Inhibition Conversion of Aspirin into Salicylic Acid in Presence of Glycine.

Aspirin (AS) is a common drug having anti-pyretic and anti-inflammatory properties which is widely used in diverse medical conditions. The intake of AS may cause adverse effects such as gastrointestinal ulcer, tinnitus and Reye's syndrome. The adverse effects of AS arise due to conversion of AS into salicylic acid (SAL). Glycine (Gly) is a simplest non essential amino acid having anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. It also reduces the risk of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. AS with Gly is well accepted form of the drug for the treatment of rheumatic conditions in comparisons to the bare AS. In the present work using UV-Visible absorption, fluorescence and DFT/ TD-DFT techniques confirmed that in presence of Gly inhibited the conversion of AS into SAL effectively.

Nonwoven fiber meshes for oxygen sensing.

Accurate oxygen sensing and cost-effective fabrication are crucial for the adoption of wearable devices inside and outside the clinical setting. Here we introduce a simple strategy to create nonwoven polymeric fibrous mats for a notable contribution towards addressing this need. Although morphological manipulation of polymers for cell culture proliferation is commonplace, especially in the field of regenerative medicine, non-woven structures have not been used for oxygen sensing. We used an airbrush spraying, i.e. solution blowing, to obtain nonwoven fiber meshes embedded with a phosphorescent dye. The fibers serve as a polymer host for the phosphorescent dye and are shown to be non-cytotoxic. Different composite fibrous meshes were prepared and favorable mechanical and oxygen-sensing properties were demonstrated. A Young's modulus of 9.8 MPa was achieved and the maximum oxygen sensitivity improved by a factor of ∼2.9 compared to simple drop cast film. The fibers were also coated with silicone rubbers to produce mechanically robust sensing films. This reduced the sensing performance but improved flexibility and mechanical properties. Lastly, we are able to capture oxygen concentration maps via colorimetry using a smartphone camera, which should offer unique advantages in wider usage. Overall, the introduced composite fiber meshes show a potential to significantly improve cell cultures and healthcare monitoring via absolute oxygen sensing.

Protocol for preparation of highly durable superhydrophobic bulks with hierarchical porous structures.

Superhydrophobic surfaces face challenges in comprehensive durability when used in extreme outdoor environments. Here, we present a protocol for preparing nanocomposite bulks with hierarchical structures using the template technique. We describe steps for using hybrid nanoparticles of polytetrafluoroethylene and multi-walled carbon nanotube to fill inside and dip on the polyurethane (PU) foam. We then detail procedures for its removal by sintering treatment. The extra accretion layer on the PU foam surface was highlighted to construct hierarchical porous structures. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Wu et al.1.

A sensorised surgical glove to improve training and detection of obstetric anal sphincter injury: A preclinical study on a pig model.

OBJECTIVE: To create a sensorised surgical glove that can accurately identify obstetric anal sphincter injury to facilitate timely repair, reduce complications and aid training. DESIGN: Proof-of-concept. SETTING: Laboratory. SAMPLE: Pig models. METHODS: Flexible triboelectric pressure/force sensors were mounted onto the fingertips of a routine surgical glove. The sensors produce a current when rubbed on materials of different characteristics which can be analysed. A per rectum examination was performed on the intact sphincter of pig cadavers, analogous to routine examination for obstetric anal sphincter injuries postpartum. An anal sphincter defect was created by cutting through the vaginal mucosa and into the external anal sphincter using a scalpel. The sphincter was then re-examined. Data and signals were interpreted. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sensitivity and specificity of the glove in detecting anal sphincter injury. RESULTS: In all, 200 examinations were performed. The sensors detected anal sphincter injuries in a pig model with sensitivities between 98% and 100% and a specificity of 100%. The current produced when examining an intact sphincter and sphincter with a defect was significantly different (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In this preliminary study, the sensorised glove accurately detected anal sphincter injury in a pig model. Future plans include its clinical translation, starting with an in-human study on postpartum women, to determine whether it can accurately detect different types of obstetric anal sphincter injury in vivo.

The Effect of Enzymatic Treatment with Mutanase, Beta-Glucanase, and DNase on a Saliva-Derived Biofilm Model.

