Abstract: The present disclosure describes various aspects of various devices, and methods of making and using the devices, for measuring bioimpedance of tissues within a patient's body, such as GI tract tissue. The devices entail using various implementations of capsules or other housings that allow for ingestion or other insertion into a body of the device, equipped with microfabricated sensors and embedded circuitry enabling wireless communication. Among other benefits, this approach addresses a gap in conventional GI tract monitoring devices and methods to non-invasively access the small intestine and directly measure the inflammatory state of intestinal tissue, including ischemia, edema, and mucosal abnormalities.

Abstract: This disclosure sets forth various systems and methods for deploying anchored medical devices within a human or animal. The medical devices may deliver payloads, such as various sensors, electrodes, transmitters, cameras, electrical or other interventional devices, drugs or therapeutics. The devices may have one or more anchors, which attach the device to an anatomy of interest. This allows for methods and processes to be performed over periods of time, such as extended delivery of a therapy or real time sensing of characteristics inside a body, which the device remains within a given location.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring a bioprocess parameter. The apparatus includes: a housing; a bioprocess sensor attached to an outer surface of the housing; a power supply contained within the housing; and an electronics module contained within the housing and in communication with the power supply and the sensor, where the electronics module includes a wireless communication unit.

Abstract: Sensor electrodes are fabricated in situ within or on a surface of a medical device. For example, a catheter can have a lumen extending between first and second longitudinal ends of the catheter. A patterning mold can be inserted into the lumen via the first longitudinal end of the catheter such that first and second surface portions of the lumen are exposed from the patterning mold and remaining surface portions of the lumen are covered by and in contact with the patterning mold. A first electrode layer can be formed on the first and second surface portions exposed from the patterning mold using electroless deposition. After the forming, the patterning mold can be removed from the lumen. Additional electrode layers can be formed on the first electrode layer, for example, via electroplating. In some embodiments, the electrode layers can be used for detection of bacterial biofilm growth.

Abstract: Impedance is detected between electrodes coupled to an indwelling medical device to monitor bacteria growth and/or formation of a bacterial biofilm in an in vivo environment. When an antimicrobial agent is present in the in vivo environment, the same voltage that enables impedance detection also generates a bioelectric effect, which decreases a size of the bacterial biofilm or inhibits growth of the bacterial biofilm. In some embodiments, the impedance detected between the electrodes can also be used as a feedback mechanism. When detection indicates that a bacterial biofilm has formed, the system can take remedial measures, such as introducing an antimicrobial agent to the in vivo environment and/or delivering a voltage higher than detecting voltage to deliver a greater bioelectric effect. In some embodiments, the electrodes can be formed on a flexible substrate that is mounted on and conforms to a non-flat surface of the indwelling medical device.

Abstract: A microneedle system includes an ingestible structure and one or more microneedle units secured to a surface of the structure. Each microneedle unit has a plurality of barb members extending from the outer surface of a microneedle. The microneedle unit is secured to the structure by a displacement member, which displaces the microneedle unit when in a released state. The displacement member may be held in a compressed state by a dissolvable coating.

Abstract: Methods are provided that allow global access to redox-based molecular information by coupling electrochemical measurements with signal processing approaches. More specifically, the disclosure provides methods that rely on the use of redox probes to assay samples for redox activities that act to exchange electrons with the probe thereby generating detectable optical and electrochemical signature signals that can then be assigned to a sample feature of interest. In particular embodiments, the disclosed assay methods are useful for diagnosis and prognosis of disorders, such as schizophrenia, that are found to be associated with a specific redox-based signature within a subject sample.

Abstract: Impedance is detected between electrodes coupled to an indwelling medical device to monitor bacteria growth and/or formation of a bacterial biofilm in an in vivo environment. When an antimicrobial agent is present in the in vivo environment, the same voltage that enables impedance detection also generates a bioelectric effect, which decreases a size of the bacterial biofilm or inhibits growth of the bacterial biofilm. In some embodiments, the impedance detected between the electrodes can also be used as a feedback mechanism. When detection indicates that a bacterial biofilm has formed, the system can take remedial measures, such as introducing an antimicrobial agent to the in vivo environment and/or delivering a voltage higher than detecting voltage to deliver a greater bioelectric effect. In some embodiments, the electrodes can be formed on a flexible substrate that is mounted on and conforms to a non-flat surface of the indwelling medical device.

Abstract: A lab on a chip device includes a whole blood inlet port and microchannels to transport a whole blood sample or plasma skimmed from the whole blood sample into a detection chamber that includes at least one 3-electrode set of a counter electrode, a working electrode and a reference electrode. The counter electrode, the working electrode and the reference electrode may present bare, unmodified surfaces that are disposed so that clozapine present in the whole blood sample is detected via a reduction-oxidation reaction. Alternatively, the working electrode surface may include catechol grafted to chitosan. A method of detecting analytes and biomarkers includes collecting a whole blood sample, loading the sample into a point-of-care testing (POCT) device that includes at least one working electrode; testing the sample for the occurrence of a redox reaction; and calculating the total oxidative charge when the working electrode is bare or modified as before.

Abstract: A method of establishing a differential white blood cell count includes directing at least one stream of deionized water into a microfluidic device containing a sample of whole blood or a cell-rich fraction to generate a lysate stream of intact white blood cells; directing at least one stream of deionized water into the lysate stream to form a virtual non-conductive aperture in a channel of the device; and performing impedance cytometry of the lysate stream via coplanar electrodes to detect the presence of intact white blood cells. A microfluidic device includes a blood separation section. An analyte sensor detects electrical changes in a cell-free fraction. Lysate from a cell-rich fraction is analyzed to detect circulating tumor cells or white blood cells including neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils. A method of fabricating and a standalone cell-rich microfluidic device are disclosed for differential white blood cell counts.

