Patient-specific 3D-printed splint for mallet finger injury

Despite the frequency of mallet finger injuries, treatment options can often be costly, time-consuming, and ill-fitted. Three-dimensional (3D) printing allows for the production of highly customized and inexpensive splints, which suggests potential efficacy in the prescription of casts for musculoskeletal injuries. This study explores how the use of engineering concepts such as 3D printing and topology optimization (TO) can improve outcomes for patients. 3D printing enables the direct fabrication of the patient-specific complex shapes while utilizing finite element analysis and TO in the design of the splint allowed for the most efficient distribution of material to achieve mechanical requirements while reducing the amount of material used. The reduction in used material leads to significant improvements in weight reduction and heat dissipation, which would improve breathability and less sweating for the patient, greatly increasing comfort for the duration of their recovery

Design of a Customized Neck Orthosis for FDM Manufacturing with a New Sustainable Bio-composite

The interest in developing customized external orthopaedic devices, thanks to the advent of Additive Manufacturing (AM), has grown in recent years. Greater attention was focused on upper limb casts, while applications to other body’s parts, such as the neck, were less investigated. In this paper the computer aided design (CAD) modelling, assessment and 3D printing with fused deposition modelling (FDM) of a customized neck orthosis are reported. The modelling, based on anatomic data of a volunteer subject, was aimed to obtain a lightweight, ventilated, hygienic and comfortable orthosis compared to the produced medical devices generally used for neck injuries. CAD models with different geometrical patterns, introduced for lightening and improving breathability, were considered, specifically, a honeycomb pattern and an elliptical holes pattern. These models were structurally assessed by means of finite elements analysis (FEA). Furthermore, an innovative composite material was considered for 3D printing. The material, Hemp Bio-Plastic® (HBP), composed by polylactic acid (PLA) and hemp shives, offers different advantages including lightweight, improved superficial finish and antibacterial properties. The results obtained in terms of design methodology and manufacturing by 3D printing of a prototype have shown the feasibility to develop customized cervical orthoses, with potentially improved performance with respect to cervical collars available on the market also thanks to the use of the innovative composite material

Cooling load estimation using machine learning techniques

Estimating cooling loads in heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems is a complex task. This is mainly due to its dependence on numerous factors which are both intrinsic and extrinsic to buildings. These include climate, forecasts, building material, fenestration etc. In addition, these factors are non-linear and time-varying. Therefore, capturing the effect of these parameters on the cooling load is a complex task. This investigation combines forward modelling, i.e., physics based model simulated using energyPlus with deep-learning techniques to build a cooling load estimator. The forward model captures all the time-varying factors influencing the cooling loads. We use the long short-term memory (LSTM), a deep-learning method to provide forecasts of cooling loads. The advantage of the proposed approach is that cooling load estimations can be provided in real-time thus providing sort of soft-sensor for estimating cooling loads in buildings. The proposed approach is illustrated on a building of suitable scale and our results demonstrates the ability of the tool to provide forecasts

Connected healthcare: Improving patient care using digital health technologies

Now more than ever, traditional healthcare models are being overhauled with digital technologies of Healthcare 4.0 being increasingly adopted. Worldwide, digital devices are improving every stage of the patient care pathway. For one, sensors are being used to monitor patient metrics 24/7, permitting swift diagnosis and interventions. At the treatment stage, 3D printers are currently being investigated for the concept of personalised medicine by allowing patients access to on-demand, customisable therapeutics. Robots are also being explored for treatment, by empowering precision surgery or targeted drug delivery. Within medical logistics, drones are being leveraged to deliver critical treatments to remote areas, collect samples, and even provide emergency aid. To enable seamless integration within healthcare, the Internet of Things technology is being exploited to form closed-loop systems that remotely communicate with one another. This review outlines the most promising healthcare technologies and devices, their strengths, drawbacks, and scopes for clinical adoption

Influencing the Inflammatory Response Through Multi-Scale Geometry, Antibiotic Release, and Fluid Management in a Textile-Based Biomaterial Wound Dressing

