This study explores the frontiers of microparticle manipulation by introducing an actuator platform for the three-dimensional positioning of microparticles using dielectrophoresis (DEP), a technique known for its selectivity and ease of integration with microtechnology. Leveraging advancements in carbon-based devices due to their biocompatibility and electrochemical stability, our work extends the application of DEP from two-dimensional constraints to precise 3D positioning within microvolumes, employing a photolithography-based fabrication process known as Carbon-MEMS technology (C-MEMS). We present the design, finite element simulation, fabrication, and testing of this platform, which utilizes a unique combination of planar and 3D carbon microelectrodes individually addressable on a transparent substrate. This setup enables the application of DEP forces, allowing for high-throughput manipulation of multiple microparticles simultaneously, as well as displacement of individual microparticles in any desired direction. Demonstrated with spherical 1μm and 10μm diameter polystyrene microparticles, this platform features straightforward fabrication and is suitable for batch industrial production. The study concludes with a discussion of the platforms advantages and limitations, marking a significant step toward a valuable tool for studying complex biological systems.

Pilomatrix carcinoma is a rare tumor that is generally not diagnosed clinically. An 80-year-old man presented with a 5-month history of rapidly growing nodule of the submandibular area. Histological examination revealed a pilomatrix carcinoma, an aggressive malignancy with metastatic potential

Melanoma occurrence during treatment with anti-tumor necrosis factor is considered an incidental event, although very recent studies suggest a risk. Etanercept is a fusion protein that binds the tumor necrosis factor receptor and is included among TNF inhibitors, approved for the treatment of several autoimmune diseases, such as psoriasis.We described a 79-year-old man with psoriasis, being treated with etanercept, who presented with a new brown to black macule on his right shoulder; this was immediately surgically excised. Histology showed a superficial spreading melanoma, 1.2 mm Breslow thickness, one mitosis/hpf, with no vascular or neural invasion (stage T2b). Sentinel lymph node biopsy was negative. There were no apparent melanoma risk factors: normal total nevus count, photo type IV, no childhood sunburns, no family history of melanoma, and no previous immune suppressive drugs and/or phototherapies. Etanercept 50 mg/week had been administered continuously for 5 years before the melanoma occurrence. After etanercept withdrawal his psoriasis slowly, but progressively relapsed.

Graphitic carbons' unique attributes have attracted worldwide interest towards their development and application. Carbon pyrolysis is a widespread method for synthesizing carbon materials. However, our understanding of the factors that cause differences in graphitization of various pyrolyzed carbon precursors is inadequate. We demonstrate how electro-mechanical aspects of the synthesis process influence molecular alignment in a polymer precursor to enhance its graphitization. Electrohydrodynamic forces are applied via electrospinning to unwind and orient the molecular chains of a non-graphitizing carbon precursor, polyacrylonitrile. Subsequently, exerting mechanical stresses further enhances the molecular alignment of the polymer chains during the formative crosslinking phase. The stabilized polymer precursor is then pyrolyzed at 1000 °C and characterized to evaluate its graphitization. The final carbon exhibits a uniformly graphitized structure, abundant in edge planes, which translates into its electrochemical kinetics. The results highlight the significance of physical synthesis conditions in defining the structure and properties of pyrolytic carbons.

We briefly comment on the paper by Albaladejo et al. [arXiv:1709.09101], rejecting its conclusions.

This White Paper aims at highlighting the important benefits in the science reach of the EIC. High luminosity operation is generally desirable, as it enables producing and harvesting scientific results in a shorter time period. It becomes crucial for programs that would require many months or even years of operation at lower luminosity.

We report a Dalitz plot analysis of charmless hadronic decays of charged B mesons to the final state KS0π+π0 using the full BABAR data set of 470.9±2.8 million BB events collected at the ϒ(4S) resonance. We measure the overall branching fraction and CP asymmetry to be B(B+→K0π+π0)=(31.8±1.8±2.1-0.0+6.0)×10-6 and ACP(B+→K0π+π0)=0.07±0.05±0.03-0.03+0.02, where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic, and due to the signal model, respectively. This is the first measurement of the branching fraction for B+→K0π+π0. We find first evidence of a CP asymmetry in B+→K∗(892)+π0 decays: ACP(B+→K∗(892)+π0)=-0.52±0.14±0.04-0.02+0.04. The significance of this asymmetry, including systematic and model uncertainties, is 3.4 standard deviations. We also measure the branching fractions and CP asymmetries for three other intermediate decay modes.

A study of the two-body decays B^{±}→X_{cc[over ¯]}K^{±}, where X_{cc[over ¯]} refers to one charmonium state, is reported by the BABAR Collaboration using a data sample of 424  fb^{-1}. The absolute determination of branching fractions for these decays are significantly improved compared to previous BABAR measurements. Evidence is found for the decay B^{+}→X(3872)K^{+} at the 3σ level. The absolute branching fraction B[B^{+}→X(3872)K^{+}]=[2.1±0.6(stat)±0.3(syst)]×10^{-4} is measured for the first time. It follows that B[X(3872)→J/ψπ^{+}π^{-}]=(4.1±1.3)%, supporting the hypothesis of a molecular component for this resonance.

We measure the time-dependent CP asymmetry in the radiative-penguin decay B0→KS0π-π+γ, using a sample of 471×106 (4S)→BB-events recorded with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II e+e- storage ring at SLAC. Using events with mKππ<1.8 GeV/c2, we measure the branching fractions of B+→K+π-π+γ and B0→K0π-π+γ, the branching fractions of the kaonic resonances decaying to K+π-π+, as well as the overall branching fractions of the B+→ρ0K+γ, B+→K∗0π+γ and S-wave B+→(Kπ)0∗0π+γ components. For events from the ρ mass band, we measure the CP-violating parameters SKS0π+π-γ=0.14±0.25±0.03 and CKS0π+π-γ=-0.39±0.20-0.02+0.03, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic. We extract from this measurement the time-dependent CP asymmetry related to the CP eigenstate ρ0KS0 and obtain SKS0ργ=-0.18±0.32-0.05+0.06, which provides information on the photon polarization in the underlying b→sγ transition.