Search Results (1,086)

Preimplantation embryo development requires a tightly regulated microenvironment that is not fully reproduced by conventional static culture. We developed a polydimethylsiloxane-based microfluidic embryo co-culture platform integrating compartmentalized architecture with dynamic perfusion to simulate physiological conditions. The study included two stages. First, NIH/3T3 mouse fibroblasts were evaluated as helper cells under three culture conditions after transition to embryo culture medium. Helper-cell viability in the dynamic chip was 84.72%, compared with 71.91% after manual medium replacement in 24-well plates and 94.27% in the 24-well control group. Second, mouse embryos were cultured under four conditions: conventional 24-well plates, static microfluidic chip culture with co-culture, dynamic microfluidic chips without co-culture, and dynamic microfluidic chip co-culture. Blastocyst formation rates were 100.0% (9/9), 0.0% (0/6), 33.3% (3/9), and 55.5% (5/9), respectively. Because no inferential statistical analysis was performed, these proportions are interpreted descriptively. Nevertheless, the blastocyst formation in the microfluidic co-culture group supports the technical feasibility of integrating dynamic perfusion and helper-cell co-culture within a single platform. Further optimization and validation are required. This platform provides a foundation for future development of advanced embryo culture technologies including patient-specific endometrial co-culture systems in assisted reproduction, disease modeling, or drug development. Full article

Objective: Forestry management produces abundant residues including wood chips, fallen leaves and bark. Reusing them as urban organic mulches improves soil quality, mitigates soil erosion and optimizes urban green space ecology. This study analyzed the water-holding characteristics of four typical forestry residues to guide urban mulch selection. Methods: Soaking lab tests were conducted on pine bark (PB), oak leaves (OLs), pine needles (PNs), and fir wood chips (FWCs) to monitor dynamic variations in water-holding capacity and absorption rate over soaking time, with data fitted by mathematical models. Results: All forestry residues exhibited considerable water-holding capacity, with OLs showing the highest water-retention performance (175.67 t/ha, 145.42%), effective interception capacity (119.83 t/ha) and interception rate (99.19%) among all tested materials, followed by FWCs. The water-holding capacity increased rapidly and then leveled off with prolonged soaking time, and this trend conformed to a logarithmic equation, expressed as Q = a·ln(t) + b. Water absorption peaked at 15 min before declining slowly until equilibrium, and this dynamic process was well fitted by a power function, expressed as V = k·tⁿ. Conclusions: Given their superior water-holding characteristics, OLs and FWCs are highly recommended as preferred organic mulches for urban soil applications. Full article

Enzyme immobilisation within Metal–organic Frameworks (MOFs) provides a promising strategy for improving enzyme dispersion and local environment control, although the resulting performance depends strongly on the host materials, enzyme type and immobilisation conditions. Conventional in situ biomimetic mineralisation typically produces enzyme–MOF composites (enzyme@MOFs) with irregular morphologies, broad particle size distributions and aggregation, which can compromise catalytic performance and reproducibility. This study presents a flow-based microfluidic biomimetic mineralisation strategy for preparing horseradish peroxidase-encapsulated ZnBDC-NH₂ MOF composites. A flow-focusing microfluidic chip containing multiple rectangular baffle structures was designed to enhance transverse mixing, extend the effective residence time, and mitigate clogging during particle formation. Under the selected conditions, homogeneous HRP@ZnBDC-NH₂ particles with an average hydrodynamic diameter of 868.5 nm and a polydispersity index of 0.266 were obtained. The homogeneous HRP@ZnBDC-NH₂ showed an encapsulation efficiency of 56.17% and a loading content of 1.49%. Michaelis–Menten analysis gave a Km value of 52.49 μM for HRP@ZnBDC-NH₂, suggesting improved apparent substrate affinity compared with the corresponding bulk-synthesised sample. The results support the use of baffle-structured microfluidics as a controllable platform for enzyme@MOF synthesis, while further studies on enzyme leaching, reusability, long-term stability and extended chip operation are required to evaluate its operational robustness. Full article

