Medical Design Briefs - April 2023 - 18

n Biomaterial Heals
Tissues from the
Inside Out
A new biomaterial
Researcher Martin Spang shown with the
new biomaterial that heals tissues from the
inside out. (Credit: UCSD)
that can be injected intravenously,
reduces inflammation
in tissue
and promotes cell and
tissue repair. The injectable
biomaterial was
tested and proven effective
in treating tissue damage caused by heart attacks in both
rodent and large animal models. Researchers also provided
proof of concept in a rodent model that the biomaterial
could be beneficial to patients with traumatic brain injury
and pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Researchers tested the biomaterial on a rodent model of
heart attacks. They expected the material to pass through the
blood vessels and into the tissue because gaps develop between
endothelial cells in blood vessels after a heart attack.
But something else happened. The biomaterial bound to
those cells, closing the gaps and accelerating healing of the
blood vessels, reducing inflammation as a result. Researchers
tested the biomaterial in a porcine model of heart attack
as well, with similar results. The possibilities of treating
other difficult-to-access organs and tissues can open up
the field of biomaterials/tissue engineering into treating
new diseases.
For more information, visit www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/
roundup/0423/biomaterial.
n Smart Contact
Lens Diagnoses
and Treats
Glaucoma
Researchers have
Schematic illustration of a theranostic smart
contact lens for glaucoma treatment. (Credit:
POSTECH)
developed a smart
contact lens by combining
an IOP sensor
and
a
drug-delivery
trols
intraocular pressure in glaucoma.
The smart contact lens uses hollow nanowires made of
gold. It is integrated with a flexible drug-delivery system,
wireless power and communication system, and an application-specific
integrated circuit chip for both monitoring and
control of IOP in glaucoma. Notably, the IOP sensor has exhibited
high sensitivity to ocular strain, excellent chemical
stability, and biocompatibility. Furthermore, the flexible
drug-delivery system can provide on-demand delivery of timolol
for IOP control.
The researchers successfully demonstrated that the theranostic
smart contact lens enabled the IOP measurement in real
time and the appropriate amount of drug release to match the
degree of IOP in rabbits with glaucoma.
For more information, visit www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/
roundup/0423/contact-lens.
18
flexible
system
to manage IOP measurement and medication administration.
The wireless theranostic smart contact lens monitors and conFour
humidity sensors between the absorbent
layers of a diaper create a smart diaper
capable of detecting wetness and alerting
for a change. (Credit: Huanyu " Larry " Cheng/
Penn State/Penn State Creative Commons)
The microfluidic device detects the
SARS-CoV-2 virus with high accuracy
and speed. (Credit: EPFL)
n Microfluidic Device
Detects SARS-CoV-2
A new microfluidic device
can detect the SARSCoV-2
virus with high accuracy
and speed, using a
unique DNA/RNA duplex
technology. The device can
prove to be a game-changer
in the fight against the ongoing
COVID-19 pandemic.
The device can distinguish SARS-CoV-2 from other respiratory
viruses such as the Middle East respiratory syndrome
coronavirus (MERS-CoV). The device uses a DNA biosensor
to detect RNA from SARS-CoV-2 in human saliva. When viral
RNA binds to the DNA biosensor, it forms a DNA/RNA duplex.
This is then detected by the sensor, which can pick up
as little as 10 attomolar of the virus RNA.
The device is based on microfluidics, a technology that
controls the flow of very small amounts of liquids through
tiny channels. With microfluidics, the new device controls
the flow of saliva to allow the DNA biosensor to detect viral
RNA. The DNA/RNA duplex is then detected with fluorescence
measurements.
For more information, visit www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/
roundup/0423/microfluidic.
n Sensor Enables
Smart Diapers, Other
Health Monitors
A new sensor could help
workers in daycares, hospitals,
and other settings
provide more immediate
care to their charges. The
new sensor - so cheap
and simple to produce
that it can be hand drawn
with a pencil onto paper
treated with sodium chloride
- could clear the way
for wearable, self-powered health monitors for use not only in
" smart diapers " but also to predict major health concerns like
cardiac arrest and pneumonia.
As water molecules are absorbed by the paper, the solution
becomes ionized and electrons begin to flow to the graphite in
the pencil, setting off the sensor, which detects those changes
in humidity in the environment and sends a signal to a smartphone,
which displays and records the data.
Drawing on the pretreated paper within pretreated lines
creates a miniaturized paper circuit board. The paper can
be connected to a computer with copper wires and conductive
silver paste to act as an environmental humidity detector.
For wireless application, such as " smart diapers " and
mask-based respiration monitoring, the drawing is connected
to a tiny lithium battery that powers data transmission to
a smartphone via Bluetooth.
For more information, visit www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/
roundup/0423/diapers.
www.medicaldesignbriefs.com
Medical Design Briefs, April 2023
http://www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/roundup/0423/microfluidic http://www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/roundup/0423/biomaterial http://www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/roundup/0423/contact-lens http://www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/roundup/0423/diapers http://www.medicaldesignbriefs.com
Medical Design Briefs - April 2023

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