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The purpose of wound dressings is to support the local wound environment to facilitate wound healing. Dressings range from simple or passive dressings that essentially provide a contact layer to protect the wound bed from further damage and maintain a moist environment, to more advanced or interactive dressings that can modify the physiology of the wound milieu to optimize healing by, for example, promoting debridement, enhancing granulation tissue formation and re-epithelialization, managing exudate levels and bacterial load. There are also bioactive dressings which can change the cellular or biological aspects of the wound, an example of this would be a topical antimicrobial product. Hence a fundamental prerequisite to choosing the most appropriate dressing is having a clear objective in mind. Essential to this is an accurate assessment of the wound. This article will describe the features of the clinical assessment process as a basis for understanding the principles of wound management and provide details of various dressings and devices together with the indications and limitations of their use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To grow up healthy, children need to sit less and play more. Children 0-4years must spend less time sitting watching screens, or restrained in prams and seats, get better quality sleep and have more time for active play if they are to grow up healthy, according to new guidelines issued by the World Health Organization (WHO). The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence and factors responsible for excessive screen time in children. Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted among children aged 0-4 years for a period of six months in a tertiary care hospital of Karnataka, India. Data was collected through a self-reported pre-designed and pretested, questionnaire distributed to mothers of children. Microsoft excel 2010 was used for data entry and SPSS v 27for analysis. Statistical significance was assessed at 5% level of significance (p value <0.05) Results: A total of 177 study participants were interviewed for the study. Maximum were 3-4years and majority belonged to class II and class III socio-economic status. Among the total of 177 study participants, 59 (33.33%) were following the screen viewing time recommended as per WHO and 118 (66.67%) children were exposed to excessive screen time. Majority were 2-4years children who had excess screen viewing time (76.27%). The significant factors were children residing in joint families, not having siblings and more than three screen devices at home (p<0.05) Conclusion: More than 60% of under five children are exposed to excess screen viewing time. What we really need to do is bring back play for children. The magnifying screen time activity in early childhood is an emerging issue of digital age linked with negative physical, mental and social impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Materials with tunable properties are often in the focus of materials science. Up to this point four different semiconducting materials and substitution variants have been found that are capable of switching between p‐ and n‐type conduction by a simple change in temperature. In this review, we illustrate previous findings of these pnp‐switching materials and current developments in functional implementations. While in the past decade, the scientific focus was primarily on discovering new materials that possess this intriguing switching effect, recently the first devices were successfully constructed and tested. Using the compounds, Ag18Cu3Te11Cl3 and AgCuS, that exhibit the pnp‐switching behaviour at approximately room temperature and 364 K, respectively, two single‐material diodes were developed and characterized. The approach for inducing this effect is denoted and the fundamental principles for realizing these devices are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endless loop tachycardia (ELT) is the commonest pacemaker mediated tachycardia (PMT) encountered among patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs). Despite being enabled with various preventive algorithms, we encountered several cases having recurrent, long, and symptomatic ELT. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed consecutive device checkups at device clinic at a single center of eastern India between January 2019 to March 2023. Results: There were 20 cases of confirmed and sustained ELT among 4520 device checks. Although mostly benign, in two cases ELT led to clinical worsening in patients having left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction. Even with good ventricular function, ELT resulted in improper atrioventricular (AV) synchrony leading to disabling symptom in one case. The differentiation of ELT from sinus tachycardia and atrial tachycardia (AT) was not always easy. Magnet application is certainly useful to differentiate. The situations that provoked ELT in this study were—long AV delays, VIP (ventricular intrinsic preferences)/MVP (managed ventricular pacing), atrial