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Purpose: Men are increasingly turning toward online direct-to-consumer (DTC) men’s health platforms to fulfill their health needs. Research surrounding these platforms is lacking and the motivations and predictors underlying this online healthseeking behavior is largely unknown. This review scopes the existing literature concerning DTC men’s health and identifies factors influencing engagement, as well as health outcomes of this platform. Materials and Methods: A structured search was performed following PRISMA guidelines. CINAHL via EBSCO, Embase, MEDLINE via Ovid, PsycINFO, PubMed and Web of Science were searched. Results: Peer-reviewed quantitative and qualitative studies with a focus on demographics and characteristics of those using DTC men’s health platforms, as well as studies related to patient outcomes using such platforms, were included. Ten of the 3,003 studies identified met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Four cross-sectional descriptive studies evaluated the motivations behind men’s engagement with DTC platforms. Convenience, embarrassment and health motivation were identified as predominant factors associated with DTC platform use. The review identified a lack of qualitative studies, and major limitations were noted in the quantitative studies that impacted the accuracy of findings. Six further quantitative studies explored the quality of care provided by DTC platforms. DTC platforms were found to have a varying level of adherence to established clinical guidelines, but appeared to provide satisfactory patient outcomes with low levels of patient-reported side effects and adverse events. Conclusions: There is a lack of research within the DTC men’s health space given the infancy of the field. Important predictors and motivations underlying men’s choices in accessing these platforms have been noted across several studies. However, further studies need to be conducted to investigate the psychosocial underpinnings of this behavior. Studies across a wider variety of male health conditions treated by these platforms will also help to provide insights to guide patient-centered care within the DTC landscape.

Mitral valve repair is the ideal approach in managing mitral valve infective endocarditis for patients requiring surgery. However, viable repair is influenced by the extent of valve destruction and there can be technical challenges in reconstruction following debridement. Overall, data describing long-term outcomes following mitral repair of infective endocarditis are scarce. We, therefore, assessed the late outcomes of 101 consecutive patients who underwent mitral valve repair for IE at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute from 2001 to 2021. The 5- and 10-year survival rate was 80.8 ± 4.7% and 61.2 ± 9.2%, respectively. Among these 101 patients, 7 ultimately required mitral valve reoperation at a median of 5 years after their initial operation. These patients were of a mean age of 35.9 ± 7.3 years (range 22–44 years) at the time of their initial operation. The 5- and 10-year freedom from mitral valve reoperation was 93.6 ± 3.4% and 87.7 ± 5.2%, respectively. Overall, mitral valve repair can be an effective method for treating infective endocarditis with a favourable freedom from reoperation and mortality over the long term.

Abstract Introduction Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) is an effective surgical treatment for medial compartment arthritis of the knee, yet surgical outcomes are directly related to surgical execution. Robotic arm-assisted surgery aims to address these difficulties by allowing for detailed preoperative planning, real-time intraoperative assessment and haptic-controlled bone removal. This study aimed to compare the clinical and radiological outcomes between conventional manual mobile bearing and robot arm-assisted fixed bearing medial UKA in our local population. Materials and methods This is a retrospective case–control study of 148 UKAs performed at an academic institution with a minimum of 1-year follow-up. 74 robotic arm-assisted UKAs were matched to 74 conventional UKAs via propensity score matching. Radiological outcomes included postoperative mechanical axis and individual component alignment. Clinical parameters included a range of motion, Knee Society knee score and functional assessment taken before, 6 and 12 months after the operation. Results Robot arm-assisted UKA produced a more neutral component coronal alignment in both femoral component (robotic -0.2 ± 2.8, manual 2.6 ± 2.3; P = 0.043) and tibial component (robotic -0.3 ± 4.0, manual 1.7 ± 5.3; P

