Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for in situ sensing of water stress in a plant by contacting a plant with a biosensor, where the biosensor comprises a material capable of giving a detectable response to changes in local water potential in the plant and detecting the detectable response thereby sensing water stress in the plant. The invention further relates to a method for determining water potential in a substance, a biosensor, a system for determining water potential in a substance, a method for determining water potential in a substance, a water potential measurement computing device, and a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for determining water potential in a substance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for in situ sensing of water stress in a plant by contacting a plant with a biosensor, where the biosensor comprises a material capable of giving a detectable response to changes in local water potential in the plant and detecting the detectable response thereby sensing water stress in the plant. The invention further relates to a method for determining water potential in a substance, a biosensor, a system for determining water potential in a substance, a method for determining water potential in a substance, a water potential measurement computing device, and a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for determining water potential in a substance.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for improving mass transfer in microfluidic laminar stirring structures. The structures include a pair of opposite planar surfaces each configured with a series of dual-chevron grooves. Each series of grooves may include a preselected number of individual grooves that can be substantially identical to each other within each series. One or more series of such dual-chevron grooves may be consecutively formed along a planar surface which constitutes one cycle. Each planar surface may be an electrode layer within a fuel cell structure whereby laminar flows fuel or oxidant are directed past the grooved surfaces to induce stirring. In a preferable embodiment of the invention, a symmetrical stirred structure is provided wherein each of a pair of top and bottom layers are formed with dual-chevron grooves which are symmetrical and mirror images of each other.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a monolithic biomaterial. The monolithic biomaterial has a primary network of convective flow, microfluidic channels that are embedded in a substrate, where the substrate is diffusively permeable to aqueous solutes. The present invention also relates to a method of making the monolithic biomaterial, as well as methods of using the monolithic biomaterial to facilitate healing of a cutaneous wound of a mammalian subject and of regulating cells.