Trends on Aerogel-Based Biosensors for Medical Applications: An Overview.

Aerogels are unique solid-state materials composed of interconnected 3D solid networks and a large number of air-filled pores. This structure leads to extended structural characteristics as well as physicochemical properties of the nanoscale building blocks to macroscale, and integrated typical features of aerogels, such as high porosity, large surface area, and low density, with specific properties of the various constituents. Due to their combination of excellent properties, aerogels attract much interest in various applications, ranging from medicine to construction. In recent decades, their potential was exploited in many aerogels' materials, either organic, inorganic or hybrid. Considerable research efforts in recent years have been devoted to the development of aerogel-based biosensors and encouraging accomplishments have been achieved. In this work, recent (2018-2023) and ground-breaking advances in the preparation, classification, and physicochemical properties of aerogels and their sensing applications are presented. Different types of biosensors in which aerogels play a fundamental role are being explored and are collected in this manuscript. Moreover, the current challenges and some perspectives for the development of high-performance aerogel-based biosensors are summarized.

[Research progress on plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles and their applications].

Plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles(PELNs) are a class of membranous vesicles with diameters approximately ranging from 30 to 300 nm, isolated from plant tissues. They contain components such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. PELNs play an important role in the metabolism of plant substances and immune defense, and can also cross-regulate the physiological activities of fungi and animal cells, showing significant potential applications. In recent years, research on PELNs has significantly increased, highlighting three main issues:(1) the mixed sources of plant materials for PELNs;(2) the lack of a unified system for isolating and characterizing PELNs;(3) the urgent need to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the cross-regulation of biological functions by PELNs. This article focused on these concerns. It began by summarizing the biological origin and composition of PELNs, discussing the techniques for isolating and characterizing PELNs, and analyzing their biomedical applications and potential future research directions., aiming to promote the establishment of standardized research protocols for PELNs and provide theoretical references for in-depth exploration of the mechanisms underlying PELNs' cross-regulatory effects.

[The research status and development trends of brain-computer interfaces in medicine].

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have become one of the cutting-edge technologies in the world, and have been mainly applicated in medicine. In this article, we sorted out the development history and important scenarios of BCIs in medical application, analyzed the research progress, technology development, clinical transformation and product market through qualitative and quantitative analysis, and looked forward to the future trends. The results showed that the research hotspots included the processing and interpretation of electroencephalogram (EEG) signals, the development and application of machine learning algorithms, and the detection and treatment of neurological diseases. The technological key points included hardware development such as new electrodes, software development such as algorithms for EEG signal processing, and various medical applications such as rehabilitation and training in stroke patients. Currently, several invasive and non-invasive BCIs are in research. The R&D level of BCIs in China and the United State is leading the world, and have approved a number of non-invasive BCIs. In the future, BCIs will be applied to a wider range of medical fields. Related products will develop shift from a single mode to a combined mode. EEG signal acquisition devices will be miniaturized and wireless. The information flow and interaction between brain and machine will give birth to brain-machine fusion intelligence. Last but not least, the safety and ethical issues of BCIs will be taken seriously, and the relevant regulations and standards will be further improved.

Hydrogels: Properties and Applications in Biomedicine.

Hydrogels are crosslinked polymer chains with three-dimensional (3D) network structures, which can absorb relatively large amounts of fluid. Because of the high water content, soft structure, and porosity of hydrogels, they closely resemble living tissues. Research in recent years shows that hydrogels have been applied in various fields, such as agriculture, biomaterials, the food industry, drug delivery, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. Along with the underlying technology improvements of hydrogel development, hydrogels can be expected to be applied in more fields. Although not all hydrogels have good biodegradability and biocompatibility, such as synthetic hydrogels (polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamide, polyethylene glycol hydrogels, etc.), their biodegradability and biocompatibility can be adjusted by modification of their functional group or incorporation of natural polymers. Hence, scientists are still interested in the biomedical applications of hydrogels due to their creative adjustability for different uses. In this review, we first introduce the basic information of hydrogels, such as structure, classification, and synthesis. Then, we further describe the recent applications of hydrogels in 3D cell cultures, drug delivery, wound dressing, and tissue engineering.

