Medical Industry Research Articles

Application of polymer adhesive hydrogel in wound healing

As the global adhesive industry continues to grow, researchers are discovering that polymer adhesives are playing an increasing role in the medical field, polymer adhesives have attracted more and more attention from the medical industry due to their unique advantages, such as hydrogels, have gradually appeared, which can effectively help wound healing. Most of the hydrogels have good biocompatibility and water absorption, and have the advantages of controllable structure, adjustable performance and easy degradation. Compared with traditional wound healing methods, hydrogels effectively reduce additional trauma and leakage and allow for greater tissue integration. This paper reviews the types of polymeric adhesive hydrogels and examples of some of them being artificially modified to be applied to the field of wound healing. Analyzes their mechanism of action and the advantages and shortcomings of their clinical applications, and finally looks into the potential functions and clinical efficacy of hydrogels in the future.

Exploring In Vitro Antibiofilm Potential and In Vivo Toxicity Assessment of Gold Nanoparticles.

In this study, biogenically synthesized AuNPs were first characterized via UV visible spectroscopy, SEM, XRD, and FTIR followed by toxicity evaluation using mice model. UV-visible spectroscopy of biogenic AuNPs showed peaks at 540-549 nm, while FTIR spectrum showed various functional groups involving O-H, Amide I, Amide II, O-H, C-H groups, and so on. SEM showed the size variation from 30 to 60 nm. Antibacterial potential against pathogenic isolates showed bigger ZOI (31.0 mm) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa AuNPs. Antibiofilm activity showing up to 100% inhibition at 90 µg mL-1 concentration of AuNPs. Toxicity evaluation showed LD50 as 70 mg kg-1. Exposure to AuNPs caused significant changes in the levels of serum AST (p < 0.05) at 100-150 mg kg-1 of AuNPs exposure. Histopathology of male albino mice kidney and liver revealed that mice exposed to maximum concentration of AuNPs showed necrosis, cell distortion, and hepatocytes detachment. Present study showed that biologically synthesized AuNPs possess effective antimicrobial and biofilm inhibitory potential. AuNPs strong bactericidal effect even at lower concentration suggest that NPs could have excellent potential for combating pathogens. In conclusion, nanotechnology may revolutionize human life and medical industry by developing innovative drugs with the potential to treat diseases in shorter and noninvasive time period. Hence, in vitro biosafety and experimental observations followed by in vivo outcomes are crucial in shifting the novel therapeutics into medical practice thus leading further into their future development.

Exploring demographic, healthcare, and socio-economic factors as predictors of COVID-19 incidence rate: A spatial regression analysis.

This study investigated the relationship between demographic, healthcare, and socio-economic factors, and COVID-19 incidence rate per 100,000 population in Thailand at the province level between January 2020 and March 2022, using a five-phase approach by spatial analysis. OLS models were initially used with significant variables: household, hospital, and industry density, nighttime light index (NTLI). Spatial dependency led to spatial error (SEM) and spatial lag models (SLM), performing better with similar significant variables being applied. SEM explains 58, 65 and, 70 percent in Wave 1, 4 and 5 of COVID-19 variation. SLM explains 25 and 76 percent in Wave 2 and 3 of incidence rate. Positive associations were found between incidence and household density, hospital/medical establishments with beds, Nighttime Light Index (NTLI), and negative with population, hospital, and industry density. Wave 5 showed significant changes with negative for household, hospital, and industry density, urban population; positive for hospital/medical establishments with beds, internet access, NTLI. The study showed that significant predictors of COVID-19 incidence rate vary across waves. Population, household and hospital density, urbanization, access to medical facilities, industrialization, internet access, and NTLI all play a role. The study suggests SEM and SLM models are more appropriate, providing useful information for policymakers and health officials in managing pandemic in Thailand.

7.O. Skills building seminar: Initiating change: Mainstreaming equity and diversity in public health

