Search Results (45)

Background/Objectives: Ostomy creation surgery is a common intervention for patients with conditions such as colorectal cancer, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, or acute events like trauma and gastrointestinal perforation. Individuals with an ileostomy face unique challenges when managing their new ostomies due to the liquid caustic nature of the effluent, increasing the likelihood of leakage and peristomal skin complications (PSCs). This sub-analysis evaluates the prevalence of leakage and PSCs in a cohort of individuals with a new ileostomy and examines the risk of leakage of different ostomy pouching systems and their impact on leakage and PSCs. Methods: This sub-analysis examined a cohort of 98 patients from a previously published retrospective chart review of stoma-creation surgeries at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Data on pouching system selection, leakage, and PSCs were collected from electronic medical records and evaluated across 479 pouch changes. Two main barrier pouching systems were analyzed: elastic tapeless border (ETB) and ceramide-infused tape-border (CIB) barriers. Statistical analyses using generalized linear mixed models assessed the risk of leakage for each barrier type and controlled for significant differences in the sub-groups. Results: The prevalence of leakage in the ileostomy cohort was 19%, with the prevalence of leakage increasing over successive pouch changes. The ETB sub-group experienced a significantly lower risk of leakage (13.7%) compared to CIB (29.3%), reflecting a 53.2% lower risk of leakage with ETB (p = 0.03; OR 2.45). Conclusions: This sub-analysis of ileostomy patients confirms that ETB significantly reduces the risk of leakage in this more difficult to manage population compared to CIB, a clinically important consideration in PSC development and overall ostomy management. Evidence-based selection of ostomy barriers can improve patient outcomes, enhance quality of life, and reduce healthcare resource utilization. Full article

Background/Objectives: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a common condition affecting sexual function, exercise activities, and quality of life, accompanied by psychological distress. The treatment of SUI includes conservative and surgical treatment which comprises tensions-free vaginal tapes in the form of retropubic (TVT) and transobturator tape (TOT or TVT—O). The TVT procedure is considered the gold standard, but the TOT procedure is a safe alternative due to a lower rate of bladder and bowel complications. The aim of this study is to evaluate the long-term effects of the surgical treatment of the TOT procedure after 36 months of follow-up on the sexuality of women with SUI. Methods: In the long-term evaluation, 3 years after surgery, 45 women with medical records sufficient for analysis participated in the project. The international standardized Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) self-administered questionnaire was completed three times: before the surgery, 12 months after surgery, and 3 years after surgery. Results: Domain scores for arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and total score were lower in the follow-up group than before and after the surgery. The pain domain was the highest in the after-surgery group, slightly lower in the before-surgery group, and the lowest in the follow-up group. All the abovementioned differences were statistically significant. Conclusions: Three years after the surgical treatment of SUI, the results of our study patients deteriorated, especially in arousal, lubrication, and orgasm assessments, compared to outcomes 12 months after the procedure. In addition, the total FSFI score was lower 36 months after the surgery than the year before the surgery and lower than before the procedure. Also, pain during intercourse was more frequently reported, as opposed to the result year after the surgery, which was lower than before the operation. Full article

The etiopathogenesis and treatment response of sensitive skin remain poorly understood. We used 4-tert-butylcyclohexanol (4-TBLH) and 1% pimecrolimus ointment to treat sensitive skin in mice models constructed using tape stripping, propylene glycol, and capsaicin. This study aimed to further investigate the sensitivity and responsiveness of this sensitive mouse skin model. Sensitivity and responsiveness were assessed by measuring transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin hydration, skin flakes, vascular dilatation, itching, stinging, and histological changes, including mast cell, lymphocyte, and granulocyte infiltration, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) expression, and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 receptor (TRPV1) expression. The application of 4-TBLH and pimecrolimus revealed distinct responses in skin sensitivity indicators, including TEWL, capillary dilation, and mass cell activity, depending on the treatment timing and substance used. The prophylactic and therapeutic applications of 4-TBLH revealed distinct responses in skin sensitivity indicators, including skin flakes, TEWL, itching, stinging, epidermal thickness, mast cell activity, TNF-α, and TRPV1 expression. The prophylactic and therapeutic applications of pimecrolimus ointment revealed distinct responses in skin sensitivity indicators, including skin flakes, skin water content, itching, epidermal thickness, mast cell activity, CD45, CD11b, TNF-α, and TRPV1 expression. The mouse sensitive skin model demonstrates robust sensitivity and responsiveness to different treatment factors, and the model can be applied to the development of prophylactic and therapeutic medications for sensitive skin. Full article

