Medical Apparatus Research Articles

Design and development of an IoT-based trolley for weighing the patient in lying condition.

An immobile patient cannot be weighed on a stand-on weighing machine, i.e., a bathroom scale. They have to get weighed while lying, which is not easy. The main objective of this research is to design a medical apparatus that measures the patient's weight in a lying condition. To achieve this the apparatus is designed as a stretcher to carry the patient in and around the hospital. The stretcher has four load cells to measure the patient's weight; it can bear a weight of 500 kg and has a self-weight of 20 kg. A Microcontroller unit (MCU) is embedded into the apparatus to weigh the patient lying on it. The stretcher comprises the top frame, middle frame, and base frame. The top frame can be detached and mounted back to the middle frame; this will help the medical personnel shift the patients from a medical bed. The middle frame is a plate structure where the four load cells are mounted at the corners of the lower plate. The upper plate functions as a pressure plate on the load cell. The base plate has four heavy-duty wheels that can bear the load. The middle frame and base frame, together, form a single structure, giving mobility to the structure. A control panel is employed with reset, tare, and on-off buttons to control the embedded platform. The LCD panel on the side of the apparatus shows the weight when the patient is placed on top of the apparatus. A prototype trolley equipped with a wireless data logging system was tested on 10 healthy participants. The device accurately measured weight within ±50 g across a scale range of 2-140 kg, with data captured every 30 s over a 5-min testing period. Wireless communication was successfully demonstrated over a 100-m range. The important add-on feature of this work is the apparatus is connected to the internet, transforming it into an IoT-based medical device.

Multifunctional pressure and humidity sensor modulated by electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonds for wearable health monitoring

Breathing and urination, are vital physiological activities of the human body, continuous real-time monitoring of these physiological behaviors could offer timely feedback on an individual’s health status. However, current monitoring techniques predominantly rely on cumbersome and intricate medical apparatuses, posing challenges in adapting to the diverse requirements of multi-scenario detection. Consequently, there is a growing interest in developing wearable devices capable of monitoring breathing and urination. In this work, we developed a multifunctional sensor integrating humidity and pressure sensing modes using a simple dip-coating process. By introducing sodium carboxymethyl cellulose and conductive polyaniline hybrid intercalation between MXene layers, a stable conductive network is established through hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions among materials. The overall electromechanical properties of the composites will be well improved. And, the effects of different conductive filler ratios and the number of dipping times on the construction of conductive networks are investigated. The multifunctional sensor exhibited improved sensing characteristics, including detecting pressures up to 532 kPa and a sensitivity of 19.58 kPa−1. Furthermore, it also demonstrates good humidity-sensing capabilities. Tests on volunteers demonstrated the potential in the detection of breathing and urination. In addition, the sensors are capable of transmitting Morse code. This interesting application will offer the possibility of normal communication for people with speech impairments. Given its utility and sustainability, the sensor has potential for applications in wearable health monitoring, intelligent life and telemedicine.

Role of Technology in Developing Indian Print Industry

Three-dimensional (3D) printing enables patient-specific anatomical level productions with high adjustability and resolution in microstructures. With cost-effective manufacturing for high productivity, 3D printing has become a leading healthcare and pharmaceutical manufacturing technology, which is suitable for variety of applications including tissue engineering models, anatomical models, pharmacological design and validation model, medical apparatus and instruments. Construction industry is very labor-intensive and one of the major sources of employment in the world. The industry is experiencing low productivity with minimum technological innovations for decades. In recent times, various automation technologies including 3D printing have received increasing interests in construction. 3D printing in construction is found to be very promising to automate the construction processes and have the potential of saving laborious work, material waste, construction time, risky operation for humans, etc. There has been a comprehensive body of research conducted to understand the recent advances, future prospects and challenges of large-scale adoption of 3D printing in construction projects.

