Gesture-Based Secure Authentication System Using Triboelectric Nanogenerator Sensors.

This study presents a gesture-based authentication system utilizing triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) sensors. As self-powered devices capable of generating high-voltage outputs without external power, TENG sensors are well-suited for low-power IoT sensors and smart device applications. The proposed system recognizes single tap, double tap, and holding gestures.

Clinical Outcomes of Combined Phacoemulsification, Extended Depth-of-Focus Intraocular Lens Implantation, and Epiretinal Membrane Peeling Surgery.

: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of combined phacoemulsification, extended depth-of-focus (EDOF) intraocular lens (IOL) implantation, and epiretinal membrane (ERM) peeling during vitrectomy surgery for treating patients with ERM, cataracts, and presbyopia. : Patients with preexisting low-grade ERM who underwent cataract surgery with the implantation of an EDOF IOL were included. Corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), uncorrected intermediate visual acuity (UIVA), uncorrected near visual acuity (UNVA), autorefraction and keratometry, manifest refraction, and central foveal thickness (CFT) were measured before surgery and at postoperative months 3 and 6.

Etched CoFe Prussian blue analog nanozymes with superior peroxidase activity for colorimetric biosensing of hydrogen peroxide and dopamine.

Nanozymes represent a compelling alternative to natural enzymes due to their exceptional stability and cost-efficiency in diagnostic and therapeutic applications. In this work, a nanozyme etched CoFe Prussian blue analog (etched PBA) was designed and fabricated by a simple approach involving first synthesizing CoFe PBA and then chemical etching. The fabricated etched PBA acts as a peroxidase mimic catalyst.

Long-lasting forms of plasticity through patterned ultrasound-induced brainwave entrainment.

Achieving long-lasting neuronal modulation with low-intensity, low-frequency ultrasound is challenging. Here, we devised theta burst ultrasound stimulation (TBUS) with gamma bursts for brain entrainment and modulation of neuronal plasticity in the mouse motor cortex. We demonstrate that two types of TBUS, intermittent and continuous TBUS, induce bidirectional long-term potentiation or depression-like plasticity, respectively, as evidenced by changes in motor-evoked potentials.

An Ultrasensitive Laser-Induced Graphene Electrode-Based Triboelectric Sensor Utilizing Trapped Air as Effective Dielectric Layer.

Air, a widely recognized dielectric material, is employed as a dielectric layer in this study. We present a triboelectric sensor with a laser-induced graphene (LIG) electrode and an air-trapped pad using silicone rubber (SR). A very thin device with a thickness of 1 mm and an effective gap for contact-separation between the films of silicone rubber and polyimide (PI) of 0.

Bidirectional Neuronal Control of Epileptiform Activity by Repetitive Transcranial Focused Ultrasound Stimulations.

Repetitive stimulation procedures are used in neuromodulation techniques to induce persistent excitatory or inhibitory brain activity. The directivity of modulation is empirically regulated by modifying the stimulation length, interval, and strength. However, bidirectional neuronal modulations using ultrasound stimulations are rarely reported.

Ultrasonocoverslip: In-vitro platform for high-throughput assay of cell type-specific neuromodulation with ultra-low-intensity ultrasound stimulation.

Brain stimulation with ultra-low-intensity ultrasound has rarely been investigated due to the lack of a reliable device to measure small neuronal signal changes made by the ultra-low intensity range. We propose Ultrasonocoverslip, an ultrasound-transducer-integrated-glass-coverslip that determines the minimum intensity for brain cell activation. Brain cells can be cultured directly on Ultrasonocoverslip to simultaneously deliver uniform ultrasonic pressure to hundreds of cells with real-time monitoring of cellular responses using fluorescence microscopy and single-cell electrophysiology.

Highly Flexible Triboelectric Nanogenerator Using Porous Carbon Nanotube Composites.

The rapid development of portable and wearable electronic devices has led researchers to actively study triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) that can provide self-powering capabilities. In this study, we propose a highly flexible and stretchable sponge-type TENG, named flexible conductive sponge triboelectric nanogenerator (FCS-TENG), which consists of a porous structure manufactured by inserting carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into silicon rubber using sugar particles. Nanocomposite fabrication processes, such as template-directed CVD and ice freeze casting methods for fabricating porous structures, are very complex and costly.

Change in glottic view during intubation using a KoMAC videolaryngoscope: A retrospective analysis.

Intubation with videolaryngoscopy has become popular in various clinical settings. However, despite the use of a videolaryngoscope, difficult intubation still exists and intubation failure has been reported. This retrospective study assessed the efficacy of the 2 maneuvers in improving the glottic view during videolaryngoscopic intubation.

