Reusable Devices Research Articles

A pilot study examining patient preference and satisfaction for ava®, a reusable electronic injection device to administer certolizumab pegol

ABSTRACT Background Anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) adherence is suboptimal. ava®, a reusable electromechanical self-injection device (e-Device) developed for certolizumab pegol (CZP) administration, aims to overcome some barriers to increase adherence. This study evaluates patient experience of the e-Device and its training materials and determines patient device preference. Methods CZP-treated patients were recruited from the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden. Patients completed a pre-injection Assessment of Self-Injection (ASI) questionnaire investigating self-injection perception. After training, patients administered 3 consecutive self-injections using the e-Device, patient experience of each was assessed using the post-injection ASI. An additional questionnaire evaluated training materials. After Injection 3, patients indicated their preference: the e-Device or their previous device. Results 59 patients participated; most rated the e-Device highly for satisfaction, self-confidence and ease of use. The (negative) feelings and pain and skin reactions domains had low ratings. Post-injection ASI domain scores were similar following each of the 3 e-Device injections. Training materials were rated highly (video: 8.4/10; step-by-step guide: 8.4/10). 57.1% (32/56) patients preferred the e-Device over their previous self-injection device. Conclusions Patients were satisfied with the e-Device and most preferred it over other self-injection devices. By improving patient experience, the e-Device may help increase medication adherence.

Effect of a Spay Simulator on Student Competence and Anxiety

Spay simulation has gained attention at colleges of veterinary medicine that seek to utilize low-cost models in lieu of more cost-prohibitive high-fidelity devices or cadaveric specimens. A spay simulator was developed to provide veterinary students at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine a reusable, inexpensive, and error-enabled device for self-practice in anticipation of a live canine ovariohysterectomy. Seventy-four students were recruited, half of whom participated in spay simulation training. A survey was designed to capture students' state and trait anxiety, as well as their self-assessed perceived levels of competence, confidence, and knowledge of anatomy, before and after their live animal surgery. During the live surgical laboratories, surgical competencies were assessed using the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) for operative performance. We hypothesized that the spay simulation training group would have higher reported levels of competence, confidence, and knowledge of anatomy. Additionally, students enrolled in spay simulation training were expected to exhibit a lower level of post-operative anxiety and higher OSATS scores compared with the control group. Results demonstrated a significant increase in perceived anatomical knowledge and improvement in perceived competence level following spay simulation training as compared with the control group. Areas of no difference included perceived confidence, OSATS scores, and overall level of anxiety. The results of this study demonstrate that this low-fidelity spay simulator has a unique place in student surgical training, producing novice surgeons with increased perceived competence and knowledge of anatomy following spay simulation training and live animal surgery.

Effect of a Condom Cover on Vaginal Photoplethysmographic Responses

IntroductionThe vaginal photoplethysmograph (VPP) is a reusable intravaginal device often employed in sexual psychophysiology studies to assess changes in vaginal blood flow, an indicator of sexual arousal. AimTo test whether placing a disposable cover on the VPP probe impacts the acquired data. A condom cover would reduce risk of disease transmission and likely increase participant comfort but may negatively impact the VPP signal. MethodThe genital responses of 25 cisgender women (mean age = 21.3 years, standard deviation = 2.6) were assessed with VPP in a within-subjects design with 2 conditions—with and without a polyisoprene condom cover. Sexual responses were elicited by audiovisual film clips that varied in erotic intensity: nonsexual (nonsexual male-female interaction), low-intensity sexual (nude exercise), and high-intensity sexual (male-female intercourse). Women continuously rated their sexual arousal during stimulus presentations. Main Outcome MeasureChange in vaginal pulse amplitude and also self-reported sexual arousal. ResultsThe magnitude of sexual response to each stimulus category and the overall pattern of results were found to be highly similar in the cover-off and cover-on conditions. The high-intensity sexual stimulus category elicited a greater sexual response than all other categories. The low-intensity sexual category elicited a (small) genital response in only the cover-on condition, although we suspect this is a spurious finding. There was no difference in the average number of edited movement artifacts across conditions. Clinical ImplicationsPotential benefits of encasing the VPP probe with a protective cover include enhanced participant safety and comfort, especially if assessing genital responses of high-risk or immunocompromised samples. The use of a cover complies with current guidelines for reprocessing semi-critical medical devices (eg, vaginal ultrasound probes) in many regions. Strengths & LimitationsAlthough the idea of a VPP probe cover had been discussed among sexual psychophysiology researchers, this is the first study to empirically test whether a cover could jeopardize VPP data. Potential limitations include the use of a 10-Hz VPP sampling rate and a cover that was not tailored to the size of the VPP probe. ConclusionPlacing a protective cover on the VPP probe did not appear to meaningfully impact sexual arousal or the VPP data. Based on these results and the potential advantages of a protective cover, researchers may wish to integrate the use a condom cover in their experiment protocols and clinical applications.Sawatsky ML, Lalumière ML. Effect of a Condom Cover on Vaginal Photoplethysmographic Responses. J Sex Med 2020; 17:702–715.

