Multi-Degree-of-Freedom Force Sensor Incorporated into Soft Robotic Gripper for Improved Grasping Stability.

In recent years, soft robotic grippers have emerged as a promising solution for versatile and safe manipulation of objects in various fields. However, precise force control is critical, especially when handling delicate or fragile objects, to avoid excessive grip force application or to prevent object slippage. Herein, we propose a novel three-degree-of-freedom force sensor incorporated within a soft robotic gripper to realize stable grasping with force feedback. The proposed optical sensor employs lightweight and compact optical fibers, thereby allowing for cost-effective fabrication, and a robust sensing system that is immune to electromagnetic fields. By innervating the soft gripper with optical fibers, a durable system is achieved with the fibers functioning as a strengthening layer, thereby eliminating the need for embedding an external stiffening structure for efficient bending actuation. The innovative contact-based light loss sensing mechanism allows for a robust and stable sensing mechanism with low drift (<0.1% over 9000 cycles) that can be applied to soft pneumatic bending grippers. We used the developed sensor-incorporated soft gripper to grasp various objects, including magnetic materials, and achieved slip detection along with grip force feedback without any signal interference. Overall, this study proposes a robust measuring multi-degree-of-freedom force sensor that can be incorporated into grippers for improved grasping stability.

BEaTS-ß: an open-source electromechanical bioreactor for simulating human cardiac disease conditions.

Heart disease remains the leading cause of worldwide mortality. Although the last decades have broadened our understanding of the biology behind the pathologies of heart disease, ex vivo systems capable of mimicking disease progression and abnormal heart function using human cells remain elusive. In this contribution, an open-access electromechanical system (BEaTS-ß) capable of mimicking the environment of cardiac disease is reported. BEaTS-ß was designed using computer-aided modeling to combine tunable electrical stimulation and mechanical deformation of cells cultured on a flexible elastomer. To recapitulate the clinical scenario of a heart attack more closely, in designing BEaTS-ß we considered a device capable to operate under hypoxic conditions. We tested human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts, and coronary artery endothelial cells in our simulated myocardial infarction environment. Our results indicate that, under simulated myocardium infarction, there was a decrease in maturation of cardiomyocytes, and reduced survival of fibroblasts and coronary artery endothelial cells. The open access nature of BEaTS-ß will allow for other investigators to use this platform to investigate cardiac cell biology or drug therapeutic efficacy in vitro under conditions that simulate arrhythmia and/or myocardial infarction.

Modelos de composición corporal basados en antropometría: revisión sistemática de literatura / Body composition models based on anthropometry: systematic literature review

La determinación de la composición corporal se realiza a través de métodos de medición que requieren el uso de equipos especializados de difícil adquisición y manipulación. Por esta razón, diferentes autores han desarrollado modelos matemáticos para su cálculo. El objetivo de esta revisión fue analizar los trabajos realizados en modelos matemáticos para la determinación de variables de composición corporal a partir de medidas antropométricas, respondiendo las siguientes preguntas: ¿cuál es la variable corporal que el modelo predice?, ¿cuáles son las variables de entrada para el desarrollo del modelo?, ¿cómo es la tipificación de pacientes en cada modelo?, ¿qué método de análisis de datos es utilizado? y ¿cómo se evaluó el modelo? Se limitó la búsqueda a las revistas que se encuentran en los repositorios de las áreas de Medicina, Enfermería, Bioquímica, Biología, Salud, Farmacología, Inmunología, Ingeniería y Matemáticas. Se encontraron 424 artículos que se redujeron a 30 al aplicar el proceso de revisión sistemática de literatura. Se observa que los estudios analizados se orientan a la predicción de variables relacionadas con la masa grasa corporal. Los resultados de evaluación encontrados para masa libre de grasa, masa grasa y tasa metabólica basal difieren dependiendo de la técnica de comparación y los segmentos corporales analizados. La evaluación se basa principalmente en correlación intraclase, correlación de Pearson y el coeficiente de determinación (r2 ) y se denota una buena correlación para la población objeto de estudio. (AU)

The body composition determination is carried out through measurement methods that require the use of specialized equipment that is difficultto acquire and manipulate. Therefore, different authors have developed mathematical models for its calculation. The target of this review was toanalyze the work carried out on mathematical models of body composition variables from different anthropometric measurements, answeringthe following questions: what is the corporal variable that the model predicts?, what are the input variables for model development?, how is thepatients typification in each model?, what data analysis method has been used?, and how has been the model evaluated? The search was limited to journals found in repositories in the areas of Medicine, Nursing, Biochemistry, Biology, Health, Pharmacology, Immunology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Four hundred and twenty-four articles were found, which were reduced to 30 by applying the systematic literature review process. The analyzed studies are oriented to the prediction of variables related to body fat mass. The evaluation results found for fat-free mass, fat mass and metabolic rate differ according to the comparison technique and the body segments analyzed. The evaluation is mainly based on the intraclass correlation, the Pearson correlation and the coefficient of determination (r2 ), and they present a good correlation for the population under study. (AU)

Glycemic control metrics in a cohort of hospitalized patients with type 1 diabetes using hybrid closed-loop and advanced hybrid closed-loop systems.