Special MCP-N thermoluminescent detectors (TLD) with better angular dependence

One of the basic parameters in the use of thermoluminescent detectors is the angular characteristics, i.e. receiving different signals depending on the angle of radiation exposure. The TLD detector is typically installed in a slide/badge and here the angular characteristics may have an influence, adding non-uniform coverage of the detectors with filters for the correct determination of the dose as a function of energy, because the energy characteristics are usually not flat.As part of the work, special MCP-N (LiF:Mg, Cu, P) detectors of various shapes were prepared to improve the angular characteristics. The detectors were round pellets with the same circular shape with a diameter of 4.5 mm, and a modified form inside (large and small drilled holes) or a modified surface (cavity or hemisphere). For comparison, standard MCP-N type detectors were used. Detectors in special boxes were exposed to X-rays with an energy of 80 keV. The radiation beam was formed by a medical X-ray apparatus adapted for experiments at the Warsaw University of Technology in Warsaw. Exposures were made for angles of 0, 30, 45, 50, and 90° for a dose of 1.5 mGy.Results show that it is possible to improve the angular characteristics for detectors with modified shapes. Better angular characteristics will allow for more accurate measurements, in particular in comparison tests, for accreditation and other calibrations. Especially improved angular dependence detectors could be useful for H*(10) environmental measurements.

POE-Based Error Modeling and Multiple Plane Constraint-Based Parameter Identification for the Kinematic Calibration of a 4-UPS/SPR Parallel External Fixator

Limb deformity is a common complaint in orthopedic surgery. Currently, gradual treatment using parallel external fixator (PEF) has become the preferred option for deformity correction. As the key medical apparatus with the special application properties of temporary assembly and direct utilization, the geometric errors generated during the manufacturing and assembly process of the PEF contribute to the post-correction residual and iatrogenic deformities. However, considering the complexity of clinical scenarios, there is a lack of an applicable solution to reduce the effect of the above error source of PEF. To overcome these problems, taking a 4-UPS/SPR PEF as the research object, this paper proposes a novel kinematic calibration method. First, the error model with the features of completeness, continuity, and minimality is first established based on the product of exponentials (POE) formula. Then, the identifiability analysis is conducted to eliminate the redundant error parameters and ensure the stability and accuracy of the iterative calculation in the process of parameter identification. Furthermore, a multiple plane constraint (MPC)-based parameter identification approach is introduced to the calibration task of the PEF to effectively reduce the difficulty of the pose information measurement in the current cost-effective constraint calibration method. Finally, the simulation and prototype experiments validate that the proposed calibration method (i.e., the combination of the POE-based error model and the MPC-based parameter identification approach) can accomplish the calibration tasks in clinical applications and meet the cost-effectiveness and efficiency requirements.

Immersive presentations of real-world medical equipment through interactive VR environment populated with the high-fidelity 3D model of mobile MRI unit

The primary goal behind the system presented in this paper is to investigate the efficacy of using virtual reality (VR) for showcasing sizable medical equipment. Specifically, we focused on a mobile magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner mounted on a truck trailer. The latter is integral to the mobile MRI setup and must be presented as part of the immersive experience. Therefore, we not only have to depict the medical apparatus but also provide the means of understanding its surroundings. This is especially important to radiologists and other medical personnel to ascertain if a given mobile medical facility fulfills their needs and wants. Furthermore, despite such MRI devices being designed for mobility, their long-distance transportation can be time-consuming, troublesome and expensive. Therefore, we can observe the need for showcasing such mobile MRI units without additional cost and burden related to transportation. To achieve this, we designed an immersive environment in which the users can interact with the real-life scale 3D model of a mobile MRI. In addition, we also verified the usability and expressiveness of our system using established heuristical approaches.

Enhancing the Weld Quality of Polylactic Acid Biomedical Materials Using Rotary Friction Welding.

