Disposable Device Research Articles

800. Needle Stick And Sharps Injuries Among Health Care Workers – The Experience of a Tertiary Hospital in Jamaica

BackgroundDespite advances in occupational safety protocols in healthcare facilities, needle stick and sharps injuries (NSSIs) continue to be a concerning occurrence among healthcare workers (HCWs). Such exposures lead to the risk of blood borne infections as well as emotional and financial consequences which may be difficult to measure. Few studies on NSSIs among Jamaican HCWs have been published in the last decade. We evaluated adherence to established NSSIs management protocols and investigated the demographic and work-related characteristics of HCWs sustaining NSSIs. The proportion of HCWs affected and frequency and direct costs associated with these injuries were estimated.MethodsThis retrospective case-series reviewed HCWs employed or contracted to an urban tertiary teaching hospital in Jamaica, who reported NSSIs in the emergency room during the period January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2018. Archived incident reporting forms for these HCWs were reviewed. Data were analyzed using STATA 14 statistical software.Results57 cases of NSSIs were reported at an average rate of 1 per month and an annual incidence of 0.14 per 100 beds and 4.75 per 100 workers. 49 (86%) HCWs were female and 18 (14%) were male. 55% of HCWs were between the ages of 24-29 years old. Nurses (53%) and physicians (19%) made up most of the sample. 28 (58%) HCWs reported not wearing gloves during the incident. Improperly handling used sharps and re-capping needles were reported by 26 (46.5%) and 17 (30%) of HCWs respectively. HIV and viral Hepatitis screening of source patients were performed 85% and 55% of the time respectively. Only 25% of HCWs were prescribed HIV post exposure prophylaxis. Post-injury counselling occurred with 52 (91%) HCWs and follow up care arranged for 36% of cases. The mean direct cost associated with the initial management of the HCW was US &163.22 per NSSI.ConclusionThe frequency of reported NSSIs by HCWs is low but the burden of direct costs is high. There is inadequate adherence to NSSIs management protocols and accurate monitoring systems are lacking. We recommend the need for safer needle disposal methods and devices, routine auditing of sharps practices and training in occupational hazard prevention and management. This may improve occupational risk perception among HCWs and workplace safety. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Cover Feature: Disposable Passive Electrochemical Microfluidic Device for Diagnosis of Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation (Anal. Sens. 1/2022)

The cover feature shows disposable passive electrochemical microfluidic devices which were developed using a lamination technique for the diagnosis of congenital glycosylation disorders. The key assay steps were integrated on board with high reproducibility. It was possible to successfully discriminate between patients and healthy individuals by taking short analysis times with minimal analyst intervention and requiring low clinical sample volumes. These results suggest that these devices have potential as future tools at the point of patient care. The cover was drawn by Víctor de la Asunción and co-designed with the authors. More information can be found in the Full Paper by Alberto Escarpa, Agustín G. Crevillén and co-workers.

Novel home use of mechanical negative pressure wound therapy in diabetic foot ulcers.

Mechanical negative pressure wound therapy is an ultraportable, light weight and disposable single-use device that has been shown to promote wound healing. This study evaluated home use of a mechanically powered negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in diabetic foot wounds. Patients underwent revascularisation and/or debridement or amputation before starting mechanical NPWT. Wound outcomes and images of the wounds were recorded at each follow-up visit by the wound nurse. Patients were followed up until wound closure or end of therapy. A total of 12 patients (each with one wound) were included in the study. Of the 12 wounds, 33.3% (n=4) of wounds achieved primary wound closure while the remaining 66.6% (n=8) of wounds demonstrated a mean wound size reduction of 37.5±0.13%. Of the closed wounds, mean time to healing was 4.75±2.50 weeks. There was 100% limb salvage with no further debridement or amputations, and no 30-day unplanned readmissions. Mean length of hospital stay before starting home NPWT was 9.75±6.31 days. Mean number of NPWT changes was 8.33±2.67 sessions, while mean duration of therapy was 4.0±1.54 weeks. Mean cost of home NWPT therapy was US$1904±731 per patient. The home use of mechanically powered NPWT in diabetic foot wounds demonstrated excellent wound healing rates and 100% limb salvage, with no complications.