non‐capture, atrial under/over sensing, premature ventricular contractions (PVCs)/couplets, premature atrial contractions (PAC) and slower ventriculo‐atrial (VA) conduction. Rate responsive shortening of post‐ventricular atrial refractory period (PVARP) also promoted its occurrence and hindered troubleshooting. When ELT occurred despite post‐PVC extension of PVARP, lowering the atrial sensitivity, switching to bipolar sensing and manual setting of longer PVARP after measuring VA conduction time were useful. "Rate responsive PVARP" had to be turned off in a few cases to prevent ELT. On the contrary, an over aggressive prolongation of PVARP led to repetitive non‐reentrant ventriculo‐atrial synchrony (RNRVAS) in two cases. Checking VA conduction during implantation and noninvasive program stimulation (NIPS) during follow up were useful to check the tendency for ELT. Conclusion: Clinically significant ELT is rare but not uncommon among devices having in‐built preventive algorithms. Manual adjustments are often useful to troubleshoot the same. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the past decades, group-III nitrides have emerged as a new impetus for the development of semiconductor industry and attracted significant attentions in different fields. Among them, indium-bearing group-III nitrides, such as InGaN, InAlN and their quaternary alloy InAlGaN show an adjustable bandgap in wide range including visible spectrum and ultraviolet spectrum, and their excellent electronic properties have been predicted by theoretical calculations. Therefore, indium-bearing group-III nitrides demonstrate great potential as solid lighting and photoelectric detection materials. However, the growth of high-quality indium-bearing group-III nitrides is hindered by the phase segregation of indium component and the lattice mismatch between substrate and epitaxial layer. Tremendous efforts have been paid to solve these issues, and remarkable results have been achieved accordingly. This review mainly focuses on the impressive results of theoretical calculation on properties of indium-bearing group-III nitrides and the breakthroughs in their epitaxial growth, together with the development of electron devices and photoelectric devices based on indium-bearing group-III nitrides. Based on the recent progress, the prospective for the future evolution of indium-bearing group-III nitrides and devices is speculated ultimately. This review provides a guideline for better understanding of the development of indium-bearing group-III nitrides and devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of SEMS-Journal is the property of Schwiez Zschr Sportmed Sporttraumatologie and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Phototherapy (PT) remains difficult to deliver in many resource- constrained countries, including Nigeria due to the unavailability of devices that can deliver intensive PT (irradiance ≥30 µW/cm2 / nm) needed to treat the more severe cases of hyperbilirubinaemia. The basic equipment is expensive and replacement parts are often not available. Objective: To compare the blue light irradiance of four locally designed and fabricated PT devices with a proprietary device. Materials and Methods: Four types of intensive PT devices were locally fabricated. Irradiance was measured using an Olympic Medical Bili-Meter. The mean irradiance of triplicate measurements at three positions in the light footprint of each device was determine that distances of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60cm from light source to meter sensor. Results: The irradiance of the fabricated devices (F1-4) and commercial device (C) measured at the most common clinically-used distance of 30 cm for intensive PT were 29.5 ±6.3, 30.3 ±5.3, 25.8 ±5.0,49.0 ±10.5 and 39.2 ± 13.6µW/cm2 /nm respectively with corresponding maximum central irradiance of 36.4, 32.1, 31.2,59.5 and 54.5 µW/cm2 /nm. At a distance of 25cm, all devices delivered irradiance ≥ 30µW/cm2 /nm. The cost of each local device was less than 12% of the commercial one. Conclusions: Locally fabricated devices cost much less and were suitable for delivery of intensive phototherapy (≥30 µW/cm2 /nm) at a distance of 25cm.

Mario Castro,1 Merrill Zavod,2 Annika Rutgersson,3 Magnus Jörntén-Karlsson,4 Bhaskar Dutta,5 Lynn Hagger6 1Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS, USA; 2User Experience, AstraZeneca, Wilmington, DE, USA; 3Digital Patient Products, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden; 4Digital Implementation, Digital Health R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden; 5Patient Safety Center of Excellence, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, USA; 6Content Strategy & Experience Design, Digital Global Commercial, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, USACorrespondence: Mario Castro, Chief, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Vice Chair for Clinical and Translational Research, University of Kansas School of Medicine, 4000 Cambridge Street, MSN 3007, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA, Tel +1 913 588 