Flexible, wearable biomedical sensors based on laser-induced graphene (LIG) have garnered significant attention due to a straightforward fabrication process and exceptional electrical and mechanical properties. However, most relevant studies rely on commercial polyimide precursors, which suffer from inadequate biocompatibility and weak adhesion between the precursor material and the LIG layer. To address these challenges, we synthesized cross-linked polyurethanes (PUs) with good biocompatibility and used them as substrates for LIG-based wearable pulse sensors. During fabrication, we employed two methods of LIG transfer to achieve optimal transfer yield. We adjusted the thickness of PU films and tailored their mechanical and physicochemical properties by varying the soft segment content to achieve optimal sensor performance. Our findings demonstrate that the success of LIG transfer is strongly influenced by the structure and composition of the polymeric substrate. Tensile testing revealed that increasing the soft segment content in PU films significantly improved their tensile strength, elongation at break, and flexibility, with PU based on 50 wt.% soft segment content (PU-50) showing the best mechanical properties. LIG exhibited minimal sensitivity to humidity, while PU films maintained high transparency (>80% at 500 nm), and PU-50 was non-toxic, with less than 5% lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release in endothelial cell cultures, confirming its biocompatibility. Adhesion tests demonstrated that LIG transferred onto PU-50 exhibited significantly stronger adhesion compared to other tested substrates, with only a 30% increase in electrical resistance after the Scotch tape test, ensuring stability for wearable sensors. The optimal substrate, a semicrystalline PU-50, yielded superior transfer efficiency. Among all tested sensors, the LIG/PU-50, featuring a 77 μm thick substrate with good mechanical properties and improved adhesion, exhibited the highest signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). This study showcases a skin-safe LIG/PU-based pulse sensor that has significant potential for applications as a wearable patch in medical and sports monitoring. Full article

Background/Objectives: Healthcare-associated infections involving surgical sites, skin trauma, and devices penetrating the skin are a frequent source of increased expense, hospitalization periods, and adverse outcomes. Medical adhesives are often employed to help protect compromised skin from infection and to secure medical devices, but adhesives can become contaminated by pathogens, exposing wounds, surgical sites, and medical devices to colonization. We aimed to incorporate ceragenins, a class of antimicrobial agents, into silicone- and polyacrylate-based adhesives with the goal of reducing adhesive contamination and subsequent infections. Methods: Three adhesives were developed and evaluated for the release of ceragenins, antimicrobial efficacy, adhesive strength, and dermal irritation. Results: Elution profiles over two weeks showed a high initial release followed by steady, long-term release. Standard microbial challenges of the adhesives by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, or Candida albicans demonstrated microbial reduction for 6 to 68 days. Lap shear adhesive strength was not reduced for polyacrylate adhesives containing ceragenins, and no dermal irritation was observed in an in vivo model. Conclusions: Ceragenin-containing adhesive materials appear well suited for prevention of bacterial and fungal infections associated with medical devices and bandages. Full article

The commercialization of a growing number of wearable devices has been enabled within recent years due to the availability of miniaturized sensor modalities, the development of new materials, and the scalability of flexible electronics. With the increase in resource shortages within healthcare, there is a demand to translate wearable devices from the commercial consumer stand-point to the medical field. Clinical-grade signal quality, wearability, and comfort all need to be tailored to a wearable design. Wear and comfort for user compliance and durability for longer-term use are commonly overlooked. In this study, the relationship of on-body location and material layer composition is investigated. Five non-woven medical tapes noted for longer wear time are tested over a 7-day timeframe. The impact of material properties, such as elasticity, isotropy, and hysteresis, as well as the moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) and adhesive thickness, are evaluated in relation to skin properties on the lower torso of 30, high-activity-level volunteers. User perception was quantified via Likert-scale questionnaires and images were obtained for the material–skin interaction. The results indicate that critical characteristics, such as MVTR and elasticity, noted for positive skin interaction in commercial products, may not translate to improved user perception and durability over time. Future work will assess new design options to manipulate material properties for improved wear and comfort. Full article