Torrefaction of biomass produces torrefied biomass, non-condensable gases and condensable gases, which can be cooled to form a torrefaction condensate (TC). It contains assimilated organic carbon and compounds capable of inhibiting microbial growth. This study evaluated whether TC produced from aspen wood chips torrefied at 225 °C could be incorporated into cultures of the red microalga Porphyridium marinum and how TC exposure affected growth, biomass composition, and exopolysaccharide (EPS) production. TC was added to established cultures at 0.5–2.5 mL/L. Harvested biomass and purified EPS were characterised by chromatographic, colorimetric, and antioxidant assays. TC caused immediate concentration-dependent growth inhibition followed by partial recovery. However, purified EPS yield was lower than the control (202.7 mg/L) in all TC treatments (118.4–185.5 mg/L). The biomass lipid fraction reached 47.47% at 0.5 mL/L, compared to 15.47% in the control, and decreased as TC dosage increased. EPS protein and sulphate contents were in the ranges of 2.08–2.89% and 8.54–9.56%, respectively, compared to 1.67% and 8.80% in the control. FTIR spectra indicated the preservation of principal EPS functional groups, whereas antioxidant activity was generally weak and assay-dependent. These findings demonstrate the tolerance and compositional acclimation of P. marinum to low aspen–TC loadings, but not improved biomass or EPS productivity. This study suggests a new route for integrating thermochemical conversions with cultivation of red microalgae; however, it requires detailed detoxification, process optimisation, and further investigation before biorefinery implementation. Full article

Colon cancer is one of the leading causes of death, requiring advanced therapies that need models for developing new drugs. Conventional cell culture models do not accurately and precisely reproduce the complexity of the tumor microenvironment, limiting their usefulness in research and therapy development. To address this weakness, patient-derived organoids have emerged as promising in vitro models. The implementation of these organoid-based models into more physiologically relevant systems is expected to improve their clinical relevance. Thus, integrating these organoids into microfluidic chips acting as bioreactors will likely improve the predictive response of therapies in personalized medicine. In this article, we report the development of a new colon cancer organoid-on-a-chip model that enables the in vitro culture of patient-derived colon cancer organoids under continuous culture media flow. We demonstrate how the developed organoids were derived from tumor biopsies of patients with colorectal cancer, expanded in standard three-dimensional (3D) culture, and cultured inside the microfluidic chips. The microfluidic chip chambers are designed to house organoids in a controlled environment, allowing the injection of therapies and monitoring by optical microscopy in real time. The in vitro therapies tested were a combination of drugs based on 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin at different concentrations. As a result, we demonstrate for the first time that this model proves the capability of this technology for in vitro testing colon cancer therapies. Full article

Rapid room-temperature identification of gases and volatile organic compounds remains challenging for compact sensing platforms, particularly when chemically related analytes must be discriminated using accessible sensing materials. In this work, we evaluate whether magneto-optical surface plasmon resonance (MOSPR), combined with multi-spot sensing and conventional SPR readout from the same chip, can provide complementary response features for improved gas/VOC discrimination. The sensing spots are made from accessible chemicals and nanoparticles with plasmonic and magnetic properties. The sensor chip consists of a multilayer structure of metallic materials with both plasmonic and magnetic properties featuring enhanced sensitivity and stability. Measurements are made using a custom-built MOSPR instrument at relevant analyte concentrations. Analyte-specific sensor channels were selected for concentration-dependent calibration while the complete multivariate data were first explored using principal component analysis for supervised analyte classification. The combined 16-feature MOSPR/SPR model achieved an overall accuracy of 88.3% and a balanced accuracy of 87.6% under leave-one-concentration-block-out cross-validation compared with 66.2% and 65.7%, respectively, for the SPR measurement alone. These results show that MOSPR provides response information that encompasses and extends that obtained from conventional SPR measurements, thereby improving analyte discrimination. The proposed approach may provide a basis for future environmental monitoring and industrial process control, including real-time monitoring of harmful gaseous emissions pending further validation under application-specific conditions. Full article

