Infinite Self-Propulsion of Circularly On/Discharged Droplets.

Self-propulsion of droplets in a controlled and long path at a high-speed is crucial for organic synthesis, pathological diagnosis and programable lab-on-a-chip. To date, extensive efforts have been made to achieve droplet self-propulsion by asymmetric gradient, yet, existing structural, chemical, or charge density gradients can only last for a while (<50 mm). Here, this work designs a symmetrical waved alternating potential (WAP) on a superhydrophobic surface to charge or discharge the droplets during the transport process.

Development of an Automated and Scalable Virtual Assistant to Aid in PPE Adherence: A Study with Implications for Applications within Anesthesiology.

Virtual assistants (VAs) are conversational agents that are able to provide cognitive aid. We developed a VA device for donning and doffing personal protective equipment (PPE) procedures and compared it to live human coaching to explore the feasibility of using VAs in the anesthesiology setting. An automated, scalable, voice-enabled VA was built using the Amazon Alexa device and Alexa Skills application.

Noncontact Charge Shielding Knife for Liquid Microfluidics.

Multibehavioral droplet manipulation in a precise and programmed manner is crucial for stoichiometry, biological virus detection, and intelligent lab-on-a-chip. Apart from fundamental navigation, merging, splitting, and dispensing of the droplets are required for being combined in a microfluidic chip as well. Yet, existing active manipulations including strategies from light to magnetism are arduous to use to split liquids on superwetting surfaces without mass loss and contamination, because of the high cohesion and Coanda effect.

Photothermal Solid Slippery Surfaces with Rapid Self-Healing, Improved Anti/De-Icing and Excellent Stability.

Icing phenomenon that occurs universally in nature and industry gets a great impact on human life. Over the past decades, extensive efforts have been made for a wide range of anti-icing/deicing surfaces, but the preparation of anti-icing/deicing interfaces that combine stability, rapid self-healing and excellent anti-icing/deicing performance remains a challenge. In this study, a photothermal solid slippery surface with excellent comprehensive performance is prepared by integrating cellulose acetate film, carbon nanotubes with paraffin wax (CCP).

No Benefits of Adding Dexmedetomidine, Ketamine, Dexamethasone, and Nerve Blocks to an Established Multimodal Analgesic Regimen after Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Background: An optimal opioid-sparing multimodal analgesic regimen to treat severe pain can enhance recovery after total knee arthroplasty. The hypothesis was that adding five recently described intravenous and regional interventions to multimodal analgesic regimen can further reduce opioid consumption.

Methods: In a double-blinded fashion, 78 patients undergoing elective total knee arthroplasty were randomized to either (1) a control group (n = 39) that received spinal anesthesia with intrathecal morphine, periarticular local anesthesia infiltration, intravenous dexamethasone, and a single injection adductor canal block or (2) a study group (n = 39) that received the same set of analgesic treatments plus five additional interventions: local anesthetic infiltration between the popliteal artery and capsule of the posterior knee, intraoperative intravenous dexmedetomidine and ketamine, and postoperatively, one additional intravenous dexamethasone bolus and two additional adductor canal block injections.

Pain, Analgesic Use, and Patient Satisfaction With Spinal Versus General Anesthesia for Hip Fracture Surgery : A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: The REGAIN (Regional versus General Anesthesia for Promoting Independence after Hip Fracture) trial found similar ambulation and survival at 60 days with spinal versus general anesthesia for hip fracture surgery. Trial outcomes evaluating pain, prescription analgesic use, and patient satisfaction have not yet been reported.

Objective: To compare pain, analgesic use, and satisfaction after hip fracture surgery with spinal versus general anesthesia.

Effect of intravenous dexamethasone on the anaesthetic characteristics of peripheral nerve block: a double-blind, randomised controlled, dose-response volunteer study.

Background: Intravenous dexamethasone is thought to prolong the duration of peripheral nerve block, but the dose-response relationship remains unclear. The aim of this volunteer study was to evaluate the dose-response effect of i.v.

Intermittent bolus versus continuous infusion popliteal sciatic nerve block following major foot and ankle surgery: a prospective randomized comparison.

Background And Objectives: Foot and ankle surgery is associated with severe pain that can be reduced with continuous popliteal sciatic nerve block. We tested the hypothesis that programmed intermittent bolus (PIB) delivery of local anesthetic provides superior analgesia to a continuous infusion (CI) regimen.

Methods: 60 patients undergoing major foot and ankle surgery were randomized to receive PIB (10 mL of ropivacaine 0.