MXenes, is an attractive new class of two-dimensional (2D) materials, discovered in 2011. Since then, owing to their unique combination of properties, such as high specific area, high electrical conductivity, tunable hydrophilicity, tunable chemical composition, and potential cytocompatibility, MXenes have made a deep impact on various fields ranging from electronics to energy and more recently to biotechnology. A typical example for the latter, is their use as electroactive biointerfaces in a number of biosensor setups, exhibiting remarkable analytical performance. In particular, MXene-based nanocomposites can serve as bioreceptors, electrochemical transducers or amplification probes towards translating molecular recognition of biological targets into detectable signals, leading to ultrasensitive biosensors for probing biomarkers, or pathogens. This concise review highlights the recent advances of MXene-based electrochemical biosensors for highly selective and sensitive detection of nucleic acids, proteins and pathogens pertaining to biomarker identification and clinical diagnostics. In particular, the effects of synthetic routes, surface chemistry, nanocomposite design, and fabrication methods of MXenes on the resulting relationship between biointerfacial structure, electrochemical properties and device performance is discussed, providing unique perspectives and design criteria for the next wave of biosensors.

Along the way, investigations over the past few years have focused on developing new Zn-based alloys as future materials for medical implants due to the poor mechanical and degradation properties. Effective grain size control is a fundamental property of Zn-based alloys that has a significant impact on their mechanical properties and degradation rate through various methodical adjustments of the microstructure. In particular, these critical properties of Zn-based alloys largely depend on grains' size and distribution in the respective microstructures. The review article critically analyzes the influence of grain refinement and microstructure on the mechanical properties, biodegradability, and biocompatibility of Zn-based alloys. The article establishes the interdependence between microstructure, mechanical properties, degradation rate, and biocompatibility of both Zn and its alloys. We conclude integration of alloying and fabrication techniques can significantly control grain refinement in Zn-based alloys, and the use of innovative techniques such as dynamic recrystallization and inoculation can further improve the grain refinement process.

Corneal opacity is a leading cause of vision impairment and suffering worldwide. Transplantation can effectively restore vision and reduce chronic discomfort. However, there is a considerable shortage of viable corneal graft tissues. Tissue engineering may address this issue by advancing xeno-keratoplasty as a viable alternative to conventional keratoplasty. In particular, livestock decellularization strategies offer the potential to generate bioartificial ocular prosthetics in sufficient supply to match existing and projected needs. To this end, we have examined the best practices and characterizations that have supported the current state-of-the-art driving preclinical and clinical applications. Identifying the challenges that delimit activities to supplement the donor corneal pool derived from acellular scaffolds allowed us to hypothesize a model for keratoprosthesis applications derived from livestock combining 3D printing and decellularization.

Abstract Background Bacterial pneumonia is a major risk factor for acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA), an opportunistic pathogen with an increasing resistance acquired against multiple drugs, is one of the main causative agents of ALI and ARDS in diverse clinical settings. Given the anti-inflammatory role of the cannabinoid-2 receptor (CB2R), the effect of CB2R activation in the regulation of PA-induced ALI and inflammation was tested in a mouse model as an alternative to conventional antibiotic therapy. Methods In order to activate CB2R, a selective synthetic agonist, JWH133, was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) to C57BL/6J mice. Furthermore, SR144528 (a selective CB2R antagonist) was administered in combination with JWH133 to test the specificity of the CB2R-mediated effect. PA was administered intratracheally (i.t.) for induction of pneumonia in mice. At 24 h after PA exposure, lung mechanics were measured using the FlexiVent system. The total cell number, protein content, and neutrophil population in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were determined. The bacterial load in the whole lung was also measured. Lung injury was evaluated by histological examination and PA-induced inflammation was assessed by measuring the levels of BALF cytokines and chemokines. Neutrophil activation (examined by immunofluorescence and immunoblot) and PA-induced inflammatory signaling (analyzed by immunoblot) were also studied. Results CB2R activation by JWH133 was found to significantly reduce PA-induced ALI and the bacterial burden. CB2R activation also suppressed the PA-induced increase in immune cell infiltration, neutrophil population, and inflammatory cytokines. These effects were abrogated by a CB2R antagonist, SR144528, further confirming the specificity of the CB2R-mediated effects. CB2R-knock out (CB2RKO) mice had a significantly higher level of PA-induced inflammation as compared to that in WT mice. CB2R activation diminished the excess activation of neutrophils, whereas mice lacking CB2R had elevated neutrophil activation. Pharmacological activation of CB2R significantly reduced the PA-induced NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome activation, whereas CB2KO mice had elevated NLRP3 inflammasome. Conclusion Our findings indicate that CB2R activation ameliorates PA-induced lung injury and inflammation, thus paving the path for new therapeutic avenues against PA pneumonia.