INTRODUCTION: The dental biofilm matrix is an important determinant of virulence for caries development and comprises a variety of extracellular polymeric substances that contribute to biofilm stability. Enzymes that break down matrix components may be a promising approach to caries control, and in light of the compositional complexity of the dental biofilm matrix, treatment with multiple enzymes may enhance the reduction of biofilm formation compared to single enzyme therapy. The present study investigated the effect of the three matrix-degrading enzymes mutanase, beta-glucanase, and DNase, applied separately or in combinations, on biofilm prevention and removal in a saliva-derived in vitro-grown model. METHODS: Biofilms were treated during growth to assess biofilm prevention or after 24 h of growth to assess biofilm removal by the enzymes. Biofilms were quantified by crystal violet staining and impedance-based real-time cell analysis, and the biofilm structure was visualized by confocal microscopy and staining of extracellular DNA (eDNA) and polysaccharides. RESULTS: The in vitro model was dominated by Streptococcus spp., as determined by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. All tested enzymes and combinations had a significant effect on biofilm prevention, with reductions of >90% for mutanase and all combinations including mutanase. Combined application of DNase and beta-glucanase resulted in an additive effect (81.0% ± 1.3% SD vs. 36.9% ± 21.9% SD and 48.2% ± 14.9% SD). For biofilm removal, significant reductions of up to 73.2% ± 5.5% SD were achieved for combinations including mutanase, whereas treatment with DNase had no effect. Glucans, but not eDNA decreased in abundance upon treatment with all three enzymes. CONCLUSION: Multi-enzyme treatment is a promising approach to dental biofilm control that needs to be validated in more diverse biofilms.

A Deep Learning Approach to Classify Surgical Skill in Microsurgery Using Force Data from a Novel Sensorised Surgical Glove.

Microsurgery serves as the foundation for numerous operative procedures. Given its highly technical nature, the assessment of surgical skill becomes an essential component of clinical practice and microsurgery education. The interaction forces between surgical tools and tissues play a pivotal role in surgical success, making them a valuable indicator of surgical skill. In this study, we employ six distinct deep learning architectures (LSTM, GRU, Bi-LSTM, CLDNN, TCN, Transformer) specifically designed for the classification of surgical skill levels. We use force data obtained from a novel sensorized surgical glove utilized during a microsurgical task. To enhance the performance of our models, we propose six data augmentation techniques. The proposed frameworks are accompanied by a comprehensive analysis, both quantitative and qualitative, including experiments conducted with two cross-validation schemes and interpretable visualizations of the network's decision-making process. Our experimental results show that CLDNN and TCN are the top-performing models, achieving impressive accuracy rates of 96.16% and 97.45%, respectively. This not only underscores the effectiveness of our proposed architectures, but also serves as compelling evidence that the force data obtained through the sensorized surgical glove contains valuable information regarding surgical skill.

Digital light 3D printing of a polymer composite featuring robustness, self-healing, recyclability and tailorable mechanical properties.

Producing lightweight structures with high weight-specific strength and stiffness, self-healing abilities, and recyclability, is highly attractive for engineering applications such as aerospace, biomedical devices, and smart robots. Most self-healing polymer systems used to date for mechanical components lack 3D printability and satisfactory load-bearing capacity. Here, we report a new self-healable polymer composite for Digital Light Processing 3D Printing, by combining two monomers with distinct mechanical characteristics. It shows a desirable and superior combination of properties among 3D printable self-healing polymers, with tensile strength and elastic modulus up to 49 MPa and 810 MPa, respectively. Benefiting from dual dynamic bonds between the linear chains, a healing efficiency of above 80% is achieved after heating at a mild temperature of 60 °C without additional solvents. Printed objects are also endowed with multi-materials assembly and recycling capabilities, allowing robotic components to be easily reassembled or recycled after failure. Mechanical properties and deformation behaviour of printed composites and lattices can be tuned significantly to suit various practical applications by altering formulation. Lattice structures with three different architectures were printed and tested in compression: honeycomb, re-entrant, and chiral. They can regain their structural integrity and stiffness after damage, which is of great value for robotic applications. This study extends the performance space of composites, providing a pathway to design printable architected materials with simultaneous mechanical robustness/healability, efficient recoverability, and recyclability.

