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Zeitschrift Fur Medizinische Physik Aug 2023Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (cMUT) technology has steadily advanced since its advent in the mid-1990's. Though cMUTs have not supplanted piezoelectric... (Review)
Review
Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (cMUT) technology has steadily advanced since its advent in the mid-1990's. Though cMUTs have not supplanted piezoelectric transducers for medical ultrasound imaging to date, researchers and engineers are continuing to improve cMUTs and leverage unique cMUT characteristics toward new applications. While not intended to be an exhaustive review of every aspect of cMUT state-of-the-art, this article provides a brief overview of cMUT benefits, challenges, and opportunities, as well as recent progress in cMUT research and translation.
Topics: Ultrasonics; Industrial Development; Equipment Design; Ultrasonography; Transducers
PubMed: 37316428
DOI: 10.1016/j.zemedi.2023.04.010 -
Physical Biology Jul 2023Mitochondria serve a wide range of functions within cells, most notably via their production of ATP. Although their morphology is commonly described as bean-like,... (Review)
Review
Mitochondria serve a wide range of functions within cells, most notably via their production of ATP. Although their morphology is commonly described as bean-like, mitochondria often form interconnected networks within cells that exhibit dynamic restructuring through a variety of physical changes. Further, though relationships between form and function in biology are well established, the extant toolkit for understanding mitochondrial morphology is limited. Here, we emphasize new and established methods for quantitatively describing mitochondrial networks, ranging from unweighted graph-theoretic representations to multi-scale approaches from applied topology, in particular persistent homology. We also show fundamental relationships between mitochondrial networks, mathematics, and physics, using ideas of graph planarity and statistical mechanics to better understand the full possible morphological space of mitochondrial network structures. Lastly, we provide suggestions for how examination of mitochondrial network form through the language of mathematics can inform biological understanding, and vice versa.
Topics: Mathematics; Lens, Crystalline; Mitochondria; Physics
PubMed: 37290456
DOI: 10.1088/1478-3975/acdcdb -
Biosensors Aug 2023Biosensors are a promising tool for a wide variety of target analyte detection and enable point-of-care diagnostics with reduced volume and space [...].
Biosensors are a promising tool for a wide variety of target analyte detection and enable point-of-care diagnostics with reduced volume and space [...].
Topics: Microfluidics; Point-of-Care Testing
PubMed: 37754077
DOI: 10.3390/bios13090843 -
International Journal of Molecular... Aug 2023The membrane of a cell, often compared to a dynamic city border, carries out an intricate dance of controlling entry and exit, guarding the valuable life processes...
The membrane of a cell, often compared to a dynamic city border, carries out an intricate dance of controlling entry and exit, guarding the valuable life processes occurring inside [...].
Topics: Membranes; Biophysics
PubMed: 37628887
DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612708 -
Lab on a Chip Feb 2024A molecular robot, which is a system comprised of one or more molecular machines and computers, can execute sophisticated tasks in many fields that span from... (Review)
Review
A molecular robot, which is a system comprised of one or more molecular machines and computers, can execute sophisticated tasks in many fields that span from nanomedicine to green nanotechnology. The core parts of molecular robots are fairly consistent from system to system and always include (i) a body to encapsulate molecular machines, (ii) sensors to capture signals, (iii) computers to make decisions, and (iv) actuators to perform tasks. This review aims to provide an overview of approaches and considerations to develop molecular robots. We first introduce the basic technologies required for constructing the core parts of molecular robots, describe the recent progress towards achieving higher functionality, and subsequently discuss the current challenges and outlook. We also highlight the applications of molecular robots in sensing biomarkers, signal communications with living cells, and conversion of energy. Although molecular robots are still in their infancy, they will unquestionably initiate massive change in biomedical and environmental technology in the not too distant future.
Topics: Robotics; Nanotechnology; Technology; Lipids
PubMed: 38239102
DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00860f -
Chemical Reviews Aug 2023Recent advancements in wearable electronics offer seamless integration with the human body for extracting various biophysical and biochemical information for real-time... (Review)
Review
Recent advancements in wearable electronics offer seamless integration with the human body for extracting various biophysical and biochemical information for real-time health monitoring, clinical diagnostics, and augmented reality. Enormous efforts have been dedicated to imparting stretchability/flexibility and softness to electronic devices through materials science and structural modifications that enable stable and comfortable integration of these devices with the curvilinear and soft human body. However, the optical properties of these devices are still in the early stages of consideration. By incorporating transparency, visual information from interfacing biological systems can be preserved and utilized for comprehensive clinical diagnosis with image analysis techniques. Additionally, transparency provides optical imperceptibility, alleviating reluctance to wear the device on exposed skin. This review discusses the recent advancement of transparent wearable electronics in a comprehensive way that includes materials, processing, devices, and applications. Materials for transparent wearable electronics are discussed regarding their characteristics, synthesis, and engineering strategies for property enhancements. We also examine bridging techniques for stable integration with the soft human body. Building blocks for wearable electronic systems, including sensors, energy devices, actuators, and displays, are discussed with their mechanisms and performances. Lastly, we summarize the potential applications and conclude with the remaining challenges and prospects.
Topics: Humans; Wearable Electronic Devices; Electronics
PubMed: 37542724
DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00139 -
Proceedings of the National Academy of... Oct 2023Human diseases involve metabolic alterations. Metabolomic profiles have served as a vital biomarker for the early identification of high-risk individuals and disease...