Through a focus group interview, this research aims to illustrate and conduct an initial proof of concept study for our innovative mobile application. Your 2 Home is a mobile app designed to help foreign workers in Malaysia understand their human rights. With the various features in the app, it is hoped that the foreign workers in Malaysia will have a better understanding of their rights and have an excellent platform to give advice or even assistance. In this day and age of advanced technology, digital solutions have been widely used for various industries such as business, marketing, health, and many more to solve their problem. Human rights are the contemporary personification of very long-ago human principles, which develop justice, equality, freedom, and dignity, targeting to defend people and protect their liberty to express themselves and their religious preferences. Although human rights exist in Malaysia, there is so much more that can be accomplished in line with the advancement of technology. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to recommend a concept of a digital solution that can be used to solve human rights issues among foreign workers in Malaysia.

Since the last IAEA-FEC in 2021, significant progress on the development of long pulse steady state scenario and its related key physics and technologies have been achieved, including the reproducible 403 s long-pulse steady-state H-mode plasma with pure radio frequency (RF) power heating. A thousand-second time scale (∼1056 s) fully non-inductive plasma with high injected energy up to 1.73 GJ has also been achieved. The EAST operational regime of high β _P has been significantly extended ( H _98y2 > 1.3, β _P ∼ 4.0, β _N ∼ 2.4 and n _e / n _GW ∼ 1.0) using RF and neutral beam injection (NBI). The full edge localized mode suppression using the n = 4 resonant magnetic perturbations has been achieved in ITER-like standard type-I ELMy H-mode plasmas with q _95 ≈ 3.1 on EAST, extrapolating favorably to the ITER baseline scenario. The sustained large ELM control and stable partial detachment have been achieved with Ne seeding. The underlying physics of plasma-beta effect for error field penetration, where toroidal effect dominates, is disclosed by comparing the results in cylindrical theory and MARS-Q simulation in EAST. Breakdown and plasma initiation at low toroidal electric fields (

Deep pellet fueling depth is necessary to achieve a high-density high confinement operation and to conduct some pellet-related researches in current devices, such as trigger of internal transport barrier, and to achieve high fusion power and tritium burn-up fraction in future fusion devices. The newly developed PAM code which can make a fast evaluation on pellet ablation and deposition is applied to optimize injection parameters to achieve deep pellet fueling. Systematic scans on pellet injection parameters including pellet injection positions, injection angles, sizes and speeds are performed for optimization purpose, while at the same time demonstrating flexibility and time efficiency of the PAM code. Dependences of the pellet fueling depth on these injection parameters are revealed by simulation results and analyzed. Simulation results indicate that pellet penetration contributes more to the deep pellet deposition than the $\nabla B$ -induced plasmoid drifts in low temperature plasmas, while deep pellet fueling in reactor relevant high temperature plasmas has to rely on plasmoid drifts. Though a shallow penetration is expected in high temperature plasmas, the $\nabla B$ -induced plasmoid drift is expected to be larger than that in relatively low temperature plasmas.

Decellularized corneas offer a promising and sustainable source of replacement grafts, mimicking native tissue and reducing the risk of immune rejection post-transplantation. Despite great success in achieving acellular scaffolds, little consensus exists regarding the quality of the decellularized extracellular matrix. Metrics used to evaluate extracellular matrix performance are study-specific, subjective, and semi-quantitative. Thus, this work focused on developing a computational method to examine the effectiveness of corneal decellularization. We combined conventional semi-quantitative histological assessments and automated scaffold evaluations based on textual image analyses to assess decellularization efficiency. Our study highlights that it is possible to develop contemporary machine learning (ML) models based on random forests and support vector machine algorithms, which can identify regions of interest in acellularized corneal stromal tissue with relatively high accuracy. These results provide a platform for developing machine learning biosensing systems for evaluating subtle morphological changes in decellularized scaffolds, which are crucial for assessing their functionality.

