Skin Application Research Articles

Nonlinear SAR Modelling of Mosquito Repellents for Skin Application.

Finding new marketable mosquito repellents is a complex and time-consuming process that can be optimized via modelling. In this context, a SAR (Structure-Activity Relationship) model was designed from a set of 2171 molecules whose actual repellent activity against Aedes aegypti was available. Information-rich descriptors were used as input neurons of a three-layer perceptron (TLP) to compute the models. The most interesting classification model was a 20/6/2 TLP showing 94% and 89% accuracy on the training set and test set, respectively. A total of 57 other artificial neural network models based on the same architecture were also computed. This allowed us to consider all chemicals both as training and test set members in order to better interpret the results obtained with the selected model. Most of the wrong predictions were explainable. The 20/6/2 TLP model was then used for predicting the potential repellent activity of new molecules. Among them, two were successfully evaluated in vivo.

Co-induced allergic response to an unrelated allergen exacerbates imiquimod-induced psoriasis in mice.

Psoriasis is classically regarded as a Th1 response-dominant disease believed to be antagonized by the Th2 response, which is responsible for allergic diseases, such as atopic dermatitis. The roles of these responses in psoriasis and the relationship between psoriasis and atopic dermatitis have received increasing attention because it is estimated that more than one million patients are concomitantly affected by psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. To address this, we attempted to determine the characteristics of imiquimod-induced psoriasiform lesions in mice with a concomitant allergic response after co-application of the unrelated allergen ovalbumin onto the skin. Imiquimod cream containing ovalbumin was successively applied to the right back skin of hairless HR female mice. Psoriasiform scores were determined for 11 days, and then, the resected skin thickness, spleen weight, and serum antibody levels were examined. In some experiments, mice were allowed free access to ovalbumin-containing water for 10 days before skin application to induce oral tolerance. Imiquimod cream induced psoriasis, and its severity increased upon simultaneous ovalbumin treatment. Increases in anti-ovalbumin IgG2a levels, a Th1 response indicator, and IgG1 and IgE levels, Th2 response indicators, were mediated by ovalbumin addition. Oral tolerance against ovalbumin effectively decreased ovalbumin-exacerbated imiquimod-induced psoriasis, in parallel with a decrease in levels of anti-ovalbumin antibodies. These results suggest that the concomitant allergic response induced by ovalbumin application exacerbates imiquimod-induced psoriasis. This implies that allergic responses to unrelated allergens might exacerbate psoriasis in humans and that modulating such responses could be an effective new approach to treat psoriasis.

A BTO/PVDF/PDMS Piezoelectric Tangential and Normal Force Sensor Inspired by a Wind Chime.

There is a growing demand for flexible pressure sensors in environmental monitoring and human-robot interaction robotics. A flexible and susceptible sensor can discriminate multidirectional pressure, thus effectively detecting signals of small environmental changes and providing solutions for personalized medicine. This paper proposes a multidimensional force detection sensor inspired by a wind chime structure with a three-dimensional force structure to detect and analyze normal and shear forces in real time. The force-sensing structure of the sensor consists of an upper and lower membrane on a polydimethylsiloxane substrate and four surrounding cylinders. A piezoelectric hemisphere is made of BTO/PVDF/PDMS composite material. The sensor columns in the wind chime structure surround the piezoelectric layer in the middle. When pressure is applied externally, the sensor columns are connected to the piezoelectric layer with a light touch. The piezoelectric hemisphere generates a voltage signal. Due to the particular structure of the sensor, it can accurately capture multidimensional forces and identify the direction of the external force by analyzing the position of the sensor and the output voltage amplitude. The development of such sensors shows excellent potential for self-powered wearable sensors, human-computer interaction, electronic skin, and soft robotics applications.

Dielectric and Mechanical Properties of PZT Incorporated PVDF Nanocomposites Prepared by Solution Casting Method

Piezoelectric ceramics possess very high piezoelectric coefficients but lacks the conformability for using them in flexible devices, in high-resolution sensing devices that can be integrated to human skin and other such applications. This problem can be resolved by blending them in appropriate proportion with polymers which are intrinsically light weight, stable and flexible. In this paper polymer composites xPZT– (1-x) PVDF (x= 0, 0.025, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20 and 0.25) were prepared by solution casting method and their dielectric and its mechanical properties were studied. Given that PZT has a very high dielectric value, the composite's dielectric constant grew as the filler concentration increased which shows better dipole alignment in the composite. With an increase in filler concentration, the composite loses flexibility and tensile strength. Due to their greater Young's modulus than pure PVDF film, the films with compositions x=0.025 and x=0.05 could have better piezoelectric characteristics.