AIMS: To describe Hybrid closed-loop (HCL) and advanced hybrid closed-loop (AHCL) performance in the hospital setting based on the continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) metrics description. METHODS: This was an observational study from a cohort of patients with T1D using HCL/AHCL with history of hospitalization. CGM metrics were analyzed during the hospital stay. CGM metrics sub-analysis of the population with active Automated Mode (AM) and SmartGuard (SG) during hospitalization and/or surgical procedure was performed. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients were included (50 % women; mean age, 49 years [inter-quartile range (IQR), 39-62 years]). During hospitalization 70.8 % patients achieved %Time in Range (TIR) between 70 and 180 mg/dL ≥ 70 %. The overall %TIR was 75.5 % (IQR, 67.3-81.5 %), % time below range (TBR) < 70 mg/dL was 2.1 % (IQR, 0.7-5.4 %) and %TBR < 54 mg/dL was 0 % (IQR, 0-5.4 %). Users of the AHCL with active SG achieved a non-significant higher %TIR during hospitalization (79 % [73.8.88 %] vs. 76 % [72.81 %], p = 0.312) and had a shorter stay (3[IQR, 2.4] vs. 6 days[IQR, 5.7], p = 0.045) compared to the users of the HCL with AM active. No device-related serious adverse events occurred for users of either system. CONCLUSIONS: HCL/AHCL systems with active AM/SG in patients with T1D in the hospital environment leads to %TIR > 70 % in ranges of 70-180 mg/dL in patients without increasing hypoglycemia.

[Body composition models based on anthropometry, systematic literature review]. / Modelos de composición corporal basados en antropometría: revisión sistemática de literatura.

Introduction: The body composition determination is carried out through measurement methods that require the use of specialized equipment that is difficult to acquire and manipulate. Therefore, different authors have developed mathematical models for its calculation. The target of this review was to analyze the work carried out on mathematical models of body composition variables from different anthropometric measurements, answering the following questions: what is the corporal variable that the model predicts?, what are the input variables for model development?, how is the patients typification in each model?, what data analysis method has been used?, and how has been the model evaluated? The search was limited to journals found in repositories in the areas of Medicine, Nursing, Biochemistry, Biology, Health, Pharmacology, Immunology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Four hundred and twenty-four articles were found, which were reduced to 30 by applying the systematic literature review process. The analyzed studies are oriented to the prediction of variables related to body fat mass. The evaluation results found for fat-free mass, fat mass and metabolic rate differ according to the comparison technique and the body segments analyzed. The evaluation is mainly based on the intraclass correlation, the Pearson correlation and the coefficient of determination (r2), and they present a good correlation for the population under study.

Introducción: La determinación de la composición corporal se realiza a través de métodos de medición que requieren el uso de equipos especializados de difícil adquisición y manipulación. Por esta razón, diferentes autores han desarrollado modelos matemáticos para su cálculo. El objetivo de esta revisión fue analizar los trabajos realizados en modelos matemáticos para la determinación de variables de composición corporal a partir de medidas antropométricas, respondiendo las siguientes preguntas: ¿cuál es la variable corporal que el modelo predice?, ¿cuáles son las variables de entrada para el desarrollo del modelo?, ¿cómo es la tipificación de pacientes en cada modelo?, ¿qué método de análisis de datos es utilizado? y ¿cómo se evaluó el modelo? Se limitó la búsqueda a las revistas que se encuentran en los repositorios de las áreas de Medicina, Enfermería, Bioquímica, Biología, Salud, Farmacología, Inmunología, Ingeniería y Matemáticas. Se encontraron 424 artículos que se redujeron a 30 al aplicar el proceso de revisión sistemática de literatura. Se observa que los estudios analizados se orientan a la predicción de variables relacionadas con la masa grasa corporal. Los resultados de evaluación encontrados para masa libre de grasa, masa grasa y tasa metabólica basal difieren dependiendo de la técnica de comparación y los segmentos corporales analizados. La evaluación se basa principalmente en correlación intraclase, correlación de Pearson y el coeficiente de determinación (r2) y se denota una buena correlación para la población objeto de estudio.