Introduction: Corneal disease is a leading cause of blindness globally that stems from various etiologies. High-throughput platforms that can generate substantial quantities of corneal grafts will be invaluable in addressing the existing global demand for keratoplasty. Slaughterhouses generate substantial quantities of underutilized biological waste that can be repurposed to reduce current environmentally unfriendly practices. Such efforts to support sustainability can simultaneously drive the development of bioartificial keratoprostheses.Methods: Scores of discarded eyes from the prominent Arabian sheep breeds in our surrounding region of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were repurposed to generate native and acellular corneal keratoprostheses. Acellular corneal scaffolds were created using a whole-eye immersion/agitation-based decellularization technique with a widely available, eco-friendly, and inexpensive 4% zwitterionic biosurfactant solution (Ecover, Malle, Belgium). Conventional approaches like DNA quantification, ECM fibril organization, scaffold dimensions, ocular transparency and transmittance, surface tension measurements, and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to examine corneal scaffold composition.Results: Using this high-throughput system, we effectively removed over 95% of the native DNA from native corneas while retaining the innate microarchitecture that supported substantial light transmission (over 70%) after reversing opacity, a well-established hallmark of decellularization and long-term native corneal storage, with glycerol. FTIR data revealed the absence of spectral peaks in the frequency range 2849 cm−1 to 3075 cm−1, indicating the effective removal of the residual biosurfactant post-decellularization. Surface tension studies confirmed the FTIR data by capturing the surfactant’s progressive and effectual removal through tension measurements ranging from approximately 35 mN/m for the 4% decellularizing agent to 70 mN/m for elutes highlighting the effective removal of the detergent.Discussion: To our knowledge, this is the first dataset to be generated outlining a platform that can produce dozens of ovine acellular corneal scaffolds that effectively preserve ocular transparency, transmittance, and ECM components using an eco-friendly surfactant. Analogously, decellularization technologies can support corneal regeneration with attributes comparable to native xenografts. Thus, this study presents a simplified, inexpensive, and scalable high-throughput corneal xenograft platform to support tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and circular economic sustainability.

Abstract Although surgery for early-stage lung cancer offers the best chance of cure, recurrence still occurs between 30 and 50% of the time. Why patients frequently recur after complete resection of early-stage lung cancer remains unclear. Using a large cohort of stage I lung adenocarcinoma patients, distinct genetic, genomic, epigenetic, and immunologic profiles of recurrent tumors were analyzed using a novel recurrence classifier. To characterize the tumor immune microenvironment of recurrent stage I tumors, unique tumor-infiltrating immune population markers were identified using single cell RNA-seq on a separate cohort of patients undergoing stage I lung adenocarcinoma resection and applied to a large study cohort using digital cytometry. Recurrent stage I lung adenocarcinomas demonstrated higher mutation and lower methylation burden than non-recurrent tumors, as well as widespread activation of known cancer and cell cycle pathways. Simultaneously, recurrent tumors displayed downregulation of immune response pathways including antigen presentation and Th1/Th2 activation. Recurrent tumors were depleted in adaptive immune populations, and depletion of adaptive immune populations and low cytolytic activity were prognostic of stage I recurrence. Genomic instability and impaired adaptive immune responses are key features of stage I lung adenocarcinoma immunosurveillance escape and recurrence after surgery.

Abstract Background Open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) of closed fractures is a required indication for surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis (SAP). Guidelines contain recommendations on how best to prescribe SAP, however, adherence to SAP guidelines remains suboptimal. The Australian Therapeutic Guidelines: Antibiotic v16 (updated April 2019) advocates for single dose prophylaxis for ORIF procedures. There is a paucity of information on how SAP is prescribed for ORIF of closed fractures in Australian hospitals. The aim of this study was to identify prescribing practice and to evaluate guideline adherence pre- and post-guideline update. Methods A retrospective audit was conducted for patients undergoing an ORIF of closed fractures at a metropolitan teaching hospital in a 6-month period during 2018 (pre-guideline update) and 2019 (post-guideline update). Data were collected on prescribing practice (perioperative antibiotics prescribed, dose, time and route of administration and duration of prophylaxis) and compared to SAP recommendations in Therapeutic Guidelines: Antibiotic v15 (2018) and v16 (2019). Descriptive statistics and Chi square tests were used to report categorical variables. Binary logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with guideline adherence. A p-value

