A Step Forward for Smart Clothes─Fabric-Based Microfluidic Sensors for Wearable Health Monitoring.

We report the first demonstration of fabric-based microfluidics for wearable sensing. A new technology to develop microfluidics on fabrics, as a part of an undergarment, is described here. Compared to conventional microfluidics from polydimethylsiloxane, fabric-based microfluidics are simple to make, robust, and suitable for efficient sweat delivery. Specifically, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) films with precut microfluidic patterns were infused through fabrics to form hydrophobic areas in a specially controlled sandwich structure. Experimental tests and simulations confirmed the sweat delivery efficiency of the microfluidics. Electrodes were screen-printed onto the fabric-based microfluidic. A novel wearable potentiometer based on Arduino was also developed as the transducer and signal readouts, which was low-cost, standardized, open-source, and capable of wireless data transfer. We applied the sensor system as a standalone or as a module of a T-shirt to quantify [Ca2+] in a wearer's sweat, with physiological and accurate results generated. Overall, this work represents a critical step in turning regular undergarments into biochemically smart platforms for health monitoring, which will broadly benefit human healthcare.

Electrospun Microfibers Modulate Intracellular Amino Acids in Liver Cells via Integrin ß1.

Although numerous recent studies have shown the importance of polymeric microfibrous extracellular matrices (ECMs) in maintaining cell behaviors and functions, the mechanistic nexus between ECMs and intracellular activities is largely unknown. Nevertheless, this knowledge will be critical in understanding and treating diseases with ECM remodeling. Therefore, we present our findings that ECM microstructures could regulate intracellular amino acid levels in liver cells mechanistically through integrin ß1. Amino acids were studied because they are the fundamental blocks for protein synthesis and metabolism, two vital functions of liver cells. Two ECM conditions, flat and microfibrous, were prepared and studied. In addition to characterizing cell growth, albumin production, urea synthesis, and cytochrome p450 activity, we found that the microfibrous ECM generally upregulated the intracellular amino acid levels. Further explorations showed that cells on the flat substrate expressed more integrin ß1 than cells on the microfibers. Moreover, after partially blocking integrin ß1 in cells on the flat substrate, the intracellular amino acid levels were restored, strongly supporting integrin ß1 as the linking mechanism. This is the first study to report that a non-biological polymer matrix could regulate intracellular amino acid patterns through integrin. The results will help with future therapy development for liver diseases with ECM changes (e.g., fibrosis).

From cells-on-a-chip to organs-on-a-chip: scaffolding materials for 3D cell culture in microfluidics.

It is an emerging research area to integrate scaffolding materials in microfluidic devices for 3D cell culture (organs-on-a-chip). The technology of organs-on-a-chip holds the potential to obviate the gaps between pre-clinical and clinical studies. As accumulating evidence shows the importance of extracellular matrix in in vitro cell culture, significant efforts have been made to integrate 3D ECM/scaffolding materials in microfluidics. There are two families of materials that are commonly used for this purpose: hydrogels and electrospun fibers. In this review, we briefly discuss the properties of the materials, and focus on the various technologies to obtain the materials (e.g. extraction of collagen from animal tissues) and to include the materials in microfluidic devices. Challenges and potential solutions of the current materials and technologies were also thoroughly discussed. At the end, we provide a perspective on future efforts to make these technologies more translational to broadly benefit pharmaceutical and pathophysiological research.

Improving patient access to an interventional US clinic.

A continuous quality improvement project was conducted to increase patient access to a neurointerventional ultrasonography (US) clinic. The clinic was experiencing major scheduling delays because of an increasing patient volume. A multidisciplinary team was formed that included schedulers, medical assistants, nurses, technologists, and physicians. The team created an Ishikawa diagram of the possible causes of the long wait time to the next available appointment and developed a flowchart of the steps involved in scheduling and completing a diagnostic US examination and biopsy. The team then implemented a staged intervention that included adjustments to staffing and room use (stage 1); new procedures for scheduling same-day add-on appointments (stage 2); and a lead technician rotation to optimize patient flow, staffing, and workflow (stage 3). Six months after initiation of the intervention, the mean time to the next available appointment had decreased from 25 days at baseline to 1 day, and the number of available daily appointments had increased from 38 to 55. These improvements resulted from a coordinated provider effort and had a net present value of more than $275,000. This project demonstrates that structural changes in staffing, workflow, and room use can substantially reduce scheduling delays for critical imaging procedures.