On-chip manipulation of local heating and nanoparticle motion

The heating of a biologic solution is a crucial part in an amplification process such as the catalytic detection of a biological target. However, in many situations, heating must be limited in microfluidic devices, as high temperatures can cause the denaturation of the chip components. Local heating through magnetic hyperthermia on magnetic nano-objects has opened the doors to numerous improvements, such as for oncology where a reduced heating allows the synergy of chemotherapy and thermotherapy. Here we report on the design and implementation of a lab on chip without global heating of samples. It takes advantage of the extreme efficiency of DNA-modified superparamagnetic core–shell nanoparticles to capture complementary sequences (microRNA-target), uses magnetic hyperthermia to locally release these targets, and detects them through electrochemical techniques using ultra-sensitive channel DNA-modified ultramicroelectrodes. The combination of magnetic hyperthermia and microfluidics coupled with on-chip electrochemistry opens the way to a drastic reduction in the time devoted to the steps of extraction, amplification and nucleic acids detection. The originality comes from the design and microfabrication of the microfluidic chip suitable to its insertion in the millimetric gap of toric inductance with a ferrite core.

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UHV-TEM studies of laser-induced damage

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100087471 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 49 ◽

pp. 632-633

Author(s):

T.S. Savage ◽

R. Ai ◽

D. Dunn ◽

L.D. Marks

Keyword(s):

Surface Science ◽

Rapid Heating ◽

Local Heating ◽

Routine Practice ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

Northwestern University ◽

Laser Induced Damage ◽

Set Up ◽

Focusing Lens ◽

Diffusion Of Impurities

The use of lasers for surface annealing, heating and/or damage has become a routine practice in the study of materials. Lasers have been closely looked at as an annealing technique for silicon and other semiconductors. They allow for local heating from a beam which can be focused and tuned to different wavelengths for specific tasks. Pulsed dye lasers allow for short, quick bursts which can allow the sample to be rapidly heated and quenched. This short, rapid heating period may be important for cases where diffusion of impurities or dopants may not be desirable.At Northwestern University, a Candela SLL - 250 pulsed dye laser, with a maximum power of 1 Joule/pulse over 350 - 400 nanoseconds, has been set up in conjunction with a Hitachi UHV-H9000 transmission electron microscope. The laser beam is introduced into the surface science chamber through a series of mirrors, a focusing lens and a six inch quartz window.

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Point-Cathode Electron Gun Using Electron-Beam Bombardment for Cathode Tip Heating

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100179749 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 48 (1) ◽

pp. 198-199

Author(s):

Ryo Iiyoshi ◽

Susumu Maruse ◽

Hideo Takematsu

Keyword(s):

Electron Beam ◽

Tungsten Wire ◽

Local Heating ◽

Electron Gun ◽

Original Position ◽

Beam Power ◽

Radius Of Curvature ◽

High Brightness ◽

Beam Focusing ◽

Time Operation

Point cathode electron gun with high brightness and long cathode life has been developed. In this gun, a straightened tungsten wire is used as the point cathode, and the tip is locally heated to higher temperatures by electron beam bombardment. The high brightness operation and some findings on the local heating are presented.Gun construction is shown in Fig.l. Small heater assembly (annular electron gun: 5 keV, 1 mA) is set inside the Wehnelt electrode. The heater provides a disk-shaped bombarding electron beam focusing onto the cathode tip. The cathode is the tungsten wire of 0.1 mm in diameter. The tip temperature is raised to the melting point (3,650 K) at the beam power of 5 W, without any serious problem of secondary electrons for the gun operation. Figure 2 shows the cathode after a long time operation at high temperatures, or high brightnesses. Evaporation occurs at the tip, and the tip part retains a conical shape. The cathode can be used for a long period of time. The tip apex keeps the radius of curvature of 0.4 μm at 3,000 K and 0.3 μm at 3,200 K. The gun provides the stable beam up to the brightness of 6.4×106 A/cm2sr (3,150 K) at the accelerating voltage of 50 kV. At 3.4×l06 A/cm2sr (3,040 K), the tip recedes at a slow rate (26 μm/h), so that the effect can be offset by adjusting the Wehnelt bias voltage. The tip temperature is decreased as the tip moves out from the original position, but it can be kept at constant by increasing the bombarding beam power. This way of operation is possible for 10 h. A stepwise movement of the cathode is enough for the subsequent operation. Higher brightness operations with the rapid receding rates of the tip may be improved by a continuous movement of the wire cathode during the operations. Figure 3 shows the relation between the beam brightness, the tip receding rate by evaporation (αis the half-angle of the tip cone), and the cathode life per unit length, as a function of the cathode temperature. The working life of the point cathode is greatly improved by the local heating.

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Gut microbiome a promising target for management of respiratory diseases

Biochemical Journal ◽

10.1042/bcj20200426 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 477 (14) ◽

pp. 2679-2696

Author(s):

Riddhi Trivedi ◽

Kalyani Barve

Keyword(s):

Respiratory Diseases ◽

New Technology ◽

Bacterial Flora ◽

Systemic Circulation ◽

The Body ◽

Lung Pathology ◽

Promising Target ◽

Current Therapies ◽

Intestinal Microbial Flora ◽

On Chip

The intestinal microbial flora has risen to be one of the important etiological factors in the development of diseases like colorectal cancer, obesity, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, anxiety and Parkinson's. The emergence of the association between bacterial flora and lungs led to the discovery of the gut–lung axis. Dysbiosis of several species of colonic bacteria such as Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes and transfer of these bacteria from gut to lungs via lymphatic and systemic circulation are associated with several respiratory diseases such as lung cancer, asthma, tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis, etc. Current therapies for dysbiosis include use of probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics to restore the balance between various species of beneficial bacteria. Various approaches like nanotechnology and microencapsulation have been explored to increase the permeability and viability of probiotics in the body. The need of the day is comprehensive study of mechanisms behind dysbiosis, translocation of microbiota from gut to lung through various channels and new technology for evaluating treatment to correct this dysbiosis which in turn can be used to manage various respiratory diseases. Microfluidics and organ on chip model are emerging technologies that can satisfy these needs. This review gives an overview of colonic commensals in lung pathology and novel systems that help in alleviating symptoms of lung diseases. We have also hypothesized new models to help in understanding bacterial pathways involved in the gut–lung axis as well as act as a futuristic approach in finding treatment of respiratory diseases caused by dysbiosis.

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