Progress in biomedical engineering (Bristol, England)最新文献

Building upon the extensive body of work in inertial, viscoelastic, and elasto-inertial microfluidics-collectively classified as flow-induced particle migration microfluidics (FIPMM)-this review delivers an exhaustive synthesis of theoretical foundations and practical advancements in the field. The focus is centered on leveraging microfluidic platforms for the effective separation and manipulation of nanoscale particles such as exosomes. Highlighting the unique advantages and practical challenges of these methods, the review bridges the gap between theory and application. By exploring the interplay of inertial and elastic forces, this work demonstrates the potential for enhanced resolution, throughput, and scalability in particle separation without the need for chemical labeling. In addition, it addresses key limitations such as device fabrication constraints, material properties, and operational reproducibility, providing strategic information to researchers and engineers. By addressing these challenges, this review intends to guide new entrants in the field and contribute to the general advancement of this area of research.

As an emerging additive manufacturing technique, three-dimensional bioprinting enables precise control over the fabrication of tissue replacements, surpassing the limitations of conventional biofabrication methods. However, the successful production of functional bioprinted constructs remains challenging due to the complex interplay of numerous process parameters. The finite element method (FEM) has proven to be a powerful computational tool in biomedical research, offering a means to simulate and optimize various aspects of the bioprinting process. This review systematically examines the diverse applications of FEM across the three key stages of extrusion-based bioprinting-pre-printing, printing, and post-printing-one of the most widely adopted bioprinting technologies. FEM enables the prediction and optimization of tissue construct properties before fabrication by simulating bothin vitroandin vivoloading conditions, providing valuable insights into critical yet experimentally inaccessible parameters, such as internal stress distributions and mechanical deformations. By enhancing the understanding of these factors, FEM contributes to the development of mechanically stable and biologically functional bioprinted structures. Additionally, FEM-driven simulations facilitate the optimization of bioprinting parameters, reducing material consumption, improving reproducibility, and accelerating the design process. Despite its significant contributions, existing FEM tools remain constrained in their ability to capture the highly dynamic and multi-scale nature of bioprinting completely. Future advancements should enhance the accurate representation of real-time cell-matrix interactions, bioink dynamics, and the progressive maturation of bioprinted constructs. By refining FEM simulations and embedding them into adaptive bioprinting workflows, this computational approach has the potential to drive transformative innovations in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and organ fabrication.

Hand exoprosthesis are commonly assumed as a promising approach to help people regain independence after upper limb losses. Injury-related data from recent years highlights the need to continue developing solutions to increase end-user acceptance. Within this scope, the present review aims to provide up-to-date information related on advancements and current trends in hand exoprosthesis development. Following a PRISMA methodology, 60 studies were included in this review covering a different range of actuation strategies and design approaches. The main features of the devices developed in the literature are also presented in detail. Concerning actuation strategies, linkage-driven and tendon-pulley mechanisms are the most common approaches presented in the literature, however different strategies such as twisted-string actuators differential mechanisms are also proposed. In turn, pneumatic and hydraulic actuation approaches are also presented as soft alternatives to electric motors. Passive elements such as springs or clutch mechanisms are frequently employed to achieve underactuation in these devices. 3D Printed technologies are also suggested as alternatives to the most conventional manufacturing methods. By covering all these topics, the present review is meant to provide useful insights into future developments in this field. End-user-oriented continuous improvement and the development of highly anthropomorphic solutions are still current challenges, that should be addressed in upcoming developments. This work was developed in the scope of the project 'NerveRepack-Intelligent neural system for bidirectional connection with exoprostheses and exoskeletons', which has received funding from the Horizon Europe RIA programme under grant agreement N^∘101112347.

Artificial intelligence (AI) incorporation into healthcare has proven revolutionary, especially in radiotherapy, where accuracy is critical. The purpose of the study is to present patterns and develop topics in the application of AI to improve the precision of anatomical diagnosis, delineation of organs, and therapeutic effectiveness in radiation and radiological imaging. We performed a bibliometric analysis of scholarly articles in the fields starting in 2014. Through an examination of research output from key contributing nations and institutions, an analysis of notable research subjects, and an investigation of trends in scientific terminology pertaining to AI in radiology and radiotherapy. Furthermore, we examined software solutions based on AI in these domains, with a specific emphasis on extracting anatomical features and recognizing organs for the purpose of treatment planning. Our investigation found a significant surge in papers pertaining to AI in the fields since 2014. Institutions such as Emory University and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center made substantial contributions to the development of the United States and China as leading research-producing nations. Key study areas encompassed adaptive radiation informed by anatomical alterations, MR-Linac for enhanced vision of soft tissues, and multi-organ segmentation for accurate planning of radiotherapy. An evident increase in the frequency of phrases such as 'radiomics,' 'radiotherapy segmentation,' and 'dosiomics' was noted. The evaluation of AI-based software revealed a wide range of uses in several subdisciplinary fields of radiation and radiology, particularly in improving the identification of anatomical features for treatment planning and identifying organs at risk. The incorporation of AI in anatomical diagnosis in radiological imaging and radiotherapy is progressing rapidly, with substantial capacity to transform the precision of diagnoses and the effectiveness of treatment planning.