Epicutaneous Sensitization to the Phytocannabinoid β-Caryophyllene Induces Pruritic Inflammation.

In recent years, there has been increased accessibility to cannabis for recreational and medicinal use. Incidentally, there has been an increase in reports describing allergic reactions to cannabis including exacerbation of underlying asthma. Recently, multiple protein allergens were discovered in cannabis, yet these fail to explain allergic sensitization in many patients, particularly urticaria and angioedema. Cannabis has a rich chemical profile including cannabinoids and terpenes that possess immunomodulatory potential. We examined whether major cannabinoids of cannabis such as cannabidiol (CBD) and the bicyclic sesquiterpene beta-caryophyllene (β-CP) act as contact sensitizers. The repeated topical application of mice skin with β-CP at 10 mg/mL (50 µL) induced an itch response and dermatitis at 2 weeks in mice, which were sustained for the period of study. Histopathological analysis of skin tissues revealed significant edema and desquamation for β-CP at 10 mg/mL. For CBD and β-CP, we observed a dose-dependent increase in epidermal thickening with profound thickening observed for β-CP at 10 mg/mL. Significant trafficking of CD11b cells was observed in various compartments of the skin in response to treatment with β-CP in a concentration-dependent manner. Mast cell trafficking was restricted to β-CP (10 mg/mL). Mouse proteome profiler cytokine/chemokine array revealed upregulation of complement C5/5a (anaphylatoxin), soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) in animals dosed with β-CP (10 mg/mL). Moreover, we observed a dose-dependent increase in serum IgE in animals dosed with β-CP. Treatment with β-CP (10 mg/mL) significantly reduced filaggrin expression, an indicator of barrier disruption. In contrast, treatment with CBD at all concentrations failed to evoke scratching and dermatitis in mice and did not result in increased serum IgE. Further, skin tissues were devoid of any remarkable features, although at 10 mg/mL CBD we did observe the accumulation of dermal CD11b cells in skin tissue sections. We also observed increased filaggrin staining in mice repeatedly dosed with CBD (10 mg/mL). Collectively, our studies indicate that repeated exposure to high concentrations of β-CP can induce dermatitis-like pathological outcomes in mice.

Fragrance in dermocosmetic emulsions: From microstructure to skin application.

Fragrance is added to almost all dermocosmetic emulsions, as it has been found to be a key driver in consumer choice and contributes to the perception of product performance. Fragrance is a complex mixture of odorant chemicals at different concentrations. When incorporated into a formulation, the individual fragrance chemicals partition between the emulsion phases depending on their physicochemical properties, which can impact the structure, stability, texture and odour of the final product. On the other hand, it is well known in the food industry how the composition and structure of food emulsion matrices influence the release of aroma chemicals. Fragranced dermocosmetic emulsions have been studied to a lesser extent but it is interesting to apply findings from the food domain since emulsion structure, composition and aroma compounds share common features. This review aims to give an overview of the literature dealing with the interactions between fragrance and dermocosmetic emulsions. The effects of fragrance on emulsion microstructure, stability and texture are highlighted and discussed. The effects of composition and structure of emulsion on the release of fragrance molecules are also presented. Finally, the interactions between skin and fragranced emulsions are addressed.

Enhancement of the Sensing Performance of Devices based on Multistimuli-Responsive Hybrid Materials.

Capturing environmental stimuli is an essential aspect of electronic skin applications in robotics and prosthetics. Sensors made of temperature- and humidity-responsive hydrogel and piezoelectric zinc oxide (ZnO) core-shell nanorods have shown the necessary sensitivity. This is achieved by using highly conformal and substrate independent deposition methods for the ZnO and the hydrogel, i.e., plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) and initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD). In this work, we demonstrate that the use of a multichamber reactor enables performing PEALD and iCVD, sequentially, without breaking the vacuum. The sequential deposition of uniform as well as conformal thin films responsive to force, temperature, and humidity improved the deposition time and quality significantly. Proper interlayer adhesion could be achieved via in situ interface activation, a procedure easily realizable in this unique multichamber reactor. Beyond the fabrication method, also the mechanical properties of the template used to embed the core-shell nanorods and the cross-linker density in the hydrogel were optimized following the results of finite element models. Finally, galvanostatic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements showed how temperature and humidity stimuli have different effects on the device impedance and phase, and these differences can be the basis for stimuli recognition.