7529, Fax +1 913 588 4098, Email mcastro2@kumc.eduPurpose: The iPREDICT program aimed to develop an integrated digital health solution capable of continuous data streaming, predicting changes in asthma control, and enabling early intervention.Patients and Methods: As part of the iPREDICT program, asthma triggers were characterized by surveying 221 patients (aged ≥ 18 years) with self-reported asthma for a risk–benefit analysis of parameters predictive of changes in disease control. Seventeen healthy volunteers (age 25– 65 years) tested 13 devices to measure these parameters and assessed their usability attributes.Results: Patients identified irritants such as chemicals, allergens, weather changes, and physical activity as triggers that were the most relevant to deteriorating asthma control. Device testing in healthy volunteers revealed variable data formats/units and quality issues, such as missing data and low signal-to-noise ratio. Based on user preference and data capture validity, a spirometer, vital sign monitor, and sleep monitor formed the iPREDICT integrated system for continuous data streaming to develop a personalized/predictive algorithm for asthma control.Conclusion: These findings emphasize the need to systematically compare devices based on several parameters, including usability and data quality, to develop integrated digital technology programs for asthma care.Keywords: asthma, devices, digital, predictive algorithm, sensors

Background: Factors related to myopia are close-range activities, such as reading, writing, using computers and gadgets. Myopia is also related to the environment, namely spending time outdoors and genetic factors. Objective: The aim of this research was to show whether there is an influence between behavioral and genetic factors on the incidence of myopia in students at SMPN 2 Mojokerto City. Method: The research method used in this research is the Cross-Sectional Study analytical method, namely research to identify through observation using a questionnaire conducted online. The sampling technique used was simple random sampling. The number of samples in this study was 165 children. Data were analyzed univariately and bivariately using the Chi-Square statistical test via SPSS version 24. Results: The results of the study showed that all variables, namely length of use of devices (screen time) with p-value = 0.000, genetic factors of parents with p-value = 0.000, length of outdoor activities with p-value = 0.006, and length of sleep time with p-value = 0.000, showed a significant relationship to the incidence of myopia while position using a device with p-value = 0.239 does not show a significant relationship. Conclusion: It is hoped that the results of this research can provide education to children so that myopia does not increase by regulating the duration of use of devices/laptops (screen time) in a day for close activities, increasing the time for outdoor activities and the amount of sleep a day.

Abstract Background Both length of hospital stay and discharge to a skilled nursing facility are key drivers of total knee arthroplasty (TKA)-associated spending. Identifying patients who require increased postoperative care may improve expectation setting, discharge planning, and cost reduction. Balance deficits affect patients undergoing TKA and are critical to recovery. We aimed to assess whether a device that measures preoperative balance predicts patients’ rehabilitation needs and outcomes after TKA. Methods 40 patients indicated for primary TKA were prospectively enrolled and followed for 12 months. Demographics, KOOS-JR, and PROMIS data were collected at baseline, 3-months, and 12-months. Single-leg balance and sway velocity were assessed preoperatively with a force plate (Sparta Science, Menlo Park, CA). The primary outcome was patients’ discharge facility (home versus skilled nursing facility). Secondary outcomes included length of hospital stay, KOOS-JR scores, and PROMIS scores. Results The mean preoperative sway velocity for the operative leg was 5.7 ± 2.7 cm/s, which did not differ from that of the non-operative leg (5.7 ± 2.6 cm/s, p = 1.00). Five patients (13%) were discharged to a skilled nursing facility and the mean length of hospital stay was 2.8 ± 1.5 days. Sway velocity was not associated with discharge to a skilled nursing facility (odds ratio, OR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.27–2.11, p = 0.690) or longer length of hospital stay (b = -0.03, SE = 0.10, p = 0.738). An increased sway velocity was associated with change in PROMIS items from baseline to 3 months for global07 (“How would you rate your pain on average?” b = 1.17, SE = 0.46, p = 0.015) and pain21 (“What is your level of pain right now?” b = 0.39, SE = 0.17, p = 0.025) at 3-months. Conclusion Preoperative balance deficits were associated with postoperative improvements in pain and function after TKA, but a balance focused biometric that measured single-leg sway preoperatively did not predict discharge to a skilled nursing facility or length of hospital stay after TKA making their routine measurement cost-ineffective.