A 58-year-old female had undergone previous mechanical mitral replacement with a Starr-Edwards ball and cage valve (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA) at 11 years of age for rheumatic disease. The valve functioned well until pannus resulted in prosthetic valve stenosis with class IV dyspnea and pulmonary hypertension. She underwent reoperative mitral replacement with an On-X mechanical mitral prosthesis (Cryolife, Kennesaw, GA) 48 years after initial implantation. To our knowledge, this case represents the longest known implant period of a ball and cage mitral valve in the literature. This presentation highlights the durability of this historic prosthesis, along with the role of reoperative surgery decades after initial implantation. Résumé: Une femme de 58 ans avait subi un remplacement mécanique d’une valve mitrale par une valve à bille Starr-Edwards alors (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA) qu’elle avait 11 ans par suite d’une maladie rhumatismale. La valve avait bien fonctionné jusqu’à ce que la formation de pannus entraîne une sténose de celle-ci s’accompagnant de dyspnée de classe IV et d’hypertension pulmonaire. La femme a subi une intervention chirurgicale visant à remplacer la valve sténosée par une valve mécanique On-X (Cryolife, Kennesaw, GA) 48 ans après l’implantation initiale. À notre connaissance, il s’agit de la plus longue période d’implantation connue d’une valve mécanique mitrale à bille Starr-Edwards rapportée dans la littérature. Le présent article met en évidence la durabilité de cette prothèse historique, ainsi que le rôle de la chirurgie réopératoire des décennies après l’implantation initiale.

Vascular diseases contribute to intensive and irreversible damage, and current treatments include medications, rehabilitation, and surgical interventions. Often, these diseases require some form of vascular replacement therapy (VRT) to help patients overcome life-threatening conditions and traumatic injuries annually. Current VRTs rely on harvesting blood vessels from various regions of the body like the arms, legs, chest, and abdomen. However, these procedures also produce further complications like donor site morbidity. Such common comorbidities may lead to substantial pain, infections, decreased function, and additional reconstructive or cosmetic surgeries. Vascular tissue engineering technology promises to reduce or eliminate these issues, and the existing state-of-the-art approach is based on synthetic or natural polymer tubes aiming to mimic various types of blood vessel. Burgeoning decellularization techniques are considered as the most viable tissue engineering strategy to fill these gaps. This review discusses various approaches and the mechanisms behind decellularization techniques and outlines a simplified model for a replacement vascular unit. The current state-of-the-art method used to create decellularized vessel segments is identified. Also, perspectives on future directions to engineer small- (inner diameter >1 mm and 6 mm) vessel substitutes are presented.

Objective Atrial fibrillation (AF) remains a highly prevalent arrhythmia with significant burden on morbidity and mortality. The impact of AF in the revascularised population remains incompletely described. Given the high prevalence of AF in the revascularised population, we sought to evaluate the incidence and prognosis in patients with pre-existing and new-onset AF following revascularisation.Methods We used the University of Ottawa Heart Institute Revascularisation Registry to identify patients who underwent revascularisation between August 2015 and March 2020, who were prospectively followed for an average of one year. We conducted a retrospective cohort study analysing the association between AF and clinical outcomes. The primary outcome of interest was 1-year major adverse cardiac events (MACE) defined as a composite of death, myocardial infarction, unplanned revascularisation and cerebrovascular accidents. Moreover, secondary outcomes include the individual components of MACE and bleeding.Results A total of 6704 patients underwent revascularisation and completed 1-year clinical follow-up. Median time to follow-up was 12.8 (IQR 11.2–15.9) months. One-year MACE occurred in 166 (21.8%) and 683 (11.5%) patients in AF and non-AF groups, respectively (adjusted HR, 1.61; 95% CI 1.29 to 2.01; p

Splenic infarction is an uncommon cause of abdominal pain. In this article, we present a case of isolated splenic infarction presenting with severe abdominal pain, nausea, and with associated generalized weakness. Computed tomography (CT) abdomen and pelvis with contrast revealed multiple splenic infarctions of the entire lower pole with occlusion of the branch splenic arteries, while CT abdomen without contrast was unremarkable. Etiology was later revealed to be thromboembolism secondary to atrial fibrillation. It was managed with anticoagulation. To our knowledge, this is the second case of splenic infarction presenting as an initial manifestation of atrial fibrillation (AF), reported in the literature.