Thumb carpometacarpal arthroplasty has become a widely used standard technique in the surgical treatment of thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis. One of the most critical steps during this procedure is proper surgical exposure of the trapezium and the base of the first metacarpal to allow for prosthesis implantation. This article introduces a surgical technique in which a roll constructed from gauze sponges tightly wrapped with medical tape facilitates several steps in thumb carpometacarpal arthroplasty. While performing a dorsoradial approach to the thumb carpometacarpal joint, this cost-effective tool is perfectly tailored to the joint’s unique anatomy. It aids in precise hand positioning and ensures optimal exposure of the trapezium and base of the first metacarpal, which is crucial for accurate cup and stem preparation as well as for unimpeded prosthesis implantation. Full article

Vaccination is credited as a significant medical achievement contributing to the decline in morbidity and mortality of infectious diseases. Traditional vaccines composed of inactivated and live-attenuated whole pathogens confer the induction of potent and long-term immune responses; however, traditional vaccines pose a high risk of eliciting autoimmune and allergic responses as well as inflammations. New modern vaccines, such as subunit vaccines, employ minimum pathogenic components (such as carbohydrates, proteins, or peptides), overcome the drawbacks of traditional vaccines and stimulate effective immunity against infections. However, the low immunogenicity of subunit vaccines requires effective immune stimulants (adjuvants), which are an indispensable factor in vaccine development. Although there are several approved adjuvants in human vaccines, the challenges of matching and designing appropriate adjuvants for specific vaccines, along with managing the side effects and toxicity of existing adjuvants in humans, are driving the development of new adjuvants. Self-assembling peptides are a promising biomaterial rapidly emerging in the fields of biomedicine, vaccination and material science. Here, peptides self-assemble into ordered supramolecular structures, forming different building blocks in nanoparticle size, including fibrils, tapes, nanotubes, micelles, hydrogels or nanocages, with great biostability, biocompatibility, low toxicity and effectiveness at controlled release. Self-assembling peptides are effective immunostimulatory agents used in vaccine development to enhance and prolong immune responses. This review describes the predominant structures of self-assembling peptides and summarises their recent applications as vaccine adjuvants. Challenges and future perspectives on self-assembled peptides as vaccine adjuvants are also highlighted. Full article

This study aimed to perform a three-dimensional assessment of the effects of Kinesio taping (KT) on mandibular condylar volume during Twin Block (TB) appliance therapy in individuals with skeletal Class II malocclusions. Thirty children (16 female, 14 male) aged between 10 and 15 years (12.80 ± 1.08) who were scheduled for TB therapy were randomly assigned to two groups of 15 patients each. One group (Group 1) received KT on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) area with TB therapy while the other group (Group 2) only received the TB. KT was applied in cycles of 3 days, followed by 1 day off for 3 months. All patients underwent computed tomography (CT) scanning before KT and TB therapy (T0) and 3 months later (T1). Changes in right and left condylar volumes were measured (cm³) using a GE Advantage Workstation (General Electric Medical Systems, USA) and compared between the two groups using the Mann–Whitney U test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The KT group showed a significant differences in condylar volumes for both right (mean 0.13; p = 0.015; [0.04: 0.22]) and left condyle (0.30; p = 0.001; [0.18: 0.42]) from baseline (T0) to 3 months (T1). The comparisons between Group 1 and Group 2 revealed no statistically significant difference in initial and final condylar volumes for both the right (0.13; p > 0.05; [−0.16: 0.09]) and the left condyle (0.30; p > 0.05; [−0.04: 0.42]). Kinesio taping, which demonstrated a relative and slight increase on condylar volume, may provide clinical benefits such as a reduction in the duration of functional appliance use, decreased risk of relapse, and effective correction of overjet. Full article