Abstract Background Consideration of the increasing population cultural and ethnic diversity and the widening of social gaps is essential for narrowing health inequities. While tailored and targeted measures for populations at risk of social disadvantage are needed, mainstreaming and integration of diversity and inclusion perspectives in all public health measures are required. To our knowledge, the EU Joint Action for Cardiovascular diseases and diabetes (JACARDI) is the first large-scale program to apply a systematic and harmonized approach for integrating equity and diversity perspectives. Objectives The main objective of the workshop is skills building in integration of equity and diversity perspectives in practice through: 1) Introducing the key requirements for achieving EU-wide programme change, drawing from several decades of experience in projects conducted in over 30 countries, including those partnered with the World Health Organization, governments and industry. 2) Outlining a practical tool in the format of an equity and diversity matrix designed for integrating equity and diversity perspectives developed within the JACARDI project to support implementation of 142 sub-projects in 21 partner countries. 3) A practical participatory group work based on the JACARDI equity and diversity maturity matrix, followed by a moderated discussion. The workshop acts as a valuable platform for sharing and building collaborative knowledge across European countries and empowering participants as initiators for sustainable, more equitable, and diversity inclusive public health actions. It provides practical and concrete skills on equity and diversity that participants can apply in their work and disseminate within their organizations. The presentations will build knowledge, while group work and the moderated discussion will build skills among participants on the workshop topic. Format of the workshop Two presentations followed by participatory group work and a moderated discussion among workshop participants and presenters. Key messages • Population diversity should be systematically mainstreamed in public health to effectively and sustainably narrow persisting health inequities. • An equity and diversity maturity matrix can be used as a practical tool for systematic integration and monitoring of diversity perspectives in practice.

Key requirements for achieving EU-wide programme change

Abstract Issue Across the world, thousands of projects aim for equitable improvement in health for people who are experiencing ongoing avoidable stigma, discrimination and disadvantage however very little change is often achieved. Description of the problem In this presentation we explore key requirements for project-level change to ensure EU-wide programme change is achieved. Results The two most common causes of project failure are a) the innovation is not suitable, needed or wanted (also called theory failure) or b) implementation failure. This presentation shares strategies to mitigate risks of project failure through co-design processes and communication, drawing from 30 years of experience from the entire implementation process from ideation to scale up. These experiences include projects from over 30 countries, including partnerships with the World Health Organization, governments and industry focused on health literacy, self-management, care pathways, workplace health, hospital services redesign, First Nations health and migrant health. Common success factors include balancing top-down needs with co-designed inputs and with previous preferred or good practice (which may have come from controlled trial evidence generated in different contexts). The intervention must co-implemented to serve stakeholder’s needs at all levels, from citizens to decision makers. Lessons The United Nations (UN) and private sector apply system-wide approaches to affect large scale change. This knowledge is valuable for large public health programmes aiming to integrate equity and diversity in project processes to minimize implementation failure.

Vaccine Quality Challenges in Secretly Traded H5 and H9 Avian Influenza Vaccines in Nigeria

Avian Influenza Virus (AIV) especially the highly pathogenic subtype H5Nx causes Avian Influenza (AI) disease and it is a major threat to the poultry industry and public health worldwide. Vaccination is one of the control measures in many countries, though restricted in Nigeria. As such, some poultry farmers secretly employ imported H5 and H9 AI vaccines to vaccinate their chickens. This study investigated the antigenic quality of these imported vaccines. Four imported vaccine brands were tested using Hemagglutination (HA) test and Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RTPCR). All four vaccine samples tested negative in the HA test, indicating a lack of detectable HA antigen titer. Similarly, RT-PCR failed to amplify the targeted region of the viral matrix gene in any of the vaccine samples against reference control. These negative results are of great concern and suggest that the imported H5 and H9 vaccines lack essential antigens that could stimulate antibodies. Thus, potentially rendering them ineffective against circulating AI subtypes. The failure in antigenic quality could be due to myriads of factors including improper storage, transport (often due to illegal import), or limitations in the original vaccine production process. Regardless of the specific cause, these findings highlight the potential risks associated with the use of unregulated vaccines. Poultry farmers who use these imported vaccines may be incurring unnecessary costs while receiving a false sense of security for their flocks. In conclusion, due to the apparent lack of efficacious antigens, we suggest a quality monitoring of imported H5 and H9 vaccines in Nigeria for compliance with local regulations on vaccine use, biosecurity measures and investigation into the root causes of the vaccine failure observed in this study.

The use of artificial intelligence in colonoscopic evaluations.

