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Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024To achieve large-scale development of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) for water wave energy harvesting and powering the colossal sensors widely distributed in the...
To achieve large-scale development of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) for water wave energy harvesting and powering the colossal sensors widely distributed in the ocean, facile and scalable TENGs with high output are urgently required. Here, an elastic self-recovering hybrid nanogenerator (ES-HNG) is proposed for water wave energy harvesting and marine environmental monitoring. The elastic skeletal support of the ES-HNG is manufactured using three-dimensional (3D) printing technology, which is more conducive to the large-scale integration of the ES-HNG. Moreover, the combination of a TENG and an electromagnetic generator (EMG) optimizes the utilization of device space, leading to enhanced energy harvesting efficiency. Experimental results demonstrate that the TENG achieves a peak power output of 42.68 mW, and the EMG reaches a peak power output of 4.40 mW. Furthermore, various marine environment monitoring sensors, such as a self-powered wireless meteorological monitoring system, a wireless alarm system, and a water quality monitoring pen, have been successfully powered by the sophisticated ES-HNG. This work introduces an ES-HNG for water wave energy harvesting, which demonstrates potential in marine environment monitoring and offers a new solution for the sustainable development of the marine internet of things.
PubMed: 38931554
DOI: 10.3390/s24123770 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024The remote monitoring of vital signs via wearable devices holds significant potential for alleviating the strain on hospital resources and elder-care facilities. Among...
The remote monitoring of vital signs via wearable devices holds significant potential for alleviating the strain on hospital resources and elder-care facilities. Among the various techniques available, photoplethysmography stands out as particularly promising for assessing vital signs such as heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and blood pressure. Despite the efficacy of this method, many commercially available wearables, bearing Conformité Européenne marks and the approval of the Food and Drug Administration, are often integrated within proprietary, closed data ecosystems and are very expensive. In an effort to democratize access to affordable wearable devices, our research endeavored to develop an open-source photoplethysmographic sensor utilizing off-the-shelf hardware and open-source software components. The primary aim of this investigation was to ascertain whether the combination of off-the-shelf hardware components and open-source software yielded vital-sign measurements (specifically heart rate and respiratory rate) comparable to those obtained from more expensive, commercially endorsed medical devices. Conducted as a prospective, single-center study, the research involved the assessment of fifteen participants for three minutes in four distinct positions, supine, seated, standing, and walking in place. The sensor consisted of four PulseSensors measuring photoplethysmographic signals with green light in reflection mode. Subsequent signal processing utilized various open-source Python packages. The heart rate assessment involved the comparison of three distinct methodologies, while the respiratory rate analysis entailed the evaluation of fifteen different algorithmic combinations. For one-minute average heart rates' determination, the Neurokit process pipeline achieved the best results in a seated position with a Spearman's coefficient of 0.9 and a mean difference of 0.59 BPM. For the respiratory rate, the combined utilization of Neurokit and Charlton algorithms yielded the most favorable outcomes with a Spearman's coefficient of 0.82 and a mean difference of 1.90 BrPM. This research found that off-the-shelf components are able to produce comparable results for heart and respiratory rates to those of commercial and approved medical wearables.
Topics: Humans; Photoplethysmography; Respiratory Rate; Heart Rate; Software; Male; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; Female; Wearable Electronic Devices; Monitoring, Physiologic; Adult; Prospective Studies; Algorithms
PubMed: 38931550
DOI: 10.3390/s24123766 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024This study integrates hollow microneedle arrays (HMNA) with a novel jellyfish-shaped electrochemical sensor for the detection of key biomarkers, including uric acid...
This study integrates hollow microneedle arrays (HMNA) with a novel jellyfish-shaped electrochemical sensor for the detection of key biomarkers, including uric acid (UA), glucose, and pH, in artificial interstitial fluid. The jellyfish-shaped sensor displayed linear responses in detecting UA and glucose via differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and chronoamperometry, respectively. Notably, the open circuit potential (OCP) of the system showed a linear variation with pH changes, validating its pH-sensing capability. The sensor system demonstrates exceptional electrochemical responsiveness within the physiological concentration ranges of these biomarkers in simulated epidermis sensing applications. The detection linear ranges of UA, glucose, and pH were 0~0.8 mM, 0~7 mM, and 4.0~8.0, respectively. These findings highlight the potential of the HMNA-integrated jellyfish-shaped sensors in real-world epidermal applications for comprehensive disease diagnosis and health monitoring.