Exploring Traditional Uses, Phytochemical Composition, and Antimicrobial Potential of Latex-Producing Plants in the Euphorbia Genus: A Comprehensive Review

The Euphorbia genus, ranking as the third largest among angiosperm plants, encompasses nearly 2026 species. The latex derived from these plants contains irritants to the skin and finds application in wart removal. Additionally, it serves as a source for crafting fish and arrow poisons. Literature substantiates the utilization of these plants in the treatment of diverse ailments including menstrual issues, diarrhea, colds, fevers, as well as an array of skin conditions such as warts, sores, boils, dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema, and sunburn. Moreover, they contribute to wound healing. Certain species within the Euphorbia genus, classified under Euphorbiaceae, exhibit properties as anti-herpetic and antitumor agents against polio, rhinoviruses, and coxsackievirus. In the realm of Ayurveda, specific plant latex from select species is employed in the preparation of surgical threads for Kshara sutra therapy. This Ayurvedic approach serves as a minimally invasive para-surgical procedure in the management of anorectal piles or fistula. Remarkably, various di- and tri-terpenes obtained from the latex exhibit robust antimicrobial activity against both bacterial and fungal strains. Moreover, the di-terpenoids sourced from Euphorbia species display anti-inflammatory properties along with noteworthy cytotoxic and anticancer activities. The focal objective of this review is to present a contemporary overview encompassing traditional applications, phytochemical constituents, and the antimicrobial potential of ten latex-producing plants within the Euphorbia genus.

Ultrastretchable and highly conductive hydrogels based on Fe3+- lignin nanoparticles for subzero wearable strain sensor

Conductive hydrogels have attracted considerable interest for potential applications in soft robotics, electronic skin and human monitoring. However, insufficient mechanical characteristics, low adhesion and unsatisfactory electrical conductivity severely restrict future application possibilities of hydrogels. Herein, lignin nanoparticles (LNPs)-Fe3+-ammonium persulfate (APS) catalytic system was introduced to assemble Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)/LNPs/Ca2+ (PHEMA/LNPs/Ca) hydrogels. Due to the abundant metal coordination and hydrogen bonds, the composite hydrogel displayed ultrahigh stretchable capacity (3769 %), adhesion properties (248 kPa for skin) and self-healing performance. Importantly, hydrogel sensors possess with high durability, strain sensitivity (GF = 8.75), fast response time and freeze resistance (−20 °C) that could be employed to monitor motion signals in low-temperature regime. Therefore, the LNPs-Fe3+ catalytic system has great potential in preparing hydrogel for various applications such as human-computer interaction, artificial intelligence, personal healthcare and subzero wearable devices. At the same time, incorporation of natural macromolecules into polymer hydrogels is tremendous research significance for investigating high-value utilization of lignin.

Thermoresponsive cholesteric liquid–crystal systems doped with terpenoids as drug delivery systems for skin applications

Stimuli-responsive and tunable soft-matter systems are an advanced class of materials applicable for drug delivery. Liquid crystals (LCs) are promising candidates as multifunctional materials that can respond to temperature, light or magnetic field. Particularly, ordering and physical properties of thermoresponsive LCs depend predominantly on temperature as external trigger. The current work addresses an elegant strategy to implement the anisotropic properties of thermoresponsive LCs with a view to extending their application for drug delivery. We firstly fabricated novel compositions with a thermotropic core based on natural products – cholesteryl esters and mono-/bicyclic terpenoids. The distinctive feature of aforementioned systems is their temperature-induced switchability of drug release by transition to the LC state, depending on the skin temperature. Their mesomorphic and optical behavior was characterized via differential scanning calorimetry and polarizing optical microscopy. Furthermore, we describe the dependence of helical pitch on LC formulation for various ternary cholesteric systems doped with terpenoids, suggesting that these stimuli-responsive chiral dopants are nominally untwisting. Data from fluorescence probe technique indicate that cholesteryl esters and terpenoids as essential components of those LC systems jointly disrupt the tight structure of phospholipid bilayer packing enabling the facilitated penetration of drugs. The potential of LC formulations was explored for several model drugs with diverse physicochemical properties by in vitro and ex vivo penetration tests using artificial membranes and full human skin. Our findings confirm the potential of LC systems for various applications in skin drug delivery.

