For multiplex bioassays, one effective strategy is to employ microfluidic chips based on an array of photonic crystal beads (PCBs) that are encoded by their characteristic reflection spectrum (CRS). In this paper, we report a hyperspectral imaging system and algorithms for the high throughput decoding of a PCB array and subsequent detection. The results showed that the decoding accuracy of up t...

DNA hypermethylation is common and plays a critical role in the regulation of gene expression. It is considered a major cause of carcinogenesis. High-throughput profiling method has been developed to analyze the methylation status of hundreds of pre-selected genes simultaneously. The aim of this study was to analyze promoter hypermethylation profiles of each subtype of ovarian epithelial cancer...

Whole genome amplification (WGA) permits genotyping DNA samples of limited quantity, expanding the number of samples available for genetic epidemiology studies. WGA, however, produces various nucleic acid side products that may interfere with accurate DNA quantification and further analysis. Although quality control of whole genome amplified DNA (wgaDNA) before genotyping is essential to preven...

As a noninvasive method, exhaled breath condensate (EBC) has gained importance to improve monitoring of lung diseases and to detect biomarkers. The aim of the study was to investigate, whether erythropoietin (EPO) is detectable in EBC. EBC was collected from 22 consecutive patients as well as from healthy individuals. Using a multiplex fluorescent bead immunoassay, we detected EPO in EBC, as we...

Early detection and isolation of circulating tumor cells (CTC) can enable better prognosis for cancer patients. A Hele-Shaw device with aptamer functionalized glass beads is designed, modeled, and fabricated to efficiently isolate cancer cells from a cellular mixture. The glass beads are functionalized with anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) aptamer and sit in ordered array of pits in...

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to assess the roles of plasma cytokines in diabetic retinopathy (DR) and their relationship with the severity of DR. METHODS This study included 59 diabetic patients and 19 non-diabetic controls. The plasma concentrations of endothelial growth factor (EGF), eotaxin, fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2), Flt-3 ligand (Flt-3L), fractalkine, granulocyte colony-sti...

The motion of a cylindrical bead in a fluid contained within a two-dimensional channel is investigated using the boundary element method as a model of a biomolecular-motor-powered microfluidics pump. The novelty of the pump lies in the use of motor proteins (kinesin) to power the bead motion and the few moving parts comprising the pump. The performance and feasibility of this pump design is inv...

Purpose: This study aims to examine the interaction between process parameters and bead geometry, to perform the research to predict optimal bead geometry (bead width, reinforcement height, left leg length, right leg length) through the analysis of experimental data. For this, not only linear and the curvilinear equations were developed to predict bead geometry, but also interactions between pr...