Highly Sensitive Self-Powered Biomedical Applications Using Triboelectric Nanogenerator.

The triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is a promising research topic for the conversion of mechanical to electrical energy and its application in different fields. Among the various applications, self-powered bio-medical sensing application has become popular. The selection of a wide variety of materials and the simple design of devices has made it attractive for the applications of real-time self-powered healthcare sensing systems.

Deep neural network-based structural health monitoring technique for real-time crack detection and localization using strain gauge sensors.

Structural health monitoring (SHM) techniques often require a large number of sensors to evaluate and monitor the structural health. In this paper, we propose a deep neural network (DNN)-based SHM method for accurate crack detection and localization in real time using a small number of strain gauge sensors and confirm its feasibility based on experimental data. The proposed method combines a DNN model with principal component analysis (PCA) to predict the strain field based on the local strains measured by strain gauge sensors located rather sparsely.

Implantable acousto-optic window for monitoring ultrasound-mediated neuromodulation .

Ultrasound has recently received considerable attention in neuroscience because it provides noninvasive control of deep brain activity. Although the feasibility of ultrasound stimulation has been reported in preclinical and clinical settings, its mechanistic understanding remains limited. While optical microscopy has become the "gold standard" tool for investigating population-level neural functions , its application for ultrasound neuromodulation has been technically challenging, as most conventional ultrasonic transducers are not designed to be compatible with optical microscopy.

Module-Type Triboelectric Nanogenerators Capable of Harvesting Power from a Variety of Mechanical Energy Sources.

In this study, we propose a module-type triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) capable of harvesting electricity from a variety of mechanical energy sources and generating power from diverse forms that fit the modular structure of the generator. The potential energy and kinetic energy of water are used for the rotational motion of the generator module, and electricity is generated by the contact/separation generation mode between the two triboelectric surfaces inside the rotating TENG. Through the parametric design of the internal friction surface structure and mass ball, we optimized the output of the proposed structure.

Therapeutic Quadrisected Annular Array for Improving Magnetic Resonance Compatibility.

Objective: Focused ultrasound has been applied in brain therapeutics. Although focusing ultrasonic beams on multiple arbitrary regions under the guidance of magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) is needed for precise treatments, current therapeutic transducers with large pitch sizes have been optimized to focus on deep brain regions. While annular arrays can adjust the beam foci from cortical to deep regions, their circular shape may generate eddy current-induced magnetic flux during MRI.

Self-Restoring Capacitive Pressure Sensor Based on Three-Dimensional Porous Structure and Shape Memory Polymer.

Highly flexible and compressible porous polyurethane (PU) structures have effectively been applied in capacitive pressure sensors because of the good elastic properties of the PU structures. However, PU porous structure-based pressure sensors have been limited in practical applications owing to their low durability during pressure cycling. Herein, we report a flexible pressure sensor based on a three-dimensional porous structure with notable durability at a compressive pressure of 500 kPa facilitated by the use of a shape memory polymer (SMP).

Long-Term Clinical Outcomes of Nonhyperemic Pressure Ratios: Resting Full-Cycle Ratio, Diastolic Pressure Ratio, and Instantaneous Wave-Free Ratio.

Background Nonhyperemic pressure ratios (NHPRs) such as instantaneous wave-free ratio, resting full-cycle ratio, or diastolic pressure ratio have emerged as invasive physiologic indices precluding the need for hyperemic agents. The current study sought to evaluate the long-term prognostic implications of NHPRs compared with fractional flow reserve (FFR). Methods and Results NHPRs were calculated from resting pressure tracings by an independent core laboratory in 1024 vessels (435 patients).

A Highly Sensitive and Flexible Capacitive Pressure Sensor Based on a Porous Three-Dimensional PDMS/Microsphere Composite.

In recent times, polymer-based flexible pressure sensors have been attracting a lot of attention because of their various applications. A highly sensitive and flexible sensor is suggested, capable of being attached to the human body, based on a three-dimensional dielectric elastomeric structure of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and microsphere composite. This sensor has maximal porosity due to macropores created by sacrificial layer grains and micropores generated by microspheres pre-mixed with PDMS, allowing it to operate at a wider pressure range (~150 kPa) while maintaining a sensitivity (of 0.

Channel Attention Module With Multiscale Grid Average Pooling for Breast Cancer Segmentation in an Ultrasound Image.