Polylactic acid (PLA) stands out as a biomaterial with immense potential, primarily owing to its innate biodegradability. Conventional methods for manufacturing PLA encompass injection molding or additive manufacturing (AM). Yet, the fabrication of sizable medical devices often necessitates fragmenting them into multiple components for printing, subsequently requiring reassembly to accommodate the constraints posed by the dimensions of the AM platform. Typically, laboratories resort to employing nuts and bolts for the assembly of printed components into expansive medical devices. Nonetheless, this conventional approach of jointing is susceptible to the inherent risk of bolts and nuts loosening or dislodging amid the reciprocating movements inherent to sizable medical apparatus. Hence, investigation into the joining techniques for integrating printed components into expansive medical devices has emerged as a critical focal point within the realm of research. The main objective is to enhance the joint strength of PLA polymer rods using rotary friction welding (RFW). The mean bending strength of welded components, fabricated under seven distinct rotational speeds, surpasses that of the underlying PLA substrate material. The average bending strength improvement rate of welding parts fabricated by RFW with three-stage transformation to 4000 rpm is about 41.94% compared with the average bending strength of PLA base material. The average surface hardness of the weld interface is about 1.25 to 3.80% higher than the average surface hardness of the PLA base material. The average surface hardness of the weld interface performed by RFW with variable rotational speed is higher than the average surface hardness of the weld interface performed at a fixed rotating friction speed. The temperature rise rate and maximum temperature recorded during RFW in the X-axis of the CNC turning machine at the outer edge of the welding part surpassed those observed in the internal temperature of the welding part. Remarkably, the proposed method in this study complies with the Sustainable Development Goals due to its high energy efficiency and low environmental pollution.

The body as archive: A study of Calvin Klein One/Be ‘Altered States’ perfume campaign (1995) through the Somatheque model

This article is presented as a methodological proposal for the field of fashion studies based on the interpretive model Somatheque (2013) of the theorist and activist Paul B. Preciado. Through this theoretical model, which draws lines of feminist post-structuralism and queer phenomenology, this study argues that the enunciation of the body as an archive is divided into four layers of analysis: (1) the biological body as a medical discourse, (2) power practices, (3) body techniques and (4) apparatus of verification. This study will provide a detailed analysis of the CK One advertising campaign called ‘Altered States’, launched by Calvin Klein in 1995. Specifically, it will assess the applicability of the Somatheque model in fashion studies by considering perfume as a central object of study within the fashion system. Thus, the study of this campaign serves as an example that illustrates how perfume not only plays a pivotal role in fashion studies but also acts as a significant element in the shaping, producing and encoding of the body within its context and allows for the exploration of fashion as a cultural and biopolitical practice influenced by privilege, asymmetrical power relations and colonial institutions.

Aligned Bamboo Fiber‐Induced Crystallinity Mitigation of Lightweight Polymer Composite Enables Ultrahigh Strength and Unprecedented Toughness

AbstractLightweight polymer composites promise incredible applications in aerospace, seaprobes, and medical apparatus. However, their performance is generally limited by a trade‐off between mechanical strength and toughness. Herein, a crystallinity mitigating strategy driven by highly aligned bamboo macrofibers embedded in a polycaprolactone polyol (PCL) matrix for producing ultrastrong and tough lightweight polymer composites is proposed. The embedded bamboo macrofibers have oxygen‐containing functional groups on the fiber surface, that can interact with functional groups (ester and hydroxyl groups) in the molecular chains of the PCL in the form of hydrogen bonds, thus preventing the aggregation of molecular chains and the crystallization of PCL, which ultimately leads to unprecedented toughness. Meanwhile, the bamboo macrofibres with intrinsically aligned microstructure, can enable effective stress transfer and dissipation, providing remarkable ultrahigh strength. As a result, the obtained lightweight polymer composite achieves ultrahigh mechanical strength (31.5 MPa) and superior toughness (21.7 MJ m−3) at an unprecedented low density (1.07 g cm−3), representing the state‐of‐the‐art in reported lightweight polymers. Such lightweight polymer composite has the potential to greatly expedite the practical realization of artificial medical materials, including orthopedic instruments and joint prostheses.