Rosehip Extract-Loaded Liposomes for Potential Skin Application: Physicochemical Properties of Non- and UV-Irradiated Liposomes.

In the present study, rosehip (Rosa canina L.) extract was successfully encapsulated in phospholipid liposomes using a single-step procedure named the proliposome method. Part of the obtained liposomes was subjected to UV irradiation and non-treated (native) and UV-irradiated liposomes were further characterized in terms of encapsulation efficiency, chemical composition (HPLC analysis), antioxidant capacity, particle size, PDI, zeta potential, conductivity, mobility, and antioxidant capacity. Raman spectroscopy as well as DSC analysis were applied to evaluate the influence of UV irradiation on the physicochemical properties of liposomes. The encapsulation efficiency of extract-loaded liposomes was higher than 90%; the average size was 251.5 nm; the zeta potential was -22.4 mV; and the conductivity was found to be 0.007 mS/cm. UV irradiation did not cause a change in the mentioned parameters. In addition, irradiation did not affect the antioxidant potential of the liposome-extract system. Raman spectroscopy indicated that the extract was completely covered by the lipid membrane during liposome entrapment, and the peroxidation process was minimized by the presence of rosehip extract in liposomes. These results may guide the potential application of rosehip extract-loaded liposomes in the food, pharmaceutical, or cosmetic industries, particularly when liposomal sterilization is needed.

Highly Flexible, Self-Bonding, Self-Healing, and Conductive Soft Pressure Sensors Based on Dicarboxylic Cellulose Nanofiber Hydrogels.

Conductive hydrogels have gained a great deal of interest in the flexible electronics industry because of their remarkable inherent properties. However, a significant challenge remains for balancing hydrogel's conductivity, self-healing, and strength properties. Herein, double network ionic hydrogels were fabricated by concurrently introducing borax into dicarboxylic cellulose nanofiber (DCNFs) and polyacrylamide (PAM) hydrogels. The incorporation of borax provided a superabsorbent feature to the PAM/DCNF hydrogels (without borax) with the equilibrium water absorption rate increased from 552 to 1800% after 42 h. The compressive strength of the prepared hydrogel was 935 kPa compared to 132 kPa for the PAM hydrogel, with high cycling stability (stable after 1000 compression cycles with 50% strain). The hydrogel pressure sensor had a very sensitive response (gauge factor = 1.36) in the strain range from 10 to 80%, which made it possible to detect mechanical motion accurately and reliably. The developed hydrogels with high-performance, environmentally friendly properties are promising for use in future artificial skin and human-machine interface applications.

Therapeutic Applications of Essential Oils from Native and Cultivated Ecuadorian Plants: Cutaneous Candidiasis and Dermal Anti-Inflammatory Activity.

Essential oils are a complex mixture of aromatic substances whose pharmacological actions, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory activities, have been widely reported. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-Candida and dermal anti-inflammatory activity of essential oils from native and cultivated Ecuadorian plants. Essential oils from Bursera graveolens, Dacryodes peruviana, Mespilodaphne quixos, and Melaleuca armillaris were isolated by hydrodistillation and were characterized physically and chemically. Its tolerance was analyzed by in vitro and in vivo studies. The antifungal activity was studied against Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, and Candida parapsilosis, whereas the anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated by a mouse ear edema model. The main compounds were limonene, α-phellandrene, (E)-methyl cinnamate, and 1,8-cineole, respectively. All essential oils showed high tolerability for skin application, antifungal activity against the three Candida strains, and anti-inflammatory efficacy by decreasing edema and overexpression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Dacryodes peruviana essential oil showed the highest antifungal activity. On the other hand, Dacryodes peruviana and Melaleuca armillaris showed the greatest anti-inflammatory potential, decreasing edema by 53.3% and 65.25%, respectively, and inhibiting the overexpression of TNF-α, IL-8, IL-17A, and IL-23. The results suggest that these essential oils could be used as alternative therapies in the treatment of both cutaneous candidiasis and dermal inflammation.

