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The rise in diabetes cases is a growing concern due to the aging of populations. This not only places a strain on healthcare systems but also creates serious public health problems. Traditional blood tests are currently used to check blood sugar levels, but they are invasive and can discourage patients from regularly monitoring their levels. We recently developed nano-sensing probes that integrate Au microelectrodes and conductivity meters, requiring only 50 μL of saliva for measurement. The usage of the co-planar design of coating-free Au electrodes makes the measurement more stable, precise, and easier. This study found a positive correlation between the participant’s fasting blood sugar levels and salivary conductivity. We observed a diabetes prevalence of 11.6% among 395 adults under 65 years in this study, using the glycated hemoglobin > 6.5% definition. This study found significantly higher salivary conductivity in the diabetes group, and also a clear trend of increasing diabetes as conductivity levels rose. The prediction model, using salivary conductivity, age, and body mass index, performed well in diagnosing diabetes, with a ROC curve area of 0.75. The study participants were further divided into low and high groups based on salivary conductivity using the Youden index with a cutoff value of 5.987 ms/cm. Individuals with higher salivary conductivity had a 3.82 times greater risk of diabetes than those with lower levels, as determined by the odds ratio calculation. In conclusion, this portable sensing device for salivary conductivity has the potential to be a screening tool for detecting diabetes.

Large-scale efforts have been persistently undertaken for medical prophylaxis and treatment of COVID-19 disasters worldwide. A variety of novel viral spike protein-targeted vaccines have been extensively distributed for global inoculation based on accelerated approval. With concerns of emerging spike protein mutations, we revisited the early but inconclusive clinical interest in the repurposed combination of azithromycin (AZT) and zinc supplements with safety advantages. The aim of this study is to provide in vitro proof of concept for IκBα associated rapid and synergistic suppression of angiotensin-converting enzymes 2 (ACE2) following combination treatments with AZT plus zinc sulfate in two human airway cells with ACE2 expression, Calu-3 and H322M, representative cells of the human upper and lower airway origin respectively. Clinical timing of AZT combined with zinc is indicated based on suppression of the key cellular entry molecule, ACE2, of SARS-CoV-2.

The use of poly-(para-chloro-xylylene) (Parylene C) in microelectromechanical systems and medical devices has increased rapidly. However, little research has been conducted on the wettability and surface roughness of Parylene C after being soaked in solutions. In this study, the contact angle and surface roughness (arithmetic average of roughness) of Parylene C on three-dimensional (3D)-printed photopolymer in 10% sodium hydroxide, 10% ammonium hydroxide, and 100% phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solutions were investigated using a commercial contact angle measurement system and laser confocal microscope, respectively. The collected data indicated that 10% ammonium hydroxide had no major effect on the contact angle of Parylene C on a substrate, with a Shore A hardness of 50. However, 10% sodium hydroxide, 10% ammonium hydroxide, and 100% PBS considerably affected the contact angle of Parylene C on a substrate with a Shore A hardness of 85. Substrates with Parylene C coating exhibited lower surface roughness than uncoated substrates. The substrates coated with Parylene C that were soaked in 10% ammonium hydroxide exhibited high surface roughness. The aforementioned results indicate that 3D-printed photopolymers coated with Parylene C can offer potential benefits when used in biocompatible devices.

Patients on maintenance hemodialysis are at high risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Fluid overload is generally regarded as the main cause of cardiovascular death among them. Cardiothoracic ratio (CTR) by chest plain film is routinely performed to evaluate their volumetric states and cardiac conditions. We recently reported that salivary conductivity is a reliable marker for assessing fluid status in healthy adults. This cross-sectional study aims to explore the association between salivary conductivity and CTR. Cardiomegaly is defined as a CTR greater than 0.5. A total of 129 hemodialysis patients were enrolled, 42 of whom (32.6%) had cardiomegaly. Patients with cardiomegaly had significantly lower serum osmolality, lower serum sodium, and lower salivary conductivity, but a higher percentage of underlying atrial fibrillation. In the multiple linear regression analysis, CTR was negatively associated with salivary conductivity or to the serum sodium level and positively correlated with older age. We further divided patients into low, medium, and high salivary conductivity groups according to the tertials of conductivity levels. There was a significant trend for the increment of cardiomegaly from high to low salivary conductivity groups (p for trend: 0.021). The receiver operating characteristic curves for the diagnostic ability of salivary conductivity on cardiomegaly reported the area under the curve equal to 0.626 (95% CI: 0.521–0.730, p = 0.02). Moreover, older age and higher serum osmolality were independent determinants for salivary conductivity by multiple linear regression analysis. This work has presented that salivary conductivity is a novel approach to uncover fluid overload and cardiomegaly among chronic hemodialysis patients.

