PFA

AbstractThis paper introduces a compact mechanical stimulation device suitable for applications to study cellular mechanobiology. The pneumatically controlled device provides equiaxial strain for cells on a coated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane and enables real time observation of cells with an inverted microscope. This study presents the implementation and operation principles of the device and characterizes membrane stretching. Different coating materials are also analyzed on an unstretched membrane to optimize the cell attachment on PDMS.

Sepsis is one of the main causes of death in adult intensive care units. The major drawbacks of the different methods used for its diagnosis and monitoring are their inability to provide fast responses and unsuitability for bedside use. In this study, performed using a rat sepsis model, we evaluate breath analysis with Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS) as a fast, portable and non-invasive strategy.;This study was carried out on 20 Sprague-Dawley rats. Ten rats were injected with lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli and ten rats were IP injected with regular saline.