[Applications, industrial transformation and commercial value of brain-computer interface technology].

Brain-computer interface (BCI) is a revolutionary human-computer interaction technology, which includes both BCI that can output instructions directly from the brain to external devices or machines without relying on the peripheral nerve and muscle system, and BCI that bypasses the peripheral nerve and muscle system and inputs electrical, magnetic, acoustic and optical stimuli or neural feedback directly to the brain from external devices or machines. With the development of BCI technology, it has potential application not only in medical field, but also in non-medical fields, such as education, military, finance, entertainment, smart home and so on. At present, there is little literature on the relevant application of BCI technology, the current situation of BCI industrialization at home and abroad and its commercial value. Therefore, this paper expounds and discusses the above contents, which are expected to provide valuable information for the public and organizations, BCI researchers, BCI industry translators and salespeople, and improve the cognitive level of BCI technology, further promote the application and industrial transformation of BCI technology and enhance the commercial value of BCI, so as to serve mankind better.

[Discussion on Construction Framework and Key Content of Integrated Medical Internet of Things].

Since the internet of things was listed as a national emerging strategic industry, its development in China has received unprecedented attention. This study takes the lead in proposing the concept and construction framework of the integrated medical internet of things, analyses and discusses the integrated medical internet of things from four aspects: the integrated internet of things infrastructure, the internet of things security management application construction, the internet of things big data application construction, and the integrated management platform. The integrated medical internet of things starts from medical management, based on the hospital's existing information construction foundation, and uses internet of things related technologies to build an internet of things integrated service platform for medical quality and safety.

A comparative evaluation of mobile medical APPS (MMAS) for reading and interpreting malaria rapid diagnostic tests.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization recommends confirmatory diagnosis by microscopy or malaria rapid diagnostic test (RDT) in patients with suspected malaria. In recent years, mobile medical applications (MMAs), which can interpret RDT test results have entered the market. To evaluate the performance of commercially available MMAs, an evaluation was conducted by comparing RDT results read by MMAs to RDT results read by the human eye. METHODS: Five different MMAs were evaluated on six different RDT products using cultured Plasmodium falciparum blood samples at five dilutions ranging from 20 to 1000 parasites (p)/microlitre (µl) and malaria negative blood samples. The RDTs were performed in a controlled, laboratory setting by a trained operator who visually read the RDT results. A second trained operator then used the MMAs to read the RDT results. Sensitivity (Sn) and specificity (Sp) for the RDTs were calculated in a Bayesian framework using mixed models. RESULTS: The RDT Sn of the P. falciparum (Pf) test line, when read by the trained human eye was significantly higher compared to when read by MMAs (74% vs. average 47%) at samples of 20 p/µl. In higher density samples, the Sn was comparable to the human eye (97%) for three MMAs. The RDT Sn of test lines that detect all Plasmodium species (Pan line), when read by the trained human eye was significantly higher compared to when read by MMAs (79% vs. average 56%) across all densities. The RDT Sp, when read by the human eye or MMAs was 99% for both the Pf and Pan test lines across all densities. CONCLUSIONS: The study results show that in a laboratory setting, most MMAs produced similar results interpreting the Pf test line of RDTs at parasite densities typically found in patients that experience malaria symptoms (> 100 p/µl) compared to the human eye. At low parasite densities for the Pf line and across all parasite densities for the Pan line, MMAs were less accurate than the human eye. Future efforts should focus on improving the band/line detection at lower band intensities and evaluating additional MMA functionalities like the ability to identify and classify RDT errors or anomalies.

Investigating a Newly Developed Educational Orthopedic Application for Medical Interns in a Before-after Quasi-clinical Trial Study.

