Universal pre-mixing dry-film stickers capable of retrofitting existing microfluidics.

Integrating microfluidic mixers into lab-on-a-chip devices remains challenging yet important for numerous applications including dilutions, extractions, addition of reagents or drugs, and particle synthesis. High-efficiency mixers utilize large or intricate geometries that are difficult to manufacture and co-implement with lab-on-a-chip processes, leading to cumbersome two-chip solutions. We present a universal dry-film microfluidic mixing sticker that can retrofit pre-existing microfluidics and maintain high mixing performance over a range of Reynolds numbers and input mixing ratios. To attach our pre-mixing sticker module, remove the backing material and press the sticker onto an existing microfluidic/substrate. Our innovation centers around the multilayer use of laser-cut commercially available silicone-adhesive-coated polymer sheets as microfluidic layers to create geometrically complex, easy to assemble designs that can be adhered to a variety of surfaces, namely, existing microfluidic devices. Our approach enabled us to assemble the traditional yet difficult to manufacture "F-mixer" in minutes and conceptually extend this design to create a novel space-saving spiral F-mixer. Computational fluid dynamic simulations and experimental results confirmed that both designs maintained high performance for 0.1 < Re < 10 and disparate input mixing ratios of 1:10. We tested the integration of our system by using the pre-mixer to fluorescently tag proteins encapsulated in an existing microfluidic. When integrated with another microfluidic, our pre-mixing sticker successfully combined primary and secondary antibodies to fluorescently tag micropatterned proteins with high spatial uniformity, unlike a traditional pre-mixing "T-mixer" sticker. Given the ease of this technology, we anticipate numerous applications for point-of-care devices, microphysiological-systems-on-a-chip, and microfluidic-based biomedical research.

Pilot study on the efficacy and safety of generic mycophenolate mofetil (Mycept) compared with Cellcept among incident low-risk primary kidney transplant recipients.

AIM: The aim of this study was to establish the efficacy and safety of generic mycophenolate mofetil (Mycept) and determine the bioequivalence with Cellcept. This will provide patients an alternative cost-effective option that may improve compliance and long-term outcome. METHODS: This was a comparative study between 2 nonconcurrent matched groups on Mycept and Cellcept. A total of 56 patients were included based on criteria (20 incidental patients on Mycept, matched to 20 historical patients on Cellcept, and 16 additional incidental patients on Cellcept). Patient and graft survival and safety parameters were reviewed at 6 months. Bioequivalence of Mycept with Cellcept was done by measuring area under the curve (AUC) of mycophenolic acid (MPA), maximum concentration, and time to maximum concentration for 16 patients in each group. RESULTS: Twenty incidental Mycept patients completed 6 months of follow-up. No significant difference was observed in survival (P = 1.0), graft function (P = .2320), and rejection episodes (P = .6250) between groups. The most common side effect of Mycept was hematologic and infectious. The MPA AUC of Mycept (37.38 ng/mL) was within the recommended MPA of 30-60 ng/mL. The maximum concentration (6.06 ng/mL) and time to maximum concentration (1.19 hours) of the 10 Mycept patients were not significantly different from the 10 Cellcept patients. CONCLUSION: There was no proven statistically significant difference between Mycept and Cellcept in efficacy and graft survival at 6 months after kidney transplantation. Hematologic side effects were noted more frequently among patients on Mycept and monitoring regularly is recommended.

Nutritional status of cancer patients admitted for chemotherapy at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute.

INTRODUCTION: Malnutrition is common among cancer patients. This study aimed to determine the overall prevalence of malnutrition among patients undergoing chemotherapy and to determine the predictors of malnutrition among cancer patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 88 cancer patients admitted for chemotherapy at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Philippines, from October to November 2009. Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), anthropometric data and demographic variables were obtained. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA and logistic regression analysis were performed between the outcome and variables. RESULTS: A total of 88 cancer patients were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 55.7 +/- 14.8 years. The mean duration of illness was 9.7 +/- 8.7 months and the mean body mass index (BMI) was 22.9 kg/m2. The mean Karnofsky performance status was 79.3. 29.55 percent of the patients had breast cancer as the aetiology of their illness. 38 patients (43.2 percent) had SGA B and four (4.5 percent) had SGA C, giving a total malnutrition prevalence of 47.7 percent. The patients were statistically different with regard to their cancer stage (p is less than 0.001), weight (p is 0.01), BMI (p is 0.004), haemoglobin level (p is 0.001) and performance status by Karnofsky score (p is less than 0.001), as evaluated by ANOVA. Logistic regression analysis showed that cancer stage and Karnofsky performance score were predictors of malnutrition. CONCLUSION: About 47.7 percent of cancer patients suffer from malnutrition, as classified by SGA. Only cancer stage and Karnofsky performance status scoring were predictive of malnutrition in this select group of patients.

[Late p53 mutation in head and neck oncogenesis]. / La mutación p53: un fenómeno tardío en la oncogénesis de cabeza y cuello.

p53 mutation are currently recognized as the commonest genetic event in human tumors. In this paper are studied, through immunochemistry, the p53 protein expression of 25 carriers from squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx and hypopharynx as well in the non tumoral mucosa of the larynx removed and corresponding metastases. Because of the great overexpression of this protein among tumors and its metastases, aside with the low expression in normal far-off mucous membranes of the studied growths, the AA. draw out the conclusion that p53 mutation is a late event by neck and head oncogenesis.

Spain's competent authority initiatives.

In Spain, only the Active Implantable Medical Device Directive has been transposed into national legislation, with the Medical Device Directive relevant Decree still in a draft edition. However, the notification of serious adverse incidents is compulsory for manufacturers and users, both for CE-marked devices and non CE-marked devices. Manufacturers of all medical devices classes must be registered at the national competent authority, though the directives do not require it.