Clinical evaluation of a prosthetic suspension system: Looped silicone liner.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate and compare a newly designed suspension system with a common suspension in the market.

Study Design: Prospective study.

Methods: Looped liners with hook fastener and Iceross Dermo Liner with pin/lock system were mechanically tested using a tensile testing machine in terms of system safety.

Prosthesis donning and doffing questionnaire: Development and validation.

Objectives: To develop a questionnaire that specifically evaluates the ability of trans-tibial amputees to don and doff a prosthesis and to investigate the psychometric properties of the newly developed questionnaire.

Background: Prosthesis should be donned and doffed few times during the day and night; thus, it is important to measure ease of donning and doffing.

Study Design: A cross-sectional study.

Paracrine Effects of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells on Matrix Stiffness-Induced Cardiac Myofibroblast Differentiation via Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor and Smad7.

Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) hold great promise in cardiac fibrosis therapy, due to their potential ability of inhibiting cardiac myofibroblast differentiation (a hallmark of cardiac fibrosis). However, the mechanism involved in their effects remains elusive. To explore this, it is necessary to develop an in vitro cardiac fibrosis model that incorporates pore size and native tissue-mimicking matrix stiffness, which may regulate cardiac myofibroblast differentiation.

An integrated lateral flow assay for effective DNA amplification and detection at the point of care.

Lateral flow assays (LFAs) have been extensively explored in nucleic acid testing (NAT) for medical diagnostics, food safety analysis and environmental monitoring. However, the amount of target nucleic acid in a raw sample is usually too low to be directly detected by LFAs, necessitating the process of amplification. Even though cost-effective paper-based amplification techniques have been introduced, they have always been separately performed from LFAs, hence increasing the risk of reagent loss and cross-contaminations.

Paper-based point-of-care testing for diagnosis of dengue infections.

Dengue endemic is a serious healthcare concern in tropical and subtropical countries. Although well-established laboratory tests can provide early diagnosis of acute dengue infections, access to these tests is limited in developing countries, presenting an urgent need to develop simple, rapid, and robust diagnostic tools. Point-of-care (POC) devices, particularly paper-based POC devices, are typically rapid, cost-effective and user-friendly, and they can be used as diagnostic tools for the prompt diagnosis of dengue at POC settings.

An integrated paper-based sample-to-answer biosensor for nucleic acid testing at the point of care.

With advances in point-of-care testing (POCT), lateral flow assays (LFAs) have been explored for nucleic acid detection. However, biological samples generally contain complex compositions and low amounts of target nucleic acids, and currently require laborious off-chip nucleic acid extraction and amplification processes (e.g.

The effects of hypoxia and serum-free conditions on the stemness properties of human adipose-derived stem cells.

The need to have a better and safer culture condition for expansion of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is crucial particularly to prevent infection and immune rejection. This is normally associated with the use of animal-based serum in the culture media for cell expansion. The aim of this study is to investigate alternative culture conditions which may provide better and safer environment for cell growth.

Sensitive biomolecule detection in lateral flow assay with a portable temperature-humidity control device.

Lateral flow assays (LFAs) have currently attracted broad interest for point-of-care (POC) diagnostics, but their application has been restricted by poor quantification and limited sensitivity. While the former has been currently solved to some extent by the development of handheld or smartphone-based readers, the latter has not been addressed fully, particularly the potential influences of environmental conditions (e.g.

Cryopreservation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Clinical Applications: Current Methods and Challenges.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) hold many advantages over embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and other somatic cells in clinical applications. MSCs are multipotent cells with strong immunosuppressive properties. They can be harvested from various locations in the human body (e.

Paper-based sample-to-answer molecular diagnostic platform for point-of-care diagnostics.

Nucleic acid testing (NAT), as a molecular diagnostic technique, including nucleic acid extraction, amplification and detection, plays a fundamental role in medical diagnosis for timely medical treatment. However, current NAT technologies require relatively high-end instrumentation, skilled personnel, and are time-consuming. These drawbacks mean conventional NAT becomes impractical in many resource-limited disease-endemic settings, leading to an urgent need to develop a fast and portable NAT diagnostic tool.

Evaluation of postural steadiness in below-knee amputees when wearing different prosthetic feet during various sensory conditions using the Biodex® Stability System.

In recent years, computerized posturography has become an essential tool in quantitative assessment of postural steadiness in the clinical settings. The purpose of this study was to explore the ability of the Biodex(®) Stability System (BSS) to quantify postural steadiness in below-knee amputees. A convenience sample of 10 below-knee amputees participated in the study.

