Physical and mechanical properties of a dental resin adhesive containing hydrophobic chitin nanocrystals.

Objectives: In this paper we propose embedding natural fillers, such as pristine and functionalized chitin nanocrystals, into resin adhesives to produce photopolymerizable dental filled adhesives with enhanced biocompatibility, hydrophobicity, mechanical resistance, and anti-bacterial properties.

Methods: Chitin nanocrystals (ChNC) were functionalized with decanoyl chloride and methacrylic anhydride to produce ChNC-C10 and ChNC-MA, respectively. These hydrophobically functionalized chitin nanocrystals were incorporated into a resin adhesive at concentrations of 0.

Prostac: A New Composite Score With Potential Predictive Value in Prostate Cancer.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most commonly diagnosed solid organ cancer in men worldwide. Current diagnosis of PCa includes use of initial prostate specific antigen assay which has a high false positive rate, low specificity, and low sensitivity. The side effects of unnecessary prostate biopsies that healthy men are subjected to, often result in unintended health complications.

Tailoring the Self-Healing Properties of Conducting Polymer Films.

The conducting polymer polyethylenedioxythiophene doped with polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) has received great attention in the field of wearable bioelectronics due to its tunable high electrical conductivity, air stability, ease of processability, biocompatibility, and recently discovered self-healing ability. It has been observed that blending additives with PEDOT:PSS or post-treatment permits the tailoring of intrinsic polymer properties, though their effects on the water-enabled self-healing property have not previously been established. Here, it is demonstrated that the water-enabled healing behavior of conducting polymers is decreased by crosslinkers or by acid post-treatment.

Persuasive Reminders for Health Self-Management.

Health reminders are integral to self-managing chronic illness. However, to act on these health reminders, patients face many challenges, such as lack of motivation and ability to perform health tasks. As a result, patients experience negative consequences for their health.

Health Vlogs as Social Support for Chronic Illness Management.

Studies have shown positive impact of video blogs (vlogs) on patient education. However, we know little on how patient-initiated vlogs shape the relationships among vloggers and viewers. We qualitatively analyzed 72 vlogs on YouTube by users diagnosed with HIV, diabetes, or cancer and 1,274 comments posted to the vlogs to understand viewers' perspectives on the vlogs.

Designing Asynchronous Communication Tools for Optimization of Patient-Clinician Coordination.

Asynchronous communication outside the clinical setting has both enriched and complicated patient-clinician interactions. Many patients can now interact with a patient portal 24 hours a day, asking questions of their clinicians via secure message, checking lab results, ordering medication refills, or making appointments. However, the mode of communication (asynchronous) and the nature of the interaction (lacking tone or body language) strip valuable information from each side of patient-clinician asynchronous communication.

Health Vlogger-Viewer Interaction in Chronic Illness Management.

Health video blogs (vlogs) allow individuals with chronic illnesses to share their stories, experiences, and knowledge with the general public. Furthermore, health vlogs help in creating a connection between the vlogger and the viewers. In this work, we present a qualitative study examining the various methods that health vloggers use to establish a connection with their viewers.