Floating solar materials and their devices, which can effectively solve the problems faced by powder solar materials, such as difficult recycling, poor stability, and difficult maintenance, have received widespread attention in recent years. However, it is still in the early stage of development and still faces many challenges in material design, device preparation, and systematic application. Therefore, it is particularly necessary to summarize the research progress of related aspects to promote the development of this field (To achieve large‐scale applications, it is necessary to develop devices that can be applied on a large scale). In this review, the systematic construction methods of floating materials are reviewed from the aspects of lightweight carrier integration as well as functionalization and surface modification. Subsequently, the recent studies on floating solar materials and their devices are categorized and summarized. Their applications in the purification of polluted seawater, water splitting, CO2 reduction, and prevention of water bloom are reviewed in detail. Finally, the outlook for future development is critically discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tungsten disulfide (WS2) is a promising material with excellent electrical, magnetic, optical, and mechanical properties. It is regarded as a key candidate for the development of optoelectronic devices due to its high carrier mobility, high absorption coefficient, large exciton binding energy, polarized light emission, high surface-to-volume ratio, and tunable band gap. These properties contribute to its excellent photoluminescence and high anisotropy. These characteristics render WS2 an advantageous material for applications in light-emitting devices, memristors, and numerous other devices. This article primarily reviews the most recent advancements in the field of optoelectronic devices based on two-dimensional (2D) nano-WS2. A variety of advanced devices have been considered, including light-emitting diodes (LEDs), sensors, field-effect transistors (FETs), photodetectors, field emission devices, and non-volatile memory. This review provides a guide for improving the application of 2D WS2 through improved methods, such as introducing defects and doping processes. Moreover, it is of great significance for the development of transition-metal oxides in optoelectronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a fundamental thermodynamic parameter, pressure serves as an effective tool to control the structures and properties of functional materials. To date, numerous pressure‐engineering methods have been introduced to enhance perovskite structures and devices. This paper comprehensively reviews the advances in understanding the effects of pressure on perovskite materials and devices, encompassing both low and high‐pressure influences. These effects are categorized into six distinct groups based on their underlying mechanisms, detailing the evolution of perovskite structures from macroscopic to microscopic levels, and exploring the interplay between these structures and their functional characteristics. Finally, the current challenges and offer insights into the future prospects for harnessing pressure effects to further develop perovskite structures, properties, and devices are assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis continues to be challenging to diagnose due to its non-specific clinical signs and symptoms, emphasizing the importance of early detection. Our study aimed to enhance the accuracy of sepsis diagnosis by integrating multimodal monitoring technologies with conventional diagnostic methods. The research included a total of 121 newborns, with 39 cases of late-onset sepsis, 35 cases of early-onset sepsis, and 47 control subjects. Continuous monitoring of biosignals, including pulse oximetry (PO), near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and skin temperature (ST), was conducted. An algorithm was then developed in Python to identify early signs of sepsis. The model demonstrated the capability to detect sepsis 6 to 48 h in advance with an accuracy rate of 87.67 ± 7.42%. Sensitivity and specificity were recorded at 76% and 90%, respectively, with NIRS and ST having the most significant impact on predictive accuracy. Despite the promising results, limitations such as sample size, data variability, and potential biases were noted. These findings highlight the critical role of non-invasive biosensing methods in conjunction with conventional biomarkers and cultures, offering a strong foundation for early sepsis detection and improved neonatal care. Further research should be conducted to validate these results across different clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Newer generation viscoelastic tests, TEG6s, offer point‐of‐care hemostatic therapy in adult patients. However, their efficacy in estimating fibrinogen levels in pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery is not well established. Aims: This study evaluates TEG6s for estimating fibrinogen levels in pediatric cardiac surgery patients and its predictive capability for post‐bypass hypofibrinogenemia. Methods: A single‐center, retrospective study on pediatric patients (under 18 years) who underwent cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass from August 2020 and November 2022. Blood samples for estimated whole blood functional fibrinogen level via TEG6s (Haemonetics Inc.) and concurrent laboratory‐measured plasma fibrinogen via von Clauss assay were collected at pre‐ and post‐cardiopulmonary bypass. Results: Paired data for TEG6s estimated functional fibrinogen levels and plasma fibrinogen were analyzed for 432 pediatric patients pre‐bypass. It was observed that functional fibrinogen consistently overestimated plasma fibrinogen across all age groups with a mean difference of 138 mg/dL (95% confidence interval [CI]: 128–149 mg/dL). This positive bias in the pre‐bypass data was confirmed by Bland–Altman analysis. Post‐bypass, functional fibrinogen estimates were comparable to plasma fibrinogen in all patient groups with a mean difference of −6 mg/dL (95% CI: −20–8 mg/dL) except for neonates, where functional fibrinogen levels underestimated plasma fibrinogen with a mean difference of −38 mg/dL (95% CI: −64 to −12 mg/dL). The predictive accuracy of functional fibrinogen for detecting post‐bypass hypofibrinogenemia (plasma fibrinogen ≤250 mg/dL) demonstrated overall fair accuracy in all patients, indicated by an area under the curve of 0.73 (95% CI: 0.65–0.80) and good accuracy among infants, with an area under the curve of 0.80 (95% CI: 0.70–0.90). Similar performance was observed in predicting critical post‐bypass hypofibrinogenemia (plasma fibrinogen ≤200 mg/dL). Based on these analyses, optimal cutoffs for predicting post‐bypass hypofibrinogenemia were established as a functional fibrinogen level ≤270 mg/dL and MAFF ≤15 mm. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that whole blood functional fibrinogen, as estimated by TEG6s, tends to overestimate baseline plasma fibrinogen levels in pediatric age groups but aligns more accurately post‐cardiopulmonary bypass, particularly in neonates and infants, suggesting its potential as a point‐of‐care tool in pediatric cardiac surgery. However, the variability in TEG6s performance before and after bypass highlights the need for careful interpretation of its results in clinical decision‐making. Despite its contributions to understanding TEG6s in pediatric cardiac surgery, the study's design and inherent biases warrant cautious application of these findings in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, ultra-wide bandgap β-Ga2O3 has emerged as a fascinating semiconductor material due to its great potential in power and photoelectric devices. In semiconductor industrial, thermal treatment has been widely utilized as a convenient and effective approach for substrate property modulation and device fabrication. Thus, a thorough summary of β-Ga2O3 substrates and devices behaviors after high-temperature treatment should be significant. In this review, we present the recent advances in modulating properties of β-Ga2O3 substrates by thermal treatment, which include three major applications: (i) tuning surface electrical properties, (ii) modifying surface morphology, and (iii) oxidating films. Meanwhile, regulating electrical contacts and handling with radiation damage and ion implantation have also been discussed in device fabrication. In each category, universal annealing conditions were speculated to figure out the corresponding problems, and some unsolved questions were proposed clearly. This review could construct a systematic thermal treatment strategy for various purposes and applications of β-Ga2O3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study of the possibilities of measuring current values, phase shift angles and other parameters of electrical networks using these data, when sampling with a frequency not multiple of the network frequency, was carried out. In the proposed algorithm, an intermediate linear approximation is used to calculate the instantaneous values of interpolated signals at equidistant moments of time during the period of the main frequency of the network. The cases when such sampling is performed on one device with sequential or simultaneous coding of input signals and the case when sampling frequencies do not match in each measurement channel are considered. A study of the use of these methods was conducted using the developed computer model and layout of the distributed measurement system. References 32, figures 19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: Both scientists and meat producers interested in managing the quality of fresh and stored chicken meat at the slaughter stage (as per Directive 1099/2009) are the target audience for this work. The research is innovative in nature and focuses on assessing the possibilities of shaping the visual and technological characteristics of fillets in Polish poultry plants, as expected by consumers, using an own-construction device for stunning poultry in a water bath. The authors demonstrated that the patented device significantly improves meat quality, reducing hemorrhages by approx. 50% and ensuring uniform color and tenderness when compared to commercial devices (Polish, Danish, and Dutch). This improvement could serve as a foundation for producers to implement preventive measures to enhance meat quality management. The aim of the research was to determine the possibilities for managing chicken meat (fillet) quality by applying the own-construction (OC) device for electrical stunning. We determined the effects based on selected technological and visual features of fillets, providing a measurable basis for producers to take preventive actions to improve meat quality management practices. The experimental material consisted of fillets from broiler chickens. The process of electrically stunning chickens in a water bath was carried out in Polish industrial conditions using two devices: own-construction (OC) and commercial from a Polish company (PLC). We determined the quality of fresh and stored meat (14 days/4 °C) based on technological characteristics (pH, color, tenderness) and visual assessment (number of small and large hemorrhages, defects). As a result, the use of the own-construction (OC) device compared to the commercial (PLC) one has a beneficial effect on: (1) reducing the number of hemorrhages, (2) increasing the share of high-quality fillet production by approx. 50%, (3) brightening and uniforming the color of fillets, and (4) improving the tenderness of fresh meat and maintaining it during 14 days of storage. The effects of using the OC device are beneficial for meat producers on the market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a widely used technique to remove early neoplastic lesions. It was primarily used in the initial days to treat gastric lesions, but recently, the horizon of this endoscopic procedure has expanded, which has allowed us to manage other technically more complex locations, such as the colorectum. Areas covered: There has been an exponential growth regarding the wide range of devices available in the market for performing colorectal ESD. As a result, the aim of this review is to highlight the indication of this endoscopic technique, which device is best suited for which indication, as well as future trajectories in this field. Expert opinion: Although some devices have proven to be more advantageous than others in this area, very often the choice is still subjective, which is commonly attributed to individual preferences and experience. However, an accurate knowledge of the available tools and their functioning, with their pros and cons, is fundamental for any endoscopist venturing into the field of third space endoscopy. In this way, one can choose which device best suits a particular situation, along with simultaneously having the wealth of knowledge related to therapeutic armamentarium at our disposal in the endoscopy suite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ever-evolving landscape of digital health technology has dramatically enhanced patients' ability to manage their health through self-care effectively. These advancements have created various categories of