A 3D printed microfluidic PCR device towards detecting SARS-CoV-2

A 3D printed (3DP) microfluidic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) device was demonstrated by detecting synthetic SARSCoV-2 at 106 copies/μL. The microfluidic device was fabricated using stereolithography 3DP and had a reaction volume of ~22 nL. The microdevice showed PCR amplification with 85 base synthetic ssDNA targets and primers designed for a SARS-CoV-2-specific region. The device was 2.5 times faster compared to a qPCR instrument with >60,000 times smaller reagent volume. The 3DP microdevice is a promising technology to significantly reduce the manufacturing costs of microfluidic devices that could be used towards point-of-care applications. © 2023 SPIE.

The health and outlook of printing industry post-Covid-19: the insight into Malaysia printing industry

While it is widely assumed that the printing industry is in a state of declining demand, or "sunsetting” worldwide, our study suggests that the printing industry in Malaysia shows a stabilizing trend. Print service providers (PSPs) diversify and exploit the trend for digitization and automation and also explore new market segments to stay relevant. The industry's performance before, during, and after the pandemic from 2019 to Q2 2022 was analyzed. An interview with the top management of PSPs was conducted to obtain views on the impact of Covid-19 on the print business. The findings show macroeconomic factors' are heavily influenced by growth and suggest that demand will remain resilient going forward, making the outlook for the printing industry optimistic despite domestic and global uncertainty. We also discovered that the pandemic has given PSPs a chance to reevaluate their operations and rebuild using technology to support their businesses in the post-Covid-19 © 2023, Journal of Print and Media Technology Research.All Rights Reserved.

Global Health Technologies are Transforming Intellectual Property and World Trade

The nano-enabled technology of 3-D printing for medical devices presents a dynamic new avenue for meeting patient needs. 3-D printers can generate food, soaps, cosmetics, body parts, metal devices, or medicines. This technology enables continuity of health care delivery despite disruptive breaks in any supply chain due to war, shortage, or broken distribution lines due to pandemic force majeure.1 Featuring custom-tailored attributes for each device, economic efficiency by eliminating transport costs during emergencies, avoiding issues of distribution supply chains, and offering biocompatibility, 3-D printed medical devices during the COVID-19 pandemic2 provided a very attractive alternative to enduring medical supply shortages worldwide. Beyond the covid-19 pandemic exigencies, 3-D printed medical devices promise custom-tailored meals to meet medical needs that are unique for each patient's metabolism and a wide variety of tools for patient care that will change the shape of global commerce.3 3-D printing offers the alluring promise of biocompatible medical devices, matching any patient's unique anatomy, using a specific patient's imaging data, or using a standard design to make multiple identical copies of the same device, but without delays for transport or shipping and insurance costs. The global health impact of these efforts, from the standpoint of patient safety4 and overall deterrence of unnecessary or unsafe medical practices, remains unclear due to the absence of regulation and monitoring. The reality is that commerce can reduce or eliminate transport and storage costs associated with shipping and can change international trade. Yet, 3-D printing simultaneously offers great promise to meet challenges arising from the arcane role of intellectual property rights (IPR)5 in shaping the creation and transfer of nanomedicines and nanotechnologies to attain health equity and meet universal needs of health for all. These millennial technological changes may permanently alter how civil society does business for global health. © 2022, Andover House, Inc.. All rights reserved.

Helping Hands

Introduction: We work in a large, tertiary Teaching Hospital Critical Care unit. As such we have a sizeable and diverse workforce from multiple professional backgrounds. We noted both anecdotally, and from the formal process of Exit Interviews that the changes imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic were impacting on team relationships. Physical barriers enforced by social distancing, as well as the burden of increased patient numbers and changes to job roles had driven apart nursing and medical teams. Critical care appeals to many staff because of the MDT and the chance to work with highly qualified, ambitious colleagues with varying skill sets. Nurturing this positive working relationship between different teams requires a commitment from all to share the burden of increased pressures wherever possible. Objective(s): The aims for this project are to identify specific areas within the working relationship between the medical team and the nursing team that can be improved. More than this, we want to open wider conversation about how teams can work more collaboratively for the benefit of the working environment, staff mental health and ultimately the patient. Method(s): We created an e-survey with input from the critical care matrons and psychologists before distributing amongst nursing staff. Questions focused on communication, practical support and the general working relationship. Each section contained MCQ's and white space questions to allow us to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. Following collection of responses we identified common themes that could be addressed and created an eye-catching poster with specific suggestions for the medical team. Result(s): Communication: Common themes were more presence on the unit with more regular walk-rounds and that STAT medications are often prescribed but not communicated to the nurse at the bedside and are therefore delayed. Practical support: Common suggestions were helping with repositioning patients and relieving breaks. Others included, pulling blood gases, printing off blood request forms and working in pairs for lines so that the nurse doesn't have to be engaged. Working relationship: suggestions mainly focused around introducing ourselves and level of training as well as social integration of the two teams. A few said that improving the communication and assisting with tasks would feed into improving the relationship. A few also said that the survey itself was a good start. Discussion(s): The survey generated many useful suggestions as well as demonstrating an open and receptive attitude. Responses were used to create a poster that gives clear and practical advice to the medical team. This method is easily reproducible and we believe that we have already seen positive changes that have been widely well received. We plan also to send a follow up survey once changes have become ingrained into the culture of the workforce. Acknowledgements Matthew Powell Jane Atkins Nathan Shearman Helen Horton.