A Novel Intermediate Attachment to Reduce Contamination in Reusable Core Needle Biopsy Devices

Abstract One barrier to breast cancer diagnosis in low-resource settings is that devices for core needle biopsy (CNB) are either disposable and expensive, or reusable and susceptible to internal contamination. Through interviews with field workers and verification experiments, we identified that a common, commercially available, reusable CNB device allows contaminants to enter the driver chamber during firing, necessitating laborious cleaning of the entire device after every use. We introduce a novel CNB device attachment that eliminates this contamination mode and interfaces with existing commercial reusable drivers and low-cost disposable needles. This attachment repositions the driver–needle connection to the exterior of the driver, preventing retrograde flow of blood. Using an unmodified commercial CNB, we replicate chamber contamination by firing into a body fluid-mimicking glycerol solution. Prototypes were tested for their performance in eliminating this contamination. We tested the effectiveness of a cleaning procedure to reduce trace contamination by using a fluorescent dye and measuring the intensity of fluorescence after cleaning. The device's ability to reliably and consistently biopsy tissue with the novel attachment was evaluated using breast tissue models. In these tests, a reusable CNB with our attachment exhibited no measurable internal contamination, and maintained full biopsy functionality as measured by tissue sample weight and length. Minimizing internal device contamination would simplify the cleaning process for reusable biopsy devices. This would improve the accessibility of breast cancer biopsies in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Improved Treatment of Postpartum Hemorrhage: Design, Development, and Bench-Top Validation of a Reusable Intrauterine Tamponade Device for Low-Resource Settings

AbstractPostpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide, and effective interventions for addressing PPH are urgently needed. Uterine balloon tamponade (UBT) is a technique to control PPH. Commercially available UBT devices are expensive and frequently require imaging technology to ensure placement. Condom-catheter uterine tamponade (C-UBT) is a technique appropriate for low-resource settings. Testing of the C-UBT is needed to better understand and optimize this technique for use in a variety of clinical settings including low-resource contexts. We describe here the design, development, and bench-top validation of a reusable C-UBT device optimized for low-resource settings. The device was tested in three differently sized uterine models using a variety of condom balloon configurations. Intrauterine wall pressure application was measured to evaluate the device capacity to apply pressure of at least 90 mmHg, estimating the mean arterial pressure within the uterine vasculature. Bench-top experimental validation of pressure exerted in uterine models demonstrated the device's capability of reaching hemostatic pressure in uterine volumes ranging from 170 to 1740 mL. Device adaptability and versatility were shown through its ability to reach the target pressure of 90 mmHg in different uterine sizes by varying balloon parameters, including condom thickness and condom configuration. The results of this study show the potential of a low-cost, reusable C-UBT device optimized to treat PPH in a variety of clinical settings, including low-resource contexts.

Cost effectiveness of a novel device for improving resuscitation of apneic newborns

BackgroundIntrapartum-related hypoxic events are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in low resource countries. Neonates who receive proper resuscitation may go on to live otherwise healthy lives. However, even when a birth attendant is present, these babies frequently receive suboptimal ventilation with poor outcomes. The Augmented Infant Resuscitator (AIR) is a low-cost, reusable device designed to provide birth attendants real-time objective feedback on measures of ventilation quality during resuscitations and is intended for use in training and at the point of care. The goal of our study was to determine the impact and cost-effectiveness of AIR deployment in conjunction with existing resuscitation training programs in low resource settings.MethodsWe developed a simulation model of the natural history of intrapartum-related neonatal hypoxia and resuscitation deriving parameters from published literature and model calibration. Simulations estimated the number of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) averted with use of the AIR by birth attendants if deployed at the point of care. Potential decreases in neonatal mortality and long-term subsequent morbidity from disability were modeled over a lifetime horizon. The primary outcome for the analysis was the cost per DALY averted. Model parameters were specific to the Mbeya region of Tanzania.ResultsImplementation of the AIR strategy resulted in an additional cost of $24.44 (4.80, 73.62) per DALY averted on top of the cost of existing, validated resuscitation programs. Per hospital, this adds an extra $656 to initial training costs and averts approximately 26.84 years of disability in the cohort of children born in the first year, when projected over a lifetime. The findings were robust to sensitivity analyses. Total roll-out costs for AIR are estimated at $422,688 for the Mbeya region, averting approximately 9018 DALYs on top of existing resuscitation programs, which are estimated to cost $202,240 without AIR.ConclusionOur modeling analysis finds that use of the AIR device may be both an effective and cost-effective tool when used as a supplement to existing resuscitation training programs. Implementation of this strategy in multiple settings will provide data to improve our model parameters and potentially confirm our findings.

