Numerical and experimental analysis of a hybrid material acoustophoretic device for manipulation of microparticles.

Acoustophoretic microfluidic devices have been developed for accurate, label-free, contactless, and non-invasive manipulation of bioparticles in different biofluids. However, their widespread application is limited due to the need for the use of high quality microchannels made of materials with high specific acoustic impedances relative to the fluid (e.g., silicon or glass with small damping coefficient), manufactured by complex and expensive microfabrication processes. Soft polymers with a lower fabrication cost have been introduced to address the challenges of silicon- or glass-based acoustophoretic microfluidic systems. However, due to their small acoustic impedance, their efficacy for particle manipulation is shown to be limited. Here, we developed a new acoustophoretic microfluid system fabricated by a hybrid sound-hard (aluminum) and sound-soft (polydimethylsiloxane polymer) material. The performance of this hybrid device for manipulation of bead particles and cells was compared to the acoustophoretic devices made of acoustically hard materials. The results show that particles and cells in the hybrid material microchannel travel to a nodal plane with a much smaller energy density than conventional acoustic-hard devices but greater than polymeric microfluidic chips. Against conventional acoustic-hard chips, the nodal line in the hybrid microchannel could be easily tuned to be placed in an off-center position by changing the frequency, effective for particle separation from a host fluid in parallel flow stream models. It is also shown that the hybrid acoustophoretic device deals with smaller temperature rise which is safer for the actuation of bioparticles. This new device eliminates the limitations of each sound-soft and sound-hard materials in terms of cost, adjusting the position of nodal plane, temperature rise, fragility, production cost and disposability, making it desirable for developing the next generation of economically viable acoustophoretic products for ultrasound particle manipulation in bioengineering applications

Heat capacity of α\alpha-GaN: Isotope Effects

Until recently, the heat capacity of GaN had only been measured for polycrystalline powder samples. Semiempirical as well as \textit{first-principles} calculations have appeared within the past few years. We present in this article measurements of the heat capacity of hexagonal single crystals of GaN in the 20-1400K temperature range. We find that our data deviate significantly from the literature values for polycrystalline materials. The dependence of the heat capacity on the isotopic mass has also been investigated recently for monatomic crystals such as diamond, silicon, and germanium. Multi-atomic crystals are expected to exhibit a different dependence of these heat capacities on the masses of each of the isotopes present. These effects have not been investigated in the past. We also present \textit{first-principles} calculations of the dependence of the heat capacities of GaN, as a canonical binary material, on each of the Ga and N masses. We show that they are indeed different, as expected from the fact that the Ga mass affects mainly the acoustic, that of N the optic phonons. It is hoped that these calculations will encourage experimental measurements of the dependence of the heat capacity on isotopic masses in binary and more complex semiconductors.Comment: 12 pages, 5 Figures, submitted to PR

Tunable diode laser in-situ CH₄ measurements aboard the CARIBIC passenger aircraft: instrument performance assessment

A laser spectrometer for automated monthly measurements of methane (CH 4) mixing ratios aboard the CARIBIC passenger aircraft is presented. The instrument is based on a commercial Fast Greenhouse Gas Analyser (FGGA, Los Gatos Res.), which was adapted to meet the requirements imposed by unattended airborne operation. It was characterised in the laboratory with respect to instrument stability, precision, cross sensitivity to H2O, and accuracy. For airborne operation, a calibration strategy is described that utilises CH4 measurements obtained from flask samples taken during the same flights. The precision of airborne measurements is 2 ppb for 10 s averages. The accuracy at aircraft cruising altitude is 3.85 ppb. During aircraft ascent and descent, where no flask samples were obtained, instrumental drifts can be less accurately determined and the uncertainty is estimated to be 12.4 ppb. A linear humidity bias correction was applied to the CH4 measurements, which was most important in the lower troposphere. On average, the correction bias was around 6.5 ppb at an altitude of 2 km, and negligible at cruising flight level. Observations from 103 long-distance flights are presented that span a large part of the northern hemispheric upper troposphere and lowermost stratosphere (UT/LMS), with occasional crossing of the tropics on flights to southern Africa. These accurate data mark the largest UT/LMS in-situ CH4 dataset worldwide. An example of a tracer-tracer correlation study with ozone is given, highlighting the possibility for accurate cross-tropopause transport analyses. © Author(s) 2014