Additively manufactured flexible on-package phased array antennas for 5G/mmWave wearable and conformal digital twin and massive MIMO applications

This paper thoroughly investigates material characterization, reliability evaluation, fabrication, and assembly processes of additively manufactured flexible packaging and reconfigurable on-package antenna arrays for next-generation 5G/mmWave wearable and conformal applications. The objective is to bridge the technology gap in current Flexible Hybrid Electronics (FHE) designs at mmWave frequencies and address the challenges of establishing future design standards for additively manufactured flexible packages and System-on-Package (SoP) integrated modules. Multiple 3D printed flexible materials have been characterized for their electrical and mechanical properties over the 5G/mmW frequency band (26–40 GHz), and the inkjet printed interconnects on 3D printed Polypropylene (PP) substrates demonstrated excellent electrical and mechanical performance during a 10,000-time cyclic bending test over typical wearable flexible radii down to 1 inch. A proof-of-concept flexible on-package phased array with an integrated microfluidic cooling channel on 3D printed substrates was fabricated and measured, demonstrating pm 37^{circ } beam steering capability with efficient cooling. The proposed reconfigurable design and low-temperature fabrication approach using additive manufacturing can be widely applied to next-generation highly-complex on-demand FHE, flexible multi-chip-module integration, and on-package phased-array modules for 5G/mmWave wearable and conformal smart skin, digital twin and massive MIMO applications.

Penerapan Pemakaian Skin Wrap dalam Pengaturan Suhu Tubuh Bayi Baru Lahir di RS Awal Bros Grup

Newborns can experience hypothermia shortly after birth, hypothermia occurs through several mechanisms, which are related to the body's ability to balance heat production and heat loss. Failure caused by a decrease in the body temperature of the baby born falls by about 0.30C per minute. To avoid hypothermia, several ways can be done, including by using skin wrap. Skin wrap is a plastic bag to reduce heat loss due to evaporation so that it can easily increase the baby's temperature. The method of using skin wrap can be used to prevent hypothermia in neonates, both premature and not. Hypothermia in infants can worsen the condition of babies who lose heat after birth. Providing education and outreach regarding the application of skin wraps for newborns is carried out so that all nurses understand the importance of implementing this in order to maintain thermoregulation in newborns. Education was carried out for all nurses in the Awal Bros Group Hospital environment on May 25 2023 with a total of 94 participants which was carried out online with zoom.

3D-Printed Artificial Cilia Arrays: A Versatile Tool for Customizable Mechanosensing.

Bio-inspired cilium-based mechanosensors offer a high level of responsiveness, making them suitable for a wide range of industrial, environmental, and biomedical applications. Despite great promise, the development of sensors with multifunctionality, scalability, customizability, and sensing linearity presents challenges due to the complex sensing mechanisms and fabrication methods involved. To this end, high-aspect-ratio polycaprolactone/graphene cilia structures with high conductivity, and facile fabrication are employed to address these challenges. For these 3D-printed structures, an "inter-cilium contact" sensing mechanism that enables the sensor to function akin to an on-off switch, significantly enhancing sensitivity and reducing ambiguity in detection, is proposed. The cilia structures exhibit high levels of customizability, including thickness, height, spacing, and arrangement, while maintaining mechanical robustness. The simplicity of the sensor design enables highly sensitive detection in diverse applications, encompassing airflow and water flow monitoring, braille detection, and debris recognition. Overall, the unique conductive cilia-based sensing mechanism that is proposed brings several advantages, advancing the development of multi-sensing capabilities and flexible electronic skin applications in smart robotics and human prosthetics.

Electrical conductivities and sensing mechanisms of low-temperature 3D printing conductive hydrogels with good sensitivity

Flexible strain sensors are core components of wearable strain sensors, and they have attracted much attention because of their applications for electronic skin and monitors of human activity. However, hydrogel-based strain sensors are greatly limited by the trade-offs between mechanical performance, electrical sensing properties and diverse structures. In this paper, we present a facile approach for preparing conductive hydrogels with good mechanical properties, outstanding electrical sensing properties and complex structures. First, a low-temperature 3D printer was designed and fabricated in this laboratory to prepare lignosulfonate/poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels with complex structures. The hydrogels with a 30° angle between adjacent layers showed the best optimal tensile properties. Then, extremely thin and dense silver layers were prepared by reducing silver on their surfaces using a two-step immersion process to obtain electrical sensing functionality. The process of preparing layers of reduced silver was carefully analyzed according to the Lamer model, and the resulting silver layers showed relatively high conductivity of 8571 S/cm. By changing the print path angles of the upper surface, hydrogels were prepared with different sensitivities and strain ranges. The maximum sensitivity and widest strain range were 177.65 and 0–55%, respectively. The corresponding hydrogels showed durable sensing performances in various tensile strain and long-term cyclic loading and relaxation tests. The sensing mechanisms of the hydrogels were the opening and closing of microcracks in the silver layers located in the print paths and the gaps between adjacent print paths. The sensors composed of conductive hydrogels successfully detected subtle vibrations in strains and various human activities, indicating their great potential for applications in monitors for human health and soft robotics.