Introduction There is emerging evidence supporting the use of the radial artery (RA) as a preferred secondary conduit for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) as it is associated with higher rates of graft patency at 5 years when compared with saphenous vein grafts (SVG). The modified Allen’s test (MAT) is traditionally regarded as the standard of care in the assessment of ulnar artery (UA) patency prior to RA harvesting. Unfortunately, due to high false-positive rates, a substantial number of pre-CABG patients are found to have an abnormal MAT despite normal UA patency, resulting in inappropriate exclusion from RA harvesting. The SVG is generally used in its place when this occurs, resulting in potentially lower rates of long-term graft patency.Methods and analysis The CAPITAL iRADIAL-CABG trial is currently enrolling participants 18 years of age or older undergoing CABG for whom the treating physician is considering the use of an RA conduit. Eligible patients will be randomised in a 1:1 fashion to MAT or smartphone-based photoplethysmography application assessment to assess collateral palmar circulation prior to RA harvesting. The primary outcome of the trial is the use of the RA as a conduit during CABG. The primary safety outcome is postoperative palmar ischaemia as determined by clinical assessment or requirement of vascular intervention. Secondary outcomes include vascular complications, early graft failure, need for rescue percutaneous coronary intervention during the index hospitalisation and a composite cardiovascular outcome of myocardial infarction, stroke and cardiovascular death prior to discharge from hospital. A total of 236 participants are planned to be recruited.Ethics and dissemination The study was approved by the Ottawa Heart Science Network Research Ethics Board (approval number 20180865-01H). The study results will be disseminated via conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications.Trial registration number NCT03810729.

The cytotoxic self-aggregation of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide and islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) is implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Type 2 diabetes (T2D), respectively. Increasing evidence, particularly the co-deposition of Aβ and IAPP in both brain and pancreatic tissues, suggests that Aβ and IAPP cross-interaction may be responsible for a pathological link between AD and T2D. Here, we examined the nature of IAPP-Aβ40 co-aggregation and its inhibition by small molecules. In specific, we characterized the kinetic profiles, morphologies, secondary structures and toxicities of IAPP-Aβ40 hetero-assemblies and compared them to those formed by their homo-assemblies. We demonstrated that monomeric IAPP and Aβ40 form stable hetero-dimers and hetero-assemblies that further aggregate into β-sheet-rich hetero-aggregates that are toxic (cell viability

Degenerative mitral valve (MV) disease is the most common cause of organic mitral regurgitation (MR) in developed countries. Surgical mitral valve repair is the gold standard treatment for primary MR. Surgical mitral valve repair is associated with excellent outcomes in terms of survival and freedom from recurrent MR. As well, innovations in surgical repair techniques, including thoracoscopically and robotically assisted approaches, further reduce morbidity. Emerging catheter-based therapies may also provide advantages in select patient groups. Although the outcomes following surgical mitral valve repair are well described in the literature, longitudinal follow-up is heterogenous. Indeed, longitudinal follow-up and long-term data are vital to better advise treatment and counsel patients.

With the development of nanotechnology, fluorescent silicon nanomaterials have been synthesized and applied in various areas. Among them, silicon quantum dots (SiQDs) are a new class of zero-dimensional nanomaterials with outstanding optical properties, benign biocompatibility, and ultra-small size. In recent years, SiQDs have been gradually utilized for constructing high-performance fluorescent sensors for chemical or biological analytes. Herein, we focus on reviewing recent advances in SiQD-based fluorescent biosensors from a broad perspective and discussing possible future trends. First, the representative progress for synthesizing water-soluble SiQDs in the past decade is systematically summarized. Then, the latest achievement of the design and fabrication of SiQD-based fluorescent biosensors is introduced, with a particular focus on analyte-induced photoluminescence (fluorescence) changes, hybrids of SiQDs with other materials or molecules, and biological ligand-modification methods. Finally, the current challenges and prospects of this field are highlighted.

