British Sleep Society: the COVID-19 pandemic response

The current pandemic caused by a novel coronavirus, named COVID-19, holds the entire world to ransom. A proportion of the infected patients becomes critically ill, with millions being infected and hundreds of thousands who have died so far. In some countries, national lockdown restrictions are being slowly lifted, but the World Health Organization (WHO) still registers increasing numbers of confirmed COVID-19 infections across its membership states. Against this background, the BSS brought together doctors from the respiratory and critical care response teams in Wuhan, China and London, UK in a webinar to exchange their knowledge and expertise and discuss current best practice in the management of patients with COVID-19. Following their presentations, sleep experts from the Executive Committee of the BSS discussed the impact of the pandemic and lockdown on sleep and shared practical advice regarding sleep health

Directed Particle Transport via Reconfigurable Fiber Networks

Mass transport limitations of particulates within conventional microanalytical systems are often cited as the root cause for low sensitivity but can be overcome by directed analyte transport, such as via biomolecular motors or gradient surfaces. An ongoing challenge is the development of materials that are passive in nature (i.e., no external power source required), but can reconfigure to perform work, such as transporting particle‐based analytes. Mimicking biology’s concepts of autonomous and reconfigurable materials systems, like the Drosera capensis leaf, reconfigurable fiber networks that effectively concentrate particulates within a localized spot that can act as a detection patch are developed. These networks, prepared by electrohydrodynamic co‐jetting, draw their reconfigurability from a bicompartmental fiber architecture. Upon exposure to neutral pH, a differential swelling of both fiber compartments gives rise to interfacial tension and ultimately results in shape reconfiguration of the fiber network. Compared to free particles, the reconfigurable fiber networks display a 57‐fold increase in analyte detectability, average transport efficiencies of 91.9 ± 2.4%, and separation selectivity between different surface properties of 95 ± 3%. The integration of biomimetic materials into microanalytical systems, exemplified in this study, offers ample opportunities to design novel and effective detection schemes that circumvent mass transport limitations.Biomimetic hydrogel fibers deposited in a structured spiderweb network via electrohydrodynamic co‐jet writing allow for precise control over the direction of their bending motion. The shape reconfigurable network exhibits high selectivity and efficiency in actively transporting particulates. Based on these results, their potential in overcoming mass transport limitations in microanalytical systems is demonstrated.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/174803/1/adfm202204080-sup-0001-SuppMat.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/174803/2/adfm202204080_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/174803/3/adfm202204080.pd

Desensitisation to cigarette package graphic health warnings:a cohort comparison between London and Singapore

OBJECTIVES: We compared 2 sociocultural cohorts with different duration of exposure to graphic health warning labels (GHWL), to investigate a possible desensitisation to their use. We further studied how a differing awareness and emotional impact of smoking-associated risks could be used to prevent this. SETTING: Structured interviews of patients from the general respiratory department were undertaken between 2012 and 2013 in 2 tertiary hospitals in Singapore and London. PARTICIPANTS: 266 participants were studied, 163 Londoners (35% smokers, 54% male, age 52±18 years) and 103 Singaporeans (53% smokers, p=0.003; 78% male, p<0.001; age 58±15 years, p=0.012). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: 50 items assessed demographics, smoking history, knowledge and the deterring impact of smoking-associated risks. After showing 10 GHWL, the impact on emotional response, cognitive processing and intended smoking behaviour was recorded. RESULTS: Singaporeans scored lower than the Londoners across all label processing constructs, and this was consistent for the smoking and non-smoking groups. Londoners experienced more ‘disgust’ and felt GHWL were more effective at preventing initiation of, or quitting, smoking. Singaporeans had a lower awareness of lung cancer (82% vs 96%, p<0.001), despite ranking it as the most deterring consequence of smoking. Overall, ‘blindness’ was the least known potential risk (28%), despite being ranked as more deterring than ‘stroke’ and ‘oral cancer’ in all participants. CONCLUSIONS: The length of exposure to GHWL impacts on the effectiveness. However, acknowledging the different levels of awareness and emotional impact of smoking-associated risks within different sociocultural cohorts could be used to maintain their impact

Enzyme Scaffolds with Hierarchically Defined Properties via 3D Jet Writing

The immobilization of enzymes into polymer hydrogels is a versatile approach to improve their stability and utility in biotechnological and biomedical applications. However, these systems typically show limited enzyme activity, due to unfavorable pore dimensions and low enzyme accessibility. Here, 3D jet writing of water‐based bioinks, which contain preloaded enzymes, is used to prepare hydrogel scaffolds with well‐defined, tessellated micropores. After 3D jet writing, the scaffolds are chemically modified via photopolymerization to ensure mechanical stability. Enzyme loading and activity in the hydrogel scaffolds is fully retained over 3 d. Important structural parameters of the scaffolds such as pore size, pore geometry, and wall diameter are controlled with micrometer resolution to avoid mass‐transport limitations. It is demonstrated that scaffold pore sizes between 120 µm and 1 mm can be created by 3D jet writing approaching the length scales of free diffusion in the hydrogels substrates and resulting in high levels of enzyme activity (21.2% activity relative to free enzyme). With further work, a broad range of applications for enzyme‐laden hydrogel scaffolds including diagnostics and enzymatic cascade reactions is anticipated.In this article, the development and application of a water‐based bioink with preloaded enzymes is described. With 3D jet writing, a hydrodynamic jetting system, freestanding 3D hydrogel frameworks with defined micropores are brightened. The enzyme‐loaded scaffolds show a high enzymatic activity and can be tested for industrial use in a continuous flow reactor over several days.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/162721/2/mabi202000154_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/162721/1/mabi202000154.pd