Patterning Highly Conducting Conjugated Polymer Electrodes for Soft and Flexible Microelectrochemical Devices.

There is a need for soft actuators in various biomedical applications to manipulate delicate objects such as cells and tissues. Soft actuators are able to adapt to any shape and limit the stress applied to delicate objects. Conjugated polymer (CP) actuators, especially in the so-called trilayer configuration, are interesting candidates for driving such micromanipulators. However, challenges involved in patterning the electrodes in a trilayer with individual contact have prevented further development of soft micromanipulators based on CP actuators. To allow such patterning, two printing-based patterning techniques have been developed. First, an oxidant layer is printed using either syringe-based printing or microcontact printing, followed by vapor-phase polymerization of the CP. Submillimeter patterns with electronic conductivities of 800 S·cm-1 are obtained. Next, laser ablation is used to cleanly cut the final device structures including the printed patterns, resulting in fingers with individually controllable digits and miniaturized hands. The methods presented in this paper will enable integration of patterned electrically active CP layers in many types of complex three-dimensional structures.

Conducting polymer electrodes for gel electrophoresis.

In nearly all cases, electrophoresis in gels is driven via the electrolysis of water at the electrodes, where the process consumes water and produces electrochemical by-products. We have previously demonstrated that π-conjugated polymers such as poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) can be placed between traditional metal electrodes and an electrolyte to mitigate electrolysis in liquid (capillary electroosmosis/electrophoresis) systems. In this report, we extend our previous result to gel electrophoresis, and show that electrodes containing PEDOT can be used with a commercial polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis system with minimal impact to the resulting gel image or the ionic transport measured during a separation.

[Research training for all physicians--also outside university hospitals. Evaluation of a course in basic research methods]. / Forskningstraening for alle laeger--også uden for universitetssygehusene. Evaluering af kursus i grundlaeggende forskningsmetodologi.

INTRODUCTION: General practitioners are often interested in doing research but are hampered by lack of time and research training. Interpreting the results of others can also be difficult. For this reason a course in basic research methods for GPs was started in Sweden in 1989. It was originally aimed at GPs but was later extended to hospital physicians as well. The course is given regionally and at present is held in six different locations in southern Sweden as well as in Hillerød, Denmark. The aim of this study is to evaluate the course as part of a research project to recommend changes to the courses in accordance with the course evaluations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The course consists of theory (lectures/seminars six hours a month) and practice (project work) over a period of 18 months. Questionnaires were mailed to the 112 physicians who, starting in 1997 and 1999, completed the course. Eighty-five percent responded to the questionnaire, which asked if the course goals were relevant and if they thought they had achieved them. RESULTS: The most frequent reasons given for attending the course were a desire to learn how to read scientific articles critically and how to carry out one's own research projects. Two thirds of the participants thought that the theoretical lectures and project work had supplemented each other well. Most of the participants thought that the goals were very relevant but fewer--between 57% and 77%--felt those goals had been achieved. DISCUSSION: The course provides important empirical information with regard to future specialist training in Denmark. The plan is for all physicians to have research training--amounting to a total of 60 days--with lectures in research methodology and tutored research projects. The Danish College of General Practitioners has planned research training in accordance with the experience from these courses.