A 36-year-old male patient is referred for urology review for haematuria following cyclophosphamide and mesna administration for allogeneic stem cell transplant for treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Severe haematuria continued despite multiple interventions including continuous bladder irrigation and cystoscopic fulguration, with formation of consolidated clot in the bladder. A successful cystotomy for removal of clot and initiation of alum was performed, leading to resolution of haematuria.

Extensive and permanent damage to the vasculature leading to different pathogenesis calls for developing innovative therapeutics, including drugs, medical devices, and cell therapies. Innovative strategies to engineer bioartificial/biomimetic vessels have been extensively exploited as an effective replacement for vessels that have seriously malfunctioned. However, further studies in polymer chemistry, additive manufacturing, and rapid prototyping are required to generate highly engineered vascular segments that can be effectively integrated into the existing vasculature of patients. One recently developed approach involves designing and fabricating acellular vessel equivalents from novel polymeric materials. This review aims to assess the design criteria, engineering factors, and innovative approaches for the fabrication and characterization of biomimetic macro- and micro-scale vessels. At the same time, the engineering correlation between the physical properties of the polymer and biological functionalities of multiscale acellular vascular segments are thoroughly elucidated. Moreover, several emerging characterization techniques for probing the mechanical properties of tissue-engineered vascular grafts are revealed. Finally, significant challenges to the clinical transformation of the highly promising engineered vessels derived from polymers are identified, and unique perspectives on future research directions are presented.

Digital technologies are shifting the paradigm of medicine in a way that will transform the healthcare industry. Conventional medical approaches focus on treating symptoms and ailments for large groups of people. These approaches can elicit differences in treatment responses and adverse reactions based on population variations, and are often incapable of treating the inherent pathophysiology of the medical conditions. Advances in genetics and engineering are improving healthcare via individualized treatments that include gene and cell therapies, pharmacogenetics, disease detection, and diagnostics. This paper highlights ways that artificial intelligence can help usher in an age of personalized medicine.

Gelatin, one of the most abundant, naturally derived biomacromolecules from collagen, is widely applicable in food additives, cosmetic ingredients, drug formulation, and wound dressing based on their non-toxicity and biodegradability. In parallel, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a synthetic polymer, has been commonly applied as a thickening agent for coating processes in aqueous systems and a major component in healthcare products for cartilage replacements, eye lubrication, and contact lenses. In this study, a new type of mixed hydrogel nanofiber was fabricated from gelatin and polyvinyl alcohol by electrospinning under a feasible range of polymer compositions. To determine the optimal composition of gelatin and polyvinyl alcohol in nanofiber fabrication, several key physicochemical properties of mixed polymer solutions such as viscosity, surface tension, pH, and electrical conductance were thoroughly characterized by a viscometer, surface tensiometer, water analyzer, and carbon electron probe. Moreover, the molecular structures of polymeric chains within mixed hydrogel nanofibers were investigated with Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The morphologies and surface elemental compositions of the mixed hydrogel nanofibers were examined by the scanning electron microscope and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, respectively. The measurement of water contact angles was performed for measuring the hydrophilicity of nanofiber surfaces. Most importantly, the potential cytotoxicity of the electrospun nanofibers was evaluated by the in vitro culture of 3T3 fibroblasts. Through our extensive study, it was found that a PVA-rich solution (a volumetric ratio of gelatin/polyvinyl alcohol −2 poise) and slightly lower surface tension (~35.12–~32.68 mN/m2) of the mixed polymer solution. The regression on the viscosity data also found a good fit by the Lederer–Rougier’s model for a binary mixture. For the hydrophilicity of nanofibers, the numerical analysis estimates that the value of interfacial energy for the water contact on nanofibers is around ~−0.028 to ~−0.059 J/m2.