Use of a disposable vascular pressure device to guide balloon inflation of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta: a bench study

Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) for rapid hemorrhage control is increasingly being used in trauma management. Its beneficial hemodynamic effects on unstable patients beyond temporal hemostasis has led to growing interest in its use in other patient populations, such as during cardiac arrest from nontraumatic causes. The ability to insert the catheters without fluoroscopic guidance makes the technique available in the prehospital setting. However, in addition to correct positioning, challenges include reliably achieving aortic occlusion while minimizing the risk of balloon rupture. Without fluoroscopic control, inflation of the balloon relies on estimated aortic diameters and on the disappearing pulse in the contralateral femoral artery. In the case of cardiac arrest or absent palpable pulses, balloon inflation is associated with excess risk of overinflation and adverse events (vessel damage, balloon rupture). In this bench study, we examined how the pressure in the balloon is related to the surrounding blood pressure and the balloon's contact with the vessel wall in two sets of experiments, including a pulsatile circulation model. With this data, we developed a rule of thumb to guide balloon inflation of the ER-REBOA catheter with a simple disposable pressure-reading device (COMPASS). We recommend slowly filling the balloon with saline until the measured balloon pressure is 160 mmHg, or 16 mL of saline have been used. If after 16 mL the balloon pressure is still below 160 mmHg, saline should be added in 1-mL increments, which increases the pressure target about 10 mmHg at each step, until the maximum balloon pressure is reached at 240 mmHg (= 24 mL inflation volume). A balloon pressure greater than 250 mmHg indicates overinflation. With this rule and a disposable pressure-reading device (COMPASS), ER-REBOA balloons can be safely filled in austere environments where fluoroscopy is unavailable. Pressure monitoring of the balloon allows for recognition of unintended deflation or rupture of the balloon.

Disposable Passive Electrochemical Microfluidic Device for Diagnosis of Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation

AbstractA disposable pump‐free electrochemical microfluidic device made by using a multilayer lamination technique is proposed for diagnosis of glycosylation disorders. Thanks to the stacking of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films and double adhesive layers, it is possible to create a geometry that allows the filling of the tailored channels in a fixed time. In the main channel of this passive microfluidic device, the necessary steps to perform the electrochemical determination of transferrin are performed: labeling of the protein with Os (VI) complex (electrochemical tag), washing with water of the osmium residues and electrochemical detection by adsorptive transfer stripping square wave voltammetry. Electrochemical detection released two electrochemical signals: one from Os (VI) complex due to carbohydrates at −0.9 V, and other from the intrinsic electrochemical signal of glycoprotein due to the amino acids at +0.8 V. The ratio between them establishes an indicator of the degree of glycosylation (called electrochemical index of glycosylation). The method was successfully applied to the analysis of clinical samples from patients with congenital disorders of glycosylation.

Construction of portable drinking water device using an agricultural biomass-derived material of polyethylenimine-grafted-corncob

Corncob has been well known as a low-cost, green and reliable cellulose material but is usually discarded as an agricultural waste without utilization. In this study, the corncob was functionalized with polyethylenimine and then its potentiality for portable water purification is investigated. The portable device containing polyethylenimine-grafted-corncob (PEI-g-OC) particles is used for removing the contaminations of heavy metal ions, bacteria and organic chemicals in water. As found, the device presented high efficiency on removing heavy metal ions of Cu2+, Cd2+ and Pb2+ at concentrations up to 50 mg/L and was able to kill the model bacteria of S. aureus, P. aeruginosa and E. coli at high concentrations up to 106 CFU/ml. Then, the PEI-g-OC portable device is constructed for filtering purification of the two natural water samples from local lakes, which showed a high removal ratio of >99% for heavy metal ions/bacteria and about 90% for chemical oxygen demand (COD). The portable device with 20 g PEI-g-OC is able to provide 300 B.V. (i.e. 15 L) of drinkable water for 3–5 days dairy drinking by one person. Since PEI-g-OC is degradable and does not leach any biocides, it is an environmentally sustainable option for disposable water purification devices.

