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23 pages, 5152 KB

Open AccessReview

Research on the Current Application Status of Magnesium Metal Stents in Human Luminal Cavities

by Xiang Chen, Yan Xia, Sheng Shen, Chunyan Wang, Rui Zan, Han Yu, Shi Yang, Xiaohong Zheng, Jiankang Yang, Tao Suo, Yaqi Gu and Xiaonong Zhang

J. Funct. Biomater. 2023, 14(9), 462; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb14090462 - 8 Sep 2023

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 4697

Abstract

The human body comprises various tubular structures that have essential functions in different bodily systems. These structures are responsible for transporting food, liquids, waste, and other substances throughout the body. However, factors such as inflammation, tumors, stones, infections, or the accumulation of substances can lead to the narrowing or blockage of these tubular structures, which can impair the normal function of the corresponding organs or tissues. To address luminal obstructions, stenting is a commonly used treatment. However, to minimize complications associated with the long-term implantation of permanent stents, there is an increasing demand for biodegradable stents (BDS). Magnesium (Mg) metal is an exceptional choice for creating BDS due to its degradability, good mechanical properties, and biocompatibility. Currently, the Magmaris^® coronary stents and UNITY-B^TM biliary stent have obtained Conformité Européene (CE) certification. Moreover, there are several other types of stents undergoing research and development as well as clinical trials. In this review, we discuss the required degradation cycle and the specific properties (anti-inflammatory effect, antibacterial effect, etc.) of BDS in different lumen areas based on the biocompatibility and degradability of currently available magnesium-based scaffolds. We also offer potential insights into the future development of BDS. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Corrosion Science in Biodegradable Implants)

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16 pages, 4031 KB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Perfusion System for Modification of Luminal Contents of Human Intestinal Organoids and Realtime Imaging Analysis of Microbial Populations

by Nicholas J. Ginga, Raleigh Slyman, Ge-Ah Kim, Eric Parigoris, Sha Huang, Veda K. Yadagiri, Vincent B. Young, Jason R. Spence and Shuichi Takayama

Micromachines 2022, 13(1), 131; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi13010131 - 14 Jan 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5340

Abstract

Intestinal organoids are 3D cell structures that replicate some aspects of organ function and are organized with a polarized epithelium facing a central lumen. To enable more applications, new technologies are needed to access the luminal cavity and apical cell surface of organoids. We developed a perfusion system utilizing a double-barrel glass capillary with a pressure-based pump to access and modify the luminal contents of a human intestinal organoid for extended periods of time while applying cyclic cellular strain. Cyclic injection and withdrawal of fluorescent FITC-Dextran coupled with real-time measurement of fluorescence intensity showed discrete changes of intensity correlating with perfusion cycles. The perfusion system was also used to modify the lumen of organoids injected with GFP-expressing E. coli. Due to the low concentration and fluorescence of the E. coli, a novel imaging analysis method utilizing bacteria enumeration and image flattening was developed to monitor E. coli within the organoid. Collectively, this work shows that a double-barrel perfusion system provides constant luminal access and allows regulation of luminal contents and luminal mixing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microengineered Physiological Systems for Disease Modeling and Drug Testing)

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9 pages, 8741 KB

Open AccessArticle

Fabrication of Perovskite Film-Coated Hollow Capillary Fibers Using a Fast Solvent Exchange Method

by Xuesong Li, Pan Zeng, Qiongrong Ou and Shuyu Zhang

Nanomaterials 2021, 11(6), 1483; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11061483 - 3 Jun 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3476

Abstract

Metal halide perovskites have been successfully applied in a variety of fields such as LEDs, lasers and solar cells, thanks to their excellent optoelectronic properties. Capillary fibers can further expand the range of perovskite applications and at the same time improve its stability by encapsulating the perovskite inside the capillary. However, the high-quality perovskite film-coated hollow capillary fibers have yet to be realized. Here, we introduce a fast solvent exchange method which is used for the preparation of neat and smooth perovskite films deposited on the inner surface of capillary fibers. We demonstrate that this fast solvent exchange method is superior to the commonly used spontaneous diffusion-based precipitation method. The obtained hollow capillary fibers show a narrowed spectral width of 4.9 nm under pulse excitation due to the optical cavity effect. This new fabrication method can facilitate the development of perovskites in the fields of capillary lasing, microfluidic sensing, flexible LEDs and luminous fabrics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Metal Halide Perovskites in Optoelectronic Devices)

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12 pages, 5469 KB

Open AccessArticle

Hollow Light Guide Module Involving Mini Light-Emitting Diodes for Asymmetric Luminous Planar Illuminators

by Zhi Ting Ye, Chin Lung Chen, Lung-Chien Chen, Ching Ho Tien, Hong Thai Nguyen and Hsiang-Chen Wang

Energies 2019, 12(14), 2755; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12142755 - 18 Jul 2019

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4519

Abstract

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have numerous advantages. However, LEDs only offer a point light source. Therefore, transforming LEDs into planar light sources is a new objective in general lighting applications. Solid light guides have strong uniformity but are marred by their material absorption characteristics and weight. Hollow light guides constitute a solution to the weight problem but exhibit poor uniformity and necessitate sacrificing efficiency to enhance uniformity. To resolve the uniformity, weight, and efficiency problems simultaneously, we propose a hollow light guide architecture involving mini-LEDs with asymmetric luminous intensity. To develop this guide module, we first optimized the aspect ratio of the cavity and then modulated the light path by using varied angles of the reflection surface on the end wall of the module. We then designed a beveled reflection surface near the mini-LEDs to further enhance uniformity. An archetype of the proposed architecture for planar light source modules had a width and depth of 51.5 and 9.95 mm, respectively. Experimental results revealed a total efficiency of 83.9% and uniformity of 92.3%. The module weight was determined to be 215 g, which was 40% lighter than that of similarly sized solid light guide modules. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technology Evolution and Power Quality Issues in Designing Future Lighting Systems)

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