Real-Time Fluorescence Measurement for Droplet Generation and Signal Detection in a Cylindrical Tube.

This study provides an approach for generating droplets in a cylindrical tube. This creative design utilizes a single tube to generate droplets for the emulsion polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We fabricated the multi-layered tube and detected samples in 1 mm microchannel length for the minimum disposable material used for droplet signal analysis. In this research, we verify the validity of the non-planar droplet chip with a single driving pump by experimentally analyzing the light intensity of the liquids during droplet processing in real time. Experimental observation shows that droplet diameter from 150 to 285 µm was obtained by the cylindrical tube with different dispersed liquid and gas pressure settings. Average size of droplets decreased by approximately 37% as the dispersed phase liquids change at the same flow pressure of 50 mbar. In this study, the effects of the laser site, 6-carboxyfluorescein (6-FAM) dye buffer, DNA reagent, and driving pressure are analyzed directly by the signal recorded during droplet generation in the cylindrical tube. Finally, we have developed a real-time detection method to count exon 19 deletion mutations of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in a droplet using a cylindrical tube. Two digital droplet PCR methods were compared in measuring the copy numbers of EGFR with the same target DNA concentration of 105 copies/µL.

Is Pilates an effective rehabilitation tool? A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Pilates is a system of exercise focusing upon controlled movement, stretching and breathing. Pilates is popular today not only for physical fitness but also for rehabilitation programs. This paper is a review of the literature on the effectiveness of Pilates as a rehabilitation tool in a wide range of conditions in an adult population. METHODS: A systematic literature review was carried out according to the PRISMA guidelines. Electronic databases were searched for cohort studies or randomised controlled trials (RCTs), and inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied. The final RCTs were assessed using the PEDro and CONSORT 2010 checklists. RESULTS: Twenty-three studies, published between 2005 and 2016, met the inclusion criteria. These papers assessed the efficacy of Pilates in the rehabilitation of low back pain, ankylosing spondylitis, multiple sclerosis, post-menopausal osteoporosis, non-structural scoliosis, hypertension and chronic neck pain. Nineteen papers found Pilates to be more effective than the control or comparator group at improving outcomes including pain and disability levels. When assessed using the CONSORT and PEDro scales, the quality of the papers varied, with more falling toward the upper end of the scale. CONCLUSION: The majority of the clinical trials in the last five years into the use of Pilates as a rehabilitation tool have found it to be effective in achieving desired outcomes, particularly in the area of reducing pain and disability. It indicates the need for further research in these many areas, and especially into the benefits of particular Pilates exercises in the rehabilitation of specific conditions.

Fabrication of Si heterojunction solar cells using P-doped Si nanocrystals embedded in SiNx films as emitters.

Si heterojunction solar cells were fabricated on p-type single-crystal Si (sc-Si) substrates using phosphorus-doped Si nanocrystals (Si-NCs) embedded in SiNx (Si-NCs/SiNx) films as emitters. The Si-NCs were formed by post-annealing of silicon-rich silicon nitride films deposited by electron cyclotron resonance chemical vapor deposition. We investigate the influence of the N/Si ratio in the Si-NCs/SiNx films on their electrical and optical properties, as well as the photovoltaic properties of the fabricated heterojunction devices. Increasing the nitrogen content enhances the optical gap E04 while deteriorating the electrical conductivity of the Si-NCs/SiNx film, leading to an increased short-circuit current density and a decreased fill factor of the heterojunction device. These trends could be interpreted by a bi-phase model which describes the Si-NCs/SiNx film as a mixture of a high-transparency SiNx phase and a low-resistivity Si-NC phase. A preliminary efficiency of 8.6% is achieved for the Si-NCs/sc-Si heterojunction solar cell.

Ardisianone, a natural benzoquinone, efficiently induces apoptosis in human hormone-refractory prostate cancers through mitochondrial damage stress and survivin downregulation.

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence suggests that mitochondria play a central role in regulating cell apoptosis. Survivin, an inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family member, mediates resistance to cancer chemotherapy particularly in prostate cancers. Therefore, development of anticancer agents targeting mitochondria and survivin is a potential strategy. METHOD: Cell proliferation was examined by sulforhodamine B, CFSE staining, and clonogenic assays. Mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ(m) ) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected by flow cytometric analysis. Protein expression was detected by Western blot. RNA levels were examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay. Overexpression of constitutively active Akt was also used in this study. RESULTS: Ardisianone, a natural benzoquinone derivative, displayed anti-proliferative and apoptotic activities against human hormone-refractory prostate cancer cells (HRPC), PC-3, and DU-145. Ardisianone dramatically induced mitochondrial damage, identified by downregulation of Bcl-2 family proteins, ROS production, and loss of ΔΨ(m) . Ardisianone also inhibited Akt and mTOR/p70S6K pathways and induced a fast downregulation of survivin, leading to activation of mitochondria-involved caspase cascades. Overexpression of constitutively active Akt partly rescued ardisianone-mediated apoptotic signaling cascades. Furthermore, a long-term treatment of ardisianone caused an increase of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, upregulation of cIAP1 and cIAP2, and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF)-mediated caspase-independent apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that the ardisianone induces apoptosis in human prostate cancers through mitochondrial damage stress, leading to the inhibition of mTOR/p70S6K pathway, downregulation of Bcl-2 family members, degradation of survivin, and activation of caspase cascades. The data provide evidence supporting that ardisianone is a potential anticancer agent against HRPCs.