Natural killer (NK) cells represent a promising tool for cancer immunotherapy; however, their efficacy against solid tumors is severely limited by the hostile tumor microenvironment (TME). This review provides a comprehensive overview of the physical, molecular, and metabolic barriers that drive NK cell dysfunction and immune evasion, emphasizing the physical challenge posed by extracellular matrix (ECM) density, which restricts infiltration. Beyond structural barriers, we examine the role of immunosuppressive cytokines (e.g., TGF-β) and immune checkpoint upregulation, both of which directly inhibit NK cell activation. Furthermore, NK cell signaling and cytotoxicity are profoundly affected by metabolic stressors such as hypoxia and acidosis, which act synergistically with the accumulation of immunosuppressive metabolites, including adenosine. These factors impair antitumor activity through multiple mechanisms, particularly the shedding of activating ligands. To investigate these complex interactions, we evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of different three-dimensional (3D) preclinical platforms, including tumor spheroids and Organ-on-Chip technologies, highlighting their distinct characteristics. Rather than advocating for a single technology, we emphasize that each model offers unique advantages for studying specific physical, chemical, and cellular components of the TME. Ultimately, leveraging the capabilities of these advanced 3D platforms is essential for deciphering microenvironmental barriers and unlocking the full therapeutic potential of NK cells against solid tumors. Full article

Plant secondary metabolites remain indispensable for pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and cosmeceuticals, yet conventional plant culture systems are increasingly limited by inconsistent yields, poor scalability, and inadequate capacity for real-time process monitoring. Microfluidic technologies and organ-on-a-chip (OoC) platforms, originally developed for mammalian biology, are now emerging as powerful tools to overcome these constraints. These systems enable laminar flow, precise gradient generation, single-cell resolution, and biosensor integration, providing unprecedented control over the cellular microenvironment and supporting non-destructive, real-time metabolomic monitoring. While recent reviews have surveyed plant microfluidics broadly covering developmental biology, single-cell phenotyping, and root–microbe interactions, this review provides, to our knowledge, the first synthesis focused specifically on organ-on-a-chip approaches for plant secondary metabolite biosynthesis and real-time metabolomic monitoring. Advances in device fabrication, including PDMS, paper-based, hydrogel, and thermoplastic materials, surface engineering, gradient-based elicitation strategies, and integration of optical, electrochemical, and mass spectrometric detection systems have also been critically examined. Special emphasis is placed on root-on-a-chip, shoot meristem, protoplast, callus, and 3D organoid platforms for studying cell wall mechanics, vacuolar dynamics, cytoskeletal responses, and signalling cascades. However, challenges remain in long-term culture stability and scalability; nonetheless, these technologies offer a roadmap toward programmable ‘plant biosynthetic factories’ to produce high-value natural products. Full article

Smart cities increasingly depend on chip-centered digital infrastructure, whose resilience is closely linked to the stability of upstream semiconductor manufacturing equipment supply. Disruptions in lithography equipment trade may propagate downstream through the semiconductor supply chain and affect the security and continuity of urban digital systems. Existing studies on semiconductor trade networks have paid insufficient attention to the timing of long-term structural shifts and the mechanisms through which external shocks reshape network organization. Using UN Comtrade data on lithography-equipment-related semiconductor manufacturing equipment from 2010 to 2024, this study develops an integrated topological-spatial analytical framework based on complex network analysis. The framework combines change-point detection, community evolution analysis, node roles and critical channel identification. The results show that the global lithography equipment trade network is increasingly characterized by the concentration of key nodes and critical channels, community differentiation in trade relations, and dependence on cross-community linkages. These findings provide both a complementary perspective and a methodological reference for understanding upstream structural risks in chip-centered urban digital systems. Full article

