Search

Introduction: Neuromuscular Taping (NMT) is the application of elastic adhesive tape to the skin without any tension over the target area. NMT has demonstrated the ability to induce a dilation effect on underlying body tissues, leading to pain relief, improved lymphatic flow, and increased vascularity. The outcomes of the present study will provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of NMT in alleviating sensorimotor symptoms associated with Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN).Aim: To assess the effectiveness of NMT in addition to conventional treatment among patients with DPN. Materials and Methods: This pilot feasibility trial was conducted in the Department of Physiotherapy, Maharishi Markandeshwar Institute of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana, Ambala, Haryana, India, from January 2023 to January 2024. A total of 12 participants were recruited and were divided into two groups: Experimental Group (EG) (n=6) and Control Group (CG) (n=6). An 8-weeks physiotherapy intervention was given. EG group received NMT on bilateral tibialis anterior, tibialis posterior, peroneus longus muscles and transverse arch of foot and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) on the course of bilateral tibial and peroneal nerves. CG received sham taping and TENS as EG group. Patients were assessed for pre and post intervention using the outcomes; Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Signs and Symptoms (LANSS) and Nerve Conduction Velocity (NCV) of tibial, peroneal and sural nerves. Results: There was significant improvement in the LAANS scores; p=0.03 and NCV tibial right; p=0.01, NCV tibial left; p=0.01, NCV peroneal right; p=0.04 and NCV peroneal left; p=0.03, NCV sural right; p= 0.03 and NCV sural left; p= 0.01 at p>0.05. Conclusion: The present study suggested that NMT in conjunction with conventional treatment can be an effective approach for managing sensorimotor symptoms of DPN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a rare complication of endotracheal intubation called acute kinking of pilot balloon tubing. The case study involves a 56-year-old man undergoing cardiac surgery who experienced a disparity between delivered and expiratory tidal volumes, as well as audible sounds in the throat during mechanical ventilation. The problem was identified as an acute kink at the junction of the endotracheal tube and pilot balloon tubing. The authors emphasize the importance of recognizing and addressing such complications for the smooth conduct of general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation. [Extracted from the article]

• Low loss interposer for RF applications is demonstrated. • Low temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC) are cofired with alkaline-free glass. • Combination of cost-effective thick-film and precise thin-film processing. • Printable glass through vias (TGV) for heterogeneous system integration. • Stable shrinkage tolerances are achieved by the glass layer. Materials with high RF performance are in increasing demand due to the needs of modern telecommunications. Glass and low-temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCCs) are both interesting candidates for the design of complex signal transmission systems. Glass can be processed in large panels, and has suitable structure dimensions for silicon processing, but its multilayer capability is limited. LTCC is a mature technology for complex multilayer assemblies, but the structure dimensions and conductor line resolution are restricted by the need to use screen printing technology. The approach presented here combines the advantages of both technological domains: a thin glass sheet is bonded with no additional material to a LTCC multilayer ceramic and sintered to form a tight joint. Metallization of the glass is created using printable pastes and electroplating. Two fabrication routes are compared: etching of printed thick film metal layers, and semi-additive structuring. The results of RF measurements show a low attenuation per unit length for both types of metallization, indicating that our approach is a promising one for the integration of heterogeneous systems of RF transmission modules. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • LTA-zeolite chemically bonded to PDMS results in a superhydrophobic surface. • The hydrophilic components of zeolite are masked by silane coupling. • The achieved contact angle is 155° with contact angle hysteresis less than 10°. • Hierarchical surface roughness stabilizes the superhydrophobic state of the PDMS. Superhydrophobicity is a fundamental characteristic that plays a vital role in various applications, such as self-cleaning coatings, water vapor barriers for flexible electronics, and microfluidic chip fabrication. In this study, we developed a superhydrophobic surface coating on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) using Linde Type A (LTA) zeolite crystals, employing a silane coupling strategy. As part of this study, the LTA-zeolite-coated PDMS surface is characterized using various techniques to elucidate its superhydrophobic behavior, and a functionalization mechanism is proposed. The resulting substrate exhibited high surface roughness, with a water contact angle exceeding 155°, a sliding angle below 1°, and a contact angle hysteresis under 10°. This superhydrophobic surface coating effectively repelled water, confirming its excellent self-cleaning properties. Furthermore, the coating withstood three cycles of the Kapton adhesive tape peeling test, 5 h of water-jet hitting, and 72 h of UV light exposure, demonstrating its robustness and strong adhesion to PDMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes are used in automotives, railway vehicles and construction, where flame retardancy is of major importance. This is why industrial applicants often buy, and industrial tape manufacturers often produce, flame-retardant adhesive tapes, advertised for their good flammability characteristics. Yet, how flame-retardant tapes influence the fire behavior of bonded materials is a rather open question. To investigate this issue, three different substrates were bonded, using eight double-sided adhesive tapes containing two different carriers and two different flame retardants. The bonded substrates were compared to their monolithic counterparts in terms of flammability, fire behavior and fire stability. The fire behavior of adhesive tape bonded materials differed significantly from the monolithic substrates. The usage of different adhesive tapes let to different burning behavior of the bonded materials mainly due to different carrier systems. In contrast, the implementation of flame retardant into the adhesive had rather minor or no effect on the burning behavior of the bonded substrates despite their positive effect on the flammability of the free-standing tape. The carrier changed the HRR curve in the cone calorimeter and was able to both, reduce and increase fire hazards. Using the carrier with the better fire performance can lower the fire growth rate by 20%, the peak of heat release rate by 27%, and the maximum average rate of heat emission by 30% in cone calorimeter tests. Overall, the fire behavior of bonded materials is a complex interaction between substrate, adhesive, and carrier, and depends on the fire scenario the materials are exposed to. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of spacecraft engineering, in particular for geostationary and geosynchronous applications, a significant need exists for a thermal control film to be electrically conductive, to effectively manage the dissipation of accumulated charges. In this study, transparent-electrically conductive reduced graphene oxide is strategically applied to heated rigid (quartz glass) and flexible (Fluorinated Ethylene propylene) optical solar reflector substrates. This innovation harnesses the unique properties of graphene to seamlessly integrate electrical conductivity into space-appropriate substrates with minimum deviation in their optical transparency and thermal properties. The tape peel-off test, conducted in accordance with space materials standards (ASTM D903) using 3 M Scotch tape, reveals the better adhesion of the developed coating. A noteworthy aspect of the present work involves visualizing charge dissipation using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) electron bombardment through obtained images and decreased surface potential measured by Kelvin Probe Force microscopy (KPFM). Furthermore, a basic OSR model is fabricated by depositing a reflective back with Aluminium and graphene thin film protecting from the top to investigate the alteration in reflection by varying incident angles. This research contributes to the advancement of spacecraft materials and coatings aimed at improving spacecraft durability and functionality. • A large-scale spray-based coating is developed on heated OSR substrates to address electrostatic charging. • Minimal deviation in thermo-optical properties and decreased sheet resistance of the substrates. • The tape peel-off method (ASTM D903) demonstrates improved adhesion for practical applications. • Charge dissipation is visualized through FESEM images and surface potential mapped by KPFM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Controlled synthesis of solvates of ionic two component crystals. • Structure analyses of the reported crystal forms. • Hirshfeld studies of reported crystal forms. • Mechano and vapochromic studies of reported crystal forms. Investigation of the intermolecular interactions and crystal packing to understand crystal growth is a prime objective of crystal engineering. Solvent molecules within crystal assist the supramolecular aggregation, however, control over their lattice incorporation remains uncertain. In this work, we report three solvates of an ionic organic salt of a diazo-naphthol