Smart contact lens and transparent heat patch for remote monitoring and therapy of chronic ocular surface inflammation using mobiles

Wearable electronic devices that can monitor physiological signals of the human body to provide biomedical information have been drawing extensive interests for sustainable personal health management. Here, we report a human pilot trial of a soft, smart contact lens and a skin-attachable therapeutic device for wireless monitoring and therapy of chronic ocular surface inflammation (OSI). As a diagnostic device, this smart contact lens enables real-time measurement of the concentration of matrix metalloproteinase-9, a biomarker for OSI, in tears using a graphene field-effect transistor. As a therapeutic device, we also fabricated a stretchable and transparent heat patch attachable on the human eyelid conformably. Both diagnostic and therapeutic devices can be incorporated using a smartphone for their wireless communications, thereby achieving instantaneous diagnosis of OSI and automated hyperthermia treatments. Furthermore, in vivo tests using live animals and human subjects confirm their good biocompatibility and reliability as a noninvasive, mobile health care solution

Wireless Non-Invasive Monitoring of Cholesterol Using a Smart Contact Lens

Herein, a wireless and soft smart contact lens that enables real-time quantitative recording of cholesterol in tear fluids for the monitoring of patients with hyperlipidemia using a smartphone is reported. This contact lens incorporates an electrochemical biosensor for the continuous detection of cholesterol concentrations, stretchable antenna, and integrated circuits for wireless communication, which makes a smartphone the only device required to operate this lens remotely without obstructing the wearer's vision. The hyperlipidemia rabbit model is utilized to confirm the correlation between cholesterol levels in tear fluid and blood and to confirm the feasibility of this smart contact lens for diagnostic application of cholesterol-related diseases. Further in vivo tests with human subjects demonstrated its good biocompatibility, wearability, and reliability as a non-invasive healthcare device.11Nsciescopu

Multimodal Characterization of Cardiac Organoids Using Integrations of Pressure-Sensitive Transistor Arrays with Three-Dimensional Liquid Metal Electrodes

Herein, we present an unconventional method for multimodal characterization of three-dimensional cardiac organo-ids. This method can monitor and control the mechanophysio-logical parameters of organoids within a single device. In this method, local pressure distributions of human-induced pluripotent stem-cell-derived cardiac organoids are visualized spatiotemporally by an active-matrix array of pressure-sensitive transistors. This array is integrated with three-dimensional electrodes formed by the high-resolution printing of liquid metal. These liquid-metal electrodes are inserted inside an organoid to form the intra-organoid interface for simultaneous electrophysiological recording and stimulation. The low mechanical modulus and low impedance of the liquid-metal electrodes are compatible with organoids' soft biological tissue, which enables stable electric pacing at low thresholds. In contrast to conventional electrophysiological methods, this measurement of a cardiac organoid's beating pressures enabled simultaneous treatment of electrical therapeutics using a single device without any interference between the pressure signals and electrical pulses from pacing electrodes, even in wet organoid conditions.11Nsciescopu

In-depth correlation analysis between tear glucose and blood glucose using a wireless smart contact lens

The source data for the paper titled 'In-depth correlation analysis between tear glucose and blood glucose using a wireless smart contact lens' comprises all the data presented in the figures within the paper

Response Prediction after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Colon Cancer Using CT Tumor Regression Grade: A Preliminary Study

Purpose To investigate whether CT-based tumor regression grade (ctTRG) can be used to predict the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in colon cancer. Materials and Methods A total of 53 patients were enrolled. Two radiologists independently assessed the ctTRG using the length, thickness, layer pattern, and luminal and extraluminal appearance of the tumor. Changes in tumor volume were also analyzed using the 3D Slicer software. We evaluated the association between pathologic TRG (pTRG) and ctTRG. Patients with Rödel’s TRG of 2, 3, or 4 were classified as responders. In terms of predicting responder and pathologic complete remission (pCR), receiver operating characteristic was compared between ctTRG and tumor volume change. Results There was a moderate correlation between ctTRG and pTRG (ρ = -0.540, p < 0.001), and the interobserver agreement was substantial (weighted к = 0.672). In the prediction of responder, there was no significant difference between ctTRG and volumetry (Az = 0.749, criterion: ctTRG ≤ 3 for ct- TRG, Az = 0.794, criterion: ≤ -27.1% for volume, p = 0.53). Moreover, there was no significant difference between the two methods in predicting pCR (p = 0.447). Conclusion ctTRG might predict the response to NAC in colon cancer. The diagnostic performance of ctTRG was comparable to that of CT volumetry

