Semi-liquid metal-based highly permeable and adhesive electronic skin inspired by spider web.

Soft and stretchable electronics have garnered significant attention in various fields, such as wearable electronics, electronic skins, and soft robotics. However, current wearable electronics made from materials like conductive elastomers, hydrogels, and liquid metals face limitations, including low permeability, poor adhesion, inadequate conductivity, and limited stretchability. These issues hinder their effectiveness in long-term healthcare monitoring and exercise monitoring. To address these challenges, we introduce a novel design of web-droplet-like electronics featuring a semi-liquid metal coating for wearable applications. This innovative design offers high permeability, excellent stretchability, strong adhesion, and good conductivity for the electronic skin. The unique structure, inspired by the architecture of a spider web, significantly enhances air permeability compared to commercial breathable patches. Furthermore, the distribution of polyborosiloxane mimics the adhesive properties of spider web mucus, while the use of semi-liquid metals in this design results in remarkable conductivity (9 × 106 S/m) and tensile performance (up to 850% strain). This advanced electronic skin technology enables long-term monitoring of various physiological parameters and supports machine learning recognition functions with unparalleled advantages. This web-droplet structure design strategy holds great promise for commercial applications in medical health monitoring and disease diagnosis.

[The study in detection of microcalcification in early breast cancer by ultrasound and its correlation with pathohistology].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the role of ultrasound in examining microcalcification of early breast cancer and its correlation with pathohistological type and grade. METHODS: 178 lesions in 165 cases of early breast cancer confirmed by pathology after surgical resection were examine by high frequency ultrasound, meanwhile microcalcification were detected and reported. 39 lesions in 32 cases are carcinoma in situ and microinvasive carcinoma of breast. 139 lesions in 133 cases are early invasive breast carcinoma that is below 2 cm in diameter and doesn't invasive the lymph node and other parts of the body. To analyse the sensitivity of detection micro-calcification of early breast cancer by ultrasound and its correlation with pathohistological type and grade. RESULTS: The sensitivity is 81.6% in detecting microcalcification of early breast cancer by ultrasound. There is no significant statistical difference in detecting microcalcification between the two group (P = 0.217). There is no significant statistical difference in detecting microcalcification of early invasive breast cancer between the different pathologic types (P > 0.05), and there are no significant differences in detecting microcalcification of early breast cancer between the different pathologic grades (group I: P = 0.202, group II: P = 0.415). There is significant difference in detecting microcalcification of solid tumor by ultrasonic examination in group I between the different pathologic grades (P = 0.029). CONCLUSION: There is higher sensitivity in detecting microcalcification of early breast cancer by ultrasonography. Microcalcification of early breast cancer may be no closely related to pathologic grades. US has a certain value to clinic in detecting microcalcification of early breast cancer.

Ultrasonographic assessment of polytetrafluoroethylene upper extremity arteriovenous hemodialysis access: a retrospective analysis of 31 cases.

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) vascular grafts are used for hemodialysis vascular access. Because their longevity is less than that of autologous fistulae, close surveillance is necessary to reduce the incidence of complications. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of Doppler sonography for the surveillance of PTFE graft hemodialysis access. Thirty-one patients with renal failure who had dialysis access created with a PTFE graft were included in this study. The patient records along with ultrasonography were retrospectively reviewed. Two-dimensional ultrasonography clearly revealed the U-shape of the subcutaneous PTFE graft, and autologous artery and superficial vein connecting with the graft. There was no ultrasound echo inside the graft, but the wall was a continuous line-like hyperechoic structure. Blood flow in the graft and hemodynamic parameters could be determined with color Doppler ultrasonography. Ultrasound examination diagnosed graft thromboses in six patients, pseudoaneurysm in two, seroma in one, and subcutaneous edema in three patients. Ultrasonography is useful for the monitoring and diagnosis of complications of PTFE dialysis access grafts.