Preparation and in vitro characterization studies of astaxanthin-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers with antioxidant properties.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the astaxanthin-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (ASX-NLC) prepared using a high-pressure homogenization transport system for local application of astaxanthin. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to study the effect of microencapsulation on the properties of ASX-NLC. The mean size of ASX-NLC was about 108.43 ± 0.26nm and PdI was 0.176 ± 0.002. The ASX-NLC had high encapsulation efficiency which was 95.69 ± 0.13%. Good light stability and temperature stability were shown at the ASX-NLC, indicating that the preparation process was feasible. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-pyridylohydrazinyl (DPPH) scavenging test showed that ASX-NLC could still play an antioxidant role. In vitro release studies showed that compared with an astaxanthin ethanol solution, an ASX-NLC could maintain astaxanthin release more effectively. In vitro permeation studies showed that ASX-NLC could increase astaxanthin retention in the skin. In conclusion, ASX-NLC could significantly enhance astaxanthin accumulation during dermal applications. The research results have important reference significance for local skin applications and provide a basis for the development of nanostructured lipid carriers. ASX-NLC might be suitable carriers for the local application of astaxanthin.

Attenuation properties of 3D-printed materials for an Ir-192 high dose rate source using Valencia skin applicators

ObjectiveTo evaluate the physical properties of commonly used 3D-printed materials and the dose attenuation around a high-dose-rate 192Ir source, in order to provide a reference for selecting appropriate 3D-printed materials for brachytherapy. MethodsFifteen 3D-printed materials (12 non-metallic material and 3 metallic material) were assessed. Each material was fabricated into a wafer with a diameter of 30 ​mm and thickness of 3 ​mm using 3D printing. The CT number of each material was measured, and attenuation measurements were conducted with a Valencia skin applicator and well-type ionization chamber. 192Ir was used as the radioactive source, and the attenuated ionization charges were normalized against that obtained in the presence of a solid water phantom at the same depth. ResultsThe CT number of nylon was (−7.78 ​± ​3.36) HU, closest to water among all materials. The CT numbers of the other 11 non-metallic materials were below 300 HU. Moreover, the CT number of the Al alloy was (1,350.89 ​± ​374.55) HU, while the CT numbers of the Ti alloy and stainless steel exceeded 2,976 HU, reaching the upper limit of the CT number range. The results of the attenuation measurements were normalized with the solid water phantom. The average attenuation coefficients of a polyamide, epoxy resin, photosensitive resin, carbon fiber, silica gel, Al alloy, Ti alloy, and stainless steel were 1.003, 0.994, 0.992, 0.995, 0.995, 0.967, 0.939, and 0.866, respectively. ConclusionsAmong the common 3D-printed materials with a density similar to that of water, nylon exhibited the best performance, while the metallic materials caused significant dose attenuation and exhibited CT number distortion. As a result, care should be taken when metallic materials are used as 3D-printed materials for brachytherapy.

Fast optical coherence tomography angiography image acquisition and reconstruction pipeline for skin application.

Traditional high-quality OCTA images require multi-repeated scans (e.g., 4-8 repeats) in the same position, which may cause the patient to be uncomfortable. We propose a deep-learning-based pipeline that can extract high-quality OCTA images from only two-repeat OCT scans. The performance of the proposed image reconstruction U-Net (IRU-Net) outperforms the state-of-the-art UNet vision transformer and UNet in OCTA image reconstruction from a two-repeat OCT signal. The results demonstrated a mean peak-signal-to-noise ratio increased from 15.7 to 24.2; the mean structural similarity index measure improved from 0.28 to 0.59, while the OCT data acquisition time was reduced from 21 seconds to 3.5 seconds (reduced by 83%).