Breast cancer accounts for the second-largest number of deaths in women around the world, and more than 8% of women will suffer from the disease in their lifetime. Mortality due to breast cancer can be reduced by its early and precise diagnosis. Many studies have investigated methods for segmentation, and computer-aided diagnosis based on deep learning techniques, in particular, has recently gained attention.

Visibility of Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold in Intravascular Ultrasound Imaging.

Bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) has recently been spotlighted for its unique characteristics of absorbing into blood vessels and eventually disappearing. Although intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is the most common guiding tool for stent deployment, the echogenicity of BVS struts has changed as the center of stent lumen and scanning rotation is not concentric, which may cause a critical erroneous measurement in practice. This study investigated the physical conditions for dimming the stent brightness in IVUS images using a finite-difference method (FDM) to numerically solve acoustic wave propagation through nonhomogeneous medium.

A Soft Housing Needle Ultrasonic Transducer for Focal Stimulation to Small Animal Brain.

Conventional acoustic brain stimulators that transmit low frequency (< 1 MHz) bursts in a pulse repetition frequency with large-sized transducers are barely compatible with small animal models because of broad beam width, possible stimulation of auditory pathways, and blocking of field-of-view for in vivo imaging of brain hemodynamics and neuronal activities. A miniaturized ultrasound stimulator with higher stimulation frequencies will enhance spatial specificity and enable simultaneous eliciting and monitoring brain activities. Moreover, the use of non-periodic pulse sequences may reduce unintended stimulations on auditory cortex, which might be caused by transmitting periodic bursting patterns.

Magnetically Actuated Forward-Looking Interventional Ultrasound Imaging: Feasibility Studies.

Objective: Interventional ultrasound imaging is a prerequisite for guiding implants and treatment within the hearts and blood vessels. Due to limitations on the catheter's diameter, interventional ultrasonic transducers have side-looking structures although forward-looking imaging may provide more intuitive and real time guidance in treating diseased sites ahead of catheters. To address the issue, a magnetically actuated forward-looking interventional ultrasound imaging device is implemented for the first time.

Physiologic Characteristics and Clinical Outcomes of Patients With Discordance Between FFR and iFR.

Objectives: This study evaluated the physiologic characteristics of discordant lesions between instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) and fractional flow reserve (FFR) and the prognosis at 5 years.

Background: FFR or iFR have been standard methods for assessing the functional significance of coronary artery stenosis. However, limited data exist about the physiologic characteristics of discordant lesions and the prognostic implications resulting from these lesions.

Clinical Outcome of Lesions With Discordant Results Among Different Invasive Physiologic Indices - Resting Distal Coronary to Aortic Pressure Ratio, Resting Full-Cycle Ratio, Diastolic Pressure Ratio, Instantaneous Wave-Free Ratio, and Fractional Flow Reserve.

Background: We evaluated the 2-year clinical outcomes of deferred lesions with discordant results between resting and hyperemic pressure-derived physiologic indices, including resting distal to aortic coronary pressure (resting Pd/Pa), instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR), resting full-cycle ratio (RFR), diastolic pressure ratio (dPR), and fractional flow reserve (FFR).

Methods and results: The 2-year clinical outcomes of 1,024 vessels (435 patients) with available resting Pd/Pa, iFR, RFR, dPR, and FFR data were analyzed according to a 4-group classification using known cutoff values (resting Pd/Pa ≤0.92, iFR/RFR/dPR ≤0.

Tree-Wrapped Triboelectric Generator for Harvesting Wind Energy.

Wind and solar energy are recognized as environmentally friendly energies. Wind energy is generated from the surface of the earth by solar energy. While wind energy can be regarded as "free" energy, generating it entails high installation cost as well as a large land footprint and noise, which is deemed to be a nuisance.

Fabrication of a spherical inclusion phantom for validation of magnetic resonance-based magnetic susceptibility imaging.

Fabrication of a spherical multi-compartment MRI phantom is demonstrated that can be used to validate magnetic resonance (MR)-based susceptibility imaging reconstruction. The phantom consists of a 10 cm diameter gelatin sphere that encloses multiple smaller gelatin spheres doped with different concentrations of paramagnetic contrast agents. Compared to previous multi-compartment phantoms with cylindrical geometry, the phantom provides the following benefits: (1) no compartmental barrier materials are used that can introduce signal voids and spurious phase; (2) compartmental geometry is reproducible; (3) spherical susceptibility boundaries possess a ground-truth analytical phase solution for easy experimental validation; (4) spherical geometry of the overall phantom eliminates background phase due to air-phantom boundary in any scan orientation.