Blood compatibility evaluations of two-dimensional Ti3C2Tx nanosheets

Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterial Ti3C2Tx is a novel biomaterial used for medical apparatus. For its application, biosafety serves as a prerequisite for their use in vivo. So far, no research has systematically reported how Ti3C2Tx interacts with various components in the blood. In this work, we evaluated the hemocompatibility of Ti3C2Tx nanosheets which we prepared by HF etching. Effects of the concentration and size of Ti3C2Tx on the morphology and hemolysis rate of human red blood cells (RBCs), the structure and conformation of plasma proteins, the complement activation, as well as in vitro blood coagulation were studied. In general, Ti3C2Tx takes on good blood compatibility, but in the case of high concentration (>30 μg/mL) and “Small size” (about 100 nm), it led to the rupture of RBCs membrane and a higher rate of hemolysis. Meanwhile, platelets and complement were inclined to be activated with the increased concentration, accompanying the changed configuration of plasma proteins dependent on concentration. Surprisingly, the presence of Ti3C2Tx did not significantly disrupt the coagulation. In vitro cell culture, the results prove that when the Ti3C2Tx concentration is as high as 60μg/mL and still has good biological safety. By establishing a fuzzy mathematical model, it was proved that the hemocompatibility of Ti3C2Tx is more concentration-dependent than size-dependent, and the hemolysis rate is the most sensitive to the size and concentration of the Ti3C2Tx. These findings provide insight into the potential use of Ti3C2Tx as biofriendly nanocontainers for biomaterials in vivo.

Endometrial Cytokines in Women with Reproductive Disorders

The purpose of this research was to study changes in endometrial cytokine concentrations in women suffering from reproductive disorders with and without chronic endometritis (CE) to justify pathogenetic treatment. Methods and Results: The study included 100 women of reproductive age with reproductive disorders. Group 1 included 50 patients with reproductive disorders and CE; Group 2 included 50 patients with reproductive disorders and without CE. Later on, all patients were divided into the following subgroups: Sub1A (n=31), and Sub2A (n=16) with an isolated bacterial flora, Sub1B (n=19) and Sub2B (n=34) with the absence of bacterial flora. The control group consisted of 31 fertile women. Endometrial aspiration pipe biopsy was performed on days 4-9 of the menstrual cycle (middle proliferative phase) using a disposable intrauterine probe (Taizhou Kechuang Medical Apparatus Co., Ltd, China) followed by histological examination of endometrial tissue. Laboratory diagnostics for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) was performed using the bacterial culture method. For the diagnosis of viral infection (HPV, HSV, CMV), cervical samples were studied using PCR. If STIs were detected, the patients were excluded from further research. Ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs was performed using the Aloka-5500 device with a 7MHz vaginal probe in two-dimensional visualization mode. The concentration of cytokines (IL-1β, INF-γ, TNF-α, ILs-4,6,8,10) in the endometrium was determined using the Protein Contour test systems (Saint Petersburg) and Multiskan EX ELISA Analyzer (Germany). In both groups, reproductive disorders were accompanied by hypoprogesteronemia and relative hyperestrogenemia, significantly apparent in CE. We found a 3-fold increase in the level of tissue pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-4,6,10, INF-γ), and a 4-fold increase in the level of TNF-α and IL-8 in Group 1, compared to the CG. In Group 2, we found a 1.4-fold increase in the levels of IL-1β and INF-γ, compared to the CG. In Sub 1a, the levels of IL-6 and IL-8 were significantly higher than in the control group. In Sub1A, the isolated bacterial flora caused a cytokine inflammatory response characterized by a significant increase in the concentration of INF-γ and TNF-α, compared to Sub2A and Sub2B (P<0.05). In Sub1A, we found a tendency towards a decrease in the tissue levels of IL-4 compared to Sub1B and Sub2B; the IL-10 level was significantly lower than in Sub2B (P=0.0009) Conclusion: The results obtained in the present study showed the peculiarities of changes in cytokines at the level of endometrial tissue both in chronic inflammation of the endometrium and in its absence in women with reproductive disorders. The severity of the immune response is significantly higher in patients with CE, with the most significant change in the role of IL-10.

An Artificial-Intelligence-Driven Predictive Model for Surface Defect Detections in Medical MEMS

With the advancement of miniaturization in electronics and the ubiquity of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) in different applications including computing, sensing and medical apparatus, the importance of increasing production yields and ensuring the quality standard of products has become an important focus in manufacturing. Hence, the need for high-accuracy and automatic defect detection in the early phases of MEMS production has been recognized. This not only eliminates human interaction in the defect detection process, but also saves raw material and labor required. This research developed an automated defects recognition (ADR) system using a unique plenoptic camera capable of detecting surface defects of MEMS wafers using a machine-learning approach. The developed algorithm could be applied at any stage of the production process detecting defects at both entire MEMS wafer and single component scale. The developed system showed an F1 score of 0.81 U on average for true positive defect detection, with a processing time of 18 s for each image based on 6 validation sample images including 371 labels.