sulfonate (1) and 1,10-phenanthroline with one (2), three (3) and four (4) lattice water molecules. Attempts to isolate the dihydrate form were unsuccessful, while the monohydrate of 1 has been crystallised for comparative structural investigations. Structural studies reveal the existence of intriguing sulfonate-diazo intermolecular interactions responsible for centrosymmetric dimerization of the organosulfonate 1 , which also persist in 2–4 , validating higher preference and robustness of the synthon. Repetitive aggregation of the sulfonate-diazo interaction in 1 leads to the formation of linear π-stacked aggregate, which further aggregates through the lattice water molecules. The structural comparison indicates the preferential formation of the organo-sulfonate dimers in hydrated salts 2–4. Further, sandwich tetramers in 2 and 4 are formed by charge transfer interaction of the organo-sulfonate dimers with pyridinium coformer on either side, which are further associated by the lattice water molecules into disparately packed 3-dimensional supramolecules. The organo-sulfonates in 3 form a similar type of extended π-stacked chains as in 1 , which are flanked by pyridinium ions to form hydrogen-bonded tapes, which are helped by the lattice water molecules to grow as segregated stacked layer solid. The characteristic absorption frequency of the diazo functionality is blue-shifted in infrared spectra of the cocrystal forms, indicating the presence of charge transfer interactions. The presence of dynamic solvent and protons in the lattice makes the solid forms multi-stimuli-responsive to exhibit mechano and vapochromic response. These phenomena have been studied in detail with the help of thermal, spectroscopic, and powder-diffraction studies. Understanding the hydration in salt solvates is an interesting phenomenon as well as exciting has been thoroughly studied. The compounds have been utilized for sensing of ammonia and other multistimuli responsive behaviour. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Historical methods of cutaneous traction use adhesive tape and plaster in immediate contact with the skin, resulting in a complication rate of 11%. • Cutaneous traction with modern foam boots has an overall complication rate of 0.7%. • Modern foam boot traction has a similar complication rate as skeletal traction. Cutaneous traction is used to temporize lower extremity fractures and relies on friction between the skin and surrounding material to apply a longitudinal force. This circumferential compressive force can lead to pressure sores, skin sloughing, or compressive neuropathies. These complications have been reported in up to 11% of patients when the cutaneous traction relies on adhesive tapes, plaster, and rubber bandages being in immediate contact with the skin. The rates of these complications are not well documented when using modern foam boots. A retrospective chart review was performed on all orthopedic trauma patients who suffered pelvic or lower extremity injuries between March 1st, 2020 and April 30th, 2021 at a single Level-1 trauma center. We included all patients with femoral fractures, axially unstable pelvic ring and/or acetabular fractures, and unstable hip dislocations temporized with the use of cutaneous traction. All patients had intact skin and lower extremity nerve function prior to application. There were 138 patients identified with 141 lower extremities. The average patient age was 50.7 (6–100) years. Mean traction weight of 9.8 (5–20) pounds. Average traction duration was 20.9 (2.3–243.5) hours. At the time of traction removal, there was 1 (0.7%) new skin wound and 0 nerve palsies. The new skin wound was a stage one heel pressure sore and did not require further treatment. Cutaneous traction with a modern foam boot was found to have a skin complication rate of 0.7% and a nerve palsy complication rate of 0% for an overall complication rate of 0.7%, which has not been previously established and is lower than historically reported complication rates of 11% when utilizing adhesive and plaster directly on skin. Foam boot Cutaneous traction may be considered a safe option for traction placement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the safety concerns associated with icing and corrosion of concrete-based facilities, a facile two-step process of sandpaper covering and spraying for fabricating a robust superhydrophobic myristic acid/ZrO 2 coating (MAZ-RSC) on concrete surface was proposed. Sandpaper covering and ZrO 2 modified with myristic acid were used to fabricate the superhydrophobic structure. An analysis of the resultant superhydrophobic concrete's surface morphology and chemical structure was performed. The formation mechanism of the obtained MAZ-RSC was discussed. Results indicate that the MAZ-RSC coating exhibited superior superhydrophobic and self-cleaning properties with a contact angle of 161.3° and a sliding angle of 1.2°. The robust ability of the as-prepared MAZ-RSC coating was assessed through knife scratching, tape peeling, and sandpaper abrasion. The presence of ZrO 2 enabled the MAZ-RSC to be a superhydrophobic hard coating. Meanwhile, the prepared coating was proven to possess a good active anti-icing ability and a strong anti-corrosion ability and to be easily de-iced. Further tests show that this coating can maintain excellent chemical resistance across a broad pH range because of its superior hydrophobicity and the chemical inertness of the ZrO 2 particles. Thus, the as-prepared coating is expected to be adopted in practical areas such as roads, buildings and bridges. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tow-based discontinuous composites are an attractive alternative material to conventional continuous composites as they offer in-plane isotropy, enhanced manufacturability allowing to achieve complex 3D shapes with high curvatures and local reinforcement in critical areas, while also maintaining high strength and stiffness, therefore expanding the design space significantly. In addition, the use of ultra-thin tapes and optimised manufacturing methods can increase the mechanical properties even further and change the damage mechanisms. Fatigue, however, could be a limiting design factor, as the fatigue behaviour of these materials has not been fully characterised. This work presents a complete study on the fatigue response of ultra-thin tow-based discontinuous composites: fatigue S–N curves are measured, and the damage and failure mechanisms are characterised utilising optical and scanning electron microscopy. Finally, a critical interpretation of the results is also presented by comparing the performance of ultra-thin tow-based discontinuous composites against other similar fibre reinforced composites and metals. It is shown that the optimised manufacturing methods combined with low tape thickness leads to enhanced quasi-isotropic fatigue performance. In addition, the fatigue limit was raised significantly compared to other discontinuous composites, and the tow-based discontinuous composites outperformed their metal counterparts when the results were normalised with density. • Ultra-thin TBDCs were manufactured and tested under fatigue loading reaching a fatigue limit of at least 380 MPa. • Different damage mechanisms were observed between the static, low cycle, and high cycle fatigue loading. • The ultra-thin TBDCs outperformed similar discontinuous composites and QI laminates. • The ultra-thin TBDCs outperformed conventional metals when the S–N curves were normalised against the materials' densities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor adhesion between silver nanomaterials and substrates seriously restricts the development of electronic composite devices. In this work, flexible and conductive silver nanowires/fibroin/degummed silk (AgNWs/fibroin/dSF) composite fibers with high adhesion and conductivity via capillarity-assisted assembly for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding are designed and fabricated by a facile and scalable all-solution dip-coating method. The nanocomposite fiber possesses high conductivity with a resistance of 8.8 Ω/cm at a low AgNWs/fibroin loading of 19.3 wt%. The assistance of the capillary force in the fiber highly increases the mass of deposited AgNWs. Furthermore, the AgNWs show high adhesion on the fibers in the tape-peel test. The enhanced deposition factors and mechanisms are detailly investigated. Moreover, the composite fibers are further woven into a soft and flexible fabric. The composite fabric shows an absorption-dominated EMI shielding performance with an efficient shielding effectiveness of 38 dB. The capillarity-assisted assembly is an attractive procedure for constructing high-conductive and uniform coatings for a wide application. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study, for the first time, compares the performance of robust superhydrophobic (SHP) titanium (CP-Ti) surfaces developed by two different coating methods, (i) dip / immersion coating and (ii) spin coating, using two different low surface energy materials, (i) stearic acid and (ii) polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). A facile two-step method for the fabrication of SHP Ti surface is followed, wherein the CP-Ti was first anodized and followed by the coating. The anodization of CP-Ti increased its surface roughness by developing a homogeneous coverage of randomly distributed micro-clusters, whose chemical composition was TiO 2-x Cl y. Subsequent low surface energy organic coatings did not alter the surface morphology. The XPS analysis of stearic acid coated SHP Ti showed that the molecular structure of stearic acid is retained intact whereas the PDMS coated sample showed a partial modification of PDMS molecular structure with the presence of additional -[Si(O) 2 -O]- bonds apart from the inherent -[Si(CH 3) 2 -O]- bonds. The water contact angle (WCA) and