For polyacrylate latex pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs), high peel strength is of crucial significance. It is not only a key factor for ensuring the long-lasting and effective adhesive force of polyacrylate latex PSAs but also can significantly expand their application scope in many vital fields, such as packaging, electronics, and medical high-performance composite materials. High peel strength can guarantee that the products maintain stable and reliable adhesive performance under complex and variable environmental conditions. However, at present, the peel strength capacity of polyacrylate latex PSAs is conspicuously insufficient, making it difficult to fully meet the urgent market demand for high peel strength, and severely restricting their application in many cutting-edge fields. Therefore, based on previous experimental studies, and deeply inspired by the adhesion mechanism of natural marine mussels, in this study, a traditional polyacrylate latex PSA was ingeniously graft-modified with 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (DHBA) through the method of monomer-starved seeded semi-continuous emulsion polymerization, successfully synthesizing novel high-peel-strength polyacrylate latex pressure-sensitive adhesives (HPSAs) with outstanding strong adhesion properties, and the influence of DHBA content on the properties of the HPSAs was comprehensively studied. The research results indicated that the properties of the modified HPSAs were comprehensively enhanced. Regarding the water resistance of the adhesive film, the minimum water absorption rate was 4.33%. In terms of the heat resistance of the adhesive tape, it could withstand heat at 90 °C for 1 h without leaving residue upon tape peeling. Notably, the adhesive properties were significantly improved, and when the DHBA content reached 4.0%, the loop tack and 180° peel strength of HPSA₄ significantly increased to 5.75 N and 825.4 gf/25 mm, respectively, which were 2.5 times and 2 times those of the unmodified PSA, respectively. Such superior adhesive performance of HPSAs, on the one hand, should be attributed to the introduction of the bonding functional monomer DHBA with a rich polyphenol structure; on the other hand, the acetal structure formed by the grafting reaction of DHBA with the PSA effectively enhanced the spatial network and crosslink density of the HPSAs. In summary, in this study, the natural biological adhesion phenomenon was ingeniously utilized to increase the peel strength of pressure-sensitive adhesives, providing a highly forward-looking and feasible direct strategy for the development of environmentally friendly polyacrylate latex pressure-sensitive adhesives. Full article

Background: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) affects around 35% of adult women and has a significant impact on quality of life. A single incision sling (SIS), such as Altis^®, was introduced to improve original slings and avoid complications. The present study aimed to evaluate the SIS Altis^® subjective and objective cure rates of women with SUI, mixed urinary incontinence (MUI), recurrent SUI, and SUI with concomitant prolapse and report its complications from one single medical center. Methodology: A retrospective cohort, unsponsored study was conducted at the Jordan University Hospital. All women patients were treated with the SIS Altis^® procedure, and prolapse procedures were also completed as necessary. The chi square analysis for the cure rates was conducted between the subgroups. Results: From June 2016 to June 2019, 111 women patients with a mean age of 48.0 ± 11.3 years underwent a SIS Altis^® procedure. The overall outcome resulted in 81% and 85% of patients being subjectively and objectively cured. The subjectively cured MUI patients were significantly fewer than SUI patients (70% versus 86%, p < 0.05), and patients with recurrent SUI had significantly lower rates (56% for subjective and objective cure rates; p < 0.01 and 0.001). Of the 44 patients who underwent SIS Altis^® and concomitant vaginal repair surgery, no significant differences in subjective and objective cure rates were observed. Only 2.7% of women had mild pain, 2.7% had vaginal tape erosion, and 9% had to be re-operated on. Conclusions: The Altis^® procedure is effective in women who suffer from SUI for a 19-month follow-up period. However, recurrent SUI patients had lower subjective and objective cure rates than primary SUI patients. Further research is needed with a larger sample size in a prospective study design to determine the effectiveness of single SIS in patients with recurrent SUI. Full article