Among the new molecular tools available to scientists and engineers, some of the most useful include fluorescently tagged biomolecules. Tools, such as green fluorescence protein (GFP), have been applied to perform semi-quantitative studies on biological signal transduction and cellular structural dynamics involved in the physiology of healthy and disease states. Such studies focus on drug pharmacokinetics, receptor-mediated endocytosis, nuclear mechanobiology, viral infections, and cancer metastasis. In 1976, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP), which involves the monitoring of fluorescence emission recovery within a photobleached spot, was developed. FRAP allowed investigators to probe two-dimensional (2D) diffusion of fluorescently-labelled biomolecules. Since then, FRAP has been refined through the advancements of optics, charged-coupled-device (CCD) cameras, confocal microscopes, and molecular probes. FRAP is now a highly quantitative tool used for transport and kinetic studies in the cytosol, organelles, and membrane of a cell. In this work, the authors intend to provide a review of recent advances in FRAP. The authors include epifluorescence spot FRAP, total internal reflection (TIR)/FRAP, and confocal microscope-based FRAP. The underlying mathematical models are also described. Finally, our understanding of coupled transport and kinetics as determined by FRAP will be discussed and the potential for future advances suggested.

Lentic waters are biogeochemical reactors, producing and receiving carbon (C) originally fixed by the terrestrial and aquatic biosphere, which is then buried in sediments or respired back to the atmosphere in the forms of carbon dioxide (CO2) and one of the more potent greenhouse gas (GHG) methane (CH4). Additionally, lakes serve as archives of terrestrial and aquatic carbon processes within their sediments, enabling the reconstruction of historical changes spanning thousands of years. These changes encompass alterations in land cover, indicated by pollen records, soil carbon erosion and shifts in lake productivity resulting from changes in land use and climate. Both the burial of C in lakes and the emissions of GHGs are recognised as important components of Earth's climate system, yet they remain poorly understood and constrained due to inadequate quantities and qualities of observations. In the case of GHG emissions from lakes, observations are often sporadic, failing to capture the significant spatial and temporal variations in emissions across diverse lentic systems. To address this challenge, process-based models that incorporate the interconnected biogeochemical processes occurring within lakes and their watersheds would arguably be the best tool to extrapolate from site-level observations to regional and finally global scales, to quantify the anthropogenic impact on these fluxes and to reconstruct long-term shifts in emissions and burial due to changes in land cover and climate. However, the development and evaluation of such models is hampered by the lack of observations in sufficient quality. In this project, we bring together a unique consortium of specialists in aquatic ecology, biogeochemistry, palynology, sedimentology and modelling of terrestrial and aquatic biogeochemistry. This project will put forth a national programme of systematic, long-term observations of lake GHG and C cycling processes of unmet detail, consistency and quality. First, at 40 pilot sites spanning typological and environmental gradients, there will be a comprehensive data acquisition endeavour to evaluate biological processes and mesological factors influencing the sequestration or recycling of organic carbon. This effort will be complemented with a synthesis of existing data (WP1). Second, based on well-dated sediment records, which include both newly-acquired and synthesised existing data, variability of lake C burial and their climate and land-use controls will be reconstructed over the past 150 years (WP2). For 15 of these pilot sites, reconstruction will go back until the mid-Holocene (5,000 years BP), allowing us to shed light on the anthropogenic perturbation of the C cycle in this earlier part of human history, which is commonly excluded from this type of research due to lack of information. The activities of these first two WPs will result in an open-source national database, guaranteeing valorisation of our research far beyond this project. In WP3, we will use the land surface model (LSM) ORCHIDEE C-lateral to assess C cycling in the terrestrial biosphere and the mobilisation of biospheric C into lakes, which is possible due to an explicit representation of soil C leaching and erosion processes and a downscaling scheme permitting us to assess C exports from watersheds at sub-grid scale. While LSMs are used to assess evolution of biospheric C budgets from the beginning of the Industrial Period, we will use it to hindcast the evolution since the mid-Holocene, using lake sediment records for model validation. Moreover, we will develop a new process-based lake C model supported by the database established in WPs 1 and 2, which we will couple to ORCHIDEE C-lateral to simulate lake C burial and GHG emissions in response to climate and processes in the lake watershed. This model set-up will first be used to better constrain contemporary large-scale lake GHG emissions and to disentangle the anthropogenic perturbation of these fluxes from the natural background flux. These estimates will be revolutionary, as they will allow attributing part of lake GHG emissions to anthropogenic emissions for national GHG budget reporting. Then, these models will be emulated to reconstruct evolution of lake GHG budgets and C budgets of the whole lake watershed since the mid-Holocene. While simulations will first be performed at the scales of France and Europe, the development of international partnerships to implement observations from other biomes (WP4) will finally support simulations at the global scale.