Topics: Extracellular Fluid; Biomarkers; Biosensing Techniques; Electrochemical Techniques; Needles; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Glucose; Uric Acid; Animals; Humans
PubMed: 38931517
DOI: 10.3390/s24123729 -
Micromachines Jun 2024World-to-chip interfacing remains a critical issue for microfluidic devices. Current solutions to connect tubing to rigid microfluidic chips remain expensive, laborious,...
World-to-chip interfacing remains a critical issue for microfluidic devices. Current solutions to connect tubing to rigid microfluidic chips remain expensive, laborious, or require specialized skills and precision machining. Here, we report reusable, inexpensive, and easy-to-use connectors that enable monitoring of the connection ports. Our magnetic connectors benefit from a simple one-step fabrication process and low dead volume. They sustain pressures within the high range of microfluidic applications. They represent an essential tool for rapid thermoplastic (PMMA, PC, COC) prototyping and can also be used with glass, pressure-sensitive adhesive, or thin PDMS devices.
PubMed: 38930773
DOI: 10.3390/mi15060803 -
Micromachines May 2024Among the different techniques for monitoring the flow rate of various fluids, thermal flow sensors stand out for their straightforward measurement technique. However,...
Among the different techniques for monitoring the flow rate of various fluids, thermal flow sensors stand out for their straightforward measurement technique. However, the main drawback of these types of sensors is their dependency on the thermal properties of the medium, i.e., thermal conductivity (), and volumetric heat capacity (ρcp). They require calibration whenever the fluid in the system changes. In this paper, we present a single hot wire suspended above a V-groove cavity that is used to measure and ρcp through DC and AC excitation for both pure gases and binary gas mixtures, respectively. The unique characteristic of the proposed sensor is its independence of the flow velocity, which makes it possible to detect the medium properties while the fluid flows over the sensor chip. The measured error due to fluctuations in flow velocity is less than ±0.5% for all test gases except for He, where it is ±6% due to the limitations of the measurement setup. The working principle and measurement results are discussed.
PubMed: 38930641
DOI: 10.3390/mi15060671 -
Microorganisms Jun 2024Glucocorticoids may be given prior to major orthopedic surgery to decrease postoperative nausea, vomiting, and pain. Additionally, many orthopedic patients may be on...
Glucocorticoids may be given prior to major orthopedic surgery to decrease postoperative nausea, vomiting, and pain. Additionally, many orthopedic patients may be on chronic glucocorticoid therapy. The aim of our study was to investigate whether glucocorticoid administration influences Orthopedic-Device-Related Infection (ODRI) in a rat model. Screws colonized with were implanted in the tibia of skeletally mature female Wistar rats. The treated groups received either a single shot of dexamethasone in a short-term risk study, or a daily dose of dexamethasone in a longer-term interference study. In both phases, bone changes in the vicinity of the implant were monitored with microCT. There were no statistically significant differences in bacteriological outcome with or without dexamethasone. In the interference study, new bone formation was statistically higher in the dexamethasone-treated group ( = 0.0005) as revealed by CT and histopathological analysis, although with relatively low direct osseointegration of the implant. In conclusion, dexamethasone does not increase the risk of developing periprosthetic osteolysis or infection in a pre-clinical model of ODRI. Long-term administration of dexamethasone seemed to offer a benefit in terms of new bone formation around the implant, but with low osseointegration.
PubMed: 38930516
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061134 -
Materials (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024The field of electronic skin has received considerable attention due to its extensive potential applications in areas including tactile sensing and health monitoring....
The field of electronic skin has received considerable attention due to its extensive potential applications in areas including tactile sensing and health monitoring. With the development of electronic skin devices, electronic skin can be attached to the surface of human skin for long-term health monitoring, which makes comfort an essential factor that cannot be ignored in the design of electronic skin. Therefore, this paper proposes an assessment method for evaluating the comfort of electronic skin based on neurodynamic analysis. The holistic analysis framework encompasses the mechanical model of the skin, the modified Hodgkin-Huxley model for the transduction of stimuli, and the gate control theory for the modulation and perception of pain sensation. The complete process, from mechanical stimulus to the generation of pain perception, is demonstrated. Furthermore, the influence of different factors on pain perception is investigated. Sensation and comfort diagrams are provided to assess the mechanical comfort of electronic skin. The comfort assessment method proposed in this paper provides a theoretical basis when assessing the comfort of electronic skin.
