Laser vibrometry characterisation of a microfluidic lab-on-a-chip device: a preliminary investigation

Since their original inception as ultrasound contrast agents, potential applications of microbubbles have evolved to encompass molecular imaging and targeted drug delivery. As these areas develop, so does the need to understand the mechanisms behind the interaction of microbubbles both with biological tissue and with other microbubbles. There is therefore a metrological requirement to develop a controlled environment in which to study these processes. Presented here is the design and characterisation of such a system, which consists of a microfluidic chip, specifically developed for manipulating microbubbles using both optical and acoustic trapping. A laser vibrometer is used to observe the coupling of acoustic energy into the chip from a piezoelectric transducer bonded to the surface. Measurement of the velocity of surface waves on the chip is investigated as a potential method for inferring the nature of the acoustic fields excited within the liquid medium of the device. Comparison of measured surface wavelengths with wave types suggests the observation of anti-symmetric Lamb or Love-Kirchhoff waves. Further visual confirmation of the acoustic fields through bubble aggregation highlights differences between the model and experimental results in predicting the position of acoustic pressure nodes in relation to excitation frequency

Detection of Provasopressin in Invasive and Non-invasive (DCIS) Human Breast Cancer Using a Monoclonal Antibody Directed Against the C-terminus (MAG1)

The provasopressin protein (proAVP) is expressed by invasive breast cancer and non-invasive breast cancer, or ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Here we demonstrate the ability of the monoclonal antibody MAG1 directed against the C-terminal end of proAVP to identify proAVP in all cases examined of human invasive cancer and DCIS (35 and 26, respectively). Tissues were chosen to represent a relevant variation in tumor type, grade, patient age, and menopausal status. By comparison, there was 65% positive staining for estrogen receptor, 61% for progesterone receptor, 67% for nuclear p53, and 39% for c-Erb-B2 with the invasive breast cancer sections. Reaction with the normal tissue types examined (67) was restricted to the vasopressinergic magnocellular neurons of the hypothalamus, where provasopressin is normally produced, and the posterior pituitary, where these neurons terminate. The breast epithelial tissue sections on the tissue microarray did not react with MAG1. Previously, we demonstrated that polyclonal antibodies to proAVP detected that protein in all breast cancer samples examined, but there was no reaction with breast tissue containing fibrocystic disease. The results presented here not only expand upon those earlier results, but they also demonstrate the specificity and effectiveness of what may be considered a more clinically-relevant agent. Thus, proAVP appears to be an attractive target for the detection of invasive breast cancer and DCIS, and these results suggest that MAG1 may be a beneficial tool for use in the development of such strategies

Acoustofluidic measurements on polymer-coated microbubbles: primary and secondary Bjerknes forces

The acoustically-driven dynamics of isolated particle-like objects in microfluidic environments is a well-characterised phenomenon, which has been the subject of many studies. Conversely, very few acoustofluidic researchers looked at coated microbubbles, despite their widespread use in diagnostic imaging and the need for a precise characterisation of their acoustically-driven behaviour, underpinning therapeutic applications. The main reason is that microbubbles behave differently, due to their larger compressibility, exhibiting much stronger interactions with the unperturbed acoustic field (primary Bjerknes forces) or with other bubbles (secondary Bjerknes forces). In this paper, we study the translational dynamics of commercially-available polymer-coated microbubbles in a standing-wave acoustofluidic device. At increasing acoustic driving pressures, we measure acoustic forces on isolated bubbles, quantify bubble-bubble interaction forces during doublet formation and study the occurrence of sub-wavelength structures during aggregation. We present a dynamic characterisation of microbubble compressibility with acoustic pressure, highlighting a threshold pressure below which bubbles can be treated as uncoated. Thanks to benchmarking measurements under a scanning electron microscope, we interpret this threshold as the onset of buckling, providing a quantitative measurement of this parameter at the single-bubble level. For acoustofluidic applications, our results highlight the limitations of treating microbubbles as a special case of solid particles. Our findings will impact applications where knowing the buckling pressure of coated microbubbles has a key role, like diagnostics and drug delivery