COVID-19 diagnosis by SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein detection in saliva using an ultrasensitive magneto-assay based on disposable electrochemical sensor

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome of Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has fueled the search for diagnostic tests aiming at the control and reduction of the viral transmission. The main technique used for diagnosing the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique. However, considering the high number of cases and the underlying limitations of the RT-PCR technique, especially with regard to accessibility and cost of the test, one does not need to overemphasize the need to develop new and less expensive testing techniques that can aid the early diagnosis of the disease. With that in mind, we developed an ultrasensitive magneto-assay using magnetic beads and gold nanoparticles conjugated to human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) peptide (Gln24-Gln42) for the capturing and detection of SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein in human saliva. The technique applied involved the use of a disposable electrochemical device containing eight screen-printed carbon electrodes which allow the simultaneous analysis of eight samples. The magneto-assay exhibited an ultralow limit of detection of 0.35 ag mL−1 for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein in saliva. The magneto-assay was tested in saliva samples from healthy and SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals. In terms of efficiency, the proposed technique – which presented a sensitivity of 100.0% and specificity of 93.7% for SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein-exhibited great similarity with the RT-PCR technique. The results obtained point to the application potential of this simple, low-cost magneto-assay for saliva-based point-of-care COVID-19 diagnosis.

3D Printed Cobalt-Chromium-Molybdenum Porous Superalloy with Superior Antiviral Activity.

COVID-19 pandemic and associated supply-chain disruptions emphasise the requirement for antimicrobial materials for on-demand manufacturing. Besides aerosol transmission, SARS-CoV-2 is also propagated through contact with virus-contaminated surfaces. As such, the development of effective biofunctional materials that can inactivate SARS-CoV-2 is critical for pandemic preparedness. Such materials will enable the rational development of antiviral devices with prolonged serviceability, reducing the environmental burden of disposable alternatives. This research reveals the novel use of Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) to 3D print porous Cobalt-Chromium-Molybdenum (Co-Cr-Mo) superalloy with potent antiviral activity (100% viral inactivation in 30 min). The porous material was rationally conceived using a multi-objective surrogate model featuring track thickness () and pore diameter () as responses. The regression analysis found the most significant parameters for Co-Cr-Mo track formation to be the interaction effects of scanning rate () and laser power () in the order . Contrastively, the pore diameter was found to be primarily driven by the hatch spacing (). The study is the first to demonstrate the superior antiviral properties of 3D printed Co-Cr-Mo superalloy against an enveloped virus used as biosafe viral model of SARS-CoV-2. The material significantly outperforms the viral inactivation time of other broadly used antiviral metals such as copper and silver, as the material’s viral inactivation time was from 5 h to 30 min. As such, the study goes beyond the current state-of-the-art in antiviral alloys to provide extra protection to combat the SARS-CoV-2 viral spread. The evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic brings new and unpredictable challenges where on-demand 3D printing of antiviral materials can achieve rapid solutions while reducing the environmental impact of disposable devices.

A Flexible and Wavelength‐Designable Polymer Light‐Emitting Diode Employing Sandwich‐Encapsulation for Wearable Skin Rejuvenation Photomedicine

AbstractOrganic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) and polymer light‐emitting diodes (PLEDs) are considered promising devices in that they are not limited to conventional display devices and can provide versatile functions in photomedicine. Many attempts to replace rigid photomedicine devices with wearable light‐emitting devices are in progress, and OLEDs have shown feasibility with respect to device conformality and photo‐medical efficiency. This paper presents a newly designed flexible optoelectronic device utilizing a wavelength‐designable PLED as an option for realizing disposable photomedicine devices. An optical design based on a multilayer electrode and an additional injection unit is proposed; it allows control of the device peak wavelength without any deterioration of charge injection. Furthermore, a sandwich structure utilizing transferable thin‐film encapsulation enables the PLED to achieve mechanical flexibility, low device heat generation, and sufficient operational lifetime (>8 h). When fibroblasts are irradiated by the wavelength‐designable PLED with a 630 nm peak, cell proliferation and production of type‐I procollagen increase by 25% and 36%, respectively. The change of matrix metalloproteinase‐1 is also evaluated, and it is found to decrease by 23%. Based on these results, the wavelength‐designable PLED induces distinct changes of biological factors.