3D-Printed Face Mask with Integrated Sensors as Protective and Monitoring Tool

The outbreak of the recent Covid-19 pandemic changed many aspects of our daily life, such as the constant wearing of face masks as protection from virus transmission risks. Furthermore, it exposed the healthcare system's fragilities, showing the urgent need to design a more inclusive model that takes into account possible future emergencies, together with population's aging and new severe pathologies. In this framework, face masks can be both a physical barrier against viruses and, at the same time, a telemedical diagnostic tool. In this paper, we propose a low-cost, 3D-printed face mask able to protect the wearer from virus transmission, thanks to internal FFP2 filters, and to monitor the air quality (temperature, humidity, CO2) inside the mask. Acquired data are automatically transmitted to a web terminal, thanks to sensors and electronics embedded in the mask. Our preliminary results encourage more efforts in these regards, towards rapid, inexpensive and smart ways to integrate more sensors into the mask's breathing zone in order to use the patient's breath as a fingerprint for various diseases. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023.

Towards Augmented Reality Guiding Systems: An Engineering Design of an Immersive System for Complex 3D Printing Repair Process

Over the past decade, additive manufacturing (AM) has become widely adopted for both prototyping and, more recently, end-use products. In particular, fused deposition modeling (FDM) is the most widespread form of additive manufacturing due to its low cost, ease of use, and versatility. While additive processes are relatively automated, many steps in their operation and repair require trained human operators. Finding such operators can be difficult, as highlighted during the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Augmented reality (AR) systems could significantly help address this challenge by automating the training for 3D printer operators. Given multidimensional design choices, however, a research gap exists in the system requirements for such immersive guidance. To address this need, we explore the applicability of AR to guide users through a repair process. In that context, we report on the system design as well as the results of the AR system assessment in a qualitative study with experts. © 2023 IEEE.

Leading by example: Leveraging academic innovation centers in times of crisis

Universities worldwide are increasingly investing in academic innovation centers that are designed to encourage their students to pursue careers focused on innovation and technology. This chapter explores the educational opportunities of these academic innovation centers during crisis situations by documenting how an academic innovation center at Florida State University - the Innovation Hub - was able to encourage university students to engage in creative problem solving through design thinking, emerging technologies, and experiential learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of these efforts demonstrate that academic innovation centers, during times of global crisis, have a unique opportunity to lead by example, enhancing their educational impact by connecting students directly with real-world challenges as creative problem solvers with the power to improve their communities. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021. All rights reserved.

Dual-Action Effect of Gallium and Silver Providing Osseointegration and Antibacterial Properties to Calcium Titanate Coatings on Porous Titanium Implants.

Previously, functional coatings on 3D-printed titanium implants were developed to improve their biointegration by separately incorporating Ga and Ag on the biomaterial surface. Now, a thermochemical treatment modification is proposed to study the effect of their simultaneous incorporation. Different concentrations of AgNO3 and Ga(NO3)3 are evaluated, and the obtained surfaces are completely characterized. Ion release, cytotoxicity, and bioactivity studies complement the characterization. The provided antibacterial effect of the surfaces is analyzed, and cell response is assessed by the study of SaOS-2 cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. The Ti surface doping is confirmed by the formation of Ga-containing Ca titanates and nanoparticles of metallic Ag within the titanate coating. The surfaces generated with all combinations of AgNO3 and Ga(NO3)3 concentrations show bioactivity. The bacterial assay confirms a strong bactericidal impact achieved by the effect of both Ga and Ag present on the surface, especially for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, one of the main pathogens involved in orthopedic implant failures. SaOS-2 cells adhere and proliferate on the Ga/Ag-doped Ti surfaces, and the presence of gallium favors cell differentiation. The dual effect of both metallic agents doping the titanium surface provides bioactivity while protecting the biomaterial from the most frequent pathogens in implantology.