Benchtop technologies for circulating tumor cells separation based on biophysical properties.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are tumor cells that have detached from primary tumor site and are transported via the circulation system. The importance of CTCs as prognostic biomarker is leveraged when multiple studies found that patient with cutoff of 5 CTCs per 7.5 mL blood has poor survival rate.

In situ normoxia enhances survival and proliferation rate of human adipose tissue-derived stromal cells without increasing the risk of tumourigenesis.

Adipose tissue-derived stromal cells (ASCs) natively reside in a relatively low-oxygen tension (i.e., hypoxic) microenvironment in human body.

Development of an air pneumatic suspension system for transtibial prostheses.

The suspension system and socket fitting of artificial limbs have major roles and vital effects on the comfort, mobility, and satisfaction of amputees. This paper introduces a new pneumatic suspension system that overcomes the drawbacks of current suspension systems in donning and doffing, change in volume during daily activities, and pressure distribution in the socket-stump interface. An air pneumatic suspension system (APSS) for total-contact sockets was designed and developed.

Gait biomechanics of individuals with transtibial amputation: effect of suspension system.

Prosthetic suspension system is an important component of lower limb prostheses. Suspension efficiency can be best evaluated during one of the vital activities of daily living, i.e.

New method for the isolation of endothelial cells from large vessels.

Background Aims: Numerous protocols for the isolation of bovine aortic endothelial cells have been described in the previous literature. However, these protocols prevent researchers from obtaining the pure population of endothelial cells. Thus, this study aimed to develop a new and economical method for the isolation of pure endothelial cells by introducing a new strategy to the enzymatic digestion method proposed by previous researchers.

Impact of low oxygen tension on stemness, proliferation and differentiation potential of human adipose-derived stem cells.

Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) have been found adapted to a specific niche with low oxygen tension (hypoxia) in the body. As an important component of this niche, oxygen tension has been known to play a critical role in the maintenance of stem cell characteristics. However, the effect of O2 tension on their functional properties has not been well determined.

Endothelial cell responses in terms of adhesion, proliferation, and morphology to stiffness of polydimethylsiloxane elastomer substrates.

Extracellular environments can regulate cell behavior because cells can actively sense their mechanical environments. This study evaluated the adhesion, proliferation and morphology of endothelial cells on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)/alumina (Al2 O3 ) composites and pure PDMS. The substrates were prepared from pure PDMS and its composites with 2.

Balance and risk of fall in individuals with bilateral mild and moderate knee osteoarthritis.

Balance is essential for mobility and performing activities of daily living. People with knee osteoarthritis display impairment in knee joint proprioception. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate balance and risk of fall in individuals with bilateral mild and moderate knee osteoarthritis.

The effects of prosthetic foot type and visual alteration on postural steadiness in below-knee amputees.

Background: Achieving independent upright posture has known to be one of the main goals in rehabilitation following lower limb amputation. The purpose of this study was to compare postural steadiness of below knee amputees with visual alterations while wearing three different prosthetic feet.

Methods: Ten male below-knee amputees were instructed to stand quietly on the Biodex® balance platform while wearing solid ankle cushion heel (SACH), single axis (SA) and energy storage and release (ESAR) prosthetic foot under different visual input conditions (eyes-opened and eyes-closed).

Effect of exercise and gait retraining on knee adduction moment in people with knee osteoarthritis.

The knee adduction moment represents the medial knee joint load, and greater value is associated with higher load. In people with knee osteoarthritis, it is important to apply proper treatment with the least side effects to reduce knee adduction moment and, consequently, reduce medial knee joint load. This reduction may slow the progression of knee osteoarthritis.

Evaluation of new suspension system for limb prosthetics.

Background: Good prosthetic suspension system secures the residual limb inside the prosthetic socket and enables easy donning and doffing. This study aimed to introduce, evaluate and compare a newly designed prosthetic suspension system (HOLO) with the current suspension systems (suction, pin/lock and magnetic systems).

Methods: All the suspension systems were tested (tensile testing machine) in terms of the degree of the shear strength and the patient's comfort.

Balance control in lower extremity amputees during quiet standing: a systematic review.

Postural control has been widely evaluated for the normal population and different groups over the past 20 years. Numerous studies have investigated postural control in quiet standing posture among amputees. However, a comprehensive analysis is lacking on the possible contributing factors to balance.

Influence of age on patellar tendon reflex response.

Background: A clinical parameter commonly used to assess the neurological status of an individual is the tendon reflex response. However, the clinical method of evaluation often leads to subjective conclusions that may differ between examiners. Moreover, attempts to quantify the reflex response, especially in older age groups, have produced inconsistent results.