Analysis of the effect of ionizing radiation on the properties of bulk nonwoven material

At the moment, there is a wide range of bulky nonwovens for various purposes on the market. One of the important areas of using such materials is healthcare. In particular, bulky nonwoven materials are intended for the manufacture of wound dressings, evacuation kits for newborns. Disposable medical devices of this kind are usually subjected to radiation sterilization. As is known from earlier studies, radiation sterilization significantly affects the performance of nonwovens. In this regard, for nonwoven materials for medical use, an important characteristic is the stability of indicators after exposure to radiation sterilization. As a result of the study of bulk nonwovens Holofiber ® after radiation radiation in the dose range from 20-60 kGy, there were no significant changes in operational performance. The stiffness increased by an average of 3-10%. The stiffness indicators after ionizing radiation according to GOST 24684 also meet the requirements. The value of electrification increased due to an increase in the static field under the action of ionizing radiation. It is worth noting that the values of electrification are within the norm established by GOST 32995. The breaking load varies from 1-5%. Thus, non-woven materials Holofiber ® PROFI, article P 35191, Holofiber ® SOFT, article P 5197, Holofiber ® SOFT, article P 5200 are recommended for the production of medical devices.

Simple gunshot residue analyses for estimating firing distance: Investigation with four types of fabrics

This work presents two simple methods for estimating the firing distance from the gunshot residues (GSRs) on fabric targets. Four types of fabric targets, namely twill weave denim cotton-polyester (80/20), jersey knitting 100% cotton, plain weave cotton-polyester (80/20) and plain weave cotton-polyester (60/40), were employed. The firing tests were carried out using these white fabrics as targets at distances of 5–100 cm, respectively. In the first method, digital images of the black GSRs on fabric materials were recorded inside an illuminated box and the inverted gray intensity values were plotted against the firing distances. Since the plots of all fabrics are not significantly different, the estimation of firing distance employs the same exponential curve for all test fabrics. Although simple, the imaging method is not suitable for dark-colored materials. A chemical-based method was therefore developed as an alternative method. In the second method, a small disposable microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μPAD) was employed for detecting Pb(II) extracted from the GSRs. The μPAD method uses the measurement of the length of a narrow band of a pink color resulting from reaction between rhodizonate reagent and the Pb(II) extract. The plots indicated that the data of thick denim material are significantly different to other test fabrics which are much thinner. These three fabrics share the same estimation curve. However, it is recommended that the separate estimation curve for denim materials must be used. Both methods are suitable for short range firing distance, no further than 60 cm, since at greater distances the inverted gray intensity and the ‘band-length’ methods are unable to detect the GSRs.

An initial evaluation of the safety of a disposable oscillating positive expiratory pressure device in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a short-term pilot study

BackgroundHandheld oscillating positive expiratory pressure (OPEP) devices have been a mainstay of treatment for patients with hypersecretory conditions such as cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) since the 1970s. Current devices are reusable and require regular cleaning and disinfection to prevent harbouring potentially pathogenic organisms. Adherence to cleaning regimens for respiratory devices is often poor and in response to this, a prototype disposable OPEP device—the ‘UL-OPEP’ (University of Limerick—Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure device)—was developed to mitigate the risk of contamination by pathogens. The device was previously evaluated successfully in a group of paediatric CF patients. The aim of the current study was to initially evaluate the safety of the prototype in patients with COPD over a period of 1 month to ensure no adverse events, negative impacts on lung function, exercise tolerance, or quality of life. Data on user experience of the device were also collected during post-study follow-up.MethodsA sample of 50 volunteer participants were recruited from pulmonary rehabilitation clinics within the local hospital network. The patients were clinically stable, productive, and not current or previous users of OPEP devices. Participants were invited to use a prototype disposable OPEP device daily for a period of 1 month. Pre- and post-study lung function was assessed with standard spirometry, and exercise tolerance with the 6-min-walk-test (6MWT). Quality of life was assessed using the St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), and user experience of the prototype device evaluated using a post-study questionnaire.Results24 Participants completed the study: 9 were female. Overall median age was 67.5 years, range 53–85 years. Lung function, 6-min walk test, and SGRQ scores showed no significant change post-study. User feedback was positive overall.ConclusionsThe results indicate that the UL-OPEP is safe to use in patients with COPD. No adverse events were recorded during the study or in the follow-up period of 2 weeks. The device did not negatively impact patients’ lung function, exercise tolerance, or quality of life during short term use (1 month), and usability feedback received was generally positive. Larger, longer duration studies will be required to evaluate efficacy.Registration The study was approved as a Clinical Investigation by the Irish Health Products Regulatory Authority (CRN-2209025-CI0085).

New microfluidic paper-based analytical device for iron determination in urine samples.