Self-assembled porous polymer films for improved oxygen sensing.

Absolute oxygen sensors based on quenching of phosphorescence have been the subject of numerous studies for the monitoring of biological environments. Here, we used simple fabrication techniques with readily available polymers to obtain high performance phosphorescent films. Specifically, evaporation-based phase separation and the breath figure technique were used to induce porosity. The pore sizes ranged from ∼37 nm to ∼141 µm while the maximum average porosity achieved was ∼74%. The oxygen sensing properties were evaluated via a standarised calibration procedure with an optoelectronic setup in both transmission and reflection based configurations. When comparing non-porous and porous films, the highest improvements achieved were a factor of ∼7.9 in dynamic range and ∼7.3 in maximum sensitivity, followed by an improved linearity with a half-sensitivity point at 43% O2 V/V. Also, the recovery time was reduced by an order of magnitude in the high porosity film and all samples prepared were not affected by variations in the humidity of the surrounding environment. Despite the use of common polymers, the fabrication techniques employed led to the significant enhancement of oxygen sensing properties and elucidated the relation between porous film morphologies and sensing performance.

Transmissive Labyrinthine Acoustic Metamaterial-Based Holography for Extraordinary Energy Harvesting.

Conventional energy sources are continuously depleting, and the world is actively seeking new green and efficient energy solutions. Enormous amounts of acoustic energy are dissipated daily, but the low intensity and limited efficiency of current harvesting techniques are preventing its adoption as a ubiquitous method of power generation. Herein, a strategic solution to increase acoustic energy harvesting efficiency using a specially designed metamaterial is implemented. A scalable transmissive labyrinthine acoustic metamaterial (LAM) is designed, developed, and employed to maximize ultrasound (40 kHz) capture over its large surface area (>27 k mm2), which is focused onto a piezoelectric film (78.6 mm2), thus magnifying incident sound pressure by 13.6 times. Three different piezoelectric films - two commercial and one lab-made nanocomposite film are tested with LAM in the acoustic energy harvesting system. An extraordinary voltage gain of 157-173% and a maximum power gain of 272% using the LAM compared to the case without the LAM are achieved. Multipoint focusing using holographic techniques, showcasing acoustic patterning to allow on-demand simultaneous harvesting in separate locations, is demonstrated. Our versatile approach for high-intensity acoustic energy harvesting opens future opportunities to exploit sound energy as a resource to contribute toward global sustainability.

Evaluation of Hearing Performance in Patients with Oral Submucous Fibrosis in Relation to Different Grades.

Background: OSMF is now recognized worldwide as an Indian disease. Blanching and rigidity of the oral mucosa, impaired mobility of the soft palate and tongue, difficulty opening the mouth, burning sensation, lack of gustatory sensation, and mild deafness due to Eustachian tube dysfunction. Soft palatal muscles often affect Eustachian tube function. Materials and Methods: Rama Dental College Hospital and research center Kanpur conducted a cross-sectional study. 60 OSMF patients were randomly selected for this study. Visible light was used for a detailed case history and clinical examination. OSMF was diagnosed by difficulty opening the mouth, blanched oral mucosa, and palpable fibrous bands. Burning, salivation, tongue protrusion, habits, and malignant changes were also diagnostic. ENT specialists used pure tone audiometry to examine the ear (PTA). Results: Out of 60 patients 59 were males and 1 female. The participants who took part in this study ranged in age from 18 to 65. Pure tone audiometry of 120 years, 84 (70%) revealed normal hearing, 10 (8.33%) revealed minimal hearing loss, 14 (11.67%) revealed mild hearing loss and 12 (10%) revealed moderate hearing loss. Conclusion: In order to improve the success rate of treatment, the protocol for managing OSMF patients should therefore include ENT consultation and hearing impairment treatment.

A synthetic model simulator for intracranial aneurysm clipping: validation of the UpSurgeOn AneurysmBox.