sliding angle (SA) values of SHP Ti were 170±5° and 6±2°, respectively. The SHP Ti showed excellent self-cleaning properties for both hydrophobic and hydrophilic contaminants. The adhesion test of the coatings showed the detachment of coating was within 5 %. The coatings prepared by dip / immersion method retained their superhydrophobicity for an abrasion distance of about twice the length, (75±25 cm), due to a higher coating thickness, as compared to those obtained by the spin coating technique (40±20 cm). Further, the stearic acid-coated CP-Ti showed a better abrasion resistance while the stability of the PDMS-coated samples in different pH and Cl- environments was better. Nevertheless, both the stearic acid and PDMS-coated SHP CP-Ti samples showed excellent long-term stability against ambient atmosphere and UV exposure. [Display omitted] • SHP CP-Ti surfaces are fabricated by anodization and immersion /dip coating. • Highest WCA and SA values obtained were 170±5° and 6±2° respectively. • PDMS overlay coating improved the chemical stability and abrasion length. • Adhesion (cross-hatch tape test) showed detachment < 5 % (4B). • SHP CP-Ti showed excellent self-cleaning (hydrophobic and hydrophilic) & stability to UV light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular pipe heat exchangers, widely used in process industries, rely on passive heat transfer augmentation techniques like twisted tape inserts to enhance thermal performance. The challenge lies in identifying the optimal insert design. This study applies hybrid multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques to address this challenge, aiming to identify the best twisted tape insert configuration for maximizing heat exchanger efficiency. For developing the method, twenty-one passive enhancement techniques have been identified. This study employs a holistic approach, considering eight parameters (surface–volume ratio, Nusselt number, friction factor, thermal performance factor, total investment cost, cost per efficiency and CO2 emissions) across four criteria (geometric, thermo-hydraulic, economic and environmental criteria) to optimize resource utilization while reducing environmental impact and minimizing costs. The Entropy-CRITIC (Criteria importance through inter-criteria correlation) weighing method (ECWM) was employed to find the weights of all parameters, and ranking of alternatives was done by TOPSIS (Technique of order preference similarity to ideal solution), COPRAS (Complex proportional assessment) and CoCoSo (Combined compromise solution) MCDM methods. These hybrid approaches, combining objective weighting with MCDM ranking, facilitated the identification of ideal twisted tape inserts. To ensure the robustness of the MCDM methods, sensitivity analysis, Spearman rank correlation and rank reversal techniques were employed for validation. COPRAS emerged as the most robust MCDM method, indicating cross-cut twisted tape as the optimal solution for heat transfer augmentation. This research demonstrates the effectiveness of MCDM techniques in selecting optimal sustainable passive inserts for enhancing the thermal performance of circular pipe heat exchangers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 96 laser-induced multigraphene electrode (96L-MGE) integrated microwell plate (96 L-MGE-MP) is described. Each cell includes separate working, auxiliary, and reference electrodes, and the array sits on a poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA) well. The 96 electrochemical cells were fabricated by laser ablation of polyimide adhesive tape, which created laser-induced graphene electrodes (L-GE). The microwell was produced using laser ablation of the PMMA sheet as well. The morphology and electrochemical characterization of L-GE were controlled by tuning the laser processing. L-GE fabricated at laser power–laser speed ratios of 0.008–0.02 W s mm–1displayed good electrochemical behaviors. Under the optimal condition of L-GE fabrication, the measured L-GE surface roughness was 475.47 nm. The 96 L-MGE can be fabricated in 24.2 min and is compatible with various analytes. 10 benchmark redox compounds were shown as electrocatalytic examples. The performance of each analyte was investigated by voltammetry. As proof of concept, 96 L-MGE-MP was connected to a 96× connector for multichannel detection. The RSD of the 96 L-MGE-MPwas below 5.3%, which demonstrated good fabrication reproducibility. [Display omitted] • A novel array of 96 laser-induced graphene electrochemical cells is presented. • Each cell comprises working, auxiliary, and reference electrodes, along with a PMMA well. • Laser-induced graphene electrodes (L-GE) are fabricated by ablation on PI adhesive tape. • L-GrE had the best electrochemical properties when the laser power-to-speed ratio was 0.008–0.02 W s mm-1. • 10 benchmark redox compounds were tested using L-GE to demonstrate their applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]