Iron is an important micronutrient involved in several mechanisms in the human body and can be an important biomarker. In this work, a simple and disposable microfluidic paper-based analytical device (µPAD) was developed for the quantification of iron in urine samples. The detection was based on the colorimetric reaction between iron(II) and bathophenanthroline and the reduction of iron(III) to iron(II) with hydroxylamine. The developed µPAD enabled iron determination in the range 0.07-1.2mg/L, with a limit of detection of 20µg/L and a limit of quantification of 65µg/L, thus suitable for the expected values in human urine. Additionally, targeting urine samples, the potential interference of the samples color was overcome by incorporating a sample blank assessment for absorbance subtraction. Stability studies revealed that the device was stable for 15days prior to usage and that the formed colored product was stable for scanning up to 3h. The accuracy of the developed device was established by analyzing urine samples (#26) with the developed µPAD and with the atomic absorption spectrometry method; the relative deviation between the two sets of results was below 9.5%.

The Cerene Cryoablation Device for the Treatment of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding: 36-Month Outcomes from the Clarity Study

<h3>Study Objective</h3> To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a novel cryoablation device (<i>Cerene Cryotherapy Device, Channel Medsystems, Berkeley, CA)</i> in premenopausal women with heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) due to benign causes. <h3>Design</h3> A prospective, multi-center, single-arm, open-label study. <h3>Setting</h3> 8 sites in the USA, 1 in Mexico, 2 in Canada. <h3>Patients or Participants</h3> 242 Intent-to-Treat women, 25 to 50 years of age, with HMB, uterine sound ≤10 cm, and endometrial cavity between 2.5 to 6.5 cm. <h3>Interventions</h3> The Cerene single-use disposable device, delivered a 2.5-minute cryoablation of the endometrium. Analgesia and local anesthesia were administered per investigator discretion: 97% of subjects received a paracervical block with or without oral medications, 3% IV sedation, and none received general anesthesia. 180 USA treatments were performed in the physician office setting and none in the operating room. Subjects were evaluated through Month 12 and long term at Month 24 and 36. <h3>Measurements and Main Results</h3> 201 women were evaluated at Month 36. 88.6% (178/201) reported amenorrhea, a lighter than normal, or normal period. 91% (182/201) reported no or slight limitations in life activities in their Menorrhagia Impact Quality of Life (QoL) questionnaire. 85% (171/201) reported premenstrual symptoms (PMS) at a low frequency (none, rarely, or sometimes) in their PMS Impact QoL Survey. 84.5% (153/181) of subjects who reported level of satisfaction at the final study visit stated that they were satisfied or very satisfied with their treatment outcome. 7% (17/242) underwent a post ablation intervention for menstrual bleeding. <h3>Conclusion</h3> The Cerene endometrial cryoablation device maintains safety and effectiveness for the treatment of HMB through the long-term study visit at 36 months. It is a global endometrial ablation technique that can be performed consistently in the office setting requiring minimal anesthesia or analgesia.

A search for new options to manage fecal incontinence.

Fecal incontinence (FI) is a highly prevalent condition known to substantially impair a patient's quality of life. Although a non-invasive treatment option, currently available anal plugs are poorly tolerated, not significantly effective and therefore not often used. We present a new disposable device based on an innovative concept that renews the interest for non-invasive "external" control of bowel content for FI patients. The Contix™ (Forconti Medical Ltd, Cesarea, Israel) permits creation of temporary "artificial" fecal impaction to avoid bowel leakage while inserted high into the "non sensitive" rectum where it is not felt by the patient and therefore tolerated for 6- to 12- hour use. This European conformity (CE)-marked device has a unique design that allows insertion, usage and removal in a similar manner to a vaginal pad. It comes in 2 parts: a flexible silicone-based oval-shaped biocompatible balloon and an applicator in which the balloon is folded for self-insertion. An external tube allows for the balloon to be inflated with 60-100ml. of air. In doing this, small smooth tines deploy on its surface to help maintain the balloon in place. A pulling string with a ring stays out of the anal canal to deflate and withdraw the balloon inverted on itself at end of use. Device handling that includes rectal insertion and withdrawal feasibility, wear time, comfort at the different steps of use, safety and of course effectiveness of Contix™ have been tested in small trials yet to be published but pilot studies support its uses at greater scale in expert centers in Europe and the United States. In summary the Contix™ is a non-invasive device for FI management based on an innovative concept. Initial results support its spread to identify its role as an ancillary service to existing approaches.