Reconfigurable robotic systems have emerged as platforms for particle manipulation owing to their adaptability and capability to alter structural configurations according to task requirements. However, achieving programmable particle capture, transportation, and release through cooperative interactions among untethered robots within microfluidic environments remains challenging. In the present study, reconfigurable cilia-based magnetic millirobots (CMMRs) were developed for cooperative particle manipulation through programmable assembly. The platform consisted of multiple CMMRs that were independently actuated using an electromagnetic coil array and assembled into a cooperative structure possessing a central cavity for particle confinement. Through sequential electromagnetic coil activation and pulse-width modulation-based control, programmable assembly, transportation, and disassembly of the CMMRs were achieved. During assembly, self-organization analysis demonstrated that the constituent CMMRs converged toward this configuration, enabling formation of the cooperative structure needed. Subsequently, particle transportation experiments demonstrated the confinement and transportation of particles along predefined trajectories, with trajectory deviations maintained below 5%. Furthermore, μPIV characterization revealed that the assembled structure generated a directional transport corridor with a flow velocity of 4.5 mm s⁻¹, providing a hydrodynamic environment for particle transportation compared with individual CMMRs. The demonstrated capabilities can serve as a foundation for reconfigurable untethered robotic systems capable of microhandling operations in lab-on-a-chip environments. Full article

Rosa sterilis S.D.Shi pomace (RSP), a nutrient-rich by-product of fruit processing, holds considerable potential for valorization. Given the increasing interest in recycling agricultural residues for edible fungi cultivation, RSP may represent a viable, sustainable substrate component. This study evaluated the effects of partial substitution of wood chips with RSP on the mycelial growth of Phallus rubrovolvatus and aimed to identify an optimal substrate formulation. The results showed that the addition of 10% and 20% RSP to the substrates significantly promoted mycelial growth and shortened the mycelial colonization time by 4–5 days. The addition of RSP increased total phosphorus and potassium contents by 12.2%–65.9% and by 0.4- to 4.4-fold, respectively. No significant differences in the C:N ratio were observed among treatments with 5%, 10%, and 20% RSP compared to the control. Extracellular enzyme activities varied across treatments, with the 10% RSP group yielding the maximum increments in pectinase (45.9%), laccase (11.9%), xylanase (12.5%), and protease (35.6%). Although substrate pH remained relatively stable, the total organic acid content decreased, whereas the levels of citric, acetic, and succinic acids increased. Overall, 10% RSP substitution significantly enhanced mycelial growth and enzymatic activity. These findings suggest that RSP improves the mycelial ability to degrade and assimilate substrate nutrients, demonstrating its potential as an effective and sustainable substrate amendment for P. rubrovolvatus cultivation. This study provides a practical strategy for agricultural waste valorization and supports the circular utilization of biomass resources. Full article

Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) has become a central amplification strategy for decentralized molecular diagnostics because it operates rapidly at mild temperatures and requires far less thermal control than PCR. Its analytical value increases substantially when paired with microfluidic and paper-based platforms, where sample handling, reagent delivery, amplification, and signal readout can be organized within compact, low-power, and field-compatible formats. This review examines recent progress in microfluidic and paper-based RPA systems across biomedical diagnostics, food safety testing, environmental monitoring, and One Health biosurveillance. Particular attention is given to integrated device architectures, including centrifugal chips, capillary-driven platforms, microfluidic paper-based analysis devices (μPADs), electrochemical biosensors, CRISPR-assisted assays, digital microfluidic systems, and sample-to-answer cartridges. Biomedical applications now span respiratory viruses, reproductive and emerging infections, bacterial and parasitic diseases, pharmacogenomic markers, and cancer-related biomarkers. RPA-enabled platforms are moving steadily into food safety and environmental surveillance, covering pathogen detection, seafood and dairy monitoring, agricultural disease control, antimicrobial-resistance tracking, and airborne pathogen screening. At the same time, the field is shifting toward more intelligent diagnostic formats. Smartphone imaging, artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted interpretation, digital partitioning, cloud connectivity, and automated quality control are increasingly being built into rapid testing workflows, giving these systems greater portability, consistency, and decision-making value. Despite this progress, practical deployment still depends on robust sample preparation, multiplex stability, quantitative reliability, reagent storage, scalable fabrication, and regulatory validation. Continued convergence of RPA chemistry with microfluidics, paper devices, CRISPR recognition, electrochemical readout, and data-assisted interpretation is expected to support more robust and accessible molecular diagnostic workflows. Full article