Background and objectives: In recent decades, the rise of endovascular management of aneurysms has led to a significant decline in operative training for surgical aneurysm clipping. Simulation has the potential to bridge this gap and benchtop synthetic simulators aim to combine the best of both anatomical realism and haptic feedback. The aim of this study was to validate a synthetic benchtop simulator for aneurysm clipping (AneurysmBox, UpSurgeOn). Methods: Expert and novice surgeons from multiple neurosurgical centres were asked to clip a terminal internal carotid artery aneurysm using the AneurysmBox. Face and content validity were evaluated using Likert scales by asking experts to complete a post-task questionnaire. Construct validity was evaluated by comparing expert and novice performance using the modified Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (mOSATS), developing a curriculum-derived assessment of Specific Technical Skills (STS), and measuring the forces exerted using a force-sensitive glove. Results: Ten experts and eighteen novices completed the task. Most experts agreed that the brain looked realistic (8/10), but far fewer agreed that the brain felt realistic (2/10). Half the expert participants (5/10) agreed that the aneurysm clip application task was realistic. When compared to novices, experts had a significantly higher median mOSATS (27 vs. 14.5; p < 0.01) and STS score (18 vs. 9; p < 0.01); the STS score was strongly correlated with the previously validated mOSATS score (p < 0.01). Overall, there was a trend towards experts exerting a lower median force than novices, however, these differences were not statistically significant (3.8 N vs. 4.0 N; p = 0.77). Suggested improvements for the model included reduced stiffness and the addition of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and arachnoid mater. Conclusion: At present, the AneurysmBox has equivocal face and content validity, and future versions may benefit from materials that allow for improved haptic feedback. Nonetheless, it has good construct validity, suggesting it is a promising adjunct to training.

Precision Covalent Organic Frameworks for Surface Nucleation Control.

Unwanted accumulation of ice and lime scale crystals on surfaces is a long-standing challenge with major economic and sustainability implications. Passive inhibition of icing and scaling by liquid-repellent surfaces are often inadequate, susceptible to surface failure under harsh conditions, and unsuitable for long-term/real-life usages. Such surfaces often require a multiplicity of additional features such as optical transparency, robust impact resistance, and ability to prevent contamination from low surface energy liquids. Unfortunately, most promising advances have relied on using perfluoro compounds, which are bio-persistent and/or highly toxic. Here it is shown that organic, reticular mesoporous structures, covalent organic frameworks (COFs), may offer a solution. By exploiting simple and scalable synthesis of defect-free COFs and rational post-synthetic functionalization, nanocoatings with precision nanoporosity (morphology) are prepared that can inhibit nucleation at the molecular level without compromising the related contamination prevention and robustness. The results offer a simple strategy to exploit the nanoconfinement effect, which remarkably delays the nucleation of ice and scale formation on surfaces. Ice nucleation is suppressed down to -28 °C, scale formation is avoided for >2 weeks in supersaturated conditions, and jets of organic solvents impacting at Weber numbers >105 are resisted with surfaces that also offer optical transparency (>92%).

Cascade autohydrolysis of Alzheimer's Aß peptides.

Protein/peptide self-assembly into amyloid structures associates with major neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Soluble assemblies (oligomers) of the Aß peptide and their aggregates are perceived as neurotoxic species in AD. While screening for synthetic cleavage agents that could break down such aberrant assemblies through hydrolysis, we observed that the assemblies of Aß oligopeptides, containing the nucleation sequence Aß14-24 (H14QKLVFFAEDV24), could act as cleavage agents by themselves. Autohydrolysis showed a common fragment fingerprint among various mutated Aß14-24 oligopeptides, Aß12-25-Gly and Aß1-28, and full-length Aß1-40/42, under physiologically relevant conditions. Primary endoproteolytic autocleavage at the Gln15-Lys16, Lys16-Leu17 and Phe19-Phe20 positions was followed by subsequent exopeptidase self-processing of the fragments. Control experiments with homologous d-amino acid enantiomers Aß12-25-Gly and Aß16-25-Gly showed the same autocleavage pattern under similar reaction conditions. The autohydrolytic cascade reaction (ACR) was resilient to a broad range of conditions (20-37 °C, 10-150 µM peptide concentration at pH 7.0-7.8). Evidently, assemblies of the primary autocleavage fragments acted as structural/compositional templates (autocatalysts) for self-propagating autohydrolytic processing at the Aß16-21 nucleation site, showing the potential for cross-catalytic seeding of the ACR in larger Aß isoforms (Aß1-28 and Aß1-40/42). This result may shed new light on Aß behaviour in solution and might be useful in the development of intervention strategies to decompose or inhibit neurotoxic Aß assemblies in AD.

