US – Page 68 – TechConnect Briefs

Polymer Gels: Fracture, Friction, Healing and Superabsorbency

Erk K.A., Purdue University, US

Polymer gels have many industrial uses, from drug-delivery and wound-healing materials to the superabsorbent gels used in baby diapers as well as high-performance concrete. The macro-scale physical properties of the polymer gels, including the gel’s [...]

Transformative Design of Medical Oxygen Concentrator by Rapid Pressure Swing Adsorption

Vemula R.R., Kothare M.V., Sircar S., Lehigh University, US

The goal of this research work is design of a miniature medical oxygen concentrator (MOC) using a novel, single-bed rapid pressure swing adsorption (RPSA) process for personal use of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. [...]

One and two dimensional inorganic nanoparticles’ interactions with fibroblasts and stem cells

Rashkow J.T., Talukdar Y., Lalwani G., Sitharaman B., Stony Brook University, US

We report the effects of one and two dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide nanoparticles, tungsten disulfide nanotubes (WSNTs) and molybdenum disulfide nanoplatelets (MSNPs), on fibroblastic cell (mouse fibroblasts (NIH-3T3) and human adipose derived stem cell (MSC)) [...]

Three-Dimensional Macroporous Carbon Nanotube Scaffolds for Stem Cell Expansion and Maintenance

Lalwani G., Gopalan A., D’Agati M., Patel S., Talukdar Y., Sitharaman B., Stony Brook University, US

Expansion of stem cells and maintenance of their self-renewal capacity in vitro requires specialized robust cell culture systems. Conventional approaches consisting of animal derived matrices and cocktail of growth factors have limitations such as consistency, [...]

Rapid prototyping bacterial spore hygro-actuators for soft robotics and adaptive materials

Cavusoglu A.‐H., Chen X., Tatem K., Sahin O., Columbia University, US

Over the past decade, rapid prototyping has migrated from the research and industrial labs into the homes of consumers. However, these solid models are limited in demonstrating dynamic actuation. A large range of soft materials [...]

Bioabsorbable Anti-inflammatory Material: A Novel Protein-Conjugated Polymer with Applications in the Implantable Medical Device Field

Rapier C.E., Chen E., Liu W.F., Lee A.P., University of California Irvine, US

Biodegradable/bioabsorbable materials are a relatively new movement in the implantable medical device field. Despite the promise of non-permanent implants, bioabsorbable materials can induce a localized inflammatory immune response. To overcome this limitation, we are combining [...]

Plasmonic Nanocages as Photothermal Transducers for Laser Induced Heating and Bubble Generation

Karampelas I.H., Alali F., Furlani E.P., SUNY-Buffalo, US

A series of new computational models is introduced to demonstrate several photonic and thermo-fluidic details of the photothermal process associated with nanosecond-pulsed, laser-heated gold nanocages. Such models can be used to simulate energy conversion within [...]

An Integrated Biometric Platform for Evaluation of Targeted Drug Delivery

Liu Y., Thomas A., Uhl C., Wang S., He R., Lehigh University, US

In order to develop in vitro methods, which more closely resemble in vivo environments, a novel technology involving the use of microfluidic devices, which more closely mimic blood vessels has been developed. The technology has [...]

Bottom-up Nanofabrication of Crystalline Structures of Magnetic Nanoparticles

Xue X., Furlani E.P., SUNY at Buffalo, US

A bottom-up approach to the nanofabrication of three-dimensional (3D) crystalline structures of magnetic core-shell nanoparticles is presented. The approach is based on self-assembly and involves the use of soft-magnetic template elements to guide the assembly [...]

Microfluidics for multiplexing of core needle biopsies

Mojica W.D., Oh K.W., Lee H., Xue X., Furlani E.P., University at Buffalo, US

Image guided biopsies for the procurement of diagnostic tissue has proven to be safe, cost effective and useful. However, the amount of tissue obtained is often diminutive and may be exhausted for conventional diagnostic purposes. [...]