Large-scale efforts have been persistently undertaken for medical prophylaxis and treatment of COVID-19 disasters worldwide. A variety of novel viral spike protein-targeted vaccine preparations have recently been clinically distributed based on accelerated approval. We revisited the early but inconclusive clinical interest in the combination of azithromycin and zinc sulfate repurposing with safety advantages. In vitro proof of concept was provided for rapid and synergistic suppression of ACE2 expression following treatments in human airway cells, Calu-3 and H322M. The two representative ACE2-expressing human airway cells indicate the upper and lower respiratory tracts. Prophylactic and early therapeutic roles of azithromycin combined with zinc are proposed for virus cellular entry prevention potential bridging to effective antibody production.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has become a major issue in long-term healthcare. It is caused by recurrent kidney injury, which is possible induced by dehydration and heat stress. Therefore, it is important to access the dehydration diagnosis on fields. Conventional instruments for assessing dehydration from blood and urine samples are expensive and time-consuming. These disadvantages limit their applications in high-risk groups susceptible to kidney disease. To address this unmet need, this study presents a portable miniaturized device for dehydration diagnosis with clinical saliva samples. With co-plane coating-free gold electrodes, the dehydration diagnosis was achieved with a saliva specimen at low volumes (50–500 μL). To examine the characteristics, the developed device was assessed by using standard conductivity solutions and the examined variation was p

The purpose of smart street lights (powered by the IoT) that automatically and immediately report malfunctions through wireless networks, allowing government agencies to manage street lights effectively, save electricity, and increase administrative efficiency. The collected long-term data on road environments, electricity usage, and sensor readings can help relevant device manufacturers conduct big data analysis and develop relevant applications for disaster prevention and neighborhood safety.

Background Strategies combining anti-vascular therapy and vascular imaging may facilitate the prediction of early response and outcome in cancer treatment. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the tumor-associated vasculature in melanoma and to develop an approach for melanoma treatment by utilizing the free form and micelle form of the photosensitizer (PS) chlorin e6 in photodynamic therapy (PDT). Methods Green fluorescence protein (GFP) expressing B16-F10 melanoma cells were implanted into the mouse ear dermis. Ce6 in free form or in micelle form was administered via the tail vein. An OV100 imaging system was used to record the red fluorescence of Ce6 to obtain real-time vascular images in the GFP tumor. Results Compared to free Ce6, Ce6 linked to the micelle-nanocarrier depicted a much clearer vascular image and had an effective vascular destruction by PDT. Micelle Ce6 was localized in lysosomes and in the endoplasmic reticulum of cultured endothelial cells, implying an active endocytosis of the nano-carrier. Conclusion Micelle Ce6 can serve as a bifunctional PS for vascular imaging and PDT, which facilitates its delivery in the tumor microenvironment.

Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) is an indicator of dehydration in patients at risk of developing acute stroke-in-evolution, and BUN level detection in such patients can help prevent such a diagnosis. This study developed the key module components of and techniques employed by a BUN analyzer that is suitable for use during home care. Based on suggestions by health professionals, an analyzer was developed, which detected the BUN level of dry chemistry test slides during enzymatic reactions that met the accepted standards. This study focused on solving the problem of low sensitivity of enzymatic quantification when dry chemistry slides are used, which are susceptible to blood color interference. The development of an optical analyzer that satisfied health professionals' requirements was another aim of this study. The developed BUN analyzer included an enzymatic module, an optical detection module, and an integrated graphical user interface, because software analysis and data exploration were also essential. The purpose of this study was to implement portable BUN analyzers in clinical medicine.

Biomimetic materials are used for creating microsystems to control cell growth spatially and elicit specific cellular responses by combining complex biomolecules with nanostructured surfaces. Intercellular cell-to-cell and cell-to-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions in biomimetic materials have demonstrated potential in the development of drug discovery platforms and regeneration medicine. In this study, we developed a biomimetic nanostructured matrix by using various ECM molecular layers to create a biomimetic and biocompatible environment for realizing neuronal guidance in neural regeneration medicine. Silicon-based substrates possessing nanostructures were modified using different ECM proteins and peptides to develop a biomimetic and biocompatible environment for studying neural behaviors in adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. The substrates were flat glass, flat silicon wafers (FWs), and nanorod-structured wafers prepared using wet etching. The three substrates were then functionalized using laminin-1 peptide, PA22-2-contained active isoleucine-lysine-valine-alanine-valine (IKVAV) peptide, and poly-d-lysine (PDL), separately. When PC12 cells were cultured and differentiated on the modified substrates, the cells were able to elongate the neurites on the glass and FW, which was coated with three types of peptide. More differentiated neurons were observed on the nanorod-structured wafers coated with laminin than on those coated with IKVAV or PDL. For achieving directional guidance of neurite outgrowth, substrates exhibiting a grating pattern of nanorods were partially collapsed by the pulling force of water, leaving few nanorods, which support the net form of laminin on the surface. Furthermore, we fabricated the topological nanostructure-patterned wafer coated with laminin and successfully manipulated the extension and direction of neurites by using more than 80 μm of a single soma. This approach demonstrates potential as a facile and efficient method for guiding the direction of single axons and for enhancing neurite outgrowth in studies on nerve regenerative medicine.