Airborne in situ vertical profiling of HDO/H₂¹⁶O in the subtropical troposphere during the MUSICA remote sensing validation campaign

Vertical profiles of water vapor (H2O) and its isotope ratio D/H expressed as δD(H2O) were measured in situ by the ISOWAT II diode-laser spectrometer during the MUlti-platform remote Sensing of Isotopologues for investigating the Cycle of Atmospheric water (MUSICA) airborne campaign. We present recent modifications of the instrument design. The instrument calibration on the ground as well as in flight is described. Based on the calibration measurements, the humidity-dependent uncertainty of our airborne data is determined. For the majority of the airborne data we achieved an accuracy (uncertainty of the mean) of δ(δD) ≈10‰. Vertical profiles between 150 and ∼7000 m were obtained during 7 days in July and August 2013 over the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean near Tenerife. The flights were coordinated with ground-based (Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change, NDACC) and space-based (Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer, IASI) FTIR remote sensing measurements of δD(H2O) as a means to validate the remote sensing humidity and δD(H2O) data products. The results of the validation are presented in detail in a separate paper (Schneider et al., 2014). The profiles were obtained with a high vertical resolution of around 3 m. By analyzing humidity and δD(H2O) correlations we were able to identify different layers of air masses with specific isotopic signatures. The results are discussed. © Author(s) 2015

Airborne in situ vertical profiling of HDO/H₂¹6O in the subtropical troposphere during the MUSICA remote sensing validation campaign

Vertical profiles of water vapor (H2O) and its isotope ratio D / H expressed as delta D(H2O were measured in situ by the ISOWAT II diode-laser spectrometer during the MUlti-platform remote Sensing of Isotopologues for investigating the Cycle of Atmospheric water (MUSICA) airborne campaign. We present recent modifications of the instrument design. The instrument calibration on the ground as well as in flight is described. Based on the calibration measurements, the humidity-dependent uncertainty of our airborne data is determined. For the majority of the airborne data we achieved an accuracy (uncertainty of the mean) of Delta(delta D) ~10‰. Vertical profiles between 150 and ~7000 m were obtained during 7 days in July and August 2013 over the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean near Tenerife. The flights were coordinated with ground-based (Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change, NDACC) and space-based (Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer, IASI) FTIR remote-sensing measurements of delta D(H2O) as a means to validate the remote sensing humidity and delta D(H2O) data products. The results of the validation are presented in detail in a separate paper (Schneider et al., 2014). The profiles were obtained with a high vertical resolution of around 3 m. By analyzing humidity and delta D(H2O) correlations we were able to identify different layers of airmasses with specific isotopic signatures. The results are discussed

Impella 2.5 in a patient with left main coronary artery occlusion

Short-term assist devices have been indicated in many clinical settings mostly as a bridge to the next step. In this article, we report a case of cardiogenic shock due to acute occlusion of left main coronary artery who was scheduled to be transferred from Iran to Germany for the next treatment (permanent assist device implantation). Impella 2.5 (Abiomed Inc., Danvers, MA, USA), a short-term assist device, made the long distance journey possible.. © 2013

Airborne in situ vertical profiling of HDO / H216O in the subtropical troposphere during the MUSICA remote sensing validation campaign

