Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Xiyu Liu, Shuoshuo Sun, Nan Wang, Ran Kang, Lin Xie, Xin Liu
Summary: Bone-related diseases have a significant impact on people's health and quality of life. The prevalence of these diseases has been increasing in recent years. Hydrogels, with their good biocompatibility and biodegradability, show great potential in treating bone-related diseases.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Acoustics
Alex T. Peek, Gilles P. L. Thomas, Daniel F. Leotta, Petr Yuldashev, Vera A. Khokhlova, Tatiana D. Khokhlova
Summary: Phase aberration induced by soft tissue inhomogeneities complicates HIFU therapies, and we have designed a gel phantom to mimic this effect. The refined design of the phantom achieved accurate ultrasound absorption and scattering values, making it robust and convenient for experimental use. The phantom was characterized using hydrophone measurements and ultrasound imaging, demonstrating similar HIFU field distortions to those induced by real tissue. A phase correction approach was used to mitigate the aberration effect and enable targeted treatments.
JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jiaheng Liang, Ronghao Lv, Maorui Li, Jin Chai, Shuo Wang, Wenjun Yan, Zijian Zheng, Peng Li
Summary: Cardiovascular diseases have become a major global burden, causing deaths and loss of healthy life expectancy. Myocardial infarction is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease-related deaths, and researchers have shown great interest in hydrogels as a potential therapy for cardiac tissue repair after myocardial infarction. This review summarizes the advantages of hydrogels as a novel treatment, discusses the design strategies and therapeutic strategies of different hydrogels, and provides an overview of the latest research progress and future perspectives in this field.
MACROMOLECULAR BIOSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Arjan Atwal, Tina P. Dale, Martyn Snow, Nicholas R. Forsyth, Pooya Davoodi
Summary: The impairment of articular cartilage poses challenges, but recent advancements in regenerative medicine, particularly the use of injectable hydrogels, offer promising prospects for cartilage regeneration. Hydrogels can mimic the characteristics of native cartilage and provide minimally invasive delivery of bioactive agents to the damaged site, accelerating cartilage healing and modulating inflammation.
ADVANCES IN COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Acoustics
Lisa Braunstein, Sarah C. Brueningk, Ian Rivens, John Civale, Gail ter Haar
Summary: In this study, PVA cellulose composite hydrogels were characterized for their acoustic, cavitation, and thermal properties. The results showed that these materials have the potential to serve as mimics of soft tissue for therapeutic ultrasound applications.
ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Acoustics
Jennifer K. Nicholls, Poppy Turner, Andrea Lecchini-Visintini, Jonathan Ince, Georgina de Vries, Laurie Cappellugola, Mitsuhiro Oura, Kelechi U. Ebirim, Edward Pallett, Kumar V. Ramnarine, Emma M. L. Chung
Summary: This study aimed to explore the relationship between blood pressure parameters (mean arterial pressure and pulse pressure) and brain tissue pulsations (BTPs). A phantom brain model was developed to observe BP changes without confounding variables. The regression model showed that BTP amplitude significantly increased with pulse pressure, with every 1 mm Hg increase resulting in a 0.29 μm increase in BTP amplitude. Further research should confirm the relationship between BP and BTPs and explore other physiological factors affecting BTP measurements.
ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Subhra Suchismita Patel, Erukala Kalyan Kumar, Subrata Kumar Panda, Nitin Sharma
Summary: This article discusses the importance of mechanical behavior and phantom models of brain tissue, emphasizing the need to monitor material substitutes and developed phantoms.
ARCHIVES OF COMPUTATIONAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Megan K. DeBari, Xiaodan Niu, Jacqueline V. Scott, Mallory D. Griffin, Sean R. Pereira, Keith E. Cook, Bin He, Rosalyn D. Abbott
Summary: The study reveals that therapeutic ultrasound can noninvasively trigger enhanced degradation of silk fibroin scaffolds by removing microbubbles on the scaffold surface. This ultrasound-responsive biomaterial is proven safe for human cells and effectively triggers scaffold degradation through human skin, increasing clinical relevance. The degradation profile can be adjusted noninvasively to improve regenerative outcomes.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mei Jiang, Jingwen Tan, Yizhong Chen, Wenbiao Zhang, Peng Chen, Yi Tang, Qingsheng Gao
Summary: The promoted electrocatalytic hydrogenation of biomass-derived furfural to 2-methylfuran is identified for the first time in a water/oil bi-phasic system, with the oil phase enabling rapid separation of hydrophobic products from the electrode/electrolyte interfaces, leading to a favorable equilibrium for hydrodeoxygenation.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Saurav Das, Debapratim Das
Summary: Peptide-based hydrogels have unique properties for biomedical applications, but designing hydrogelators with desired functionalities and their self-assembled nanostructures remains challenging.
FRONTIERS IN CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Maria A. A. Mattioli, Italo F. F. Aromolo, Cristina B. B. Spigariolo, Angelo V. V. Marzano, Gianluca Nazzaro
Summary: In this report, the ultrasonographic features of onychopapilloma were analyzed in patients who underwent examination from January 2019 to December 2021. Nail bed dishomogeneity was detected in three patients (50%), and a distal hyperechoic mass was found in five patients (83.3%). The findings support the diagnosis of onychopapilloma, especially in patients who cannot undergo excisional biopsy.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Leonov Denis, Kodenko Maria, Leichenco Daria, Nasibullina Anastasia, Kulberg Nicholas
Summary: Commercial medical ultrasound phantoms are highly specific and expensive. This study proposed a reproducible methodology using readily available materials to design head phantoms for transcranial ultrasound training and research. The fabricated phantoms showed anatomical accuracy and were suitable for ultrasound imaging through the temporal bone acoustic window, serving as navigation targets during training.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COMPUTER ASSISTED RADIOLOGY AND SURGERY
(2022)
Article
Acoustics
Lidia Al-Zogbi, Brian Bock, Saul Schaffer, Thorsten Fleiter, Axel Krieger
Summary: This study explores the use of additive manufacturing to fabricate a patient-specific, full-scale torso ultrasound phantom as an alternative to expensive and procedure-specific FAST phantoms. The resulting phantom is cost-effective, has a long shelf life, and has been positively reviewed by professionals for its ability to provide accurate geometric and ultrasound information.
ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Callum D. Little, Eleanor C. Mackle, Efthymios Maneas, Debra Chong, Daniil Nikitichev, Jason Constantinou, Janice Tsui, George Hamilton, Roby D. Rakhit, Tara M. Mastracci, Adrien E. Desjardins
Summary: In this study, a temperature-stable, high-fidelity method for creating complex abdominal aortic aneurysm phantoms that are compatible with both radiation-based and ultrasound-based imaging modalities was proposed. The results showed that the phantom provided realistic appearances with intravascular ultrasound, computed tomography, and transcutaneous ultrasound.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COMPUTER ASSISTED RADIOLOGY AND SURGERY
(2022)
Review
Engineering, Biomedical
Antonio J. Feliciano, Clemens van Blitterswijk, Lorenzo Moroni, Matthew B. Baker
Summary: In this paper, the design parameters and applications of supramolecular hydrogels in tissue engineering are discussed, highlighting their ability to facilitate tissue formation via dynamic interactions. By designing permissive supramolecular hydrogels, new dynamic implants for tissue engineering applications can be inspired.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2021)
Editorial Material
Veterinary Sciences
Paolo Baragli, Jenny Yngvesson, Claudio Gentili, Antonio Lanata
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Leonardo Corsi, Piergiuseppe Liuzzi, Sara Ballanti, Maenia Scarpino, Antonio Maiorelli, Raisa Sterpu, Claudio Macchi, Francesca Cecchi, Bahia Hakiki, Antonello Grippo, Antonio Lanata, Maria Chiara Carrozza, Leonardo Bocchi, Andrea Mannini
Summary: Lateral brain symmetry indexes, detected by EEG, are widely used markers of rehabilitation recovery in patients with severe acquired brain injury. This study used Machine Learning algorithms to detect consistent asymmetries in EEG recordings of 54 patients. The best performing solution achieved a test accuracy of 85% in detecting asymmetry. The proposed algorithm has the potential to improve the efficiency of long EEG analysis and enhance the quality of care in settings lacking skilled staff.
BIOMEDICAL SIGNAL PROCESSING AND CONTROL
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Cosimo Aliani, Eva Rossi, Marco Luchini, Italo Calamai, Rossella Deodati, Rosario Spina, Piergiorgio Francia, Antonio Lanata, Leonardo Bocchi
Summary: In this study, a methodological approach based on RF and SVM classifiers was proposed to assess the presence and severity of COVID-19. The results showed that the RF and SVM classifiers achieved high accuracy in discriminating between healthy subjects and COVID-19 patients, as well as differentiating the severity of COVID-19.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Biomedical
Roberta Piazza, M. Carbone, R. N. Berchiolli, V. Ferrari, M. Ferrari, S. Condino
Summary: In situ fenestration of stent-graft is a potential option for aortic disease treatment in patients unsuitable for standard endovascular repair. The choice of the best fenestration strategy depends on the anatomical area and aims to restore perfusion of collateral vessels. Various tools, such as needles, radiofrequency probes, and laser systems, are used in conjunction with other instruments to provide support and stability during the procedure. This systematic review discusses and describes the approaches used to reach the correct fenestration site in human, animal, and in vitro environments, highlighting advantages and limitations. Commercial and dedicated solutions for intraoperative modification of the fabric material are also reported. There is significant clinical interest in this procedure, leading researchers to develop and refine methods and tools to overcome current limitations and expand the indications for endovascular treatment in a broader range of patients.
IEEE REVIEWS IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Editorial Material
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Antonio Lanata, Mimma Nardelli
BIOENGINEERING-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Rosanna M. M. Viglialoro, Giuseppe Turini, Marina Carbone, Sara Condino, Virginia Mamone, Nico Coluccia, Stefania Dell'Agli, Gabriele Morucci, Larisa Ryskalin, Vincenzo Ferrari, Marco Gesi
Summary: Research studies show that serious games can be an affordable and promising solution for increasing patient motivation in physiotherapy. This paper presents the latest evolution of a shoulder rehabilitation system using hand-finger tracking and projected augmented reality. The system integrates metrics for assessing patient performance and offers different visualization modes, while also tracking arm-hand movements. Preliminary testing with healthy volunteers showed that the serious game was engaging and ergonomically sound, suggesting its potential as a useful tool in shoulder rehabilitation.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Veli B. Shakhmurov, Muhammet Kurulay, Aida Sahmurova, Mustafa Can Gursesli, Antonio Lanata
Summary: This study utilized phase-space analysis to investigate the interaction between virus and immune response in a mathematical model of tumor growth. A dynamic model was used to mathematically determine the relationship between uninfected cells, infected cells, effector immune cells, and free viruses. Stability analysis of the system and the Lyapunov stability of the equilibrium points were revealed, and all endemic equilibrium point models were derived. The stability behavior and range of attraction sets of the nonlinear systems in our model were investigated. Furthermore, a global stability analysis was proven for both disease-free equilibria and endemic equilibria.
BIOENGINEERING-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Lorenzo Frassineti, Federico Cala, Elisabetta Sforza, Roberta Onesimo, Chiara Leoni, Antonio Lanata, Giuseppe Zampino, Claudia Manfredi
Summary: This study evaluated the usefulness of acoustical analysis in characterizing the speech phenotype of three genetic syndromes: Down, Noonan, and Smith-Magenis. The results showed that acoustical features and entropy indexes could effectively differentiate between pathological and control cases, and also provide important information regarding inter-syndromes differences. The findings confirmed the effectiveness of acoustical analysis and entropy techniques in evaluating the speech phenotype of genetic syndromes.
BIOMEDICAL SIGNAL PROCESSING AND CONTROL
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Martina Felici, Adam Reddon, Veronica Maglieri, Antonio Lanata, Paolo Baragli
Summary: Cerebral lateralisation refers to the tendency for individuals to preferentially use one side of their brain, and this is evident in the biased use of paired sensory organs. Horses show variation in eye use when exposed to a new stimulus, which could be attributed to different physiological reactions. To understand the relationship between physiology and lateralisation, researchers presented a novel object to 20 horses while collecting electrocardiogram traces. The study found that horses which exhibited a greater reduction in sample entropy tended to use their right hemisphere more, suggesting that emotional reactions may be prioritized in this hemisphere. These findings provide insight into the observed variation in lateralisation among horses.
Article
Neurosciences
Pietro Tarchi, Maria Chiara Lanini, Lorenzo Frassineti, Antonio Lanata
Summary: This study investigates the cognitive and emotional engagement of healthy individuals in a visual discrimination task involving real and deepfake human faces. Results suggest that different brain areas show statistically significant activations depending on the authenticity and emotional content of the stimuli.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Antonio D'Arienzo, Branimir Scognamiglio, Francesco Rosario Campo, Fabio Cosseddu, Damiano Alfio Ruinato, Edoardo Ipponi, Marina Carbone, Sara Condino, Vincenzo Ferrari, Lorenzo Andreani, Rodolfo Capanna, Paolo Domenico Parchi
Summary: Giant Cell Tumor of Bone is a highly aggressive benign tumor that can have metastasis. Surgical treatment, although effective, can reduce the quality of life for patients. The use of augmented reality and 3D printing technologies for preoperative planning of cryotherapy probes placement shows promising results, providing surgeons with better understanding of patient anatomy and tumor localization.
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Mustafa Can Gursesli, Mehmet Emin Selek, Mustafa Oktay Samur, Mirko Duradoni, Kyoungju Park, Andrea Guazzini, Antonio Lanata
Summary: The rapid development of technology has resulted in data-driven systems that are heavily dependent on the amount and type of data. Eye-tracking data has become an essential component for various medical, psychological, and engineering research applications, but there is a lack of literature on real-time data collection and management. This study introduces a system developed using Java programming language, WebSocket protocol, and REST to address this gap and improve the efficiency of transferring and managing eye-tracking data. Preliminary results show improved performance in managing real-time data transfer. Overall, this system can benefit the research community by enabling real-time data transfer and storage for more extensive studies using eye-tracking data.
Proceedings Paper
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Sara Condino, Fabrizio Cutolo, Giulia Zari, Renzo D'Amato, Marina Carbone, Ferrari Vincenzo
Summary: This paper proposes a simple solution to mitigate the focus rivalry conflict between virtual content and the real environment by using a magnifier placed in front of a commercial optical see-through head-mounted display. The preliminary user test suggests that consistent reduction of the focus rivalry can be achieved, although further research is needed to compensate for motion-parallax and magnification mismatch.
2022 IEEE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON METROLOGY FOR EXTENDED REALITY, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND NEURAL ENGINEERING (METROXRAINE)
(2022)
Proceedings Paper
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Cosimo Aliani, Eva Rossi, Piergiorgio Francia, Marco Luchini, Italo Calamai, Rossella Deodati, Rosario Spina, Antonio Lanata, Leonardo Bocchi
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the potential changes in the relationship between peripheral and central circulation dynamics caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. The results showed that coronavirus disease 2019 can affect the energy of the Low Frequency band [0.040-.15]Hz in the plethysmographic signal.
2022 12TH CONFERENCE OF THE EUROPEAN STUDY GROUP ON CARDIOVASCULAR OSCILLATIONS (ESGCO)
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Benedetta Olmi, Claudia Manfredi, Lorenzo Frassineti, Carlo Dani, Silvia Lori, Giovanna Bertini, Cesarina Cossu, Maria Bastianelli, Simonetta Gabbanini, Antonio Lanata
Summary: This article introduces an ECG-based seizure detection system for newborns, using heart rate variability analysis as a marker. The results show that the system has comparable performance in detecting neonatal seizures.
BIOENGINEERING-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Mohammadreza Kasravi, Alireza Yaghoobi, Tahereh Tayebi, Mahsa Hojabri, Abdolkarim Talebi Taheri, Fatemeh Shirzad, Bahram Jambar Nooshin, Radman Mazloomnejad, Armin Ahmadi, Fatemeh A. Tehrani, Ghasem Yazdanpanah, Mohammad Hadi Farjoo, Hassan Niknejad
Summary: As a promising approach in translational medicine, the decellularization of discarded livers to produce bioscaffolds that support recellularization has potential in overcoming the limitations of conventional liver transplantation. In this study, the researchers investigated the use of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibition to preserve the extracellular matrix (ECM) during liver decellularization. The results demonstrated that the application of an MMP inhibitor significantly improved the preservation of ECM components and mechanical properties of the bioscaffolds, which supported cell viability and function in vitro. The study also confirmed that the MMP inhibition led to the inhibition of MMP2 and MMP9, providing a novel method to enhance ECM preservation during liver decellularization.
BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES
(2024)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Mohammadsadegh Nadimifar, Weiguang Jin, Clara Coll-Satue, Gizem Bor, Paul Joseph Kempen, Ali Akbar Moosavi-Movahedi, Leticia Hosta-Rigau
Summary: This study presents a metal-phenolic self-assembly approach that can prepare nanoparticles fully made of hemoglobin. The nanoparticles exhibit good oxygen binding and releasing capabilities.
BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES
(2024)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Jyoti Kumari, Roel Hammink, Jochem Baaij, Frank A. D. T. G. Wagener, Paul H. J. Kouwer
Summary: Fibrosis is the formation of fibrous connective tissue in response to injury, leading to organ dysfunction. A novel hybrid hydrogel combining synthetic polyisocyanide with hyaluronic acid has been developed, showing strong antifibrotic properties.
BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES
(2024)
Letter
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Melissa Machado Rodrigues, Cristian Padilha Fontoura, Charlene Silvestrin Celi Garcia, Sandro Tomaz Martins, Joao Antonio Pegas Henriques, Carlos Alejandro Figueroa, Mariana Roesch Ely, Cesar Aguzzoli
BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES
(2024)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Jessica Polak, David Sachs, Nino Scherrer, Adrian Suess, Huan Liu, Mitchell Levesque, Sabine Werner, Edoardo Mazza, Gaetana Restivo, Mirko Meboldt, Costanza Giampietro
Summary: Human skin equivalents (HSEs) play a crucial role in tissue engineering. This study introduces a 3D-printed culture insert to apply a static radial constraint on HSEs and examines its effects on tissue characteristics. The results show that the diameter of the culture insert significantly influences tissue contraction, fibroblast and matrix organization, keratinocyte differentiation, epidermal stratification, and basement membrane formation. This study provides important insights for the design of skin tissue engineering.
BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES
(2024)
Review
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Shiliang Chen, Tianming Du, Hanbing Zhang, Jing Qi, Yanping Zhang, Yongliang Mu, Aike Qiao
Summary: This paper reviewed the primary methods for improving the overall properties of biodegradable zinc stents. It discussed the mechanical properties, degradation behavior, and biocompatibility of various improvement strategies. Alloying was found to be the most common, simple, and effective method for improving mechanical properties. Deformation processing and surface modification further improved the mechanical properties and biological activity of zinc alloys. Meanwhile, structural design could endow stents with special properties. Manufacturing zinc alloys with excellent properties and exploring their interaction mechanism with the human body are areas for future research.
BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES
(2024)