Significance of 3D printing for a sustainable environment

The additive manufacturing, also known as 3D-printing, allows for a complete control over the entire manufacturing process that can be tuned to any application. In recent years, it has been tested for its role in various areas like environmental contaminant monitoring, providing solutions for the energy generation and storage and healthcare. To encourage sustainable detection platforms for the pollutants, the sensing electrodes have been reported to be 3D printed because of enhanced electrochemical properties coming from the high surface area of the printed materials. In general, the conventional methods of electrode preparation are time consuming, expensive, and mostly not adaptable. 3D printing however, negates all these challenges. Similarly, in the energy generation and storage field, the rapid and lightweight materials used during 3D printing make them viable and suitable alternative. Since 3D printing is a bottom-up method for the fabrication, the amount of raw material consumed can be tuned and the by-products or wastage minimized. Apart from these demanding areas, additive manufacturing, in last 2 years which witnessed epidemic outspread, has supported health sector immensely in fight against COVID. 3D printing allowed the rapid manufacturing of COVID-19 detection kits and helped maintain the COVID-19 safeguards in place. Sample collection swabs, respirators and other components of the PPE kits were among many products developed using 3D printing during the pandemic. Keeping these things in mind, this review encapsulates the use of 3 D printing for energy application, detection of water and biological contaminants and as safeguard tool during covid pandemic.

Design Experience of Laboratory Practices in COVID Times

The development of laboratory practices is necessary for training mechatronics engineering students because they must learn in scenarios that allow checking the theories reviewed in class and implementing their solutions to real-world challenges posed in a course. Unexpectedly, the COVID pandemic caused a rethinking of how to develop the laboratory as a form of teaching, looking for online alternatives using simulation platforms, portable instruments, and 3D printing to design prototypes. This work presents the experience of two online laboratory practice activities in two mechatronics engineering subjects, which allowed students to complement their training without the risk of contagion, develop the planned competencies, and acquire skills in this form of teaching. © 2023 IEEE.

The Impact of Digitalization of the Economy on the Cooperation of Economic Entities in the Post-pandemic Period

According to the authors, the digital transformation of the global economic system, which has affected all areas of business and sectors of the economy, has led to the formation of a new business model aimed at creating a single financial and economic space without borders, contributing to new forms of obtaining added value and "digital dividends” by combining various technologies (for example, cloud technologies, sensors, big data, 3D printing), as well as the development of markets for goods and services, labor reserves and capital through transformations at all social levels. The authors believe that all of the above opens up expanded opportunities for organizing and doing business and allows increasing the potential for creating radically new products, services and innovative business models focused on sustainable business development in the new conditions of digitization of the economic system. In this regard, the paper explores key approaches to the definition of the term "digital transformation of business.” The trends of business digitalization and, accordingly, the factors that are inhibitors and drivers of the development of a new business model of cooperation and cooperation of modern organizations were identified. In the process of analysis, the authors determined the vector of development of business models in the context of the digital transformation of the global economic system. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Smart and functional textiles

Smart and Functional Textiles is an application-oriented book covering a wide range of areas from multifunctional nanofinished textiles, coated and laminated textiles, wearable e-textiles, textile-based sensors and actuators, thermoregulating textiles, to smart medical textiles and stimuli-responsive textiles. It also includes chapters on 3D printed smart textiles, automotive smart textiles, smart textiles in military and defense, as well as functional textiles used in care and diagnosis of Covid-19. • Overview of smart textiles and their multidirectional applications • Materials, processes, advanced techniques, design and performance of smart fabrics • Fundamentals, advancements, current challenges and future perspectives of smart textiles. © 2023 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.

Application prospects of organoids in organ transplantation

In recent years, organoid technology has become one of the major technological breakthroughs in biomedical field. As miniature organs constructed by three-dimensional culture of tissue stem cells in vitro, organoids are highly consistent with the source tissues in terms of tissue structures, cell types and functions, which serve as an ideal model for biomedical basic research, drug research and development and clinical precision medicine, and show important potential value in regenerative medicine. Organ transplantation is one of the most effective approaches to treat organ failure. However, the source of donor organs is currently limited, which could not meet the patients' needs. Identifying suitable graft substitutes is the key to breaking through the predicament. Organoids could be derived from the autologous tissues of patients. Multiple studies have demonstrated that organoids possess potent transplantation and repairing capabilities and may effectively avert the risk of immune rejection and tumorigenicity, etc. In this article, the development process and main application directions of organoid technology were summarized, and the application prospect and challenges of organoids in organ transplantation were reviewed and predicted.Copyright © 2022 Journal of Zhongshan University. All right reserved.

Advances in medical textiles

Medical textile is one of the technical textiles sectors, growing faster due to developments in polymer science and technology and innovation in forming new textile structures. In this review, current market trends for the growth of medical textiles for both pre and post covid pandemic periods were discussed. Focus is given to the classification of medical textiles and devices, specific requirements of fibers and widely used types of fibers, and advanced developments in this field, including nanofibers, bicomponent fibers, superabsorbent polymers, and conductive materials used in a wide range of advanced medical devices. Various fabric structures (woven/knitted/nonwoven/braided) have been in use in biomedical devices;however, recent 3D shaped structures such as spacer fabrics, and 3D-printed materials have profoundly marked their significance with its ability to adapt to specific needs of the medical community. Smart wearable sensor technologies for monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment are discussed and critically reviewed, enabling the readers to understand the complexity of the nature of interdisciplinary approaches required for developing such complex structures and systems. Antimicrobial agents (synthetic and natural/organic) used in the development of medical textiles mainly wound dressings, advances in antiadhesive textile coatings, and antimicrobial assessments of medical fabrics are critically reviewed. Finally, a case study on 3D printing of complex structures is presented to update modern developments using fine detail resolution (FDR), a selective laser sintering that uses carbon dioxide laser to produce delicate and complex 3D structures suitable for medical applications. It is anticipated that readers will benefit from this critical overview of trends in this sector and the multidisciplinary approaches needed to meet the demands of the ever-growing consumer base. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Carbon Nanomaterials-Based Screen-Printed Electrodes for Sensing Applications.

Electrochemical sensors consisting of screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) are recurrent devices in the recent literature for applications in different fields of interest and contribute to the expanding electroanalytical chemistry field. This is due to inherent characteristics that can be better (or only) achieved with the use of SPEs, including miniaturization, cost reduction, lower sample consumption, compatibility with portable equipment, and disposability. SPEs are also quite versatile; they can be manufactured using different formulations of conductive inks and substrates, and are of varied designs. Naturally, the analytical performance of SPEs is directly affected by the quality of the material used for printing and modifying the electrodes. In this sense, the most varied carbon nanomaterials have been explored for the preparation and modification of SPEs, providing devices with an enhanced electrochemical response and greater sensitivity, in addition to functionalized surfaces that can immobilize biological agents for the manufacture of biosensors. Considering the relevance and timeliness of the topic, this review aimed to provide an overview of the current scenario of the use of carbonaceous nanomaterials in the context of making electrochemical SPE sensors, from which different approaches will be presented, exploring materials traditionally investigated in electrochemistry, such as graphene, carbon nanotubes, carbon black, and those more recently investigated for this (carbon quantum dots, graphitic carbon nitride, and biochar). Perspectives on the use and expansion of these devices are also considered.

Three-dimensional printing in cardiopulmonary disease

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has gained increasing interests and recognition in the medical domain with studies confirming its clinical value and applications in many areas. 3D-printed personalized models provide information that cannot be obtained by traditional visualization tools, and this is especially apparent in the cardiopulmonary disease due to the complexity of anatomical structures and pathologies that are seen in the cardiopulmonary system. This chapter provides an overview of the application and usefulness of 3D-printed models in cardiopulmonary disease, including 3D printing in heart and cardiovascular disease, and 3D printing in pulmonary disease. Emerging applications of 3D printing in coronavirus disease 2019 patients, in particular, the 3D-printed ventilators, and 3D printing in cardiopulmonary bypass are also presented, while limitations and future research of 3D printing in cardiopulmonary disease are highlighted. It is expected that this chapter presents an update of current research on 3D printing in cardiopulmonary disease and possible research directions along this pathway. © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

General practitioners' views on the electronic transfer of prescriptions to pharmacies in Ireland: a qualitative interview study