Drug repurposing: insights into the antimicrobial effects of AKBA against MRSA

Staphylococcus aureus is a major threat in infectious diseases due to its varied infection types and increased resistance. S. aureus could form persister cells under certain condition and could also attach on medical apparatus to form biofilms, which exhibited extremely high resistance to antibiotics. 3-Acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (AKBA) is a well-studied anti-tumor and antioxidant drug. This study is aimed to determine the antimicrobial effects of AKBA against S. aureus and its persister cells and biofilms. The in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility of AKBA was assessed by micro-dilution assay, disc diffusion assay and time-killing assay. Drug combination between AKBA and conventional antibiotics was detected by checkerboard assay. And the antibiofilm effects of AKBA against S. aureus were explored by crystal violet staining combined with SYTO/PI probes staining. Next, RBC lysis activity and CCK-8 kit were used to determine the cytotoxicity of AKBA. In addition, murine subcutaneous abscess model was used to assess the antimicrobial effects of AKBA in vivo. Our results revealed that AKBA was found to show effective antimicrobial activity against methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) with the minimal inhibitory concentration of 4–8 µg/mL with undetectable cytotoxicity. And no resistant mutation was induced by AKBA after 20 days of consecutive passage. Further, we found that AKBA could be synergy with gentamycin or amikacin against S. aureus and its clinical isolates. By crystal violet and SYTO9/PI staining, AKBA exhibited strong biofilm inhibitory and eradication effects at the concentration of 1 ~ 4 µg/mL. In addition, the effective antimicrobial effect was verified in vivo in a mouse model. And no detectable in vivo toxicity was found. These results indicated that AKBA has great potential to development as an alternative treatment for the refractory S. aureus infections.

Social and psychological problems experienced by people with chronic diseases in Algeria

The chronic diseases constitute pathological social phenomena as they have an impact on the organic construction for individuals; They make their roles and functions in the society regress and weak due to the results made by these diseases on their social, psychological, and economic lives as well. They make several problems which lead to struggles be it the patient with himself or with people surrounding him. Amongst the most known and dangerous diseases is kidney failure which is included at the last stage of kidney disease; The kidney completely loses its function and work leading by this to dialysis with medical equipments and apparatus. Undoubtedly, the patient, at the time of being acquainted with the disease, is exposed to psychological trauma such as: not accepting and not adapting to the disease. Following by social problems by time owed to the fact that the patient will not play his ordinary role whether inside the family or outside it leading him accordingly to pressures preventing him from adapting to the social reality. Therefore, we pose the following question: What are the major psychological and social problems that patients with kidney failure are suffering from?

3D printing in biomedicine: advancing personalized care through additive manufacturing

The integration of three-dimensional (3D) printing techniques into the domains of biomedical research and personalized medicine highlights the evolving paradigm shifts within contemporary healthcare. This technological advancement signifies potential breakthroughs in patient-specific therapeutic interventions and innovations. This systematic review offers a critical assessment of the existing literature, elucidating the present status, inherent challenges, and prospective avenues of 3D printing in augmenting biomedical applications and formulating tailored medical strategies. Based on an exhaustive literature analysis comprising empirical studies, case studies, and extensive reviews from the past decade, pivotal sectors including tissue engineering, prosthetic development, drug delivery systems, and customized medical apparatuses are delineated. The advent of 3D printing provides precision in the fabrication of patient-centric implants, bio-structures, and devices, thereby mitigating associated risks. Concurrently, it facilitates the ideation of individualized drug delivery paradigms to optimize therapeutic outcomes. Notwithstanding these advancements, issues concerning material biocompatibility, regulatory compliance, and the economic implications of avant-garde printing techniques persist. To fully harness the transformative potential of 3D printing in healthcare, collaborative endeavors amongst academicians, clinicians, industrial entities, and regulatory bodies are paramount. With continued research and innovation, 3D printing is poised to redefine the trajectories of biomedical science and patient-centric care. The paper aims to justify the research objective of whether to what extent the integration of 3D printing technology in biomedicine enhances patient-specific treatment and contributes to improved healthcare outcomes.

Evaluation of rate capability of SiPM-based X-ray counting detector

Scintillation radiation detectors based on silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) are widely used nowadays both in various medical apparatus and physics experiments, e.g., in PET. At the same time, this technology has great potential in terms of creating X-ray photon counting detectors, which are in demand both in medicine and applied research. In this work, we investigate the influence of main SiPM parameters on the overall system performance, as well as different methods of data readout. It is shown that the use of SiPMs with shorter cell recovery time and larger number of microcells makes it possible to achieve a rate capability of 12 Mcps (mega counts per second) per channel. At the same time, the scintillator decay time is still among the limiting factors for such systems.