Flexible triboelectric nanogenerators using transparent copper nanowire electrodes: energy harvesting, sensing human activities and material recognition.

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have emerged as a promising green technology to efficiently harvest otherwise wasted mechanical energy from the environment and human activities. However, cost-effective and reliably performing TENGs require rational integration of triboelectric materials, spacers, and electrodes. The present work reports for the first time the use of oxydation-resistant pure copper nanowires (CuNWs) as an electrode to develop a flexible, and inexpensive TENG through a potentially scalable approach involving vacuum filtration and lactic acid treatment. A ∼6 cm2 device yields a remarkable open circuit voltage (Voc) of 200 V and power density of 10.67 W m-2 under human finger tapping. The device is robust, flexible and noncytotoxic as assessed by stretching/bending maneuvers, corrosion tests, continuous operation for 8000 cycles, and biocompatibility tests using human fibroblast cells. The device can power 115 light emitting diodes (LEDs) and a digital calculator; sense bending and motion from the human hand; and transmit Morse code signals. The robustness, flexibility, transparency, and non-cytotoxicity of the device render it particularly promising for a wide range of energy harvesting and advanced healthcare applications, such as sensorised smart gloves for tactile sensing, material identification and safer surgical intervention.

Preferred Mode of Atmospheric Water Vapor Condensation on Nanoengineered Surfaces: Dropwise or Filmwise?

Condensing atmospheric water vapor on surfaces is a sustainable approach to addressing the potable water crisis. However, despite extensive research, a key question remains: what is the optimal combination of the mode and mechanism of condensation as well as the surface wettability for the best possible water harvesting efficacy? Here, we show how various modes of condensation fare differently in a humid air environment. During condensation from humid air, it is important to note that the thermal resistance across the condensate is nondominant, and the energy transfer is controlled by vapor diffusion across the boundary layer and condensate drainage from the condenser surface. This implies that, unlike condensation from pure steam, filmwise condensation from humid air would exhibit the highest water collection efficiency on superhydrophilic surfaces. To demonstrate this, we measured the condensation rates on different sets of superhydrophilic and superhydrophobic surfaces that were cooled below the dew points using a Peltier cooler. Experiments were performed over a wide range of degrees of subcooling (10-26 °C) and humidity-ratio differences (5-45 g/kg of dry air). Depending upon the thermodynamic parameters, the condensation rate is found to be 57-333% higher on the superhydrophilic surfaces compared to the superhydrophobic ones. The findings of the study dispel ambiguity about the preferred mode of vapor condensation from humid air on wettability-engineered surfaces and lead to the design of efficient atmospheric water harvesting systems.

A Sensorised Surgical Glove to Analyze Forces During Neurosurgery.

BACKGROUND: Measuring intraoperative forces in real time can provide feedback mechanisms to improve patient safety and surgical training. Previous force monitoring has been achieved through the development of specialized and adapted instruments or use designs that are incompatible with neurosurgical workflow. OBJECTIVE: To design a universal sensorised surgical glove to detect intraoperative forces, applicable to any surgical procedure, and any surgical instrument in either hand. METHODS: We created a sensorised surgical glove that was calibrated across 0 to 10 N. A laboratory experiment demonstrated that the sensorised glove was able to determine instrument-tissue forces. Six expert and 6 novice neurosurgeons completed a validated grape dissection task 20 times consecutively wearing the sensorised glove. The primary outcome was median and maximum force (N). RESULTS: The sensorised glove was able to determine instrument-tissue forces reliably. The average force applied by experts (2.14 N) was significantly lower than the average force exerted by novices (7.15 N) ( P = .002). The maximum force applied by experts (6.32 N) was also significantly lower than the maximum force exerted by novices (9.80 N) ( P = .004). The sensorised surgical glove's introduction to operative workflow was feasible and did not impede on task performance. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate a novel and scalable technique to detect forces during neurosurgery. Force analysis can provide real-time data to optimize intraoperative tissue forces, reduce the risk of tissue injury, and provide objective metrics for training and assessment.

