Journal: Biomicrofluidics

Article Title: Automated selection of aptamers against cholangiocarcinoma cells on an integrated microfluidic platform

doi: 10.1063/1.4991005

Figure Lengend Snippet: The Cell-SELEX process performed on a microfluidic chip. (a) Incubation and mixing of the single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) library with target cell-magnetic bead complexes in binding buffer and fetal bovine serum (FBS) in the positive selection chamber. (b) Washing and removal of unbound ssDNA using the washing buffer and removal of wastes through the waste collection chamber. (c) Thermal release of bound ssDNA and application of a magnetic field to isolate the cells and transfer the bound ssDNA to the negative selection chamber. (d) Negative selection in the negative selection chamber with negative control cell-magnetic bead complexes in binding buffer. (e) Magnetic separation of negative control cell-magnetic bead complexes, and transfer of supernatant to the PCR chamber. (f) PCR amplification of selected sequences. The amplified product was then transferred to the positive selection chamber for the next round of SELEX. Blue arrows indicate the micro-chamber in which the respective reaction step was carried out.

Article Snippet: Capillary electrophoresis (CE)-based SELEX, 18 sol-gel-based SELEX, 19 and magnetic bead-based SELEX 20–22 have all been integrated into microfluidic systems, resulting in the rapid and highly efficient isolation of aptamers.

Techniques: Incubation, Binding Assay, Selection, Negative Control, Amplification

Journal: Biomicrofluidics

Article Title: Automated selection of aptamers against cholangiocarcinoma cells on an integrated microfluidic platform

doi: 10.1063/1.4991005

Figure Lengend Snippet: Agarose gel electrophoresis: (a) PCR products were electrophoresed on an agarose gel (2%) and stained with ethidium bromide. For panels (a) and (b), lane L = 50-bp DNA ladder, lane N = ddH2O (negative control), lane P = 1 μM of ssDNA library, and lanes S1 to S6= PCR products (30 cycles) obtained after 1 to 6 rounds of SELEX, respectively, with HuCCT-1 (a) and SNU-478 (b) cells. (c) Gel electrophoresis analysis after a second round of negative selection performed with MMNK-1 cells and WBCs. Lanes S and H depict PCR products after negative selection with SNU-478 and HuCCT-1 cells, respectively.

Article Snippet: Capillary electrophoresis (CE)-based SELEX, 18 sol-gel-based SELEX, 19 and magnetic bead-based SELEX 20–22 have all been integrated into microfluidic systems, resulting in the rapid and highly efficient isolation of aptamers.

Techniques: Agarose Gel Electrophoresis, Staining, Negative Control, Nucleic Acid Electrophoresis, Selection

Journal: Biomicrofluidics

Article Title: Automated selection of aptamers against cholangiocarcinoma cells on an integrated microfluidic platform

doi: 10.1063/1.4991005

Figure Lengend Snippet: Melting curves analysis of the ssDNA pools after each round of SELEX. (a) Melting curve of SELEX rounds 1 to 6 for SNU-478 cell line. (b) Melting curve of SELEX rounds 1 to 6 for HuCCT-1 cell lines. The RT-PCR products of the 5th and 6th cycles depicted a melting temperature of 84.88 °C and 85.02 °C.

Article Snippet: Capillary electrophoresis (CE)-based SELEX, 18 sol-gel-based SELEX, 19 and magnetic bead-based SELEX 20–22 have all been integrated into microfluidic systems, resulting in the rapid and highly efficient isolation of aptamers.

Techniques: Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction

Journal: eLife

Article Title: Neural activity related to volitional regulation of cortical excitability

doi: 10.7554/eLife.40843

Figure Lengend Snippet: Each trial of neurofeedback training commenced with a display of four circles ( A ) each representing the background EMG in one of the recorded hand muscles (right FDI, ADM and OP, and left FDI). The circles were red if the root mean squared (rms) EMG at rest was greater than seven microvolts. It was essential that all four circles were green for at least 500 ms before the trial could proceed. When this condition was met a fixation cross appeared for a random period (in order to prevent anticipation of the TMS pulse). During the fixation period, it was still essential to keep the background EMG below seven microvolts in order for a TMS pulse to be delivered. ( B ) The peak-peak amplitude of the motor evoked potential (MEP) evoked by the TMS was calculated in real-time and displayed immediately to the participant on screen in the form of a rectangular bar. ( C ) Different feedback for UP training and DOWN training. In the UP training if the MEP was greater than the baseline mean, the rectangle was green, with a green tick, a dollar sign to indicate a small financial reward, a display of the current score, and a positive encouraging sound bite was heard. If the MEP did not meet the criterion amplitude, the bar was red, there was no dollar sign, and a negative sound bite was heard. ( D ) A custom 3D printed ‘coil spacer’ device was used to prevent direct contact of the TMS coil on the EEG electrodes and allow the pre-TMS EEG period to be recorded artefact free.

Article Snippet: EEG signals were recorded using a 64 channel gel-based TMS-compatible cap (Electrical Geodesics Inc., Oregon, USA), and the channel closest to the TMS hotspot was noted.

Techniques:

Journal: eLife

Article Title: Neural activity related to volitional regulation of cortical excitability

doi: 10.7554/eLife.40843

Figure Lengend Snippet: Panels ( b-f ) show topographical representations of the relative power (in % of whole spectrum) in the UP condition minus the DOWN condition, for five distinct frequency bands (averaged group data, n = 14, three other frequency bands shown in ). Red colours indicate regions that demonstrated greater synchronisation in the UP condition. Blue colours indicate greater synchronization in the DOWN condition. The location of the electrode nearest to the TMS hotspot varied between participants but was always within the region indicated in panel ( a ). Colours are scaled from blue-red by minimum-maximum (range shown to right of each plot). Panel ( g ) shows the same data (UP-DOWN) extracted for each participant’s hotspot electrode. Values greater than 0 indicate larger amplitude oscillations in the UP condition, and lower than 0 indicate larger oscillations in the DOWN condition. Stars indicate significant deviations from 0 (Wilcoxon Signed Rank tests). Panel ( h ) shows group level data for regression analyses performed on MEP amplitudes with relative power in each frequency band. This included all 120 trials (60 UP, 60 DOWN) collected during the combined TMS-EEG recording session. The Y axis depicts the slope of the regression model. Stars indicate significant deviations from 0 (0 would indicate no slope, Wilcoxon Signed Rank test). Individual regression plots are shown for one representative participant in .

Article Snippet: EEG signals were recorded using a 64 channel gel-based TMS-compatible cap (Electrical Geodesics Inc., Oregon, USA), and the channel closest to the TMS hotspot was noted.

Techniques: