Development of a near infrared region based non-invasive therapy device for diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN) is a nerve damage that is treated with painkillers and steroids which have the drawback of interference with other medications and the dangers of side effects. Novelty of the proposed work is to develop a Near Infrared Region (NIR) based non-invasive therapy device called 'DPNrelief-1.0V'developed with a 890 nm wavelength diodes.

An Insight into Perfusion Anisotropy within Solid Murine Lung Cancer Tumors.

Blood vessels are essential for maintaining tumor growth, progression, and metastasis, yet the tumor vasculature is under a constant state of remodeling. Since the tumor vasculature is an attractive therapeutic target, there is a need to predict the dynamic changes in intratumoral fluid pressure and velocity that occur across the tumor microenvironment (TME). The goal of this study was to obtain insight into perfusion anisotropy within lung tumors.

On the generality of the finite element modeling physical fields in biological systems by the multiscale smeared concept (Kojic transport model).

The biomechanical and biochemical processes in the biological systems of living organisms are extremely complex. Advances in understanding these processes are mainly achieved by laboratory and clinical investigations, but in recent decades they are supported by computational modeling. Besides enormous efforts and achievements in this modeling, there still is a need for new methods that can be used in everyday research and medical practice.

Microstructure Formations Resulting from Nanosecond and Picosecond Laser Irradiation of a Ti-Based Alloy under Controlled Atmospheric Conditions and Optimization of the Irradiation Process.

This paper presents a study and comparison of surface effects induced by picosecond and nanosecond laser modification of a Ti6Al4V alloy surface under different ambient conditions: air and argon- and nitrogen-rich atmospheres. Detailed surface characterization was performed for all experimental conditions. Damage threshold fluences for picosecond and nanosecond laser irradiation in all three ambient conditions were determined.

evaluation of pharmacokinetic parameters, delivery, distribution and anticoagulative effects of new 4,7-dihydroxycoumarin derivative.

In this study, pharmacological profiling and investigation of the anticoagulant activity of the newly synthesized coumarin derivative: ()-3-(1-((4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)amino)ethylidene)-2,4-dioxochroman-7-yl acetate () were performed. The obtained results were compared with the parameters obtained for Warfarin (), which is a standard good oral anticoagulant. The estimated high binding affinity of toward plasma proteins (PPS% value is > 90%) justifies the investigation of binding affinity and comparative analysis of and to Human Serum Albumin () using the spectrofluorimetric method (296, 303 and 310 K) as well as molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations.

A multimethod synthesis of Covid-19 education research: the tightrope between covidization and meaningfulness.

This study offers a comprehensive analysis of COVID-19 research in education. A multi-methods approach was used to capture the full breadth of educational research. As such, a bibliometric analysis, structural topic modeling, and qualitative synthesis of top papers were combined.

Machine learning and physical based modeling for cardiac hypertrophy.

Background And Objective: Predicting the long-term expansion and remodeling of the left ventricle in patients is challenging task but it has the potential to be clinically very useful.

Methods: In our study, we present machine learning models based on random forests, gradient boosting, and neural networks, used to track cardiac hypertrophy. We collected data from multiple patients, and then the model was trained using the patient's medical history and present level of cardiac health.

Cardiac hypertrophy simulations using parametric and echocardiography-based left ventricle model with shell finite elements.

In our paper, we simulated cardiac hypertrophy with the use of shell elements in parametric and echocardiography-based left ventricle (LV) models. The hypertrophy has an impact on the change in the wall thickness, displacement field and the overall functioning of the heart. We computed both eccentric and concentric hypertrophy effects and tracked changes in the ventricle shape and wall thickness.

Optical Protective Window Design and Material Selection Issues in the Multi-Sensor Electro-Optical Surveillance Systems.

Multi-sensor imaging systems have a very important role and wide applications in surveillance and security systems. In many applications, it is necessary to use an optical protective window as an optical interface connecting the imaging sensor and object of interest's space; meanwhile an imaging sensor is mounted in a protective enclosure, providing separation from environmental conditions. Optical windows are often used in various optical and electro-optical systems, fulfilling different sometimes very unusual tasks.

Structural and Functional Picosecond Laser Modification of the Nimonic 263 Superalloy in Different Environmental Conditions and Optimization of the Irradiation Process.

In this experimental study, picosecond laser treatment was performed on a nickel-based superalloy Nimonic 263, aiming to investigate the surface effects induced by irradiation in different atmospheric conditions and, concerning changes in surface composition, regarding the possibility for improvement of its functionality. Besides the varying laser parameters, such as a number of pulses and pulse energy, environmental conditions are also varied. All surface modifications were carried out in standard laboratory conditions and a nitrogen- and argon-rich atmosphere.

A novel composite smeared finite element for mechanics (CSFEM): Some applications.

Background: Mechanical forces at the micro-scale level have been recognized as an important factor determining various biological functions. The study of cell or tissue mechanics is critical to understand problems in physiology and disease development.

Objective: The complexity of computational models and efforts made for their development in the past required significant robustness and different approaches in the modeling process.

InSilc Computational Tool for Optimization of Drug-Eluting Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffolds.

Stents made by different manufacturers must meet the requirements of standard mechanical tests performed under different physiological conditions in order to be validated. In addition to research, there is a need for numerical simulations that can help during the stent prototyping phase. simulations have the ability to give the same stent responses as well as the potential to reduce costs and time needed to carry out experimental tests.

Huxley muscle model surrogates for high-speed multi-scale simulations of cardiac contraction.

The computational requirements of the Huxley-type muscle models are substantially higher than those of Hill-type models, making large-scale simulations impractical or even impossible to use. We constructed a data-driven surrogate model that operates similarly to the original Huxley muscle model but consumes less computational time and memory to enable efficient usage in multiscale simulations of the cardiac cycle. The data was collected from numerical simulations to train deep neural networks so that the neural networks' behavior resembles that of the Huxley model.

Application of Platform for the Development and Optimization of Fully Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold Designs.

Bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS), made either from polymers or from metals, are promising materials for treating coronary artery disease through the processes of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. Despite the opinion that bioresorbable polymers are more promising for coronary stents, their long-term advantages over metallic alloys have not yet been demonstrated. The development of new polymer-based BVS or optimization of the existing ones requires engineers to perform many very expensive mechanical tests to identify optimal structural geometry and material characteristics.

Higher education students' experiences and opinion about distance learning during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Background: The Covid-19 pandemic has created significant challenges for the global higher education community. Understanding of students' perception has important implications for the quality of the learning process, as it affects students' engagement in learning, helps educators rethink the principles of the learning design and further improve the developed programs.

Objectives: Understanding of how rapid and necessary changes of learning caused by the pandemic are related to students' intrinsic motivation and awareness.

Preparation and modeling of three-layered PCL/PLGA/PCL fibrous scaffolds for prolonged drug release.

The authors present the preparation procedure and a computational model of a three-layered fibrous scaffold for prolonged drug release. The scaffold, produced by emulsion/sequential electrospinning, consists of a poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) fiber layer sandwiched between two poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) layers. Experimental results of drug release rates from the scaffold are compared with the results of the recently introduced computational finite element (FE) models for diffusive drug release from nanofibers to the three-dimensional (3D) surrounding medium.

Smeared Multiscale Finite Element Models for Mass Transport and Electrophysiology Coupled to Muscle Mechanics.

Mass transport represents the most fundamental process in living organisms. It includes delivery of nutrients, oxygen, drugs, and other substances from the vascular system to tissue and transport of waste and other products from cells back to vascular and lymphatic network and organs. Furthermore, movement is achieved by mechanical forces generated by muscles in coordination with the nervous system.

Smeared multiscale finite element model for electrophysiology and ionic transport in biological tissue.

Basic functions of living organisms are governed by the nervous system through bidirectional signals transmitted from the brain to neural networks. These signals are similar to electrical waves. In electrophysiology the goal is to study the electrical properties of biological cells and tissues, and the transmission of signals.

Coupling tumor growth and bio distribution models.

We couple a tumor growth model embedded in a microenvironment, with a bio distribution model able to simulate a whole organ. The growth model yields the evolution of tumor cell population, of the differential pressure between cell populations, of porosity of ECM, of consumption of nutrients due to tumor growth, of angiogenesis, and related growth factors as function of the locally available nutrient. The bio distribution model on the other hand operates on a frozen geometry but yields a much refined distribution of nutrient and other molecules.

Correction function for accuracy improvement of the Composite Smeared Finite Element for diffusive transport in biological tissue systems.

Modeling of drug transport within capillaries and tissue remains a challenge, especially in tumors and cancers where the capillary network exhibits extremely irregular geometry. Recently introduced Composite Smeared Finite Element (CSFE) provides a new methodology of modeling complex convective and diffusive transport in the capillary-tissue system. The basic idea in the formulation of CSFE is in dividing the FE into capillary and tissue domain, coupled by 1D connectivity elements at each node.

A Computational Model for Drug Release from PLGA Implant.

Due to the relative ease of producing nanofibers with a core⁻shell structure, emulsion electrospinning has been investigated intensively in making nanofibrous drug delivery systems for controlled and sustained release. Predictions of drug release rates from the poly (d,l-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) produced via emulsion electrospinning can be a very difficult task due to the complexity of the system. A computational finite element methodology was used to calculate the diffusion mass transport of Rhodamine B (fluorescent drug model).

Recent advances on gradient hydrogels in biomimetic cartilage tissue engineering.

Articular cartilage (AC) is a seemingly simple tissue that has only one type of constituting cell and no blood vessels and nerves. In the early days of tissue engineering, cartilage appeared to be an easy and promising target for reconstruction and this was especially motivating because of widespread AC pathologies such as osteoarthritis and frequent sports-induced injuries. However, AC has proven to be anything but simple.

Mimetic Hierarchical Approaches for Osteochondral Tissue Engineering.

Unlabelled: In order to engineer biomimetic osteochondral (OC) construct, it is necessary to address both the cartilage and bone phase of the construct, as well as the interface between them, in effect mimicking the developmental processes when generating hierarchical scaffolds that show gradual changes of physical and mechanical properties, ideally complemented with the biochemical gradients. There are several components whose characteristics need to be taken into account in such biomimetic approach, including cells, scaffolds, bioreactors as well as various developmental processes such as mesenchymal condensation and vascularization, that need to be stimulated through the use of growth factors, mechanical stimulation, purinergic signaling, low oxygen conditioning, and immunomodulation. This chapter gives overview of these biomimetic OC system components, including the OC interface, as well as various methods of fabrication utilized in OC biomimetic tissue engineering (TE) of gradient scaffolds.