The total population of diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes mellitus in the United states is expected to rise by 54% between the years of 2015 and 2030 contributing to $200 billion in health care expense. The exponential rise in common diabetic wounds, such as diabetic foot ulcers, puts a large population at risk for complications such as infection, amputation, and even death. Peripheral neuropathy leading to late diagnoses, patient non-compliance, and lack of holistic treatment options all contribute to complications with the incidence of new ulcer formation after treatment reaching 50%. This work explores the design, development, and in vitro evaluation of a multicomponent textile-based biomaterial and absorptive dressing that combines the need to manage infection, eliminate excess exudate levels, and provide an ideal environment for healthy tissue to repair and remodel the wound site. Melt-splun poly-l-lactide (PLLA) yarn of fibers with round or 4-deep-grooved (4DG) geometry were knitted into the skin-contact layer, the first layer of the dressing. Different methods of gentamicin sulfate (GS) incorporation, along with the impact of fiber geometry, were studied to explore optimal antibiotic release and efficacy. Results indicated that an increase in surface area as well as heat-enabled diffusion allowed for higher release of GS. Because each factorial treatment, with the exception of exhaustion dyeing method of incorporation, released GS at or above the minimum inhibitory concentration, there showed no difference in geometry and method of incorporation on antibacterial efficacy. The GS incorporated skin contact layer also appeared to be biocompatible in cultures of mouse bone marrow stromal D1 cells. Cell adhesion studies showed that a polyethylene glycol (PEG) surface treatment is needed to prevent non-specific protein and cellular attachment upon dressing changes. A microscopically thin layer of PEG was added to the surface of the contact layer and showed less cell attachment as seen in fluorescently labeled LIVE/DEADTM analysis, while showing no impact on GS release and antibacterial efficacy. In this aim, it can be concluded that the combination of GS release and a PEG surface coat can simultaneously kill and prevent infection while providing a non-adhesive surface upon removal from the wound. Polyurethane (PU) foam was characterized in a two-factor analysis based on foam density and mixing speed used to create the foam layer. PU foam V was chosen as the absorptive layer of the dressing and a comparative analysis was conducted using commercialized absorptive dressings. The PU foam layer was exposed to different time durations of ultra-violet ozone to increase the surface wettability and initiate moisture absorption. To prevent saturation, PLLA yarn of 4DG fibers was braided into an evaporative and moisture wicking layer. The braided fabric was able to vertically wick porcine serum at a rate of 0.88 mm/sec. The combination of absorptive and moisture wicking layers stimulate wound healing by removing moisture from the ulcer, while preventing maceration and premature saturation of the dressing, leading to fewer dressing changes. Additionally, an in vitro chronic wound model was constructed to verify the efficacy of the combined layers of the dressing. After applying the dressing for a duration of 48 hours, the dressing inhibited bacterial infection, while acting as a superabsorbent material without causing saturation. Further work explored healthy cell viability and any oxidative stress levels after exposing cells to both bacterial infection and the dressing. Although the in vitro model maintains some limitations and assumptions at the present time, it can be concluded that with the addition of the wound dressing, cell viability increased over time, and therefore promoted tissue repair. Future work will explore alternative antimicrobials for a more gradual release as well as improving the in vitro model by discovering the interaction between the co-culture in different types of medias and substrates while including proinflammatory biomarkers that could affect oxidative stress

