Liquid-Phase Packaging of a Glucose Oxidase Solution with Parylene Direct Encapsulation and an Ultraviolet Curing Adhesive Cover for Glucose Sensors

We have developed a package for disposable glucose sensor chips using Parylene encapsulation of a glucose oxidase solution in the liquid phase and a cover structure made of an ultraviolet (UV) curable adhesive. Parylene was directly deposited onto a small volume (1 μL) of glucose oxidase solution through chemical vapor deposition. The cover and reaction chamber were constructed on Parylene film using a UV-curable adhesive and photolithography. The package was processed at room temperature to avoid denaturation of the glucose oxidase. The glucose oxidase solution was encapsulated and unsealed. Glucose sensing was demonstrated using standard amperometric detection at glucose concentrations between 0.1 and 100 mM, which covers the glucose concentration range of diabetic patients. Our proposed Parylene encapsulation and UV-adhesive cover form a liquid phase glucose-oxidase package that has the advantages of room temperature processing and direct liquid encapsulation of a small volume solution without use of conventional solidifying chemicals

Serum cytokine profile in pediatric Sweet’s syndrome: a case report

Abstract Background Sweet’s syndrome is characterized by fever, leukocytosis, and tender erythematous papules or nodules. It is a rare condition, particularly in the pediatric population, and has recently been proposed to be an autoinflammatory disease that occurs due to innate immune system dysfunction, involving several cytokines, which causes abnormally increased inflammation. To the best of our knowledge, no report has documented the cytokine profile in a pediatric patient with Sweet’s syndrome. Case presentation A previously healthy 34-month-old Japanese girl was hospitalized because of remittent fever and pain in her right lower extremity with erythematous nodules. A skin biopsy of the eruption revealed dermal perivascular neutrophilic infiltration with no evidence of vasculitis, which led to the diagnosis of Sweet’s syndrome. She was prescribed with orally administered prednisolone and a prompt response was observed; then, the prednisolone dose was tapered. During treatment she developed upper and lower urinary tract infections, after which her cutaneous symptoms failed to improve despite increasing the prednisolone dosage. To avoid long-term use of systemic corticosteroids, orally administered potassium iodide was initiated, but it was unsuccessful. However, orally administered colchicine along with prednisolone effectively ameliorated her symptoms, and prednisolone dosage was reduced again. We analyzed the circulating levels of interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, interleukin-18, neopterin, and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors I and II, in order to clarify the pathogenesis of Sweet’s syndrome. Of these cytokines, only interleukin-6 levels were elevated prior to orally administered prednisolone therapy. Following therapy, the elevated interleukin-6 levels gradually diminished to almost normal levels; interleukin-1β and interleukin-18 stayed within normal ranges throughout the treatment. Neopterin became marginally elevated after the start of treatment. Both soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor I and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor II levels increased shortly after the onset of urinary tract infections. Conclusions This is the first case report of pediatric Sweet’s syndrome in which serum cytokine levels were investigated. Future studies should gather more evidence to elucidate the pathophysiology of Sweet’s syndrome

A Case of Apparent Life-Threatening Event: Comorbid Gastric Volvulus Associated Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Epilepsy in a 4-Month-Old Boy

Most isolated episodes of apparent life-threatening events (ALTEs) do not lead to the diagnosis of serious conditions, and their prognoses are generally benign. However, recurrent ALTEs are often associated with a risk of future serious adverse events and should be evaluated for appropriate management. Here we present ALTE case in which gastric volvulus associated gastroesophageal reflux disease was detected as an etiology initially, followed by the detection of epilepsy as another etiology. Clinicians should consider possibility of two or more etiologies in a single recurrent ALTE case