To advance innovative green technology in studying cytology, this study developed an electrochemical impedance spectroscopic (EIS) system with an indium tin oxide (ITO) culture chip module. This paper also demonstrates typical examples of solution effects and B16-F10 cell culture. Results indicate that higher concentrations of saline or albumin had lower impedance. From impedance data, cell proliferation and decline could be elucidated. The impedance soon decreased when Triton X-100 was applied to kill cells. Furthermore, the implemented transparent ITO culture chip module is experiment-friendly to perform optical inspections. The proposed green EIS system which is advantage of chemical-free and reusability can be widely applied to cytology studies in the future.

An infrared camera captures images of objects that emit radiation in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. In this study, a fluorescence imaging system involving a specifically designed infrared camera was developed. CCDs can detect infrared light in the invisible region of the electromagnetic spectrum (>780 nm); however, a low-pass filter is installed in front of the CCD to filter out most infrared light and prevent the light from affecting the quality of color photos. Although an ordinary camera can take infrared photos when an infrared filter is installed to its lens, a modified camera is impractical because the amount of infrared light entering the CCD is limited, resulting in the requirement of a longer exposure time. Therefore, the principle of modifying a high-speed infrared camera is to remove the low-pass filter and adopt an ordinary shutter speed to take infrared photos.

Three skin whitening assays combining the semiconductor technology was demonstrated for screening the drug candidate and discussing the mechanisms of melanogenesis in medical cosmetics. We proposed a miniaturized photometric system using complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) phototransistor as a detector with high sensitivity. The CMOS phototransistor was a small, portable optoelectronic device with enlarged depletion region of the outer N well /P well ring-shaped photodiode, able to cause a sensitive shift of the threshold voltage and enhance photocurrent response. The device was further connected to IC system to show it ability for high-throughput screening needed in the pharmaceutical industry. Three methods for evaluating effects of skin whitening agent were applied, including 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, melanin amount measurement, and tyrosinase assays. The change of light absorbance due to enzymeatic catalysis was easily measured with the proposed system. The skin whitening effects by kojic acid was determined and comparable to the commercial system.

A miniature CMOS optoelectronic biosensor is proposed for screening whitening agents. Based on the principle of absorption photometry, this biosensor is mainly composed of a green LED, a CMOS phototransistor, and a slide for performing the biochemical reactions. The requirement of the sample volume is only 10 µl, much less than those in commercial instruments. Melanin assay and MTT assay were performed to evaluate the whitening mechanisms. Experimental results demonstrated that the density of 5×104 cells/ml can be successfully detected for both assays. This portable biosensor has great potential toward personalized diagnostic kits for further applications.

In this study we describe a low-cost cadmium sulfide (CdS) photoconductor that behaves as a highly sensitive and rapidly responding detector toward low-intensity light. Through the observation of TEM images and analysis of micro-Raman spectra, the degree of crystallization of CdS films increased and their dislocation defects were removed effectively after treatment with several shots from a KrF excimer laser. Such laser treatment of CdS photoconductors could be conducted in air and completed within a few seconds. At a very low bias voltage of 1 mV, the laser-treated CdS device provided a record high responsivity of 7200 A W−1 and a detectivity of 1015 Jones. In addition, at a normal bias voltage of 1 V, it displayed an extremely high responsivity of 7 × 106 A W−1 and a detectivity of 6 × 1016 Jones. The measured response time of the laser-annealed CdS device from the dark to illumination at 10−2 fW μm−2 was only 40 ms—much faster than the shutter speed or exposure time required for a professional digital camera for such low-light image detection. Accordingly, KrF laser annealing is a simple and rapid process that can significantly enhance the low-light detection properties of CdS, a commercial photoconductor. Our strategy proposed herein appears to hold great potential for ultralow-light image detection with ultralow power consumption.