Temporomandibularne ozljede i poremećaji u sportu

Orofacial injuries are common in sporting activities, depending on type of sport and many other factors. Temporomandibular injuries and disorders have been found in 2 – 6 % of all orofacial injuries cases, and they are the result of macrotraumas and microtraumas of the mandible, the temporomandibular joint and adjacent anatomic structures. The results of such traumas are of different symptomatology and can lead to a temporary or permanent cessation of sporting activity. Most injuries in sports, including orofacial and temporomandibular disorders, are predictable and therefore preventable. Measures for preventing orofacial injuries and temporomandibular disorders in sporting activities include various types of protection appliances: extraoral, interdental (intraoral) and combined mouth and teeth protectors. Interdental sports guards (mouthguards) can be stock or ready-made, mouth-formed or custom-made mouthguards. These mouthguards, mutually different in quality, play a very important role in prevention of orofacial and temporomandibular tissue injuries. Use of mouthguards significantly reduces the number of orofacial tissue injuries, and also reduces the severity of sustained injuries. Sports injuries, including those to orofacial and temporomandibular area, regardless of whether they are incurred in recreational or competitive sport, require multidisciplinary approach, both in diagnostics and treatment and in implementation of prevention measures. Sports physicians, coaches, sports officials, parents and athletes themselves, should also be permanently educated on the exceptional importance of prevention measures, thus making the role of dentist in sport unavoidable.Ozljede orofacijalnog sustava u sportu su učestale, ovisno o vrsti sportske discipline te drugim okolnostima. Temporomandibularne ozljede i poremećaji čine oko 2 do 6% svih orofacijalnih ozljeda, a rezultat su makrotrauma i mikrotrauma donje čeljusti, čeljusnog zgloba i okolnih anatomskih struktura. Posljedice takvih trauma raznovrsne su simptomatologije, koje mogu biti uzrokom privremenog ili trajnog prekida bavljenja sportom. Većina ozljeda u sportu, pa tako i onih orofacijalnih te temporomandibularnih poremećaja, nastaje iz predvidivih razloga i na njih se može preventivno utjecati. U preventivne mjere spada korištenje različitih oblika zaštitnih sredstava: ekstraoralnih, interdentalnih (intraoralnih) i kombiniranih štitnika za usta i zube. Najširu uporabu imaju interdentalni štitnici, a oni mogu biti gotovi, polugotovi ili individualno izrađeni. Imaju raznovrsne uloge u sprječavanju ozljeda orofacijalnih tkiva u sportu, a korištenjem takvih štitnika učestalost se i težina orofacijalnih, odnosno temporomandibularnih, ozljeda znatno smanjuje. Sportske ozljede, pa tako i one orofacijalnog sustava, bez obzira na to nastaju li u rekreativnom ili natjecateljskom sportu, zahtijevaju multidisciplinarni pristup, kako pri dijagnostici i liječenju, tako i u provođenju preventivnih mjera. Sportski liječnici, treneri, sportski djelatnici, roditelji i sami sportaši trebali bi se trajno educirati i upućivati u iznimnu važnost preventivnih mjera, pri čemu je uloga stomatologa u sportu nezaobilazna

Ambient Micro-Climate and Thermal Comfort Assessment of Davis Wade Stadium during the 2016 Football Season

College football stadiums host anywhere from 15,000 to 115,000 people each Saturday from late summer to early winter and leave fans exposed to ambient conditions. Amplified heat from stadium infrastructure substantially impact attendants’ thermal comfort. In order to assess personal heat exposure and mitigate exposure misclassification, temperature and relative humidity sensors (iButtons) were placed throughout Mississippi State University’s Davis Wade Stadium during the 2016 Football Season. iButton measurements established a micro-climate and compared its readings to the Soil Climate Analysis Network site 1.2 miles north of the stadium. The program RayMan Pro modeled a Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) micro-climate to create an individualized heat metric. The results of this study assess stadium occupants’ thermal comfort through Heat Index and PET. Heat-related health outcomes were examined regarding thermal comfort and the stadium micro-climate using data from the stadium’s EMS calls and First Aid stations during game days

Challenges and Status on Design and Computation for Emerging Additive Manufacturing Technologies

The revolution of additive manufacturing (AM) has led to many opportunities in fabricating complex and novel products. The increase of printable materials and the emergence of novel fabrication processes continuously expand the possibility of engineering systems in which product components are no longer limited to be single material, single scale, or single function. In fact, a paradigm shift is taking place in industry from geometry-centered usage to supporting functional demands. Consequently, engineers are expected to resolve a wide range of complex and difficult problems related to functional design. Although a higher degree of design freedom beyond geometry has been enabled by AM, there are only very few computational design approaches in this new AM-enabled domain to design objects with tailored properties and functions. The objectives of this review paper are to provide an overview of recent additive manufacturing developments and current computer-aided design methodologies that can be applied to multimaterial, multiscale, multiform, and multifunctional AM technologies. The difficulties encountered in the computational design approaches are summarized and the future development needs are emphasized. In the paper, some present applications and future trends related to additive manufacturing technologies are also discussed