Human diseases involve metabolic alterations. Metabolomic profiles have served as a vital biomarker for the early identification of high-risk individuals and disease prevention. However, current approaches can only characterize individual key metabolites, without taking into account the reality that complex diseases are multifactorial, dynamic, heterogeneous, and interdependent. Here, we leverage a statistical physics model to combine all metabolites into bidirectional, signed, and weighted interaction networks and trace how the flow of information from one metabolite to the next causes changes in health state. Viewing a disease outcome as the consequence of complex interactions among its interconnected components (metabolites), we integrate concepts from ecosystem theory and evolutionary game theory to model how the health state-dependent alteration of a metabolite is shaped by its intrinsic properties and through extrinsic influences from its conspecifics. We code intrinsic contributions as nodes and extrinsic contributions as edges into quantitative networks and implement GLMY homology theory to analyze and interpret the topological change of health state from symbiosis to dysbiosis and vice versa. The application of this model to real data allows us to identify several hub metabolites and their interaction webs, which play a part in the formation of inflammatory bowel diseases. The findings by our model could provide important information on drug design to treat these diseases and beyond.
Topics: Humans; Ecosystem; Metabolomics; Models, Statistical; Biomarkers; Physics
PubMed: 37812720
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2308496120 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2023Advanced intelligent control (AIC) is a rapidly evolving and complex field that poses significant challenges [...].
Advanced intelligent control (AIC) is a rapidly evolving and complex field that poses significant challenges [...].
Topics: Robotics; Artificial Intelligence
PubMed: 37420865
DOI: 10.3390/s23125699 -
Journal of Medical Internet Research Sep 2023Providing informed consent means agreeing to participate in a clinical trial and having understood what is involved. Flawed informed consent processes, including missing... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Providing informed consent means agreeing to participate in a clinical trial and having understood what is involved. Flawed informed consent processes, including missing dates and signatures, are common regulatory audit findings. Electronic consent (eConsent) uses digital technologies to enable the consenting process. It aims to improve participant comprehension and engagement with study information and to address data quality concerns.
OBJECTIVE
This systematic literature review aimed to assess the effectiveness of eConsent in terms of patient comprehension, acceptability, usability, and study enrollment and retention rates, as well as the effects of eConsent on the time patients took to perform the consenting process ("cycle time") and on-site workload in comparison with traditional paper-based consenting.
METHODS
The systematic review was conducted and reported in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Ovid Embase and Ovid MEDLINE were systematically searched for publications reporting original, comparative data on the effectiveness of eConsent in terms of patient comprehension, acceptability, usability, enrollment and retention rates, cycle time, and site workload. The methodological validity of the studies that compared outcomes for comprehension, acceptability, and usability across paper consent and eConsent was assessed. Study methodologies were categorized as having "high" validity if comprehensive assessments were performed using established instruments.
RESULTS
Overall, 37 publications describing 35 studies (13,281 participants) were included. All studies comparing eConsenting and paper-based consenting for comprehension (20/35, 57% of the studies; 10 with "high" validity), acceptability (8/35, 23% of the studies; 1 with "high" validity), and usability (5/35, 14% of the studies; 1 with "high" validity) reported significantly better results with eConsent, better results but without significance testing, or no significant differences in overall results. None of the studies reported better results with paper than with eConsent. Among the "high" validity studies, 6 studies on comprehension reported significantly better understanding of at least some concepts, the study on acceptability reported statistically significant higher satisfaction scores, and the study on usability reported statistically significant higher usability scores with eConsent than with paper (P<.05 for all). Cycle times were increased with eConsent, potentially reflecting greater patient engagement with the content. Data on enrollment and retention were limited. Comparative data from site staff and other study researchers indicated the potential for reduced workload and lower administrative burden with eConsent.
CONCLUSIONS
This systematic review showed that compared with patients using paper-based consenting, patients using eConsent had a better understanding of the clinical trial information, showed greater engagement with content, and rated the consenting process as more acceptable and usable. eConsent solutions thus have the potential to enhance understanding, acceptability, and usability of the consenting process while inherently being able to address data quality concerns, including those related to flawed consenting processes.
Topics: Humans; Data Accuracy; Digital Technology; Electronics; Informed Consent; Patient Participation
PubMed: 37656499
DOI: 10.2196/43883 -
Cell Systems Jun 2023Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is a powerful technique for describing cell states. Identifying the spatial arrangement of these states in tissues remains...
Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is a powerful technique for describing cell states. Identifying the spatial arrangement of these states in tissues remains challenging, with the existing methods requiring niche methodologies and expertise. Here, we describe segmentation by exogenous perfusion (SEEP), a rapid and integrated method to link surface proximity and environment accessibility to transcriptional identity within three-dimensional (3D) disease models. The method utilizes the steady-state diffusion kinetics of a fluorescent dye to establish a gradient along the radial axis of disease models. Classification of sample layers based on dye accessibility enables dissociated and sorted cells to be characterized by transcriptomic and regional identities. Using SEEP, we analyze spheroid, organoid, and in vivo tumor models of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). The results validate long-standing beliefs about the relationship between cell state and position while revealing new concepts regarding how spatially unique microenvironments influence the identity of individual cells within tumors.
Topics: Transcriptome; Gene Expression Profiling; Kinetics; Organoids; Physics
PubMed: 37348462
DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2023.05.003