The analgesic efficacy of the transversalis fascia plane block in iliac crest bone graft harvesting: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Iliac crest bone graft (ICBG) harvesting is associated with significant perioperative pain and opioid consumption. This randomized controlled trial sought to determine if the transversalis fascia plane (TFP) block provides effective analgesia for anterior ICBG harvesting.

Methods: Fifty patients undergoing wrist fusion surgery with anterior ICBG harvesting were randomized to receive a TFP block with either 20 ml of 0.

A Virtual Reality Simulation Model of Spinal Ultrasound: Role in Teaching Spinal Sonoanatomy.

Background And Objectives: Ultrasound assessment of the lumbar spine improves the success of spinal and epidural anesthesia, especially for patients with underlying difficult anatomy. To assist with the teaching and learning of ultrasound-guided neuraxial anesthesia, we have created an online interactive educational model (http://www.usra.

A Novel Error Model of Optical Systems and an On-Orbit Calibration Method for Star Sensors.

In order to improve the on-orbit measurement accuracy of star sensors, the effects of image-plane rotary error, image-plane tilt error and distortions of optical systems resulting from the on-orbit thermal environment were studied in this paper. Since these issues will affect the precision of star image point positions, in this paper, a novel measurement error model based on the traditional error model is explored. Due to the orthonormal characteristics of image-plane rotary-tilt errors and the strong nonlinearity among these error parameters, it is difficult to calibrate all the parameters simultaneously.

Intravenous dexamethasone and perineural dexamethasone similarly prolong the duration of analgesia after supraclavicular brachial plexus block: a randomized, triple-arm, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background And Objectives: Perineural dexamethasone prolongs the duration of single-injection peripheral nerve block when added to the local anesthetic solution. Postulated systemic mechanisms of action along with theoretical safety concerns have prompted the investigation of intravenous dexamethasone as an alternative, with decidedly mixed results. We aimed to confirm that addition of intravenous dexamethasone will prolong the duration of analgesia after single-injection supraclavicular block compared with conventional long-acting local anesthetic alone or in combination with perineural dexamethasone for ambulatory upper extremity surgery.

Ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block for laparoscopic gastric-bypass surgery: a prospective randomized controlled double-blinded trial.

Background: Despite the laparoscopic approach, patients can suffer moderate to severe pain following bariatric surgery. This randomized controlled double-blinded trial investigated the analgesic efficacy of ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane (TAP) blocks for laparoscopic gastric-bypass surgery.

Methods: Seventy patients undergoing laparoscopic gastric-bypass surgery were randomized to receive either bilateral ultrasound-guided subcostal TAP block injections after induction of general anesthesia or none.

Recurrent hyalinizing clear cell carcinoma of the base of tongue with high-grade transformation and EWSR1 gene rearrangement by FISH.

Hyalinizing clear cell carcinoma (HCCC) is a rare, low-grade salivary gland tumor with clear cells and hyalinized stroma. Prognosis of HCCC is excellent with few cases metastasizing to the lymph nodes and lung. We present a case of a 61-year-old male with recurrent HCCC on the base of tongue.

Galectin-3-mediated xenoactivation of human monocytes.

Background: Delayed xenograft rejection (DXR) remains a roadblock to successful xenotransplantation. A feature of DXR is early recruitment of monocytes to the xenograft. Naïve human monocytes can recognize and adhere to unstimulated porcine aortic endothelial cells (PAEC) more than human aortic endothelial cells, partly due to endothelial expression of the xenoantigen galactose-alpha(1,3)galactose-beta(1,4)GlcNAc-R (alpha-gal).

Human monocytes recognize porcine endothelium via the interaction of galectin 3 and alpha-GAL.

Monocytes are one of the key inflammatory cells recruited to xenografts and play an important role in delayed xenograft rejection. Previous studies have demonstrated the ability of monocytes to bind to the major xenoantigen Gal-alpha(1,3)Gal-beta(1,4)GlcNAc-R; however, the receptor that mediates this interaction has yet to be identified. We provide evidence that it is Galectin-3, a approximately 30-kDa lectin that recognizes beta-galactosides (Gal-beta(1-3/4)GlcNAc) and plays diverse roles in many physiological and pathological events.

Monocyte adhesion to xenogeneic endothelium during laminar flow is dependent on alpha-Gal-mediated monocyte activation.

Monocytes are the predominant inflammatory cell recruited to xenografts and participate in delayed xenograft rejection. In contrast to allogeneic leukocytes that require up-regulation of endothelial adhesion molecules to adhere and emigrate into effector tissues, we demonstrate that human monocytes adhere rapidly to unstimulated xenogeneic endothelial cells. The major xenoantigen galactosealpha(1,3)galactosebeta(1,4)GlcNAc-R (alpha-gal) is abundantly expressed on xenogeneic endothelium.