This review aims to highlight the transformative impact of artificial intelligence in the field of gastrointestinal endoscopy, particularly in the detection and characterization of colorectal polyps. Over the past decade, artificial intelligence has significantly advanced the medical industry, including gastrointestinal endoscopy. Computer aided diagnosis - detection (CADe) systems have shown notable success in increasing ADR. Recent meta-analyses of RCTs have demonstrated that patients undergoing colonoscopy with CADe assistance had a higher ADR compared with conventional methods. Similarly, computer aided diagnosis - characterization (CADx) systems have proven effective in distinguishing between adenomatous and nonadenomatous polyps, enhancing diagnostic confidence and supporting cost-saving measures like the resect-and-discard strategy. Despite the high performance of these systems, the variability in real-world adoption highlights the importance of integrating artificial intelligence as an assistive tool rather than a replacement for human expertise. Artificial intelligence integration in colonoscopy, through CADe and CADx systems, marks a significant advancement in gastroenterology. These systems enhance lesion detection and characterization, leading to improved diagnostic accuracy, training outcomes, and clinical workflow efficiency. While artificial intelligence offers substantial benefits, the optimal approach involves using artificial intelligence to augment the expertise of endoscopists, ensuring that clinical decisions remain under human oversight.

Articial Intelligence - Driven Prediction of Health Issues in Infants - A Review

Advances in technology and data availability have helped in improving the quality of care and in predicting health issues in infants. Currently, Information and Communication technology aids in reaching the essentiality and the applications of infant health to a greater extent. Over a few decades, researchers have dived into sensing and the prediction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for infant health. Since these healthcare systems deal with large amounts of data, significant development is seen in several computing platforms. AI, including both machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL), plays a crucial role in the medical industry in the prediction and classification of various infant diseases. The prediction of diseases in infants using extubation readiness and their utility ranges is still lacking. Thus, the present study aims to present a complete review of the adaption of ML and DL approaches to infant health prediction. The current review paper provides a complete overview of the research predicting infant health issues. Effectual comparisons are made among the AI approaches performing infant disease prediction. Furthermore, the paper identifies the research gaps and the future direction of the research in the present domain. A comprehensive form of analysis of the current landscapes involved in predicting infant health issues using AI is presented.

An Analysis of the Growth Trends and Factors Influencing Wellness Tourism in Thailand over the Past Five Years

Wellness tourism has emerged as one of the most sought-after destinations in Thailand, increasing greatly and gaining considerable attention in the last few years. Despite this fact, the growth of wellness tourism in Thailand has still not been explained fully. Therefore, the present exploratory investigation will examine the specifics of tourism for wellness in Thailand while uncovering the underlying patterns and trends that can be discerned, thereby delivering relevant insights and valuable knowledge to various stakeholders involved in this thriving business. In sum, a total of ten very detailed and well-conducted in-depth interviews were carried out face-to-face, using a thoughtfully prepared combination of open-ended and probing questions. In particular, the concept of the Compound Growth Rate - CGR - model has been described, analyzed and subsequently applied to identify the quantitative growth and relative size of the phenomenon under consideration in the country. Moreover, an in-depth analysis was made about the identification of the major market players and stakeholders participating in the medical, health and welfare tourism industry. Also, challenges and opportunities that may emerge for the health, welfare, and wellness tourism sectors in Thailand were discussed. In concluding, this study gave an input into dynamically interlinked impacts and components of both the demand and supply sides of the healthcare and tourism sectors in Thailand, where decision-making and strategic planning can effectively be grounded.

Evaluation of Surface Finishing Efficiency of Titanium Alloy Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V) After Superfinishing Using Abrasive Films.

Ti-6Al-4V is the most commonly used alpha-beta titanium alloy, making it the most prevalent among all titanium alloys. The processed material is widely employed in aerospace, medical, and other industries requiring moderate strength, a good strength-to-weight ratio, and favorable corrosion resistance. A microfinishing process on the titanium alloy surface was conducted using abrasive films with grain sizes of 30, 12, and 9 μm. Superfinishing with abrasive films is a sequential process, where finishing operations are performed with tools of progressively smaller grains. The surface topography measurements of the workpiece were taken after each operation. The experiment was in the direction of developing a new surface smoothness coefficient considering the number and distribution of contact points so as to properly evaluate the quality of the surface finishing. The results showed that the finest-grain films gave the most uniform contact points, thus offering the best tribological characteristics; the 9 LF (micron lapping film) tools gave the smoothest surfaces (Sz = 2 µm), while the biggest-grain films, such as the 30 FF (micron microfinishing film), were less effective since large protrusions formed. This is a suitable study to explore the optimization paths for the superfinishing of titanium alloys, with implications for improving the performance and longevity of components in critical industrial applications.