self-care products, including medication management, health tracking, and wellness. There is no published research regarding integrating digital health into pharmacy self-care courses. This study aims to identify pertinent digital health devices and applications to incorporate into self-care course education. Digital health limitations, challenges incorporating digital health in self-care pharmacy education, and potential solutions are also reviewed. In conducting this research, many resources, including PubMed, APhA, ASHP, fda.gov, and digital.health, were reviewed in March 2024 to gather information on digital health devices and applications. To supplement this, targeted keyword searches were conducted on topics such as "digital health", "devices", "applications", "technology", and "self-care" across various online platforms. We identified digital health devices and applications suitable for self-care education across eight topics, as follows: screening, insomnia, reproductive disorders, eye disorders, home medical equipment, GI disorders, pediatrics, and respiratory disorders. Among these topics, wellness screening had the most digital health products available. For all other topics, at least three or more products were identified as relevant to self-care curriculum. By equipping students with digital health knowledge, they can effectively apply it in patient care throughout their rotations and future practice. Many digital health products, including telemedicine, electronic health records, mobile health applications, and wearable devices, are ideal for inclusion in pharmacy curriculum as future educational material. Future research is needed to develop the best strategies for incorporating relevant digital health into self-care education and defining the best student-learning strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microelectrode arrays (MEAs) have applications in drug discovery, toxicology, and basic research. They measure the electrophysiological response of tissue cultures to quantify changes upon exposure to biochemical stimuli. Unfortunately, manual addition of chemicals introduces significant noise in the recordings. Here, we report a simple-to-fabricate fluidic system that addresses this issue. We show that cell cultures can be successfully established in the fluidic compartment under continuous flow conditions and that the addition of chemicals introduces minimal noise in the recordings. This dynamic cell culture system represents an improvement over traditional tissue culture wells used in MEAs, facilitating electrophysiology measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiation-induced graft polymerization of poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) onto silicone catheters by direct irradiation method was studied. The effects of the irradiation dose, as well as the monomer concentration, on the grafting efficiency were studied. The conditions for achieving maximum grafting yield were observed at 30% of monomer concentration in toluene at 50 kGy. The graft polymerization was examined by different characterization methods, including measurements such as thermogravimetric analysis, infrared, water contact angle, and swelling. The temperature-responsive behavior of smart grafted copolymer was studied by swelling at different temperatures. Differently from pristine silicone catheter, the N-vinylcaprolactam-grafted catheters were able to load vancomycin and sustain the release for 30 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The technique of plasma processing is beneficial for wafer cleaning and precision etching of integrated circuits and essential in manufacture of advanced semiconductor devices with unmatched perfection. Research on two‐dimensional (2D) materials, such as transition metal dichalcogenides(TMDs), offers a promising solution to the challenges in semiconductor miniaturization. TMDs, with their atomic layer thicknesses and silicon‐like bandgaps, can be integrated using existing plasma systems. Different 2D crystal structures, such as 1T and 2H configurations, exhibit distinctive properties. Computational approaches are also developed to provide guidelines for controlled synthesis and etching of large‐scale and high‐quality 2D materials. Plasma/gas‐surface interactions during the synthesis, etching, and phase transformation of 2D materials are explored using atomistic simulations such as density functional theory and molecular dynamics. The reaction energetics, chemical species, and associated kinetics are discovered in the simulation study. These results decipher various mechanisms of 2D materials processing at the microscopic scale and predict certain optimal process parameters. Plasma/gas‐based semiconductor technologies are crucial in electronics because they enable production of advanced semiconductors. Plasma/gas etching allows precise and selective removal of material and plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition enhances chemical reactions for efficient film deposition; therefore, these processes are majorly important for harnessing 2D materials in electronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study estimated prevalence of current electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) used by US adults who smoked cigarettes or formerly smoked in 2022 and assessed ENDS flavors, devices, and brands used most often. Methods: Data are from the 2022 US ITC Smoking and Vaping Survey. Respondents were recruited from a web panel of a nationally representative sample of US adults ages 18+ who smoked, formerly smoked, and/or vaped ENDS. Using weighted data, we estimated prevalence of current vaping among adults who smoke or formerly smoked (N = 2,016). Among the subset who vaped (n = 554), we assessed flavors and devices used most often. Using unweighted data, we assessed the frequency (count) of reported brands used most often. Results: In 2022, 22.0 % of US adults who smoked or formerly smoked were vaping at least monthly. A significantly higher proportion of adults who formerly smoked and/or were younger (18–39) were vaping than adults who were smoking and/or were older (40+) (both p

The work presents elements of the professional activity carried out within the institution of higher technical education in Reșita, since its establishment (year 1971) and in the following 50 years of existence. The framework that was chosen is that of the establishment of a museum. Some significant devices and equipment worked with in the students’ laboratory works, two stands made by students in the graduation projects, and two laboratory works made by students in some profile disciplines are presented.

