NFC-Powered Implantable Device for On-Body Parameters Monitoring With Secure Data Exchange Link to a Medical Blockchain Type of Network.

Implantable devices represent the future of remote medical monitoring and administration of both chemical and physical therapies to the patients. Although some of these devices are already in the market, the security mechanisms deployed inside them to withstand deliberate external influence are still decades away from the robust digital data security schemes employed in modern distributed networks these days. Medical data theft, spoofing, and disclosure pose serious threats that can ultimately lead to individual and social stigmas or even death.

Low-powered implantable devices activated by ultrasonic energy transfer for physiological monitoring in soft tissue via functionalized electrochemical electrodes.

Ultrasounds (US) are one of the most used imaging techniques in medicine for assessing the physiological and pathological state of soft tissue. Apart from therapeutic applications, most of the interaction of the acoustic beams with tissues occur passively and without substantial modification to the physiology of the latter. However, US can also be used to remotely power implantable devices with sensing capabilities.

Developing a multimodal biosensor for remote physiological monitoring.

Introduction: Several UK military expeditions have successfully used physiological sensors to monitor participant's physiological responses to challenging environmental conditions. This article describes the development and trial of a multimodal wearable biosensor that was used during the first all-female unassisted ski crossing of the Antarctic land mass. The project successfully transmitted remote real-time physiological data back to the UK.

Towards Wearable and Flexible Sensors and Circuits Integration for Stress Monitoring.

Excessive stress is one of the main causes of mental illness. Long-term exposure of stress could affect one's physiological wellbeing (such as hypertension) and psychological condition (such as depression). Multisensory information such as heart rate variability (HRV) and pH can provide suitable information about mental and physical stress.

Carbon-Nanotube-Coated 3D Microspring Force Sensor for Medical Applications.

Flexible electronic materials combined with micro-3D fabrication present new opportunities for wearable biosensors and medical devices. This Research Article introduces a novel carbon-nanotube-coated force sensor, successfully combining the advantages of flexible conductive nanomaterials and the versatility of two photon polymerization technologies for creating functional 3D microstructures. The device employs carbon-nanotube-coated microsprings with varying configurations and geometries for  real-time force sensing.

A Smart Wireless Ear-Worn Device for Cardiovascular and Sweat Parameter Monitoring During Physical Exercise: Design and Performance Results.

Wearable biomedical technology has gained much support lately as devices have become more affordable to the general public and they can easily interact with mobile phones and other platforms. The feasibility and accuracy of the data generated by these devices so as to replace the standard medical methods in use today is still under scrutiny. In this paper, we present an ear-worn device to measure cardiovascular and sweat parameters during physical exercise.

A bio-inspired 3D micro-structure for graphene-based bacteria sensing.

Nature is a great source of inspiration for the development of solutions for biomedical problems. We present a novel biosensor design utilizing two-photon polymerisation and graphene to fabricate an enhanced biosensing platform for the detection of motile bacteria. A cage comprising venous valve-inspired directional micro-structure is fabricated around graphene-based sensing electronics.

A Monolithic Force-Sensitive 3D Microgripper Fabricated on the Tip of an Optical Fiber Using 2-Photon Polymerization.

Microscale robotic devices have myriad potential applications including drug delivery, biosensing, cell manipulation, and microsurgery. In this work, a tethered, 3D, compliant grasper with an integrated force sensor is presented, the entirety of which is fabricated on the tip of an optical fiber in a single-step process using 2-photon polymerization. This gripper can prove useful for the interrogation of biological microstructures such as alveoli, villi, or even individual cells.

Position paper: The potential role of optical biopsy in the study and diagnosis of environmental enteric dysfunction.

Environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) is a disease of the small intestine affecting children and adults in low and middle income countries. Arising as a consequence of repeated infections, gut inflammation results in impaired intestinal absorptive and barrier function, leading to poor nutrient uptake and ultimately to stunting and other developmental limitations. Progress towards new biomarkers and interventions for EED is hampered by the practical and ethical difficulties of cross-validation with the gold standard of biopsy and histology.