Folic acid, cobalamin, and biotin concentrations in milk samples of sheep, goats, and cows

Milk is an important food obtained from mammals, containing almost all of the nutrients needed for metabolism. The vitamin composition of milk, the first food of mammals, is valuable data for the food industry and public health. This study aimed to determine the levels of folic acid (vitamin B9), cobalamin (vitamin B12), and biotin (vitamin B7) in different milk samples (cow, sheep, goat) using the ELISA method. For this purpose, milk samples from Holstein Cows (n:50), Awassi Sheep (n:50), and Kilis Goats (n:50) available for retail in the Şanlıurfa province of Turkey were collected and analyzed. In this study, the average folic acid content of sheep, goat, and cow milk was found to be 3.45 µg/100 mL, 7.23 µg/100 ml, and 6.64 µg/100 mL, respectively. The average cobalamin content of sheep, goat, and cow milk was 0.70 µg/100 ml, 7.43 µg/100 ml, and 0.58 µg/100 mL, respectively, while the average biotin content of sheep, goat, and cow milk was 2.21 µg/100 mL, 2.21 µg/100 mL, and 2.09 µg/100 mL, respectively. It was noted that the average biotin levels in sheep, goat, and cow milk did not differ significantly. However, significant differences were observed in the quantities of folic acid and cobalamin (P&lt;0.05). Different levels of folic acid were found in milk samples from these three species. Cobalamin levels in goat milk samples were significantly higher, while biotin levels were similar in each milk sample of the species. This study underscores the importance of understanding and considering the diverse vitamin compositions of milk from different mammalian species to ensure comprehensive nutritional intake.

Construction of a mathematical model of turbulent heat and mass transfer processes for the case of electron beam melting of titanium alloy casts

This paper describes a mathematical model built for turbulent heat and mass transfer processes in the case of electron beam melting of titanium alloy ingots. The object of research is the conditions that ensure the quality of ingots. The model makes it possible to calculate the distribution of hydrodynamic flows in the liquid metal and temperature fields in the ingot, to determine the profile of the metal crystallization front, taking into account the interphase transition zones. The model solves the problem of finding the necessary melting regimes of ingots by calculation, in contrast to high-cost natural experiments. The thermal and hydrodynamic processes during the melting of a cylindrical ingot with a diameter of 110 mm of the newest titanium alloy Ti-6Al-7Nb for medical use were calculated and its melting parameters were determined. The small diameter of the ingot significantly facilitates its further machining. The geometry of the two-phase zone of the liquidus-solidus transition, which determines the crystallization front of the metal, was calculated. The position and geometry of this front greatly affects the quality of ingot formation and the concentration of the distribution of alloying elements and the homogeneity of the metal across its volume. A sufficiently flat crystallization front has been obtained, under which the given conditions are ensured. It was found that heat transfer in the liquid phase of the metal is mainly caused by heat and mass transfer due to its movement, and heat and mass transfer significantly depends on the power of the electron beam and its distribution on the surface of the bath. According to the calculated regimes, at the Institute of Electric Welding named after E. O. Paton, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, high-quality ingots for the needs of the medical industry were smelted. The castings are used for the manufacture of light and ultra-strong endoprostheses and implants, which are chemically neutral and biologically and biomechanically compatible with the human body and do not cause rejection.

Antimicrobial Activity of Corynebacterium amycolatum ICIS 53 and Corynebacterium amycolatum ICIS 82 Against Urogenital Isolates of Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Intermicrobial interactions play a key role in the regulation of microbial populations and the colonization of various ecological niches. In the present study, we assessed the effect of cell-free supernatants (CFSs) from the vaginal isolates Corynebacterium amycolatum ICIS 53 and Corynebacterium amycolatum ICIS 82 on urogenital test strain biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus. Our studies showed that the CFSs of both C. amycolatum strains significantly reduced biofilm formation and disrupted preformed S. aureus biofilms. Pretreatment with C. amycolatum ICIS 53 or C. amycolatum ICIS 82 CFSs decreased the cell surface hydrophobicity and exopolysaccharide production of all the test S. aureus isolates. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results showed that the CFSs of corynebacteria caused the S. aureus biofilms to be small clusters scattered across the surface, there were no fibres or adhesions between cells, and the cell membrane was not damaged. Treatment of preformed biofilms with CFSs from both C. amycolatum strains resulted in a flat, scattered, and unstructured architecture. The S. aureus cell membrane was damaged. GC‒MS analysis of the CFS of C. amycolatum ICIS 53 revealed the presence of 22 chemical compounds, including long-chain fatty alcohols, esters, fatty acids and heterocyclic pyrrolizines and pyrazoles, that, according to the literature, exhibit a wide range of biological activities. The results of the present work provide insight for the study of Corynebacterium microorganisms as a source of multifunctional bioactive compounds, which may find promising applications in the medical, biotechnological and pharmaceutical industries.