Dry disposal technology in transportation and processing of reusable medical devices

The processing of multiple-use medical devices (MD) between patient use is an integral part of anti-epidemic measures in a medical organization (MO) and directly affects the safety of medical services. Based on the requirements of the Sanitary Rules and Regulations 2.1.3.2630–10 it is possible to use washing and disinfecting machines for disinfection purposes. At the same time, there remains the problem of organizing the operation of the operating unit and the central medical department of the medical organization for transportation and work with MD contaminated with blood and other biological fluids.

Design of an Adhesive Film-Based Microfluidic Device for Alginate Hydrogel-Based Cell Encapsulation.

To support the increasing translational use of transplanted cells, there is a need for high-throughput cell encapsulation technologies. Microfluidics is a particularly promising candidate technology to address this need, but conventional polydimethylsiloxane devices have encountered challenges that have limited their utility, including clogging, leaking, material swelling, high cost, and limited scalability. Here, we use a rapid prototyping approach incorporating patterned adhesive thin films to develop a reusable microfluidic device that can produce alginate hydrogel microbeads with high-throughput potential for microencapsulation applications. We show that beads formed in our device have high sphericity and monodispersity. We use the system to demonstrate effective cell encapsulation of mesenchymal stem cells and show that they can be maintained in culture for at least 28days with no measurable reduction in viability. Our approach is highly scalable and will support diverse translational applications of microencapsulated cells.

A two-chip acoustofluidic particle manipulation platform with a detachable and reusable surface acoustic wave device.

This work describes a two-chip acoustofluidic platform for two-dimensional (2D) manipulation of microparticles in a closed microchamber on a reusable surface acoustic wave (SAW) device. This platform comprises two microfabricated chips: (1) a detachable silicon superstrate enclosed by a PDMS microfluidic chamber and (2) a reusable SAW device for generating standing SAW (SSAW), which is typically an expensive component. Critical to such a two-chip acoustofluidic platform is the selection of a suitable coupling agent at the interface of the SAW device and superstrate. To this end, we applied a polymer thin film as a coupling agent that balances between acoustic coupling efficiency, stability over time, and reusability. Recycling of the SAW device lowers the cost-barrier for acoustofluidic particle manipulation. The SSAW is transmitted into the silicon superstrate via the coupling agent to form a standing Lamb wave (SLW) to trap and move microparticles. The reported two-chip strategy enables the single-use microfluidic superstrates to avoid chemical and biological contaminations, while maintaining the merits of acoustofluidic manipulation of being noncontact and label-free and applicable to a wide range of microparticles with different shapes, density, polarity, and electrical properties.

Precautions for the cleanliness evaluation of reusable medical devices by alkaline extraction of residual proteins

Precautions for the cleanliness evaluation of reusable medical devices by alkaline extraction of residual proteins

Multipurpose, Reusable, Female Contraceptive Device That Enhances the Effectiveness of Fertility Awareness Methods and Controls Stress Incontinence