Abstract: A surface acoustic wave (SAW) biofilm sensor includes a transmitting electric to acoustic wave transducer defining an upper surface and a lower surface, a receiving acoustic wave to electric transducer defining an upper surface and a lower surface, a piezoelectric film layer defining an upper surface and a lower surface, and a passivation film layer defining an upper surface and a lower surface. Portions of the lower surface of the piezoelectric film layer are disposed on the upper surface of the transmitting electric to acoustic wave transducer and on the upper surface of the receiving acoustic wave to electric transducer, and the lower surface of the passivation film layer is disposed on the upper surface of the piezoelectric film layer such that the upper surface of the passivation film layer is configured to enable contact with a biofilm.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming an electromechanical device are disclosed. In some embodiments, an electromechanical device includes a first substrate; a second substrate; a rotor movably disposed in the first and second substrates and having a plurality of first turbine blades disposed on a first side of the rotor and a plurality of permanent magnets disposed on a second side of the rotor, wherein the plurality of permanent magnets are arranged about a central axis of the rotor, wherein adjacent permanent magnets have opposing magnetic poles; a channel disposed between the first and second substrates and a peripheral edge of the rotor; a plurality of microballs disposed in the channel to provide a bearing for the rotor; a third substrate disposed proximate the second side of the rotor and having a plurality of coils disposed therein such that rotation of the rotor induces current the plurality of coils.

Abstract: Surfaces having a hierarchical structure—having features of both microscale and nanoscale dimensions—can exhibit superhydrophobic properties and advantageous condensation and heat transfer properties. The hierarchical surfaces can be fabricated using biological nanostructures, such as viruses as a self-assembled nanoscale template.

Abstract: Provided are compositions and methods for modulating quorum sensing in microbes. The compounds are AI-2 analogs and as such have structures similar to 4,5-dihydroxy-2,3-pentanedione that can act as agonists/antagonists of quorum sensing. The compounds are useful for modulating quorum sensing in bacteria and can be used in methods for prophylaxis or therapy of bacterial infections and for reduction of biofilms.

Abstract: A lab on a chip device includes a whole blood inlet port and microchannels to transport a whole blood sample or plasma skimmed from the whole blood sample into a detection chamber that includes at least one 3-electrode set of a counter electrode, a working electrode and a reference electrode. The counter electrode, the working electrode and the reference electrode may present bare, unmodified surfaces that are disposed so that clozapine present in the whole blood sample is detected via a reduction-oxidation reaction. Alternatively, the working electrode surface may include catechol grafted to chitosan. A method of detecting analytes and biomarkers includes collecting a whole blood sample, loading the sample into a point-of-care testing (POCT) device that includes at least one working electrode; testing the sample for the occurrence of a redox reaction; and calculating the total oxidative charge when the working electrode is bare or modified as before.

Abstract: The present invention provides arrays comprising polypeptides associated with viruses that are immobilized to an electrode in a directional orientation such that the surface area of the electrode and the sensitivity of the electrode is increased. The invention also provides for methods of diagnosing and/or prognosing a certain disease or disorder through contacting a sample from a patient with an array comprising the polypeptides associated with viruses.

Abstract: A surface acoustic wave (SAW) biofilm sensor includes a transmitting electric to acoustic wave transducer defining an upper surface and a lower surface, a receiving acoustic wave to electric transducer defining an upper surface and a lower surface, a piezoelectric film layer defining an upper surface and a lower surface, and a passivation film layer defining an upper surface and a lower surface. Portions of the lower surface of the piezoelectric film layer are disposed on the upper surface of the transmitting electric to acoustic wave transducer and on the upper surface of the receiving acoustic wave to electric transducer, and the lower surface of the passivation film layer is disposed on the upper surface of the piezoelectric film layer such that the upper surface of the passivation film layer is configured to enable contact with a biofilm.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming an electromechanical device are disclosed. In some embodiments, an electromechanical device includes a first substrate; a second substrate; a rotor movably disposed in the first and second substrates and having a plurality of first turbine blades disposed on a first side of the rotor and a plurality of permanent magnets disposed on a second side of the rotor, wherein the plurality of permanent magnets are arranged about a central axis of the rotor, wherein adjacent permanent magnets have opposing magnetic poles; a channel disposed between the first and second substrates and a peripheral edge of the rotor; a plurality of microballs disposed in the channel to provide a bearing for the rotor; a third substrate disposed proximate the second side of the rotor and having a plurality of coils disposed therein such that rotation of the rotor induces current the plurality of coils.

Abstract: Surfaces having a hierarchical structure—having features of both microscale and nanoscale dimensions—can exhibit superhydrophobic properties and advantageous condensation and heat transfer properties. The hierarchical surfaces can be fabricated using biological nanostructures, such as viruses as a self-assembled nanoscale template.

Abstract: A method is provided for electrochemically depositing a polysaccharide mass having a selected physical state. According to an embodiment, an electrically conductive support of a substrate is contacted with an aqueous solution including a selectively insolubilizable polysaccharide, and the selectively insolubilizable polysaccharide is electrochemically deposited on the electrically conductive support while controlling deposition conditions to form the polysaccharide mass having the selected physical state, such as that of a hydrogel. Deposition may be performed in a spatially and/or temporally controlled manner.