Early stages of polycrystalline diamond deposition: laser reflectance at substrates with growing nanodiamonds.

The chemical vapor deposition of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) films is typically done on substrates seeded with diamond nanoparticles. Specular laser reflectance has been used in tandem with a continuous film model to monitor the thickness of these films during their deposition. However, approaches to gain information on properties that strongly affect film morphology, such as the areal density of seeds, remain largely unexplored. This work outlines a strategy for using laser reflectance measurements to refine the monitoring of film thickness during deposition, estimate the mean equivalent radii and the areal density of seeds, and estimate growth incubation periods. We present a general model based on the Rayleigh theory of scattering for laser reflectance at substrates with growing nanoparticles that captures the early stages of PCD deposition. We test our model experimentally by depositing diamond under identical conditions on silicon substrates with various seed densities and by comparing seed densities obtained by scanning electron microscopy to those determined by our strategy. We also explore the different deposition stages for which our model and a continuous film model can be used safely. In addition to providing guidelines for characterizing PCD deposition, this work may also advance the general understanding of nanoparticle growth and formation.

Persistent Sciatic Artery with Peripheral Arterial Disease: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Persistent sciatic artery (PSA) is a congenital malformation due to incomplete involution during the embryonic period. Its etiology is unknown, with an estimated incidence of 0.02 - 0.04% in the whole population and a mean age of 60-65 years. Its presentation can be bilateral. It is asymptomatic in most cases and is usually detected accidentally; however, some symptoms may appear, such as claudication, sciatic neuralgia, and pain in the affected limb. It can also manifest as an aneurysmal dilatation or thrombosis that can generate distal embolism with ischemia. CASE REPORT: In this case study, a patient in her 90s with a suspected peripheral arterial disease, which required an angiotomography of the lower limb, showing a superficial femoral artery running to the middle and distal third of the thigh and a vascular structure running in the sciatic neurovascular bundle corresponding to a persistent sciatic artery presenting atherosclerotic changes and extensive occlusion, was presented. The patient's treatment was clinical with dual antiplatelet therapy and prophylactic anticoagulation. This was due to comorbidities and age. Moreover, the PSA occlusion was not critical and did not significantly impact the patient's quality of life. CONCLUSION: Most patients with this anatomical variant are asymptomatic all their lives, but some of them may present symptoms with serious consequences. It is important to suspect it by clinical presentation and perform diagnostic confirmation by angiotomography. Treatment has yielded excellent results with endovascular techniques. Certain patients only require conservative treatment with anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents.

Common bile duct pressure after open intraoperative instrumentation in patients with uncomplicated choledocholithiasis.

BACKGROUND: Common bile duct pressure (CBDP) after surgical exploration has not been fully detailed. The objective was to describe the changes of CBDP after open surgical exploration in patients with choledocholithiasis, considering clinical scenarios in remote locations. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A before-after study was designed. Patients with choledocholithiasis who required an open cholecystectomy with exploration of bile ducts were included in the study. Open cholecystectomy was performed and perioperative T-tube CBDP was registered immediately after the procedure and weekly thereafter, with a 6 week follow-up. Control T-tube cholangiogram was performed at week 6 to exclude residual stones. Data were analyzed with T test for paired samples. RESULTS: Thirteen patients were included (age range, 17-69 years; 38.69 ± 17.97). Mean CBDP (cm H2O) registered were as follows: Initial = 19.5, week 1 = 16.2, week 2 = 14.3, week 3 = 13.0, week 4 = 12.1, week 5 = 11.1, and week 6 = 9.7. There were significant differences shown when comparing week 2 (p = 0.05), week 3 (p = 0.036), week 4 (p = 0.023), week 5 (p = 0.010), and week 6 (p = 0.004) with the initial value. CONCLUSIONS: CBDP decreases between 2nd and 3rd post-operative weeks. The use of choledochomanometry is useful in clinical scenarios with no access to imaging or interventionism facilities as in remote populations or rural locations.

ANTECEDENTES: La presión del conducto biliar común (PCBC) después de exploración quirúrgica no ha sido totalmente detallada. El objetivo fue describir los cambios de la PCBC tras exploración por coledocolitiasis. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Estudio de antes y después, en pacientes con coledocolitiasis, que requirieron colecistectomía con exploración de vías biliares, registrando la PCBC por 6 semanas. Con colangiografía por sonda en T en la semana seis. Análisis con T de Student para muestras pareadas. RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron 13 pacientes (rango 17-69 años; 38,69 ± 17,97). Las presiones medias del CBC fueron: Inicial = 19.5, semana 1 = 16.2, semana 2 = 14.3, semana 3 = 13.0, semana 4 = 12.1, semana 5 = 11.1 y semana 6 = 9.7. Se mostraron diferencias significativas al comparar la semana 2 (p = 0.05), la semana 3 (p = 0.036), la semana 4 (p = 0.023), la semana 5 (p = 0.010) y la semana 6 (p = 0.004) contra el valor inicial. DISCUSIÓN: La PCBC disminuye entre la segunda y la tercera semana posoperatoria. La coledocomanometría muestra ser útil en escenarios clínicos sin acceso a intervencionismo como en poblaciones remotas o localidades rurales.

