.It is a disabling and painful inflammatory condition, which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. Clinical characteristics of the rheumatoid hip are pain, limited range of motion, and rapid onset of cartilage destruction resulting in secondary changes in other lower limb joints and the spine. Radiography showed intensive osteoporosis and later protrusion of acetabulum. Treatment of rheumatoid coxitis is specific, which depends on the stage of disease, subjective and objective complications, and can be medicamentous, functional and operative.The study presents the treatment of two patients with rheumatoid arthritis with total hip arthroplasty at the Clinic of Orthopaedics and Traumatology Clinical Center Nis. In a fifty-five-old patient with the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, the rheumatoid hip joint underwent a cementless total hip arthroplasty. In a sixty-eight-year old patient, the rheumatoid hip joint underwent total hip arthroplasty with cement. In both patients we obtained good functional results.Total hip arthroplasty in patients with rheumatoid coxitis relieves pain and prevents invalidity conditioned by destruction of the hip joint

Depletion of human serum albumin in embryo culture media for in vitro fertilization using monolithic columns with immobilized antibodies

L

Mapping European Association of Urology Guideline Practice Across Europe: An Audit of Androgen Deprivation Therapy Use Before Prostate Cancer Surgery in 6598 Cases in 187 Hospitals Across 31 European Countries

Peer reviewe