A Triboelectric Nanocomposite for Sterile Sensing, Energy Harvesting, and Haptic Diagnostics in Interventional Procedures from Surgical Gloves.

Advanced interfacial engineering has the potential to enable the successful realization of three features that are particularly important for a variety of healthcare applications: wettability control, antimicrobial activity to reduce infection risks, and sensing of physiological parameters. Here, a sprayable multifunctional triboelectric coating is exploited as a nontoxic, ultrathin tactile sensor that can be integrated directly on the fingertips of surgical gloves. The coating is based on a polymer blend mixed with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles, which enables antifouling and antibacterial properties. Additionally, the nanocomposite is superhydrophobic (self-cleaning) and is not cytotoxic. The coating is also triboelectric and can be applied directly onto surgical gloves with printed electrodes. The sensorized gloves so obtained enable mechanical energy harvesting, force sensing, and detection of materials stiffness changes directly from fingertip, which may complement proprioceptive feedback for clinicians. Just as importantly, the sensors also work with a second glove on top offering better reassurance regarding sterility in interventional procedures. As a case study of clinical use for stiffness detection, the sensors demonstrate successful detection of pig anal sphincter injury ex vivo. This may lead to improving the accuracy of diagnosing obstetric anal sphincter injury, resulting in prompt repair, fewer complications, and improved quality of life.

Self-Healing, Robust, Liquid-Repellent Coatings Exploiting the Donor-Acceptor Self-Assembly.

Liquid-repellent coatings with rapid self-healing and strong substrate adhesion have tremendous potential for industrial applications, but their formulation is challenging. We exploit synergistic chemistry between donor-acceptor self-assembly units of polyurethane and hydrophobic metal-organic framework (MOF) nanoparticles to overcome this challenge. The nanocomposite features a nanohierarchical morphology with excellent liquid repellence. Using polyurethane as a base polymer, the incorporated donor-acceptor self-assembly enables high strength, excellent self-healing property, and strong adhesion strength on multiple substrates. The interaction mechanism of donor-acceptor self-assembly was revealed via density functional theory and infrared spectroscopy. The superhydrophobicity of polyurethane was achieved by introducing alkyl-functionalized MOF nanoparticles and post-application silanization. The combination of the self-healing polymer and nanohierarchical MOF nanoparticles results in self-cleaning capability, resistance to tape peel and high-speed liquid jet impacts, recoverable liquid repellence over a self-healed notch, and low ice adhesion up to 50 icing/deicing cycles. By exploiting the porosity of MOF nanoparticles in our nanocomposites, fluorine-free, slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces with stable, low ice adhesion strengths were also achieved by infusing silicone oil into the coatings.

Use of portable air purifiers to reduce aerosols in hospital settings and cut down the clinical backlog.

SARS-CoV-2 has severely affected capacity in the National Health Service (NHS), and waiting lists are markedly increasing due to downtime of up to 50 min between patient consultations/procedures, to reduce the risk of infection. Ventilation accelerates this air cleaning, but retroactively installing built-in mechanical ventilation is often cost-prohibitive. We investigated the effect of using portable air cleaners (PAC), a low-energy and low-cost alternative, to reduce the concentration of aerosols in typical patient consultation/procedure environments. The experimental setup consisted of an aerosol generator, which mimicked the subject affected by SARS-CoV-19, and an aerosol detector, representing a subject who could potentially contract SARS-CoV-19. Experiments of aerosol dispersion and clearing were undertaken in situ in a variety of rooms with two different types of PAC in various combinations and positions. Correct use of PAC can reduce the clearance half-life of aerosols by 82% compared to the same indoor-environment without any ventilation, and at a broadly equivalent rate to built-in mechanical ventilation. In addition, the highest level of aerosol concentration measured when using PAC remains at least 46% lower than that when no mitigation is used, even if the PAC's operation is impeded due to placement under a table. The use of PAC leads to significant reductions in the level of aerosol concentration, associated with transmission of droplet-based airborne diseases. This could enable NHS departments to reduce the downtime between consultations/procedures.