Introduction: There is a significant deficiency in women’s reproductive health needs: Lack of options of non-hormonal contraceptive Fertility awareness method is the safest and yet it is rarely Women suffer from Stress Incontinence Objectives: To provide women with one device that can be used for 1) Contraception by stopping sperm from entering the cervix, 2) To enhance the effectiveness of Fertility Awareness Methods by accurately detecting ovulation day and 3) Control Stress Urinary Incontinence by supporting the bladder neck. Materials and Methods: We selected the FDA approved FemCap contraceptive device to determine its utility to fulfill the three basic reproductive health needs for women. The FemCap is a safe and effective, time tested, barrier contraceptive The FemCap can collect a large amount of fertile cervical mucous, that is not mixed with vaginal The use of currently available pessaries have significant limitations such as displacement, erosion or even ulceration and urethral The FemCap shows marked similarity to the ring pessary with support. The Rim of the FemCap is similar in shape and function to the ring of the pessary that supports the bladder neck. The outward flaring brim restores the anatomy of the urethra and the vagina. The bowl of the FemCap supports the cervix and prevents it from descending, which is like the supported pessary. Results: 1) The FemCap is a well-established barrier contraceptive device. 2) It is also has proven in pilot studies to enhance the effectiveness of fertility awareness methods and 3) control stress incontinence. Conclusion: It would be ideal and cost effective for women to acquire one multipurpose reusable device that can be used for contraception to enhance fertility awareness and to control stress incontinence.

The environmental impacts of preparation for reuse: A case study of WEEE reuse in Germany

Abstract According to the European waste management hierarchy, preparation for reuse (PfR) is preferable to recycling. From an environmental point of view, reuse is beneficial, if the impacts that arise during a certain usage duration of a reused product are smaller than those of a new product. If this is not the case, reuse is not beneficial to recycling. This study explores potential benefits of PfR compared to other waste management options for four white goods (washing machine, refrigerator, range, freezer) and four small electric devices (PC, printer, monitor, laptop) by the use of Life Cycle Assessment. These eight devices account for 68% by weight of all the collected waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in Germany. The results show, that the assumption that reuse is preferable to recycling does not apply to every case. Especially the impact categories of global warming, water consumption and cumulative energy demand are strongly dominated by the use phase of white goods, therefore a reuse of inefficient devices should be avoided. The results show that a reuse of products with an European energy efficiency rating of D and C is not recommended for any of the analyzed products. For small electric devices, the use phase is less dominant in comparison to the production, therefore reuse leads to significant saving potentials in almost all impact categories. A comparison of energy efficiency classes allows for product-specific decisions, whereas the assessment approach based on average devices yields for generalizable recommendations. Therefore, the results support environmentally conscious consumer decisions about the acquisition of a new versus a second-hand product and enable End-of-Life decision making in terms of the separation of reusable devices at collection points.

Exploring Renewable-Adaptive Computation Offloading for Hierarchical QoS Optimization in Fog Computing

Fog computing is an emerging architectural paradigm for the implementation of the Internet of Things, where computation moves from cloud servers to network edges. Fog computing systems are with three characteristics: 1) low latency; 2) strong presence of real-time applications; and 3) reusability of end devices. Most existing designs of fog computing systems concentrate on reducing application processing latency, but neglect real-time requirements of applications and reusability of end devices, which may drastically degrade both functionality and quality-of-service (QoS) of applications. In this article, we investigate QoS optimization of real-time applications in fog computing systems equipped with reusable end devices and powered by hybrid energy of renewable generations and grid electricity. We propose a renewable-adaptive computation offloading approach. At the end device layer, local energy allocation schemes are designed at the application-level and component-level, where techniques of the cooperative game and mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) are leveraged, respectively. At the fog layer, the local energy allocation method is augmented to a local-remote scheduling solution by judiciously judging whether or not the computation offloading of an application needs to be triggered. The experimental results demonstrate that compared to benchmarking algorithms, our approach improves the overall and individual application QoS by up to 101.93% and 59.30%, respectively.

Réévaluation de la durée de péremption des dispositifs médicaux restérilisables via une analyse de risques

In the hospital, all the reprocessed reusable medical devices (RMD) are conditioned with a sterile barrier system and a protection package and they expire after three months. The objective of this study is to reevaluate this shelf life via a risk-analysis study focusing on the steps whose malfunction can fail RMD sterility. The first step is analysing current conditions of packaging, transportation and storage of RMD. The risk-analysis study has been built on French National Authority for Health template. Risks are prioritized in three categories: non critical risks, risks that need to be kept track of and risks to manage as a priority. Storage conditions have been evaluated in 52wards in ten different structures. All of the wards respect the paper side of the pouches. They were stored in a dedicated storage unit in 85% of the units. They were closed at the moment of the observation in 58% of the cases. RMD were stacked in 81% of the units and 36% of them had at leat one expired RMD in their storage unit. The risk-analysis study identified two risks to manage as a priority. Some RMD were damaged during transportation to a subcontractor hospital. This step is barely manageable due to the human factor but the transport rules have been reminded in order to lower the risks on the materials. The operating rooms common storage include shelves that alter pouches and wraps, but a replacement of equipments is under discussion. Thanks to a better understanding of RMD circuit current conditions, allowing a better control of sensitive steps, their shelf life is reevaluated up to 6months for containers and 4months for other pouches.