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the use of annual mass drug administration (MDA) as the strategy for controlling and eliminating the five preventive chemotherapy neglected tropical diseases (PC-NTDs). The success of MDAs hinges on community acceptance, active participation, and compliance. This study aimed to explore the experiences and perceptions of community members, to obtain a more thorough understanding of their openness and willingness to participate in MDA and other NTD elimination activities. A mixed-methods approach was employed, utilizing qualitative and quantitative methods for comprehensive data collection. Eighteen key informant interviews (KIIs) and sixteen focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted to explore community engagement, participation, medication utilization, and programme perception. Triangulation of findings from interviews and discussions with household survey results was performed to gain a deeper understanding of emerging themes. The household survey involved interviewing 1220 individuals (Abaji: 687; Bwari: 533). Audio tapes recorded KIIs and FGDs, with interview transcripts coded using Nvivo 12.0 software based on predefined themes. Descriptive analysis using SPSS version 21 was applied to quantitative data. Results indicated high awareness of mass drug administration (MDA) campaigns in both area councils (Abaji: 84.9%; Bwari: 82.9%), with a small percentage claiming ignorance (15.1%), attributed to lack of information or absence during health campaigns. Respondents primarily participated by taking medication (82.5%), with minimal involvement in other MDA campaigns. Perception of medicines was generally positive, with a significant association between participation level and performance rating (p < 0.05). The study recommends leveraging high awareness and community responsiveness to enhance engagement in various MDA activities, ensuring sustainability and ownership of the programme. Full article

The demand for easy-to-use, affordable, accessible, and reliable technology is increasing in biological, chemical, and medical research. Microfluidic devices have the potential to meet these standards by offering cost-effective, highly sensitive, and highly specific diagnostic tests with rapid performance and minimal sample volumes. Traditional microfluidic device fabrication methods, such as photolithography and soft lithography, are time-consuming and require specialized equipment and expertise, making them costly and less accessible to researchers and clinicians and limiting the applicability and potential of microfluidic devices. To address this, researchers have turned to using new low-cost materials, such as double-sided tape for microfluidic device fabrication, which offers simple and low-cost processes. The innovation of low-cost and easy-to-make microfluidic devices improves the potential for more devices to be transitioned from laboratories to commercialized products found in stores, offices, and homes. This review serves as a comprehensive summary of the growing interest in and use of double-sided tape-based microfluidic devices in the last 20 years. It discusses the advantages of using double-sided tape, the fabrication techniques used to create and bond microfluidic devices, and the limitations of this approach in certain applications. Full article

The development of flexible sensors based on laser-induced graphene (LIG) has recently attracted much attention. It was commonly generated by laser-ablating commercial polyimide (PI). However, the weak mechanical extensibility of PI limits the development and diversified applications of LIG-based sensors. In this work, we adopted medical polyurethane (PU) tapes to peel off the LIG generated on PI and developed flexible and wearable sensors based on the proposed LIG/PU composite structure. Compared with other methods for LIG transfer, PU tape has many advantages, including a simplified process and being less time-consuming. We characterized the LIG samples generated under different laser powers and analyzed the property differences introduced by the transfer operation. We then studied the impact of fabrication mode on the strain sensitivity of the LIG/PU and optimized the design of a LIG/PU-based strain sensor, which possessed a gauge factor (GF) of up to 263.6 in the strain range of 75–90%. In addition, we designed a capacitive pressure sensor for tactile sensing, which is composed of two LIG/PU composite structures and a PI space layer. These LIG flexible devices can be used for human motion monitoring and tactile perception in sports events. This work provides a simple, fast, and low-cost way for the preparation of multifunctional sensor systems with good performance, which has a broad application prospect in human motion monitoring. Full article

In digital microfluidics, discrete liquid droplets move on a dielectric surface with the help of AC or DC voltage. Digital microfluidics system has extended the scope of microfluidics by providing automated, precise flow control for point-of-care devices capable of medical diagnostics, environmental, and chemical sensing platforms. In this paper, we introduce a digital microfluidics platform based on electrowetting on a dielectric using PCB substrate designed on Easy EDA software. The platform’s performance was analyzed at various DC voltages between 200 V and 400 V for droplet actuation. PCB fabrication, the utilization of easily accessible and cheap materials such as cooking oil and grafting tape as a dielectric layer, allowed the fabrication to be affordable and simple. The results indicate that droplet actuation takes place at 220 V. The droplet velocity obtained was 2.6 mm/s and 1.51 mm/s using silicon oil and cooking oil, respectively, at 400 V. Our proposed digital microfluidics platform will play a vital role in droplet actuation and can be used for diagnostic applications such as DNA analysis and cell culture due to its simple fabrication and cost-effective technique. Full article