BACKGROUND: In COVID 19 era, the literature on e-learning, or particularly m-learning, has considerably increased focusing on the subject of medical knowledge transfer. Considering the importance of orthopedic knowledge for general practitioners and the inadequacy of the orthopedics internship duration in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (MUMS), we have developed and investigated a smartphone orthopedic educational application named "Orthobox". METHODS: In a quasi-clinical before-after trial study, we investigated the benefits of Orthobox application for medical interns attending MUMS orthopedic departments. A total of 120 students (64 and 56 students in control and case groups respectively) were recruited. The application consists of five main parts of medication, common order samples, common prescriptions, cast and splint types, and educational movies. Students who passed the course without getting access to the application (control group) and students who were also using application during the course (case group) were defined, and comparison was done between them objectively through final exam score comparison and subjectively through Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) questionnaire score comparison. Besides, using case group students' activity report provided by the application panel, correlational analysis was done on their amount of activity on each of the main parts of the application and the corresponding question exam and VAS score separately. RESULTS: The case group of the study generally achieved higher final exam scores, mainly on Order question score (P value<0.001). Total VAS scores were also greater in case group (P value =0.001). It has also been identified that there is a notable positive trend between student's amount of usage of the application and their final exam scores through correlational analysis. This correlation was not significant about students' application visit numbers and VAS scores. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that m-learning has got the potential to improve students' medical knowledge and skills by organizing must-to-learn content specified for intern students of orthopedics on one hand, and cause more satisfaction in students about their education on the other hand. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was not registered because it is a quasi-clinical trial study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III (Evidence obtained from well-designed controlled trials without randomization (i.e. quasi-experimental).

Developing a Training Web Application for Improving the COVID-19 Diagnostic Accuracy on Chest X-ray.

In December 2019, a new coronavirus known as 2019-nCoV emerged in Wuhan, China. The virus has spread globally and the infection was declared pandemic in March 2020. Although most cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are mild, some of them rapidly develop acute respiratory distress syndrome. In the clinical management, chest X-rays (CXR) are essential, but the evaluation of COVID-19 CXR could be a challenge. In this context, we developed COVID-19 TRAINING, a free Web application for training on the evaluation of COVID-19 CXR. The application included 196 CXR belonging to three categories: non-pathological, pathological compatible with COVID-19, and pathological non-compatible with COVID-19. On the training screen, images were shown to the users and they chose a diagnosis among those three possibilities. At any time, users could finish the training session and be evaluated through the estimation of their diagnostic accuracy values: sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and global accuracy. Images were hand-labeled by four thoracic radiologists. Average values for sensitivity, specificity, and global accuracy were .72, .64, and .68. Users who achieved better sensitivity registered less specificity (p < .0001) and those with higher specificity decreased their sensitivity (p < .0001). Users who sent more answers achieved better accuracy (p = .0002). The application COVID-19 TRAINING provides a revolutionary tool to learn the necessary skills to evaluate COVID-19 on CXR. Diagnosis training applications could provide a new original manner of evaluation for medical professionals based on their diagnostic accuracy values, and an efficient method to collect valuable data for research purposes.

Potential Therapeutic Applications of Hydrogen in Chronic Inflammatory Diseases: Possible Inhibiting Role on Mitochondrial Stress.

Mitochondria are the largest source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and are intracellular organelles that produce large amounts of the most potent hydroxyl radical (·OH). Molecular hydrogen (H2) can selectively eliminate ·OH generated inside of the mitochondria. Inflammation is induced by the release of proinflammatory cytokines produced by macrophages and neutrophils. However, an uncontrolled or exaggerated response often occurs, resulting in severe inflammation that can lead to acute or chronic inflammatory diseases. Recent studies have reported that ROS activate NLRP3 inflammasomes, and that this stimulation triggers the production of proinflammatory cytokines. It has been shown in literature that H2 can be based on the mechanisms that inhibit mitochondrial ROS. However, the ability for H2 to inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome activation via mitochondrial oxidation is poorly understood. In this review, we hypothesize a possible mechanism by which H2 inhibits mitochondrial oxidation. Medical applications of H2 may solve the problem of many chronic inflammation-based diseases, including coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Molecular Hydrogen as a Potential Clinically Applicable Radioprotective Agent.