Ease of Use, Preference, and Safety of the Recombinant Human Growth Hormone Disposable Pen Compared with the Reusable Device: A Multicenter, Single-Arm, Open-Label, Switch-Over, Prospective, Phase IV Trial.

PurposeTo assess the usability and safety of the disposable pen compared to those of reusable devices in patients receiving recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) treatment.Patients and methodsThis study was a multicenter, single-arm, open-label, switch-over, prospective, Phase IV trial. After screening, eligible patients who were previously treated with rhGH using a reusable device were enrolled to receive treatment with the disposable pen for 8 weeks. The ease of use, preference, and tolerability of the disposable pen compared to those of the reusable device were assessed by the subjects and/or their caregivers using a questionnaire. Adverse events were evaluated by the investigators.ResultsOf 116 subjects enrolled in this study, 115 received treatment with the disposable pen and 109 completed the study. The mean age of the subjects was 9.4 years. Compared to the previous reusable device, the disposable pen was assessed as significantly easier to use (mean value 7.88, 95% confidence interval (CI) [7.45–8.30] on a numerical scale ranging from 0 (far less easy) to 10 (far easier)). Furthermore, the percentage of subjects who preferred the disposable pen to the previously used reusable device was 75.7% (95% CI [67.6%–83.8%]). The percentages of subjects who rated pain and discomfort at the injection site as “not at all” were higher after using the disposable pen compared to the reusable device. No specific safety concerns were identified.ConclusionThe disposable pen is easier to use than the reusable devices and is preferred by approximately 75% of patients receiving rhGH treatment. Moreover, the disposable pen is safe and acceptable. Therefore, it could be a good alternative to reusable devices. The disposable pen is expected to provide benefits to patients receiving rhGH treatment.Clinicaltrials.gov identifierNCT03015909.

Effectiveness of steam sterilization of reusable medical devices in primary and secondary care public hospitals in Nepal and factors associated with ineffective sterilization: Anation-wide cross-sectional study.

BackgroundInadequate sterilization of reusable medical devices can lead to healthcare associated infections (HAIs) through person-to-person or environmental transmission of pathogens. Autoclaving (steam sterilization) is most commonly used for sterilizing medical devices in healthcare facilities. We conducted a nation-wide cross-sectional study to evaluate the effectiveness of steam sterilization practices in primary and secondary care public hospitals in Nepal and to identify factors associated with ineffective sterilization.MethodsUsing a stratified clustered random sampling, 13 primary- and secondary-care public hospitals in Nepal were selected. 189 steam sterilization cycles from these hospitals were evaluated for their effectiveness using self-contained biological indicators, class-5 chemical indicators, autoclave indicator tape and physical parameters. Information about the hospitals and the types of autoclaves being used was also collected. Data were analysed to estimate the proportion of ineffective steam sterilization cycles. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with ineffective sterilization.FindingsIn primary and secondary care public hospitals in Nepal, 71.0% (95% CI 46.8% - 87.2%) of the autoclave cycles were ineffective (i.e. showed positive results) when tested with biological indicators and 69.8% (95% CI 44.4% - 87.0%) showed ‘reject’ results with class 5 chemical indicators. There was no statistically significant difference in proportions showing positive or reject results by hospital types for either biological (p = 0.51) or class 5 chemical (p = 0.87) indicators. Autoclave type and pressure achieved during sterilization were statistically significantly associated with steam sterilization failures, adjusted for holding period, evenness of pressure and barrier system used.ConclusionPrimary and secondary care hospitals in Nepal have a high proportion of steam sterilization failure, indicating a risk of person-to-person transmission of pathogens through reusable medical devices. There is an urgent need to improve steam sterilization processes in these hospitals.

Effectiveness of autoclaving in sterilizing reusable medical devices in healthcare facilities.