Vertical profiles of water vapor (H2O) and its isotope ratio D / H expressed as δD(H2O) were measured in situ by the ISOWAT II diode-laser spectrometer during the MUlti-platform remote Sensing of Isotopologues for investigating the Cycle of Atmospheric water (MUSICA) airborne campaign. We present recent modifications of the instrument design. The instrument calibration on the ground as well as in flight is described. Based on the calibration measurements, the humidity-dependent uncertainty of our airborne data is determined. For the majority of the airborne data we achieved an accuracy (uncertainty of the mean) of Δ(δD) ≈10‰. Vertical profiles between 150 and ~7000 m were obtained during 7 days in July and August 2013 over the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean near Tenerife. The flights were coordinated with ground-based (Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change, NDACC) and space-based (Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer, IASI) FTIR remote sensing measurements of δD(H2O) as a means to validate the remote sensing humidity and δD(H2O) data products. The results of the validation are presented in detail in a separate paper (Schneider et al., 2014). The profiles were obtained with a high vertical resolution of around 3 m. By analyzing humidity and δD(H2O) correlations we were able to identify different layers of air masses with specific isotopic signatures. The results are discussed.The MUSICA airborne mission was funded in part by the European Research Council under the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013)/ERC grant agreement no. 256961

In-hospital and six-month outcomes of elderly patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention for acute st-elevation myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND: Elderly patients constitute a rapidly growing proportion of the population, and hence the increasing rises in the number of patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), which is now established as the preferred reperfusion strategy in STEMI patients, has been inadequately investigated in this high-risk group. The aim of the present study was to investigate the in- hospital and 6-month outcomes of primary PCI in elderly patients (� 75 years) with STEMI. METHODS: A total of 100 elderly patients with STEMI including those with cardiogenic shock were included. Primary PCI procedures were performed in a tertiary referral center between 2009 and 2014. In-hospital and 6-month outcomes of patients were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: The average age of the patients was 79.6 ± 3.8 years (range = 75-90 years) and 27.0 were women. Cardiovascular risk factors and prior events were common. Nearly, half of the patients had three-vessel disease and the left anterior descending artery (LAD) was the most common infarct-related artery. The presence of cardiogenic shock but not the other variables was associated with less anatomic and procedural success (P < 0.001). It was also the major independent predictors of 6-month mortality in the patients aged � 75 years, hazard ratio (HR) = 8.02; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.75-25.97, P < 0.001. In-hospital mortality was 2.4% in the patients without and 83.0% in those with cardiogenic shock. CONCLUSION: Primary PCI in aged patients could be associated with low complication rates and improved survival if performed in high-volume centers with experienced operators. Considering the very high rate of mortality in patients with cardiogenic shock, there should be measures to treat these patients before the onset of hemodynamic instability. © 2016, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved

Calorie restriction and synbiotics effect on quality of life and edema reduction in breast cancer-related lymphedema, a clinical trial

Background: Little evidence exists regarding the clinical value of synbiotics in the management of post-treatment complications of breast cancer especially breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL). This study aimed to investigate the effects of synbiotic supplementation along with calorie restriction on quality of life and edema volume in patients with BCRL. Methods: This randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial was conducted on 135 overweight and obese women with BCRL aged 18�65 years old. Participants were randomly allocated to receive a calorie-restricted diet plus 109 CFU synbiotic supplement (CRS group; n = 45) or placebo (CRP group; n = 45), daily for 10 weeks. Also, a control group (n = 45) with no intervention was included in the trial. All of the participants received Complete Decongestive Therapy for lymphedema treatment. The quality of life score, edema volume and body mass index (BMI) were measured at baseline and end of the trial. Results: A total of 121 subjects completed the trial. CRS group showed a significant decrease in the total quality of life score (P = 0.004), and it's psychosocial (P = 0.022) and functional (P = 0.002) domain scores, as well as edema volume (P = 0.002) and BMI (P &lt; 0.001) in comparison to the control. However, there were no significant differences in changes in trial outcomes between the CRS and CRP groups. Conclusion: Synbiotic supplementation along with a low-calorie diet was effective in quality of life, edema volume, and BMI improvement; mostly due to low-calorie diet. It seems that adding a dietitian consultation on the lymphedema management strategy may provide a better result in lymphedema control. © 2020 The Author(s