SYNTHESIS OF alpha , omega - DIESTERS

The present invention relates to the transformation of alicyclic ketones with an alpha hydrogen to the corresponding alpha,omega diesters by the reaction with organic carbonates in the presence of cesium or potassium carbonates and of a phase-transfer agen

Variation of the chemical and biological properties of a Technosol during seven years after a single application of compost

Technosols are composed of natural soils mixed with artificial materials and can be an inhospitable environment for the soil microbial community. The main goal of the current research was to evaluate temporal variations of Technosol quality through an integrated approach, considering all of the evaluated chemical, physical and biological characteristics for a period of seven years after a single application of compost. The soil samples were evaluated using the following parameters: pH; water content; water holding capacity; bulk density; porosity; organic matter and N contents; C/N ratio; fungal biomass; microbial biomass; respiration; metabolic quotient (qCO 2 ); and endogenous mineralisation coefficient (CEM). The overall evaluation showed that a single application of compost improved the soil quality in the short term. A decrease in Technosol quality over the long term appears to be due to deterioration of the physical and chemical properties, rather than a change in biological properties

Experimental study on rising velocity of nitrogen bubbles in FC-72

Abstract In this work, the rising velocities of gas bubbles in a still liquid are measured and compared with available theories. In order to separate the mechanical effects from the thermal and mass exchange ones in bubble dynamics, adiabatic two-phase flow conditions were established by injecting gas (nitrogen) bubbles in a fluoroinert liquid (FC-72) at ambient temperature and pressure through an orifice (about 0.1 mm diameter) drilled on a generatrix of a horizontal tube. Bubble size, aspect ratio, detachment frequency, velocity and frequency of shape oscillations were measured by processing of high speed video images (at 1500 fps). A sensible steady oscillation of velocity, with a amplitude up to 20% of the mean value, was evidenced after the initial acceleration region. This oscillation was well correlated with the one in aspect ratio, thus providing evidence of the separate influence of this last parameter on drag coefficient. Available correlations did not give fully satisfactory results in predicting the mean rising velocity, showing a general tendency to underprediction. Sensible wake effects were excluded. Finally, the frequency of shape oscillation and the mean aspect ratio were compared with available models, evidencing their limitations

The “Spot 14” Gene Resides on the Telomeric End of the 11q13 Amplicon and is Expressed in Lipogenic Breast Cancers: Implications for Control of Tumor Metabolism

Enhanced long chain fatty acid synthesis may occur in breast cancer, where it is necessary for tumor growth and predicts a poor prognosis. “Spot 14” (S14) is a carbohydrate- and thyroid hormone-inducible nuclear protein specific to liver, adipose, and lactating mammary tissues that functions to activate genes encoding the enzymes of fatty acid synthesis. Amplification of chromosome region 11q13, where the S14 gene (THRSP) resides, also predicts a poor prognosis in breast tumors. We localized the S14 gene between markers D11S906 and D11S937, at the telomeric end of the amplified region at 11q13, and found that it was amplified and expressed in breast cancer-derived cell lines. Moreover, concordant expression of S14 and a key lipogenic enzyme (acetyl-CoA carboxylase) in a panel of primary breast cancer specimens strongly supported a role for S14 as a determinant of tumor lipid metabolism. S14 expression provides a pathophysiological link between two prognostic indicators in breast cancer: enhanced lipogenesis and 11q13 amplification

Synthesis of dialkyl ethers by decarboxylation of dialkyl carbonates

The decarboxylation reaction of dialkyl carbonates to give their related ethers was investigated. The reaction was carried out at atmospheric pressure and in the presence of hydrotalcite or basic alumina as catalysts without any solvent. The influence of several reaction parameters on the selectivity was studied (e.g. temperature, amount of catalyst, substrate concentration, solvent). The stability of the catalyst was also investigated. The experimental data for the decarboxylation confirmed that this reaction is complicated by competitive processes, such as dismutation and, in one case, pyrolysis. The results obtained show that in the presence of hydrotalcite as a catalyst, symmetrical dialkyl ethers can be synthesised with yields up to 80%. Dissymmetrical ethers (i.e. methyl alkyl ethers) can be produced with yields up to 80% at high temperature (250 ◦C). The catalyst proved to be fully recyclable in all cases studied, except for the carbonate containing n-octyl moiety