Medical devices are sterilized before being used for invasive clinical procedures such as surgery, to prevent pathogen transfer. Failure to sterilize medical devices properly presents a risk of healthcare-associated infections. Studies and reports have indicated that inadequately sterilized medical devices are one of the causes of a higher rate of healthcare-associated infections in developing countries. Steam sterilization (autoclaving) is the most widely used method for sterilization and is considered the most robust and cost-effective method for sterilization of medical devices. The effectiveness of steam sterilization can be measured using biological indicators. A literature search was undertaken to understand the effectiveness of autoclaving in sterilizing reusable medical devices in healthcare facilities across the globe. Studies using biological indicators for measuring the effectiveness of autoclaving were obtained. Failures of steam sterilization practices were identified and discussed as a means of identifying factors that might be associated with the ineffectiveness of steam sterilization practices between different countries. The number of studies measuring the effectiveness of steam sterilization is small, and few evaluate the effectiveness of steam sterilization specifically in developing countries. There are fewer studies on higher level healthcare facilities than dental facilities. More evidence about the effectiveness of autoclaving in healthcare facilities is needed to draw firm conclusions, but the data suggest that there are inadequacies in autoclave procedures and operator education.

Effects of a reusable progesterone device on conception rates and estrus cycle re-synchronization in Nelore cows

The objective of this study was to evaluate the reuse of an intravaginal progesterone (P4) device during diestrus of Nelore cow embryo recipients in order to improve conception rate, accelerate estrus cycle re-synchronization of non-pregnant animals, and reduce the amount of waste generated by animal breeding biotechnologies. Two experiments were performed using 268 multiparous Nelore cows. In experiment 1, all animals were subjected to a timed embryo transfer (TET) procedure, but at the time of embryo transfer, two treatment groups were established: T1 - the control treatment (N = 132) and T2 - animals receiving a second-use CIDR® device for 12 days (N = 136). Experiment 2 was performed on cows that had not remained pregnant after experiment 1 using two groups: G1 - a control group (N = 69) and G2 -re-synchronized cows that received a P4 device for 12 days for the first TET (N = 74). In experiment 1, no significant effect of the P4 treatment was observed on conception rate (T1 = 37.9%, T2 = 39.7%; P = 0.50) and corpus luteum (CL) diameter (T1 = 17.5 ± 3.4 mm, T2 = 18.1 ± 3.4 mm; P = 0.61). In experiment 2, no significant effect of the treatment was observed on conception rate (G1 = 22.2%, G2 = 35.7%; P = 0.24), recipients utilization rate (G1 = 75.4%, G2 = 70.3%; P = 0.86), and CL diameter (G1 = 17.4 ± 3 mm, G2 = 18.1 ± 3.2 mm; P = 0.27). However, the P4 treatment (for re-synchronization) significantly increased the conception rate (G1 = 22.2%, G2 = 35.7%; P = 0.04), which was similar to that in a conventional TET protocol performed with a new device (38.8%). We conclude that reusable intravaginal P4 devices can help accelerate TET protocols, suggesting an alternative application method; furthermore, this protocol may help reduce waste production in assisted animal breeding.

Detection of Organic Vapors Using Tamm Mode Based Devices Built from Mesoporous Oxide Thin Films

AbstractIn this work, Tamm mode based devices were synthesized using mesoporous thin films as building blocks. Several systems were designed and built, based on silicon and titanium mesoporous oxides obtained through amphiphilic molecules templating approach. The devices were evaluated for organic vapor detection and the obtained results demonstrate that the developed Tamm devices can be used for such purpose. Distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) were also synthesized and evaluated as a comparison. In both cases, the detection of organic vapors is possible thanks to capillary condensation inside the well‐ordered and accessible porosity that give rise to equivalent results to the ones obtained for the detection of liquids. Both kinds of devices behave in a similar way, but the figure of merit for the Tamm mode based ones is between two and three times larger due to the smaller width of the sensitive band. Moreover, it was demonstrated that the response time of the sensor is less than 80 s in all tested cases. In addition, such parameter clearly depends on both the physicochemical characteristics of the solvents (in particular, boiling temperature and vapor pressure) and the characteristics of the sensor itself. The results presented in this work represent a proof of concept towards the production of robust and reusable detection devices based on the combination of functional mesoporous thin films and the Tamm mode.

Augmenting Medical Device Evaluation Using a Reusable Unique Device Identifier Interoperability Solution Based on the OHDSI Common Data Model.

The objective of the study is to augment safety and effectiveness evaluation of medical devices through building a reusable unique device identifier (UDI) interoperability solution. We propose a framework for building a UDI research database for medical device evaluation using the OHDSI common data model (CDM). As a pilot study, we design, develop and evaluate a UDI vocabulary, which would enable tackling challenges of data islands and standardization for medical device evaluation.