Pandemic Exercises: Lessons for a New Era in Pandemic Preparedness.

We led the last large-scale exercise conducted by the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security before the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite COVID-19, pandemic exercises are more necessary than ever to prevent the loss of hard-fought gains achieved during COVID-19, keep policymakers from assuming all pandemics will be like COVID-19, and encourage continued engagement from policymakers in strengthening health resilience rather than returning to a cycle of panic and neglect. Pandemic exercises can also advance new solutions necessary to effectively meet the challenge of a future pandemic. Over 2 decades, the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security has developed and conducted 6 large-scale, high-level tabletop pandemic exercises. These exercises and others were designed to increase policy focus on the most critical needs in pandemic preparedness and heighten the urgency for making these changes in the near future. Pandemic experts and policymakers alike have highlighted the importance of exercises to ensure that all key actors involved in pandemic response-including the government, healthcare, public health, emergency response, and private business and industry sectors-understand both the best practices and policies to pursue before a pandemic and what to do once a pandemic occurs. These advance efforts can enhance planning, resource allocation, and coordination ahead of time and identify unique gaps and barriers. This commentary describes the approach we have developed to create and conduct such exercises and highlights key considerations that were important to successful outcomes.

An effective non‐restarting control chart based on the joint judgment

AbstractThe cumulative sum (CUSUM) and exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) control charts have been widely used in industry and public health applications. Still, few researchers have paid attention to the practical problem in public health applications, in which the control chart statistic cannot be reset to zero after an out‐of‐control (OC) signal. Some studies have addressed this issue by adding an upper limit to the statistic or using adaptive hypothesis testing (AHT). However, the control chart with an upper limit added to the testing statistic leads to a loss of information, and the post‐outbreak false alarm rate is still higher than the restarting control chart. The AHT control charts could not quickly alarm for the pandemic outbreak alarm as expected. To improve these drawbacks of control chart monitoring, two phase‐II non‐restarting (NR) CUSUM–EWMA control charts with the AHT framework, named NR–CUSUM–EWMA and AHUTNR–CUSUM–EWMA control charts, are proposed to well alarm for the pandemic outbreak. The AHTUNR–CUSUM–EWMA control chart uses the joint judgment of the UNR–CUSUM–EWMA (uncorrected NR–CUMSUM–EWMA) and NR–CUSUM–EWMA control charts, and the run rule to enhance the efficiency of the pandemic outbreak alarm. Simulation results show that the proposed NR–CUSUM–EWMA and AHUTNR–CUSUM–EWMA control charts can well maintain the outbreak alarm rate and post‐outbreak false alarm rate without losing cumulative information. Finally, the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed method are illustrated by an application to measles surveillance in North Rhine‐Westphalia, Germany.

Fuzzy flexible job shop dynamic scheduling considering machine remaining processing capacity

Dynamic fuzzy flexible job shop scheduling (DFFJSP) is significant in the medical equipment industry. Generally the dynamic flexible job shop scheduling problem considers a single dynamic factor or ignores resources such as machine itself also plays a huge role in dealing dynamic issues. Thus fuzzy processing time and machine breakdowns are considered in this paper. In order to copy with two problems mentioned above, the model of DFFJSP containing two objectives of makespan and energy consumption is established. To solve this problem, the remaining processing capacity of broken machine is applied to weaken the impacts of machine breakdowns and a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm (NG-WOA) is proposed, which integrating NSGA-II and whale optimal algorithm (WOA). Furthermore, the joining of variable neighborhood search makes NG-WOA skip the local optimum solution in time. Through experiments, the validity of remaining processing capacity is verified in rescheduling scheme. Then NG-WOA algorithm is proven can find better solutions when compared with other two algorithms according to the distribution of pareto forefront solutions in benchmark examples. The results of this paper show that the remaining processing capacity has greater advantages in guaranteeing the stability of dynamic scheduling problems, because the machine’s processing capacity can be utilized fully compared to previous strategies for fault disturbances.