Although ionizing radiation (radiation) is commonly used for medical diagnosis and cancer treatment, radiation-induced damages cannot be avoided. Such damages can be classified into direct and indirect damages, caused by the direct absorption of radiation energy into DNA and by free radicals, such as hydroxyl radicals (•OH), generated in the process of water radiolysis. More specifically, radiation damage concerns not only direct damages to DNA, but also secondary damages to non-DNA targets, because low-dose radiation damage is mainly caused by these indirect effects. Molecular hydrogen (H2) has the potential to be a radioprotective agent because it can selectively scavenge •OH, a reactive oxygen species with strong oxidizing power. Animal experiments and clinical trials have reported that H2 exhibits a highly safe radioprotective effect. This paper reviews previously reported radioprotective effects of H2 and discusses the mechanisms of H2, not only as an antioxidant, but also in intracellular responses including anti-inflammation, anti-apoptosis, and the regulation of gene expression. In doing so, we demonstrate the prospects of H2 as a novel and clinically applicable radioprotective agent.

[Analysis of occupational health status of radiation workers in Guangdong Province].

Objective: To discuss the effect of low-dose ionizing radiation on the health of radiation workers, and provide a basis for occupational health risk assessment of radiation workers. Methods: In January 2020, 3165 radiation workers who performed radiation occupational health examinations in Guangzhou Prevention and Treatment Hospital for Occupational Disease from January 2017 to December 2019 were selected as the research objects, and compared and analyzed the health status of radiation workers with different examination types (pre-job, in-job and off-job) , types of work, gender, and length of service. Results: The off-job occupational radiological health examination was rare at 2.3% (74/3165) . The abnormal detection rate of chest radiographs, renal function, thyroid function, and blood routine of the radiation workers in-job group was higher than that of the pre-job group (P<0.05) . No statistical difference was found in the abnormal detection rate of the examination items during the in-job group and the off-job group (P>0.05) . The blood routine abnormality detection rate of medical application group and industrial application group were higher than those of nuclear fuel group (P<0.05) . The abnormal detection rate of blood pressure and renal function of male radiation workers was higher than that of females, while the abnormal detection rate of blood routine of females was higher than that of males (P<0.05) . The abnormal detection rate of electrocardiogram, chest radiograph, blood pressure, renal function, thyroid function, and blood routine of radiation workers increased with increasing working age (P<0.05) . Conclusion: Occupational health status of radiation workers is not optimistic. Radiation occupational health monitoring should be strengthened, special attention should be paid to off-job radiation occupational health examination, focusing on the sensitive indicators of sensitive personnel, improving radiation protection conditions, and effectively protecting the occupational health of radiation workers.

Lactobacillus fermentum: a bacterial species with potential for food preservation and biomedical applications.