The present study investigates the synthesis and analysis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) intended for use in electronic devices. ZnO NPs with an average crystallite size of 33 nm and a hexagonal wurtzite structure were produced by the combustion process. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed a densely packed, spherical morphology. Elastic properties, studied through the General Utility Lattice Program (GULP) and Elastic Tensor Analysis (ELATE), reveal the ductile nature of ZnO NPs. Optical studies exhibited a characteristic absorption peak at 366 nm, with a calculated optical band gap of 2.36 eV. Additionally, efforts are being made to determine refractive index (n), electronic polarizability (α) and optical susceptibility (χ). Electrical properties, including dielectric behaviour, AC conductivity, and I–V characteristics, demonstrated the influence of relaxation phenomena and revealed non-ohmic conduction. The dielectric studies show that dielectric constant, dielectric loss, and impedance are frequency and temperature dependent. Richardson-Schottky emission was identified as the predominant conduction mechanism, highlighting the potential of ZnO NPs in electronic devices.

While mechanical vibration lessens discomfort associated with injection site pain (ISP), many local anesthetic injectors (LAIs) do not use vibratory anesthetic devices (VADs). Injector preference of vibration device is influenced by functional concerns, but qualitatively there is an element of adoption that is driven by visual feedback. We sought to capture operator preferences of vibration device design elements to further understand why injectors do not use these devices. We conducted a survey of image preferences among nurses and medical assistants employed at 8 dermatological clinics to investigate barriers to VAD use. Images were electronically modified with features distinct from the original device (a VAD commonly used in clinical practice). Participants rated their likelihood and comfort of use of each VAD represented in the images. Two-sample t-tests were used to compare the rating of the unmodified VAD to each modified VAD within participants. A response rate of 100% was achieved with 35 participants (average age, 38.5 years; 6 (17.1%) male, 29 (82.9%) female). Despite 28 (80%) participants knowing that mechanical vibration reduces ISP, only 16 (45.7%) endorsed ever using mechanical vibration as topical anesthetic. Images modified by pattern, color, and sterility covering were rated significantly lower than the original, unmodified VAD image (plain white VAD), confirming that visual feedback does impact adoption. Through independent comment categorization, aesthetics were found to be important to LAIs. Aesthetic preferences opposing functional concerns may factor into the lack of VAD use. Defining these visual preference barriers to adoption may help promote VAD use during dermatologic procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This study explores the importance of and vulnerabilities in deploying physical access control (PAC) devices in a typical university setting. Design/methodology/approach – The study adopts face-to-face and telephone interviews. This study uses a semi-structured interview guide to solicit the views of 25 interviewees on the subject under consideration. Qualitative responses to the interview are thematically analyzed using NVivo 11 Pro analysis application software. Findings – The findings reveal five importance and seven vulnerabilities in the deployment of PAC devices in the institution. Key among the importance of deploying the devices are “prevent unwanted premise access or intrusions,” “prevent disruptions to university/staff operations on campus” and “protect students and staff from outside intruders.” Key among the identified vulnerabilities are “tailgating”, “delay in emergent cases” and “power outage may affect its usage.” Originality/value – This study offers insight into a rare area of study, especially in the Sub-Saharan Africa region. Furthermore, the study contributes to the state-of-the-art importance and vulnerabilities in deploying PAC devices in daily human activities. The study is valuable in that it has the potential to establish a foundation for future studies that may delve into investigating issues associated with the deployment of PAC devices.