Background: A widely cited 2024 analysis reported that only 5% of therapeutic interventions tested in animals obtain regulatory approval for human use, reviving the debate about the predictive value of animal models. This review asks how the scientific community has interpreted that finding and what collective position is emerging. Methods: The literature citing the original study was assembled from public citation indexes and classified by argumentative stance into five categories: defences of animal experimentation, critiques, methodological and disease-specific analyses, the author’s own position, and work developing non-animal methods; no new animal data were generated. Results: Across the corpus, attempts to strengthen the validity of animal studies tended to reduce rather than reinforce their apparent translational signal; the low translation rate recurred across unrelated disease domains; and even defenders of animal models increasingly restricted their claims to specific contexts while conceding poor translation. In parallel, non-animal methods—including organoids, organ-on-chip systems, and computational models—were repeatedly described as equalling or surpassing animal models in several fields. Conclusions: The scientific, ethical, economic and regulatory cases now converge, supporting a deliberately planned transition toward human-relevant methods rather than its deferral. Full article

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) represents a major global health issue, characterized by persistent airflow limitation, chronic inflammation, and progressive tissue remodeling. Its clinical and molecular heterogeneity, combined with the lack of resolutive therapies, underscores the urgent need for advanced experimental tools to improve understanding and therapeutic development. Traditional 2D cell culture systems, though historically useful, fail to replicate the complexity of the human lung. In this review, we analyze the remarkable relevance of advanced 3D models for studying COPD pathophysiology, including epithelial injury and regeneration, extracellular matrix remodeling, and interactions with environmental triggers such as cigarette smoke and airborne pollutants. Three-dimensional in vitro models, such as ALI cultures, lung organoids, and lung-on-a-chip platforms, PCLS, and lung ECM-derived hydrogels offer more physiologically relevant environments to investigate epithelial dysfunction, immune responses, and host-pathogen interactions. We discuss the contribution of viral and bacterial infections to COPD exacerbations, and explore how 3D models have become essential tools for modeling these events. We also highlight recent advances in personalized medicine that use patient-derived organoids and ALI cultures for drug screening and biomarker discovery. Furthermore, we examine the therapeutic potential of probiotics and extracellular vesicle-associated microRNAs to modulate inflammation and epithelial repair. Collectively, these innovative systems represent powerful platforms to promote precision medicine in COPD. Full article

The rise of 3D cell culture systems—including organoids, spheroids, and organ-on-a-chip models—has transformed our understanding of tumor biology, disease pathology, and tissue development. However, accurately analyzing spatial phenotypic content within these complex architectures remains a formidable challenge. While contemporary protocols strive for precise protein localization, their reliability is frequently undermined by technical artifacts and the structural degradation of the 3D matrices. These distortions are often induced by invasive harvesting, harsh clearing agents, and frequent sample transfers. To bridge the gap between complex 3D tissue architectures and reliable assay readouts, this study establishes a systematic troubleshooting framework for whole-mount 3D immunofluorescence staining. Utilizing a diverse panel of 24 distinct antibodies targeting membrane, cytoplasmic, and nuclear proteins across human airway organoids and liver cancer spheroids, we executed comprehensive mono-, double-, and triple-labeling configurations. To evaluate workflow boundaries, we conducted a series of controlled whole-mount experiments where specific, common technical mistakes were deliberately introduced. By documenting the exact imaging artifacts, structural distortions, and aberrant signal profiles generated by these intentional procedural errors, this study provides a unique visual “atlas of failure” paired directly with validated methodological solutions. The study offers a practical, high-throughput diagnostic resource to eliminate technical error and experimental noise for whole-mount immunofluorescence labeling experiments, thereby facilitating high-quality imaging and consistent phenotypic validation. Full article