Federated reinforcement learning based task offloading approach for MEC-assisted WBAN-enabled IoMT

The exponential proliferation of wearable medical apparatus and healthcare information within the framework of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) introduces supplementary complexities pertaining to the elevated Quality of Service (QoS) of intelligent healthcare in the forthcoming 6G era. Healthcare services and applications need ultra-reliable data transfer and processing with ultra-low latency and energy usage. Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN) and Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) technologies enabled IoMT to handle large amounts of data sensing, transmission, and processing while maintaining good QoS. Traditional frame aggregation (FA) systems in WBAN, on the other hand, create an excessive number of control frames during data transmission, resulting in significant latency and energy consumption, as well as a lack of flexibility. A Federated Reinforcement Learning (FRL) based TO Approach is recommended in this research. In the beginning, different types of service-related information were separated into queues with equal QoS needs. The duration of the FA was then automatically determined by the aggregation vertex based on energy consumption, latency, and throughput using FRL. Finally, based on the existing status, the amount of tasks offloaded was determined. The simulation results demonstrate that, as compared to the baseline schemes, the suggested FRLTO efficiently reduces energy consumption and latency while enhancing throughput and total WBAN utilization. Numerical results show that the proposed scheme improves the throughput by 37.06% and reduced the energy consumption by around 69.84% and time delay by about 6.23%, as compared to the state-of-the-art existing baseline schemes.

450-nm blue diode laser: a novel medical apparatus for upper tract urothelial lesions

ObjectiveTo explore the feasibility, safety and effectiveness of the 450-nm blue diode laser (BL), novel blue laser in the treatment of upper tract urothelial carcinomas (UTUCs) and other lesions in a porcine model.Material and methodsFor in vitro experiment, the ureter tissue was vaporised and coagulated with BL, green-light laser (GL) and Ho:YAG laser (Ho). The efficiency, width and depth of vaporisation, and depth of coagulation were recorded and compared. For in vivo experiments, four swines weighing 70 kg were used. In the acute group, different modes of operations were performed to evaluate the thermal damage, perforation and bleeding. In the chronic group, the overall appearance of the ureter and laser wound healing were observed by the naked eyes and H&E staining 3 weeks after surgery.ResultsIn in vitro study, the BL showed a higher efficiency of tissue vaporisation and less tissue coagulation for fresh ureter compared to GL and Ho. In the in vivo study, the power of BL set at 7 W was better, and the thickness of thermal damage varied with different surgery types in the range of 74–306 μm. After 3 weeks, the wound healed well static in vaporisation (SV), moving vaporisation (MV) and H&E staining indicated mucosal healing rather than scar healing.Conclusion5–10W blue diode laser achieved a higher efficiency of tissue vaporisation and less tissue coagulation in a porcine model, indicating its potential application in the endoscopic surgery of UTUC as an optional device with high performance and safety.

Highly transparent antibacterial polystyrene/styrene‐butadiene block copolymer/polyhexamethylene guanidine composite

AbstractThe combination of transparency, antibacterial activity, and flexbility is of great importance for practical applications in industry. However, this remains a huge challenge to date. In this work, a ternary system of polystyrene (PS), styrene‐butadiene block copolymer (SBC), and polyhexamethylene guanidine (PHMG) is reported via a green melt blending method. Because of the excellent compatibility of the components, the elongation at break of the composite increased by 3.0%. The composite shows high optical transparency of 81.8% owing to the similar refractive index of PS, SBC, and PHMG. More importantly, the addition of 0.3 wt% PHMG endows the composite with splendid antibacterial property, which eliminates 99.9% of E. coli and restrains the formation of the biological membrane. The composite is expected to find promising applications in medical industry and electrical apparatus.

Construction of Reinforced Self-Cleaning and Efficient Photothermal PDMS@GDY@Cu Sponges toward Anticorrosion and Antibacterial Applications.