Optical coherence elastography (OCE) is a non-invasive imaging technique that measures the biomechanical properties of materials and tissues. This systematic review focuses on the applications of OCE in the anterior segment of the eye, including the cornea, iris, and crystalline lens, and its clinical relevance in diagnosing and managing ocular diseases. A systematic literature review was conducted using the PRISMA framework to identify studies published between 2014 and 2024. The review included studies that reported intrinsic biomechanical properties of anterior segment tissues measured using OCE. Databases searched included Scopus, Pub Med, and IEEE Xplore. Twenty-five studies met the inclusion criteria. The review found that OCE has been used to measure intrinsic biomechanical parameters such as Young's modulus and shear modulus in ocular tissues. OCE has been utilised to assess corneal stiffness in keratoconus, lens elasticity in presbyopia and cataract formation, and iris biomechanical changes under different lighting conditions. The studies demonstrated that OCE could detect subtle biomechanical changes associated with ocular diseases and measure treatment efficacy, such as collagen crosslinking for keratoconus management. The findings highlight the potential of OCE to enhance clinical diagnostics and patient care by providing detailed insights into the biomechanical properties of ocular tissues. However, variability in measurement techniques, the complexity of the method and reliance on animal models limit the current clinical translation of OCE. Standardised measurement protocols and further development andin vivovalidation are needed to overcome these barriers. OCE shows promise as a valuable non-invasive tool for high-resolution assessments of tissue biomechanics, which can subsequently support the diagnosis and management of ocular diseases. Future research should focus on standardising OCE methods and integrating them into clinical practice to fully realise their potential in improving patient outcomes.

Advancements in assistive robots have significantly transformed healthcare procedures in recent years. Clinical continuum robots have enhanced minimally invasive surgeries, offering benefits to patients such as reduced blood loss and a short recovery time. However, controlling these devices is difficult due to their limited accuracy in three-dimensional deflections and challenging localization, particularly in confined spaces like human internal organs. Consequently, there has been growing research interest in employing miniaturized soft growing robots, a promising alternative that provides enhanced flexibility and maneuverability. In this work, we extensively investigated issues concerning their designs and interactions with humans in clinical contexts. We took insights from the open challenges of the generic soft growing robots to examine implications for miniaturization, actuation, and biocompatibility. We proposed technological concepts and provided detailed discussions on leveraging existing technologies, such as smart sensors, haptic feedback, and artificial intelligence, to ensure the safe and efficient deployment of the robots. Finally, we offer an array of opinions from a biomedical engineering perspective that contributes to advancing research in this domain for future research to transition from conceptualization to practical clinical application of miniature soft growing robots.

Mechanical forces of various kinds and magnitudes are crucial to cell and tissue development. At the cell level, mechanotransduction refers to the processes that turn mechanical triggers into a biochemical response. Just like most biological processes, many of these mechanical forces are not static but change dynamically over time. Therefore, to further our fundamental understanding of dynamic mechanotransduction, it is paramount that we have a good toolbox available to specifically trigger and analyze every step of the way from force to phenotype. While many individual studies have described such tools, to our knowledge, a comprehensive overview providing guidance on which tool to use to address specific questions is still lacking. Thus, with this review, we aim to provide an overview and comparison of available dynamic cell stimulation techniques. To this end, we describe the existing experimental techniques, highlighting and comparing their strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore, we provide a one-glance overview of the niches of mechanical stimulation occupied by the different approaches. We finish our review with an outlook on some techniques that could potentially be added to the toolbox in the future. This review can be relevant and interesting for a broad audience, from engineers developing the tools, to biologists and medical researchers utilizing the tools to answer their questions, or to raise new ones.

Extrusion is the most popular bioprinting platform. Predictions of human tissue and whole-organ printing have been made for the technology. However, after decades of development, extruded constructs lack the essential microscale resolution and heterogeneity observed in most human tissues. Extrusion bioprinting has had little clinical impact with the majority of research directed away from the tissues most needed by patients. The distance between promise and reality is a result of technology hype and inherent design flaws that limit the shape, scale and survival of extruded features. By more widely adopting resolution innovations and softening its ambitions the biofabrication field could define a future for extrusion bioprinting that more closely aligns with its capabilities.

This review comprehensively analyzes the modern literature on including visual aids in diverse surgical assistant robotic systems. The review considered a deep analysis of diverse technical and scientific sources that provide precise information on how the more recent surgical systems, especially those considering robotic devices, perform automatic operations on patients. The search procedure and the corresponding analytics considered only those conditions where vision systems played a significant role in the surgical procedure, despite the type of end-effector and if only position or force were used as part of the feedback analysis. This review is organized considering the robot configuration, the type of end-effector, the vision systems considered for those cases, and the associated control actions, which must include the acquired image or video. The study analyzes the key contributions of the published cases. It provides a critical description of the advantages and shortcomings of the technological implementation of vision systems in surgical robotic devices. Finally, this review provides a general prospective view of ongoing research on vision aids for surgical robotic systems, which will become an ordinary actor in future surgical systems.

Polydopamine (PDA), as a material mimicking the adhesive proteins of mussels in nature, has emerged as a strong candidate for developing novel antibacterial and anti-inflammatory materials due to its outstanding biomimetic adhesion, effective photothermal conversion, excellent biocompatibility and antioxidant capabilities. This review discussed in detail the intricate structure and polymerization principles of PDA, elucidated its mechanisms in combating bacterial infections and inflammation, as well as explored the innovative use of PDA-based composite materials for antibacterial and anti-inflammatory applications. By providing an in-depth analysis of PDA's capabilities and future research directions, this review addresses a crucial need for safer, more effective, and controllable antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory strategies, which aim to contribute to the development of advanced materials that can significantly impact public health.