More difficult still: Treating severe rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis in the context of COVID-19 pneumonia.

We present the case of a male patient with severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, with simultaneous onset of p-ANCA positive rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. We discuss the different therapeutic possibilities, emphasising the appropriateness of their administration according to the time in the course of the infection.

Development of in situ bioprinting: A mini review.

Bioprinting has rapidly progressed over the past decade. One branch of bioprinting known as in situ bioprinting has benefitted considerably from innovations in biofabrication. Unlike ex situ bioprinting, in situ bioprinting allows for biomaterials to be printed directly into or onto the target tissue/organ, eliminating the need to transfer pre-made three-dimensional constructs. In this mini-review, recent progress on in situ bioprinting, including bioink composition, in situ crosslinking strategies, and bioprinter functionality are examined. Future directions of in situ bioprinting are also discussed including the use of minimally invasive bioprinters to print tissues within the body.

Effect of Different N:P Ratios on the Growth, Toxicity, and Toxin Profile of Gymnodinium catenatum (Dinophyceae) Strains from the Gulf of California.

The harmful microalgae Gymnodinium catenatum is a unique naked dinoflagellate that produces paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins (PSTs). This species is common along the coasts of the Mexican Pacific and is responsible for paralytic shellfish poisoning, which has resulted in notable financial losses in both fisheries and aquaculture. In the Gulf of California, G. catenatum has been related to mass mortality events in fish, shrimp, seabirds, and marine mammals. In this study, the growth, toxin profiles, and toxin content of four G. catenatum strains isolated from Bahía de La Paz (BAPAZ) and Bahía de Mazatlán (BAMAZ) were evaluated with different N:P ratios, keeping the phosphorus concentration constant. All strains were cultivated in semi-continuous cultures (200 mL, 21.0 °C, 120 µmol photon m-2s-1, and a 12:12 h light-dark cycle) with f/2 + Se medium using N:P ratios of: 4:1, 8:1, 16:1, 32:1, and 64:1. Paralytic toxins were analyzed by HPLC with fluorescence detection. Maximum cellular abundance and growth were obtained at an N:P ratio of 64:1 (3188 cells mL-1 and 0.34 div day-1) with the BAMAZ and BAPAZ strains. A total of ten saxitoxin analogs dominated by N-sulfocarbamoyl (60-90 mol%), decarbamoyl (10-20 mol%), and carbamoyl (5-10 mol%) toxins were detected. The different N:P ratios did not cause significant changes in the PST content or toxin profiles of the strains from both bays, although they did affect cell abundance.

Primary Pure Pancreatic -Type Acinar Cell Carcinoma of the Stomach: A Rare Entity with a Difficult Diagnosis and Review of the Literature.

Acinar cell carcinoma is an uncommon tumour, representing only 1% to 2% of all exocrine pancreatic tumours. Pancreatic-type acinar cell carcinoma can occur in other organs, including the stomach, but it is extraordinarily rare. We report a case of a 51-year-old woman with a pancreatic-type pure acinar carcinoma of the stomach coexisting with a large cell B lymphoma synchronously, and a literature review of gastric carcinomas with pancreatic cell differentiation. At present there is a preoperative underdiagnosis of these tumours that could be minimized by including this entity in the differential diagnosis of gastric cancer and by performing immunohistochemical analysis with neuroendocrine markers and exocrine pancreatic enzymes.