Combined treatment of patients with localized pancreatic cancer of elderly and senile age

Introduction. The gold standard for the treatment of patients with a localized form of pancreatic cancer is radical surgical intervention. It is characterized by a high frequency of postoperative complications and is not performed in patients with a weakened general functional status and the presence of multiple severe concomitant somatic pathology.Purpose. The aim of this study is a assessment of the safety and effectiveness of combined treatment with the inclusion of gemcitabine chemotherapy and HIFU therapy in somatically inoperable patients with localized pancreatic adenocarcinoma of the elderly and senile age.Materials and methods. This study involved 15 patients with stage II (T3N0-1M0) disease aged 60 years and older, with a performance status ECOG 2 and a high operational and anesthetic risk, who received palliative combined treatment on the basis of the P. Hertsen Moscow Oncology Research Institute in the period from 2017 to 2020. HIFU therapy was performed on the HIFU2001 (Shenzhen Huikang Medical Apparatus Co., Ltd.), local treatment sessions were carried out in the amount of 3–8 per course, conducted daily, in the intervals between days of intravenous administration of gemcitabine at a dosage of 1000 mg/m2 (1, 8, 15 days every 4 weeks).Results. Adverse events of systemic drug therapy were observed in 9 (60%) patients, local complications of HIFU therapy — in 6 (37.5%) patients. 6 months after the start of treatment, pain control was achieved in 87.5% of patients, local progression of the disease was detected in 2 (13.3%) cases, and a partial tumor response was determined in 2 patients and stable disease in 11 patients. The median overall survival was 19 months, and the median progression-free survival was 12 months. The overall 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rate was 80%, 20%, and 13%, respectively, and the 1-year progression-free survival rate was 54%.Conclusions. The results of this study demonstrate the prospects of using a combination of HIFU therapy and gemcitabine monotherapy in somatically inoperable patients with localized pancreatic adenocarcinoma of the elderly and senile age.

PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF HIFU-THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH PANCREATIC CANCER

Purpose: to conduct a preliminary analysis of the safety and effectiveness of hifu-therapy with a lowenergy hifu-2001 device (shenzhen Huikang Medical apparatus Co., ltd) performed concurrently with chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer patients who are not suitable for surgery or chemoradiotherapy.Material and Method. The study included 24 pancreatic cancer patients who were treated at the Hertsen Moscow Oncology Research institute in the period from 2016 to 2019. There were 17 (71 %) women and 7 (29 %) men. The percentage of patients in the elderly group was 79 %. Stage iia pancreatic cancer was diagnosed in 3 (12.5 %) patients, stage ii in 5 (21 %) patients, stage iii in 9 (37.5 %) patients, and stage iv in 7 (29 %) patients. All patients received combination therapy, including systemic chemotherapy and hifu-therapy. Results. The most frequent adverse events of treatment were skin burns (n=6), with third-degree burns occurring in 2 (8.3 %) patients. Local sclerosis of subcutaneous adipose tissue was observed in 4 (17 %) patients; development of asymptomatic pancreatic pseudocysts in the area of hifu exposure was observed in 1 (4 %) patient. Pain control was achieved in 17 (85 %) patients, and local tumor control was achieved in 19 (79.2 %) patients. The follow-up time ranged from 5 to 30 months with a median time of 14.5 months. The median total life expectancy of patients was 16 months, and the median time to progression was 9 months. The overall 6-month survival rate was 100 %. The 1- and 1.5-year survival rates were 75.0 % and 41.7 %, respectively. The 2-year survival rate was 17.2 %. The 6-month and 1-year disease-free survival rates were 62.5 % and 12.5 %, respectively. Conclusion. The short- and long-term outcomes were consistent with those described in other studies, which indicated that a combination of systemic drug therapy and hifu-therapy is an appropriate approach for the treatment of patients with pancreatic cancer.

Potential Chemicals from Plastic Wastes

Plastic is referred to as a “material of every application”. From the packaging and automotive industries to the medical apparatus and computer electronics sectors, plastic materials are fulfilling demands efficiently. These plastics usually end up in landfills and incinerators, creating plastic waste pollution. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in 2015, 9.1% of the plastic materials generated in the U.S. municipal solid waste stream was recycled, 15.5% was combusted for energy, and 75.4% was sent to landfills. If we can produce high-value chemicals from plastic wastes, a range of various product portfolios can be created. This will help to transform chemical industries, especially the petrochemical and plastic sectors. In turn, we can manage plastic waste pollution, reduce the consumption of virgin petroleum, and protect human health and the environment. This review provides a description of chemicals that can be produced from different plastic wastes and the research challenges involved in plastic waste to chemical production. This review also provides a brief overview of the state-of-the-art processes to help future system designers in the plastic waste to chemicals area.

Biomimetic high performance artificial muscle built on sacrificial coordination network and mechanical training process

Artificial muscle materials promise incredible applications in actuators, robotics and medical apparatus, yet the ability to mimic the full characteristics of skeletal muscles into synthetic materials remains a huge challenge. Herein, inspired by the dynamic sacrificial bonds in biomaterials and the self-strengthening of skeletal muscles by physical exercise, high performance artificial muscle material is prepared by rearrangement of sacrificial coordination bonds in the polyolefin elastomer via a repetitive mechanical training process. Biomass lignin is incorporated as a green reinforcer for the construction of interfacial coordination bonds. The prepared artificial muscle material exhibits high actuation strain (>40%), high actuation stress (1.5 MPa) which can lift more than 10,000 times its own weight with 30% strain, characteristics of excellent self-strengthening by mechanical training, strain-adaptive stiffening, and heat/electric programmable actuation performance. In this work, we show a facile strategy for the fabrication of intelligent materials using easily available raw materials.