Multifunctional Particle Additives for Enhancement of Degradation and Toughness of Poly(lactic acid) in Fused Filament Fabrication

The use of sustainable polymers is a promising solution to reduce the persistence of petroleum-based plastics in the environment. Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is a renewably-sourced, biodegradable polymer used in additive manufacturing, packaging, and healthc

Assessment of cytoplasm conductivity by nanosecond pulsed electric fields

the aim of this paper is to propose a new method for better assessment of cytoplasm conductivity, which is critical to the development of electroporation protocols as well as insight into fundamental mechanisms underlying electroporation. Methods: for this goal, we propose to use nanosecond electrical pulses to bypass the complication of membrane polarization and a single cell to avoid the complication of the application of the "mixing formulas". Further, by suspending the cell in a low-conductivity medium, it is possible to force most of the sensing current through the cytoplasm for a more direct assessment of its conductivity. Results: for proof of principle the proposed technique was successfully demonstrated on a Jurkat cell by comparing the measured and modeled currents. Conclusions: the cytoplasm conductivity was best assessed at 0.32 S/m and it is in line with the literature. Significance: The cytoplasm conductivity plays a key role in the understanding of the basis mechanism of the electroporation phenomenon and in particular a large error in the cytoplasm conductivity determination could result in a correspondingly large error in predicting electroporation. Methods for a good estimation of such parameter become fundamental

Reproducible sensing of individual biological cells by broadband microwave signals

A broadband coplanar stripline was used in conjunction with a microfluidic channel for microwave sensing of live and dead biological cells with single-cell sensitivity and reproducibility. To facilitate sensing, AC dielectrophoresis was used to trap the cells between the stripline electrodes without electrode polarization. The measured dispersion of the scattering parameters were found to be proportional to the number of cells trapped, as well as to the size and vitality of the cells