Lactic acid-producing bacteria are the most commonly used probiotics that play an important role in protecting the host against harmful microorganisms, strengthening the host immune system, improving feed digestibility, and reducing metabolic disorders. Lactobacillus fermentum (Lb. fermentum) is a Gram-positive bacterium belonging to Lactobacillus genus, and many reportedly to enhance the immunologic response as well as prevent community-acquired gastrointestinal and upper respiratory infections. Additionally, Lb. fermentum strains produce diverse and potent antimicrobial peptides, which can be applied as food preservative agents or as alternatives to antibiotics. Further functions attributed to probiotic Lb. fermentum strains are their abilities to decrease the level of blood stream cholesterol (as cholesterol-lowering agents) and to potentially help prevent alcoholic liver disease and colorectal cancer among humans. Finally, Lb. fermentum is a key microorganism in sourdough technology, contributing to flavor, texture, or health-promoting dough ingredients, and has recently been used to develop new foods stuffs such as fortified and functional foods with beneficial attributes for human health. Development of such new foodstuffs are currently taking important proportions of the food industry market. Furthermore, an increasing awareness of the consumers prompts the food-makers to implement alternative environmental friendly solutions in the production processes and/or suitable biological alternative to limit the use of antibiotics in feed and food. Here, we give an account on the application of Lb. fermentum strains in the biomedical and food preservation fields, with a focus on probiotic features such as bacteriocin production. We also summarize the use of Lb. fermentum as cell factories with the aim to improve the efficacy and health value of functional food.

Ultraviolet Irradiation Enhances the Microbicidal Activity of Silver Nanoparticles by Hydroxyl Radicals.

It is known that silver has microbicidal qualities; even at a low concentration, silver is active against many kinds of bacteria. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been extensively studied for a wide range of applications. Alternately, the toxicity of silver to human cells is considerably lower than that to bacteria. Recent studies have shown that AgNPs also have antiviral activity. We found that large amounts of hydroxyl radicals-highly reactive molecular species-are generated when AgNPs are irradiated with ultraviolet (UV) radiation with a wavelength of 365 nm, classified as ultraviolet A (UVA). In this study, we used electron spin resonance direct detection to confirm that UV irradiation of AgNPs produced rapid generation of hydroxyl radicals. As hydroxyl radicals are known to degrade bacteria, viruses, and some chemicals, the enhancement of the microbicidal activity of AgNPs by UV radiation could be valuable for the protection of healthcare workers and the prevention of the spread of infectious diseases.

[Application of semantic segmentation based on convolutional neural network in medical images].

With the rapid development of network structure, convolutional neural networks (CNN) consolidated its position as a leading machine learning tool in the field of image analysis. Therefore, semantic segmentation based on CNN has also become a key high-level task in medical image understanding. This paper reviews the research progress on CNN-based semantic segmentation in the field of medical image. A variety of classical semantic segmentation methods are reviewed, whose contributions and significance are highlighted. On this basis, their applications in the segmentation of some major physiological and pathological anatomical structures are further summarized and discussed. Finally, the open challenges and potential development direction of semantic segmentation based on CNN in the area of medical image are discussed.

Application-based management of perioperative anticoagulant therapy: description of POPACTApp.

PURPOSE: Perioperative management of oral anticoagulation (OAC) is a constant challenge in interventional and surgical procedures. When deciding to discontinue OAC, the risk of thromboembolic events must be balanced against the risk of bleeding during and after the planned procedure. These risks differ across patients and must be considered individually. METHODS: POPACTApp, an application for the perioperative or peri-interventional management of oral anticoagulants, was developed using a human-centered design process (ISO 9241-210:2010). The treatment concept developed here can be adapted to a patient's individual risk profile. POPACTApp provides recommendations based on guidelines, consensus statements, and study data. After entering patient-specific risk factors, the attending physician using POPACTApp receives a clear and direct presentation of a periprocedural treatment concept, which should enable the efficient use of the program in everyday clinical practice. The perioperative treatment concept is presented via a timeline, including (1) the decision on whether to interrupt OAC, (2) the timing of the last preoperative administration of OAC in cases of interruption, (3) the decision on whether and how to bridge with heparins, and (4) the decision about when to reinitiate anticoagulation. RESULTS: A task-based survey to evaluate POPACTApp's usability conducted with 20 surgeons showed that all clinicians correctly interpreted the recommendations provided by the app. Further, a questionnaire using a 7-point Likert scale from - 3 (negative) to + 3 (positive) revealed the following results to three specific questions: (1) satisfaction with the current standard procedure in the respective unit of the participant (0.15; SD = 1.57), (2) individual satisfaction with the POPACTApp application (2.7; SD = 0.47), and (3) estimation of the usefulness of POPACTApp for clinical practice (2.7; SD = 0.47). CONCLUSIONS: POPACTApp provides clinicians with an individual risk-optimized treatment concept for the perioperative or peri-interventional management of OAC based on current guidelines, consensus statements, and study data, enabling the standardized perioperative handling of OAC in daily clinical practice.