Electrical stimulation for therapeutic approach

Abstract Electrical stimulation as a therapeutic approach is widely applicable in terms of target tissues or target effects. This method can be an alternative to conventional therapies for patients who are resistant to drugs or are ineligible for surgical operations. In addition, as researchers have actively studied how to adjust the parameters for electrical stimulation in order to improve effectiveness, many patients have already received treatments with electrical stimulation. With respect to devices for electrical stimulation, recent studies are focused on developing reliability for safe and long‐term operations. From the point of view of engineers, a comprehensive understanding of how electrical stimulation modulates the biological system is essential to develop advanced strategies that provide effective therapeutic results. Herein, the fundamental mechanisms for delivering electrical stimulation on biological tissues are reviewed along with the requirements that need to be qualified by the electrodes. Furthermore, the latest advances in electrical stimulation devices are discussed followed by an introduction of representative applications of therapeutic electrical stimulation

Smart Contact Lenses as Wearable Ophthalmic Devices for Disease Monitoring and Health Management

The eye contains a complex network of physiological information and biomarkers for monitoring disease and managing health, and ocular devices can be used to effectively perform point-of-care diagnosis and disease management. This comprehensive review describes the target biomarkers and various diseases, including ophthalmic diseases, metabolic diseases, and neurological diseases, based on the physiological and anatomical background of the eye. This review also includes the recent technologies utilized in eye-wearable medical devices and the latest trends in wearable ophthalmic devices, specifically smart contact lenses for the purpose of disease management. After introducing other ocular devices such as the retinal prosthesis, we further discuss the current challenges and potential possibilities of smart contact lenses.11Nsciescopu

In situ Diagnosis and Simultaneous Treatment of Cardiac Diseases using a Single-device Platform

The in situ diagnosis of cardiac activities with simultaneous therapeutic electrical stimulation of the heart is key to preventing cardiac arrhythmia. Here, we present an unconventional single-device platform that enables in situ monitoring even in a wet condition and control of beating heart motions without interferences to the recording signal. This platform consists of the active-matrix array of pressure-sensitive transistors for detecting cardiac beatings, biocompatible, low-impedance electrodes for cardiac stimulations, and an alginate-based hydrogel adhesive for attaching this platform conformally to the epicardium. In contrast to conventional electrophysiological sensing using electrodes, the pressure-sensitive transistors measured mechanophysiological characteristics by monitoring the spatiotemporal distributions of cardiac pressures during heart beating motions. In vivo tests show mechanophysiological readings having good correlation with electrocardiography and negligible interference with the electrical artifacts caused during cardiac stimulations. This platform can therapeutically synchronize the rhythm of abnormal heartbeats through efficient pacing of cardiac arrhythmia.11Nsciescopu

Materials and Structural Designs for Neural Interfaces

Rapid advances in neurotechnology enable bidirectional communication between the nervous system and engineered devices. The precise recording and stimulation of typical target neurons by neural interfaces with adequate materials and structures can provide revolutionized medical applications, including the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders. Thereby, a proper understanding of the electronic device and its interfacing biological surroundings is necessary. Here, this review highlights the basic concepts of neural signaling, neural recording, and stimulation to help understand neural interfaces. Then, we summarize the considerations of the materials and introduce a variety of materials that satisfy the requirements. Furthermore, the key challenges for next-generation neural interfaces are considered, and future directions are explored based on recent studies.11Nsciescopu

Emerging Bio‐Interfacing Wearable Devices for Signal Monitoring: Overview of the Mechanisms and Diverse Sensor Designs to Target Distinct Physiological Bio‐Parameters

Abstract Recently, personalized medical diagnostics and treatments have received significant interest due to the rising demand for reliable, rapid, and cost‐effective healthcare services. In the recent development of wearable devices, ways to engineer devices to extend their reliability, minimize the risk of infection, and expand the scope of application have been focused on improving conventional clinical procedures. With the increasing interest in personalized healthcare, wearable devices have received substantial interest because they monitor each physiological parameter for specific clinical interest. These unique bio‐parameters of individuals can be recorded from different target organs for the analysis of various functions, ranging from simple bodily movement to clinical treatment. In this review, the recent advances in sensors for recording unique bio‐signals from the human body are discussed. Based on each unique bio‐signals, a comprehensive analysis of wearable platforms for clinical diagnosis is provided, including subjects such as the selection of materials, device design structure, and application strategies for therapeutic significance. Furthermore, the challenges and future potential direction of modern bio‐sensor devices are discussed extensively