PubMed: 38930289
DOI: 10.3390/ma17122920 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Jun 2024Ultrasound has revolutionized reconstructive microsurgery, offering real-time imaging and enhanced precision allowing for preoperative flap planning, recipient vessel... (Review)
Review
Ultrasound has revolutionized reconstructive microsurgery, offering real-time imaging and enhanced precision allowing for preoperative flap planning, recipient vessel identification and selection, postoperative flap monitoring, and lymphatic surgery. This narrative review of the literature provides an updated evidence-based overlook on the current applications and emerging frontiers of ultrasound in microsurgery, focusing on free tissue transfer and lymphatic surgery. Color duplex ultrasound (CDU) plays a pivotal role in preoperative flap planning and design, providing real-time imaging that enables detailed perforator mapping, perforator suitability assessment, blood flow velocity measurement, and, ultimately, flap design optimization. Ultrasound also aids in recipient vessel selection by providing assessment of caliber, patency, location, and flow velocity of recipient vessels. Postoperatively, ultrasound enables real-time monitoring of flap perfusion, providing early detection of potential flap compromise and improved flap survival rates. In lymphatic surgery, ultra-high frequency ultrasound (UHFUS) offers precise mapping and evaluation of lymphatic vessels, improving efficacy and efficiency by targeting larger dilated vessels. Integrating ultrasound into reconstructive microsurgery represents a significant advancement in the utilization of imaging in the field. With growing accessibility of devices, improved training, and technological advancements, using ultrasound as a key imaging tool offers substantial potential for the evolution of reconstructive microsurgery.
PubMed: 38929941
DOI: 10.3390/jcm13123412 -
Journal of Personalized Medicine Jun 2024Personalized sleep medicine represents a transformative shift in healthcare, emphasizing individualized approaches to optimizing sleep health, considering the... (Review)
Review
Personalized sleep medicine represents a transformative shift in healthcare, emphasizing individualized approaches to optimizing sleep health, considering the bidirectional relationship between sleep and health. This field moves beyond conventional methods, tailoring care to the unique physiological and psychological needs of individuals to improve sleep quality and manage disorders. Key to this approach is the consideration of diverse factors like genetic predispositions, lifestyle habits, environmental factors, and underlying health conditions. This enables more accurate diagnoses, targeted treatments, and proactive management. Technological advancements play a pivotal role in this field: wearable devices, mobile health applications, and advanced diagnostic tools collect detailed sleep data for continuous monitoring and analysis. The integration of machine learning and artificial intelligence enhances data interpretation, offering personalized treatment plans based on individual sleep profiles. Moreover, research on circadian rhythms and sleep physiology is advancing our understanding of sleep's impact on overall health. The next generation of wearable technology will integrate more seamlessly with IoT and smart home systems, facilitating holistic sleep environment management. Telemedicine and virtual healthcare platforms will increase accessibility to specialized care, especially in remote areas. Advancements will also focus on integrating various data sources for comprehensive assessments and treatments. Genomic and molecular research could lead to breakthroughs in understanding individual sleep disorders, informing highly personalized treatment plans. Sophisticated methods for sleep stage estimation, including machine learning techniques, are improving diagnostic precision. Computational models, particularly for conditions like obstructive sleep apnea, are enabling patient-specific treatment strategies. The future of personalized sleep medicine will likely involve cross-disciplinary collaborations, integrating cognitive behavioral therapy and mental health interventions. Public awareness and education about personalized sleep approaches, alongside updated regulatory frameworks for data security and privacy, are essential. Longitudinal studies will provide insights into evolving sleep patterns, further refining treatment approaches. In conclusion, personalized sleep medicine is revolutionizing sleep disorder treatment, leveraging individual characteristics and advanced technologies for improved diagnosis, treatment, and management. This shift towards individualized care marks a significant advancement in healthcare, enhancing life quality for those with sleep disorders.
PubMed: 38929819
DOI: 10.3390/jpm14060598 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) May 2024Despite advancement in surgical innovation, C1-C2 fixation remains challenging due to risks of screw malposition and vertebral artery (VA) injuries. Traditional...
Despite advancement in surgical innovation, C1-C2 fixation remains challenging due to risks of screw malposition and vertebral artery (VA) injuries. Traditional image-based navigation, while useful, often demands that surgeons frequently shift their attention to external monitors, potentially causing distractions. In this article, we introduce a microscope-based augmented reality (AR) navigation system that projects both anatomical information and real-time navigation images directly onto the surgical field. In the present case report, we discuss a 37-year-old female who suffered from os odontoideum with C1-C2 subluxation. Employing AR-assisted navigation, the patient underwent the successful posterior instrumentation of C1-C2. The integrated AR system offers direct visualization, potentially minimizing surgical distractions. In our opinion, as AR technology advances, its adoption in surgical practices and education is anticipated to expand.
Topics: Humans; Female; Adult; Augmented Reality; Atlanto-Axial Joint; Spinal Fusion; Odontoid Process; Surgery, Computer-Assisted
PubMed: 38929491
DOI: 10.3390/medicina60060874