Copper (Cu)-based materials are widely used in many fields from industry to life, including marine, medical apparatus and instruments, and microelectronic devices owing to their superior thermal, electrical, and mechanical properties. However, the interaction of copper with aggressive and fouling liquids under normal circumstances easily brings about severe bacterial accumulation, resulting in undesirable functionality degeneration and bacterial infections. In this contribution, we reported a novel copper-based sponge, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)@graphdiyne (GDY)@Cu, constructed by in situ synthesis of GDY on a commercial Cu sponge, followed by the modification of PDMS. The as-fabricated PDMS@GDY@Cu sponge not only possesses excellent self-cleaning activity against the pollution of daily drinks and dirt due to an improved static contact angle (~136°), but also display a remarkably enhanced anticorrosion performance, attributed to intimate coverage of chemically stable GDY and PDMS on the Cu sponge. Based on high photothermal effect of GDY, the PDMS@GDY@Cu sponge also displays significantly improved antibacterial activities under irradiation. In addition, due to excellent chemical stability of PDMS and GDY, self-cleaning behavior and photothermal-assisted antibacterial performance are well maintained after long-term attack of bacteria. These results demonstrate that GDY-based functional coatings hold great promises in the protection of copper devices under harsh conditions.

Multifunctional fabrics based on copper sulfide with excellent electromagnetic interference shielding performance for medical electronics and physical therapy

With the rapid development of medical electronics, remarkable electromagnetic interference shielding materials are designed extensively to weaken undesirable electromagnetic waves under a variety of conditions, while needing multifunctional applications. So far, it remains an urgent requirement to effectively construct electromagnetic interference shielding materials with photothermal antibacterial activity in the medical devices field. Herein, the low-cost, environmentally friendly, flexible, durable, and multifunctional PDMS@CuS@PSF fabric for medical electronics is manufactured via in-situ growth of copper sulfide (CuS) and then encapsulation of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Owing to the double advantages of semiconductor CuS with conductive and absorbing near-infrared light strongly, PDMS@CuS@PSF fabrics exhibit satisfying electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness of 46 dB and outstanding photothermal conversion for sterilization. Benefiting from the encapsulation, PDMS@CuS@PSF fabrics further improve hydrophobicity and mechanical stability (>2000 cycles folding test). Besides, PDMS@CuS@PSF fabrics integrate functions of physical therapy and monitoring sensors simultaneously. Therefore, such high-performance fabrics based CuS offer facile substantial application prospects in medical electronic apparatus and physical therapy monitoring.

A novel medical apparatus for the containment and evaluation of a pediatric patient under suspicion for highly communicable infectious disease.

Highly communicable infectious diseases (HCIDs) such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and Ebola are a containment challenge for the emergency department (ED). Donning and doffing personal protective equipment is necessary to protect healthcare workers but is time consuming and rife with errors. Furthermore, children present an additional containment challenge since they are often unable to follow directions or be separated from family members. To address these challenges, a novel child-friendly medical apparatus was developed for the rapid containment and evaluation of a HCID patient in the ED. The primary objective was to determine if routine emergency triage procedures (vital signs and basic physical examination) can be performed using this medical apparatus. The secondary objective was to determine if invasive procedures (bag-valve-mask ventilation and endotracheal intubation) can be performed. This was a prospective pilot study. A clear acrylic apparatus was built containing arm ports with gloves, simulating a specialized HCID barrier. Emergency physicians attempted routine triage procedures on a healthy volunteer and invasive procedures using a simulation mannequin through this apparatus. Twenty-four physicians were enrolled. All physicians (100 percent) successfully obtained vital signs, auscultated heart/lung sounds, completed bag-valve-mask ventilation, and performed intubation through the apparatus. This novel apparatus is a feasible tool in the rapid evaluation of a HCID patient in the ED. A future study is needed to assess protection and training using this apparatus.

The Analysis of the Assortment of Nootropic Drugs Registered in The Republic of Uzbekistan

This article utilized data from the state registers of registered medications, medical supplies, and medical apparatus in No. 22 of 2018, No. 23 of 2019, No. 24 of 2020, No. 25 of 2021, and No. 26 of 2022 in the Republic of Uzbekistan. On the basis of the received data, a variety of analyses of nootropic medicines registered in the Republic of Uzbekistan were performed.10.47191/ijcsrr/V6-i6-47