Synthesis and Application of Silver Nanoparticles (Ag NPs) for the Prevention of Infection in Healthcare Workers.

Silver is easily available and is known to have microbicidal effect; moreover, it does not impose any adverse effects on the human body. The microbicidal effect is mainly due to silver ions, which have a wide antibacterial spectrum. Furthermore, the development of multidrug-resistant bacteria, as in the case of antibiotics, is less likely. Silver ions bind to halide ions, such as chloride, and precipitate; therefore, when used directly, their microbicidal activity is shortened. To overcome this issue, silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) have been recently synthesized and frequently used as microbicidal agents that release silver ions from particle surface. Depending on the specific surface area of the nanoparticles, silver ions are released with high efficiency. In addition to their bactericidal activity, small Ag NPs (<10 nm in diameter) affect viruses although the microbicidal effect of silver mass is weak. Because of their characteristics, Ag NPs are useful countermeasures against infectious diseases, which constitute a major issue in the medical field. Thus, medical tools coated with Ag NPs are being developed. This review outlines the synthesis and utilization of Ag NPs in the medical field, focusing on environment-friendly synthesis and the suppression of infections in healthcare workers (HCWs).

Mussel-Inspired Catechol-Functionalized Hydrogels and Their Medical Applications.

Mussel adhesive proteins (MAPs) have a unique ability to firmly adhere to different surfaces in aqueous environments via the special amino acid, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA). The catechol groups in DOPA are a key group for adhesive proteins, which is highly informative for the biomedical domain. By simulating MAPs, medical products can be developed for tissue adhesion, drug delivery, and wound healing. Hydrogel is a common formulation that is highly adaptable to numerous medical applications. Based on a discussion of the adhesion mechanism of MAPs, this paper reviews the formation and adhesion mechanism of catechol-functionalized hydrogels, types of hydrogels and main factors affecting adhesion, and medical applications of hydrogels, and future the development of catechol-functionalized hydrogels.

Monitoring an Analysis of Perturbations in Fusion Deposition Modelling (FDM) Processes for the Use of Biomaterials.

During an FDM production process, there are different external disturbances to the characteristics of the machine that can affect to the production process. These disturbances will cause the final result differs from the desired one. Moreover, these disturbances, such as temperature or chamber humidity, are extremely important in case of using biocompatible materials. The use of these kind of materials with not controlled environment, can cause them to modify or loss of their properties; what will make the product unusable. Apart from these external disturbances, the conditions of the machine to which the material is subjected must also be considered, such as temperature, vibrations or extrusion speed. The monitoring of all these data will allow to know the conditions to which the product was exposed during the process. In this way, it will be able to verify the validity of the final product. For these reasons, the purpose of this work is to monitor the conditions of production of structures with biocompatible materials by fused deposition modelling (FDM) technique. This monitoring will allow us to obtain a report that guarantee the technical and geometrical characteristics of the model and the biomaterial properties. The parameters chosen to be monitored are: Diameter of filament use, temperature in extrusion nozzle, ambient temperature in closed chamber, ambient humidity in closed chamber. The obtained results, after collected and analysing the data, present variations of up to 3% in the temperature of the nozzle of the extruder with respect to set temperature. In the case of the filament diameter the difference with respect to the value provided from the filament supplier is of 13,7%. In addition, the results show how the ambient humidity in closed chamber has changed by 2 percentage points and the ambient temperature in closed chamber has been increased 6,52 °C with respect to the set values.