Background: Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer worldwide. As artificial intelligence (AI) expands its scope within dermatology, leveraging technology may aid skin cancer detection. Objective: To assess the safety and effectiveness of an elastic-scattering spectroscopy (ESS) device in evaluating lesions suggestive of skin cancer. Methods: This prospective, multicenter clinical validation study was conducted at 4 US investigational sites. Patients with skin lesions suggestive of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers were clinically assessed by expert dermatologists and evaluated by a device using AI algorithms comparing current ESS lesion readings with training data sets. Statistical analyses included sensitivity, specificity, AUROC, negative predictive value (NPV), and positive predictive value (PPV). Results: Overall device sensitivity was 97.04%, with subgroup sensitivity of 96.67% for melanoma, 97.22% for basal cell carcinoma, and 97.01% for squamous cell carcinoma. No statistically significant difference was found between the device and dermatologist performance (P = .8203). Overall specificity of the device was 26.22%. Overall NPV of the device was 89.58% and PPV was 57.54%. Conclusion: The ESS device demonstrated high sensitivity in detecting skin cancer. Use of this device may assist primary care clinicians in assessing suspicious lesions, potentially reducing skin cancer morbidity and mortality through expedited and enhanced detection and intervention.

This study introduces a steerable metasurface reflector designed for the Ka-band, enabling one-dimensional and two-dimensional beam steering. The paper elaborates on the design considerations, manufacturing process, and experimental findings. The unit cell design incorporates a Varactor diode as the tuning element, facilitating a dynamic phase range exceeding 300° with minimal metasurface beam steering losses. Notably, the experimental results are in good agreement with the simulation outcomes. The advantages of employing this metasurface reflector include rapid beam steering, cost-effective production implementation, support for both one-dimensional and two-dimensional beam steering, low reflection loss, high-resolution beam steering, and continuous beam steering capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advance in educational inclusion has visualized the presence of deaf students with their own culture and language in regular education establishments. At the national and international level, a series of educational devices have been created for the acquisition of the vehicular language of migrant students, which from a socio-anthropological perspective has not been visualized for the deaf educational community. The objective of this article is to propose a device for deaf students in educational establishments. As a result, through a theoretical analysis, a Hospitality Device for Deaf Students (DIHOPES) is proposed with 4 dimensions: Culture of Hospitality, Welcome Protocols, Specialized Professionals and Language Immersion Classroom. As a reflection, the articulation of the dimensions of this device is based on the principle of hospitality and the acceptance of deaf otherness that seeks to be recognized as part of the educational community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Technological advancements, improved surgical access, and heightened demand for surgery have fueled unprecedented device and supply turnover impelling wealthy hospitals to upgrade continually and sell, donate, recycle, or dispose of used, expired, antiquated, or surplus goods. This paper reviews the issues related to device and supply lifecycles and discusses the opportunities and challenges they present for sustainable surgical growth in low‐ and middle‐income (LMICs) countries. Observations: This review found, in LMICs countries, regulatory disparities persist that limit effective harmonization secondary to highly variable national policies and a lack of prioritized enforcement. Heterogeneity in the regulatory landscape, specifically in the classification, nomenclature, and identification of medical devices, encumbers effective regulation and distribution. Once devices are sold, donated, or reused in LMICs countries, complexities arise in regulatory compliance, maintenance, and appropriate use of these technologies. At the end of the lifecycle, waste management poses significant obstacles with limited resources hindering the implementation of best practices. Conclusion: There are major disparities in access to quality surgical equipment and supplies around the world. Improved communication between relevant stakeholders and harmonization of manufacture and disposal regulations will be needed to ensure adequate and appropriate responses to these challenges. Trial registration number: Not applicable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modern communication network has advanced to such an extent that it is now possible for devices within a wireless personal area network (WPAN) to communicate among themselves directly. However, the limited shared radio resources of a WPAN lead to numerous issues, such as cross-layer interference and data collisions, which wind up affecting the quality of communication. A load based dynamic channel allocation (LB-DCA) model has been proposed to enhance the performance of device-to-device communication in WPAN. This model uses several control schemes in collaboration with interference estimation and channel load balancing mechanisms to allocate and manage the radio resources efficiently. The objective of this model is to achieve high throughput, low interference and low energy consumption. The control schemes implemented are based on distributed coordination and a cell-splitting approach. These schemes are utilized to estimate the channel usage and number of active nodes in a network. The interference estimation is done by using a new efficiency formula. Further, channel load balancing takes into account the hops and load factor values. The proposed model obtained 98.58% CSI, 95.86% MCC, 96.35% delta-P, 97.96% FMI, 99.83% BMI, 21.52% enhanced spectrum efficiency, 16.38% enhanced scalability, 18.79% enhanced signal quality, 18.64% enhanced power control and 18.89% enhanced energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]