Más difícil todavía: tratar una glomerulonefritis rápidamente progresiva grave en el seno de una neumonía por COVID-19 / More difficult still: Treating severe rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis in the context of COVID-19 pneumonia

Presentamos el caso de un varón afecto por neumonía SARS-CoV-2 grave, que a la vez comienza con una glomerulonefritis rápidamente progresiva p-ANCA positiva. Se comentan las distintas posibilidades terapéuticas haciendo hincapié en la idoneidad de su administración según el momento evolutivo de la infección. (AU)

We present the case of a male patient with severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, with simultaneous onset of p-ANCA positive rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. We discuss the different therapeutic possibilities, emphasising the appropriateness of their administration according to the time in the course of the infection. (AU)

3D Bioprinted Cardiac Tissues and Devices for Tissue Maturation.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Given the limited endogenous regenerative capabilities of cardiac tissue, patient-specific anatomy, challenges in treatment options, and shortage of donor tissues for transplantation, there is an urgent need for novel approaches in cardiac tissue repair. 3D bioprinting is a technology based on additive manufacturing which allows for the design of precisely controlled and spatially organized structures, which could possibly lead to solutions in cardiac tissue repair. In this review, we describe the basic morphological and physiological specifics of the heart and cardiac tissues and introduce the readers to the fundamental principles underlying 3D printing technology and some of the materials/approaches which have been used to date for cardiac repair. By summarizing recent progress in 3D printing of cardiac tissue and valves with respect to the key features of cardiovascular tissue (such as contractility, conductivity, and vascularization), we highlight how 3D printing can facilitate surgical planning and provide custom-fit implants and properties that match those from the native heart. Finally, we also discuss the suitability of this technology in the design and fabrication of custom-made devices intended for the maturation of the cardiac tissue, a process that has been shown to increase the viability of implants. Altogether this review shows that 3D printing and bioprinting are versatile and highly modulative technologies with wide applications in cardiac regeneration and beyond.

Family Environment and Child-To-Parent Violence: The Role of Emotional Insecurity.

Child-to-parent violence (CPV) constitutes a serious social problem due to its short and long-term consequences, which not only directly affect the victim but also generate a rupture of the family system. In this study, direct and indirect effects of exposition to violence within the family, insecurity in the family system (manifested as disengagement and/or preoccupation), and justification of violence on CPV toward mothers and fathers were analyzed with structural equation modeling (SEM). Davies and Cummings emotional security theory (1994) was applied. A total of 904 high school students between 13 and 20 years old participated in this study. Information regarding each participant's committed CPV was obtained from the Child-to-Parent Aggression Questionnaire. Emotional insecurity was assessed with the Security in the Family System scale. To assess exposition to violence and justification of violence, the Exposure to Violence Questionnaire and Irrational Beliefs Inventory for Adolescents were applied, respectively. Strong relationships between exposition to violence within the family, emotional insecurity, justification of violence, and CPV toward mothers and fathers were observed. The results show that adolescents who are exposed to violence at home are more aggressive in the future. In addition, this relationship is mediated, at least in part, by the justification of violence and emotional insecurity. These results suggest that prevention and treatment of CPV aggressors should focus on improving security within the survivors' family system as well as modifying attitudes toward violence.

Primary thyroid tuberculosis: a case report.

Involvement of the thyroid gland by tuberculosis is very rare and is usually secondary to disseminated infection. Very few cases of primary thyroid tuberculosis have been described even in countries with a high incidence of this disease. We present the case of a Spanish patient operated for a suspicious thyroid nodule that was finally diagnosed as primary thyroid tuberculosis.

La afectación de la glándula tiroidea por tuberculosis es muy rara y generalmente es secundaria a una enfermedad ­diseminada. Se han descrito muy pocos casos de tuberculosis tiroidea primaria incluso en paises con alta incidencia de esta enfermedad. Presentamos el caso de una paciente española operada por un nódulo tiroideo sospechoso que fue finalmente diagnosticado como tuberculosis tiroidea primaria.

Exploring the Mediating Effect of Psychological Engagement on the Relationship between Child-to-Parent Violence and Violent Video Games.

Research into the effects of violent video games on levels of aggression has raised concerns that they may pose a significant social risk, especially among younger people. The objective of this study was to analyze, through structural equation models, the mediating role of psychological engagement in the relationship between the consumption of violent video games and child-to-parent violence (CPV) against the mother and the father. The sample consisted of 916 students from the third and fourth grades of compulsory secondary education, first and second grades of high school, and first cycle of vocational training (483 males and 433 females), of whom a total of 628 were video game players, aged between 13 and 19. The exposure to video games was assessed through an author-elaborated questionnaire, engagement was evaluated with the game engagement questionnaire, and CPV was assessed through the child-to-parent aggression questionnaire. The structural equation models indicated that exposure to violent video games was related to lower rates of CPV against both parents. Conversely, the flow (a sense of being in control, being one with activity, and experiencing distortions in the perception of time) dimension of engagement positively correlated with the level of CPV against the mother, whereas the flow and absorption (total engagement in the current experience) dimensions correlated with CPV against the father. In conclusion, the results confirm the role of violent video game consumption, reducing CPV rates against both parents, a role that is offset to the extent that these violent games provoke engagement in the user.