Multi-parametric rigid and flexible, low-cost, disposable sensing platforms for biomedical applications.

The measurement of Na, K and H is essential in medicine and plays an important role in the assessment of tissue ischemia. Microfabrication, inkjet- and screen-printing can be used for solid contact ion selective electrodes (ISE) realization; these, however, can be non-standardized, costly and time consuming processes. We present the realization of ISEs on post-processed electrodes fabricated via standardized printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing techniques.

A wearable multisensing patch for continuous sweat monitoring.

In sport, exercise and healthcare settings, there is a need for continuous, non-invasive monitoring of biomarkers to assess human performance, health and wellbeing. Here we report the development of a flexible microfluidic platform with fully integrated sensing for on-body testing of human sweat. The system can simultaneously and selectively measure metabolite (e.

The Level of Cholesterol in COPD Patients with Severe and Very Severe Stage of the Disease.

Background: High blood cholesterol is part of metabolic syndrome and can be caused by medical conditions or bad dietary habits.

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia in privies diagnosed patients with the severe and very severe stage of COPD, which were stable.

Material And Methods: We investigated 100 subjects, all of them smokers, with smoking status >10 years, stratified into two groups: with severe and very severe stage of the disease.

The Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus in COPD Patients with Severe and Very Severe Stage of the Disease.

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in privies diagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with severe and very severe disease, which ware stable.

Methods: We investigated 100 subjects, all of them smokers, with smoking status >10 years. They were stratified in two groups.

3D Printed Microfluidic Device with Integrated Biosensors for Online Analysis of Subcutaneous Human Microdialysate.

This work presents the design, fabrication, and characterization of a robust 3D printed microfluidic analysis system that integrates with FDA-approved clinical microdialysis probes for continuous monitoring of human tissue metabolite levels. The microfluidic device incorporates removable needle type integrated biosensors for glucose and lactate, which are optimized for high tissue concentrations, housed in novel 3D printed electrode holders. A soft compressible 3D printed elastomer at the base of the holder ensures a good seal with the microfluidic chip.

Monitoring salivary testosterone and cortisol concentrations across an international sports competition: data comparison using two enzyme immunoassays and two sample preparations.

Objectives: Salivary testosterone (T) and cortisol (C) concentrations were monitored across a sports competition. Data were compared using two enzyme-immunoassay (EIA) methods and two sample preparations to determine their influence on hormone concentrations.

Design And Methods: A group of male athletes (n=19) provided a saliva sample the morning before and one day after (24h post) an international rugby union match.

Chemosensors and biosensors based on polyelectrolyte microcapsules containing fluorescent dyes and enzymes.

The concept of enzyme-assisted substrate sensing based on use of fluorescent markers to detect the products of enzymatic reaction has been investigated by fabrication of micron-scale polyelectrolyte capsules containing enzymes and dyes in one entity. Microcapsules approximately 5 μm in size entrap glucose oxidase or lactate oxidase, with peroxidase, together with the corresponding markers Tris(4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline)ruthenium(II) dichloride (Ru(dpp)) complex and dihydrorhodamine 123 (DHR123), which are sensitive to oxygen and hydrogen peroxide, respectively. These capsules are produced by co-precipitation of calcium carbonate particles with the enzyme followed by layer-by-layer assembly of polyelectrolytes over the surface of the particles and incorporation of the dye in the capsule interior or in the multilayer shell.

Photoluminiscence response of Ru(II) complex immobilized in SiO2-based matrix to dissolved oxygen in beer.

The possibility to use the photoluminescence of Ru(II) tris(4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenathroline) dichloride, immobilized in sol-gel produced SiO2-based matrix for the determination of dissolved oxygen concentration in beer is studied. Organically-modified silane (octyltriethoxysilane) and mixtures from tetraethoxysilane and octyltriethoxysilane are used as precursors for matrix production. Spin- and dip-coating techniques are applied for films deposition.