Empirical estimation of metal powder bed fusion technological improvement rate

AbstractThis study empirically estimates the technological improvement rate (TIR) of metal powder bed fusion (PBF) technology, widely used in aerospace, automotive, and medical industries. PBF's continuous long-term adoption growth is driven by its ability to enhance manufacturing efficiency in terms of time and raw material use, as well as its capability to produce high-quality, high-strength, complex-shaped parts. Measuring the technological development of PBF is crucial as itis enlarging its application domain and is increasingly considered a viable alternative to traditional manufacturing technologies across a broader range of applications. We resorted to the literature to collect information and assess which technical parameters are most relevant to measure the capabilities of PBF. With those, we established an ideal functional performance metric (FPM) capable of comprehensively assessing PBF's technological performance improvement. Considering all available data sources and PBF machines ever made commercially available, a data set of technical parameters was constructed. This was followed by a data curation process focusing on data availability and reliability. The resultant practical FPM was used to estimate the TIR of PBF technology. By employing regression analysis, we estimate a yearly improvement of 26.8%. This empirical rate comes as a more accurate and reliable substitute to the previously indirectly estimated patent-derived rate of 33.3%. Our findings underscore PBF's capability of keeping pace with its growing significance and wider industrial applications. The results of this study provide a key metric for those in the industry and research, confirming the rapid performance growth and establishing a standard for future industrial uses.

3-Dimensional Printing in Healthcare: Manufacturing Techniques and Applications

3D printing and additive manufacturing are interchangeable terms. Additive manufacturing builds models layer by layer using a variety of laser-based or sophisticated printing processes. While this was one of the earliest techniques for 3D printing, the field now widely uses a number of other patented methods. The objective is to analyze the success rate of 3D printing in healthcare. The medical industry has found 3D printing to be highly beneficial in recent years. The application of 3D printing technology allows for greater customization of the therapeutic process, which enhances treatment safety, accuracy, and precision. On the other hand, the disclosure of new materials for 3D printing occurs frequently. For some producers, the right materials might just be a few months or years away. However, printing certain materials may be difficult or impossible. Excellent results are not always possible with 3D printers. We can conclude that 3D printing represents one of the most advanced techniques in healthcare.

A Comparative Evaluation of New and Used Dental Explorer Working Tips

Abstract The dental explorer medical device assists multiple functions, including marginal assessment. The working tip quality of this instrument has been previously established as a factor affecting operator judgment. However, little data exists to demonstrate the actual quality of working tips in clinical practice. The purpose of this study is to investigate and quantify if any real, measurable differences of the explorer working tip dimension exist among such instruments currently in service and compare to published medical device industry standards. Twenty new #23 dental explorer instruments from two manufacturers served as controls and sixty-three instruments in circulation at a dental school clinic were observed using light microscopy. The instruments were measured 50 micrometers from the terminus. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to analyze values among groups. No statistically significant difference between the mean working tip dimension of new instruments was detected between brands. However, statistically significant differences between new and used instruments were detected regardless of brand. The range of values was 92.5–227.5 micrometers with average used instrument tip estimated over 50% wider than the average new instrument. These findings imply that other studies employing a dental explorer may be confounded if the instrument is not measured. Furthermore, the results of this study should serve as a motivating factor toward future research to update quality standards regarding the medical device with a goal of defining acceptable dimensions of the instrument working tip for certain applications in relation to clinical performance and expected outcomes.

Glucono-δ-lactone induced Auricularia auricula polysaccharide-casein composite gels for curcumin loading and delivery

Polysaccharides could be used to form the network structure of casein (CA) gel, and affect its gelling properties. Auricularia auricula polysaccharide (AAP) has good gel properties and activity, however, how the AAP affects gelling properties of CA gels remains unclear. In this study, AAP and CA were acid-induced by glucono-δ-lactone (GDL) to prepare composite gels for curcumin loading. The effects of different AAP additions on the gel structure were emphasized. Water holding capacity, rheology, texture profile analysis, sulfhydryl content, surface hydrophobicity and gel microstructure showed that the composite gels were most structurally stable upon addition of 0.4 % AAP. The composite gels exhibited a higher strength and a more regular network structure compared to the CA gels. The results of turbidity studies showed that CA and AAP formed gels through electrostatic interactions due to pH < pI. The results of FT-IR, X-ray diffraction, fluorescence spectroscopy, and UV–Vis spectroscopy indicated that curcumin interacted with the CA and was successfully encapsulated within the gel. In addition, in vitro simulated digestion experiments demonstrated that the composite gels exhibited better protection against curcumin than the single CA gel. The results suggested that composite gels can be used as a curcumin carrier, which may enhance its wider application in the food and health industries.