987 Braidlock - The Evolution of a Novel Drain Securing Device

Abstract Introduction The use of drains in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is widespread and the securing method using a silk suture laddering along the drain in a standard ‘roman sandal’ pattern is well established. Other methods include tie-lock with sutures and adhesive dressings. We describe the use of a braided device (Braidlock®) without using sutures, based on the concept of a Chinese finger trap, to secure the drain onto patients' skin using tissue adhesive. We report the evolutionary changes of Braidlock. Device Evolution Braidlock® is a Class I non-invasive disposable medical device which provides securement of lines, drains and catheters to a patient using tubing from 3.5Fr to 36Fr. The diameter of the Braidlock® expands when the device is compressed, similar to a ‘Chinese finger trap’. A line can then be inserted through the device and into the body. When decompressed, the Braidlock® squeezes the line tightly and securely. The initial Braidlock® device was hook &amp; loop which required suturing to secure onto skin. Integrated adhesive is a recent invention. Advancement With advances in adhesive dressing and ultrasonic wielding between the plastic casing and adhesive pads, Braidlock® drain securing device appears to be a safe medical device that enables successful securement of drains. Braidlock® may represent a cost saving relative to the conventional suture pack for drain securement. Conclusions This new drain securing device offers a cost effective and reliable alternative to the standard suture fixation. This will eliminate the risk of sharps injury and allow shortening of the drain by ward staff with minimal training.

Environmental Waste Management of Disposable Surgical Coverage

The sustainable direction in the field of patient and medical staff health safety is the use of disposable medical devices, including disposable surgical masks, as recommended by the actual European standard. Disposable surgical coverage is the result of cooperation between medical professional workplaces worldwide and professionals in the area of nonwovens and lamination of material. Various variants were developed, tested and then rejected and then finally reach the material and variant composition. The use of disposable medical devices in healthcare is now a common practice, but also an environmental problem on a global scale. Despite the widespread adoption of this best practice, many healthcare facilities and patients still register resistance and scepticism against this form, actually also in connection with protection against COVID-19. The promoted opinion also by research-confirmed opinion is that the disposable form significantly reduces the amount of regulated medical waste that is generated during surgical procedures, subsequent sterilization and in the framework of protection against COVID-19. At the same time, logistical modeling of the best practice of environmental management in waste management remains a problem for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Polish Journal of Environmental Studies is the property of Scientific Investigation Committee 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.)

Prevalence of disposable pod use and consumer preference for e-cigarette product characteristics among vape shop customers in Southern California: a cross-sectional study

ObjectivesIn February 2020, the US Food and Drug Administration issued a guidance restricting the sales and distribution of cartridge-based e-cigarettes with flavours other than tobacco and menthol. Disposable devices were...

P06.09 Lobectomy for Lung Cancer, What Is the Brazilian reality? Brazilian Society of Thoracic Surgeons Analysis

Minimally invasive anatomical lung resection is associated with lower post-operative complication rate and in-hospital mortality. However, learning curve is not that attractive or easy. Particularly in Brazil, the disposable devices (staplers) for this type of surgery are default for public healthcare system, prolonging learning curve Our study will evaluate the minimally invasive thoracic surgery approach (MIS) in middle-lower income country reality.

Three-dimensional spiral motion of microparticles by a binary-phase logarithmic-spiral zone plate.

Acoustic vortex beams, which have both linear and angular momentum, can be used to make precise acoustic tweezers. Limited by the symmetry of a normal vortex beam, these tweezers are usually used for trapping or rotating particles in two dimensions. Here, the three-dimensional spiral motion of two soft particles of different sizes was realized using a vortex beam with a twisted focus, which was synthesized by a silicone binary-phase logarithmic-spiral zone plate. Numerical simulations and experimental measurements demonstrated that the beam had anisotropic focuses of crescent transverse intensity profiles and a screw phase dislocation with a singularity at the center. Experiments showed that a small particle (k0r ≈ 1.3) can follow the twisted intensity of the beam, but a large particle (k0r ≈ 4.7) spirals up away from the twisted field pattern. This is attributed to the dominant gradient force for the small particle, whereas the scattering effect induced a scattering force combined with a gradient force for the large particle. This focused twisted beam, which was generated with a structured silicone plate, and the three-dimensional spiral motion of microparticles, advance the development of simple, compact, and disposable acoustic devices for the precise and diverse manipulation of microparticles.