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We report the design and characterization of a lateral and vertical hydrodynamic focusing feature for whole cell detection on a miniaturized flow cytometer. The developed system, based on magnetic sensing, incorporates spin valve sensors on the bottom of the microfluidic channels that detect cells labeled with magnetic beads. An adaptable 3D hydrodynamic focusing system was developed that pushes labeled cells towards the bottom of the microchannel, closer to the sensors, allowing increased signal amplitude for cells labeled with magnetic beads and enhanced discrimination of labeled cells. Fluorescence microscopy indicates that the lateral and vertical hydrodynamic focusing effect was adequately implemented, consistent with simulation predictions. The sensitivity of the system to detect labeled cells was improved by at least two-fold. By estimating the coverage of magnetic beads on cells, the signal from labeled cells could be predicted using a mathematical model, which also demonstrated the sensitivity of the signal to the height of the cells relative to the sensor. The system is versatile allowing interchangeable flow rates for cells with different diameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resistive switching in metal–insulator–metal nanosctructures is being intensively studied for nonvolatile memory applications. Here, we report unipolar resistive switching in Pt/MgO/Ta/Ru structures, with a 30 nm oxide barrier. A forming process was needed to initiate the resistive switching, which was then observed for all Set and Reset voltage polarity combinations. We studied the influence of the voltage polarity on the variability of the Set/Reset voltages and ON/OFF resistances and revealed the importance of a thin TaOx layer working as an oxygen revervoir for resistive switching. The mechanism behind this phenomenon can be understood in terms of conductive filaments formation/rupture with a contribution from Joule heating. Resistance change is thus caused by a voltage-driven oxygen vacancy motion in the MgO layer and a filament model was proposed for each polarity mode. A OFF/ON resistance ratio of at least 2 orders of magnitude was obtained with resistive states stable up to 104 s. Our results open the prospect to improve switching performance in other resistive switching systems, by proving a better understanding of the differences between operation modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microvesicles (MVs) are a promising source of diagnostic biomarkers which have gained a wide interest in the biomedical and biosensing field. They can be interpreted as a “fingerprint” of various diseases. Nonetheless, MVs implementation into clinical settings has been hampered by the lack of technologies to accurately characterize, detect and quantify them. Here, we report the specific sensing and quantification of MVs from endothelial cells using a portable magnetoresistive (MR) biochip platform, in less than one hour and within physiologically relevant concentrations (1 × 108 MVs per ml). MVs were isolated from both endothelial and epithelial cells undergoing apoptosis, and characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), which revealed similar MV sizes. Importantly, our results showed that the two distinct MV populations could be discriminated with the MR biochip platform, with over a 5-fold capture efficiency of endothelial MVs in comparison to the control (epithelial MVs). Also, unspecific binding of MVs to BSA was less than 1% of the specific signal. The detection strategy was based on a sandwich immunoassay, where MVs were labelled with magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) functionalized with Annexin V and then captured by anti-CD31 antibodies previously immobilized on the surface of the sensor. Results suggest that this approach allows the detection of specific MVs from complex samples such as serum, and highlight the potential of this technology to become a suitable tool for MVs detection as a complementary method of diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the design and characterization of a lateral and vertical hydrodynamic focusing feature for whole cell detection on a miniaturized flow cytometer. The developed system, based on magnetic sensing, incorporates spin valve sensors on the bottom of the microfluidic channels that detect cells labeled with magnetic beads. An adaptable 3D hydrodynamic focusing system was developed that pushes labeled cells towards the bottom of the microchannel, closer to the sensors, allowing increased signal amplitude for cells labeled with magnetic beads and enhanced discrimination of labeled cells. Fluorescence microscopy indicates that the lateral and vertical hydrodynamic focusing effect was adequately implemented, consistent with simulation predictions. The sensitivity of the system to detect labeled cells was improved by at least two-fold. By estimating the coverage of magnetic beads on cells, the signal from labeled cells could be predicted using a mathematical model, which also demonstrated the sensitivity of the signal to the height of the cells relative to the sensor. The system is versatile allowing interchangeable flow rates for cells with different diameters.