Introduction: The use of electronic systems to transfer prescriptions continues to grow in healthcare systems worldwide. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, legislation was implemented in Ireland in April 2020 to permit the electronic transfer of prescriptions (ETP) from prescribers to pharmacies using a national secure email system (Healthmail). This has resulted in a significant increase in the volume of prescriptions transmitted via Healthmail from general practitioners (GPs) to pharmacies in Ireland. Aim(s): With a clear need to evaluate how stakeholders have been affected by this initiative and to guide the future delivery of patient care, the primary aim of this study was to investigate GPs' views on the ETP to pharmacies in Ireland via Healthmail and how it has affected their practice. Method(s): Semi-structured interviews were conducted via video-conference with GPs in Ireland. GPs were identified using convenience and snowball sampling, purposively ensuring variety in age/years of experience, gender, and practice location. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Interview transcripts underwent thematic analysis (1). Result(s): Twelve audio-recorded interviews were conducted with GPs between May 2021 and July 2021. The participants had a median of 16 years' experience as a GP. Four main themes were generated: 1) Efficiencies with prescribing and easing GP workload: even with limited training, GPs felt that Healthmail's ETP has been easy to use and seamlessly integrated into their practice. Time has been saved and overall workload decreased due to less prescription printing and delegating more to administrative staff with prescription ordering. 2) New GP-pharmacist communication pathways: GPs found asynchronous communication regarding prescription queries less disruptive to their workflow, and particularly useful for less urgent matters. Some GPs were not aware of some Healthmail functions that facilitated additional notes between GPs and pharmacists, whilst others were concerned they had no evidence if pharmacists saw these notes. 3) Security, transparency, and documentation: whilst acknowledging their lack of technological expertise, GPs perceived that Healthmail prescriptions had security advantages over physical ones overall;the increased transparency of the prescription journey minimises the risk of prescriptions being mislaid, damaged, or fraudulently altered, as well as creating an audit trail. 4) Implications for patients: ETP via Healthmail has reduced footfall to practices, reduces multiple pharmacy use, and most patients have adapted well to it. GPs were mostly reluctant to engage routinely in any hypothetical bidirectional communication with patients via Healthmail. Conclusion(s): This study provides strong evidence for continuing the ETP to pharmacies in Ireland as GPs found this initiative easy to use, time-saving, and enhancing both GP-pharmacist communication and GP workflow. However, this study has highlighted stakeholders' lack of awareness with some functions of Healthmail, so any future systems utilised for the ETP should come with best-practice guidance for all users. While the purposive sampling facilitated GP heterogeneity, snowball sampling may have somewhat reduced the diversity in views;a future survey would be useful in identifying if any GPs characteristics significantly influencing GPs' views, as well as identifying other issues experienced and novel ideas to improve the ETP process going forward.

Three-Dimensional Printing Process for Musical Instruments: Sound Reflection Properties of Polymeric Materials for Enhanced Acoustical Performance.

Acoustical properties of various materials were analyzed in order to determine their potential for the utilization in the three-dimensional printing process of stringed musical instruments. Polylactic acid (PLA), polyethylene terephthalate with glycol modification (PET-G), and acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) filaments were studied in terms of sound reflection using the transfer function method. In addition, the surface geometry parameters (Sa, Sq, Sz, and Sdr) were measured, and their relation to the acoustic performance of three-dimensional-printed samples was investigated. It was found that a higher layer height, and thus a faster printing process, does not necessarily mean poor acoustical properties. The proposed methodology also proved to be a relatively easy and rapid way to test the acoustic performance of various materials and the effect of three-dimensional printing parameters to test such a combination at the very beginning of the production process.

Assessment of 3D Printing for Surgical Instrument Manufacturing

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has emerged as a method for rapid prototyping and manufacturing of tools. In low-resource settings or field settings, the ability to perform surgeries is often limited by a lack of surgical instruments. On-demand manufacture of surgical instruments via 3D printing may offer a low-cost, reliable, convenient solution for provision of necessary care, particularly during trauma or emergency situations. The global coronavirus-19 disease pandemic has emphasized the need for rapid manufacturing of surgical instruments at the point of care, as the pandemic has often limited patient access to hospitals, due to measures to minimize the spread of infectious disease. Moreover, the ability to 3D print surgical instruments is a priority for enabling surgery during space missions. Recent progress has been made on 3D printing of commonly used surgical instruments from plastics. Important surgical tools such as forceps, scalpel handles, needle drivers, Army/Navy retractors, and hemostats have all been 3D printed, with typical print times on the order of hours. This paper assesses the current status of 3D printing of surgical instruments. The review will include 3D printing methods, raw materials, design times, print times, sterilization methods, and the types of surgical instruments that have been successfully printed. In addition, the results of mechanical testing and simulated surgical testing of 3D printed surgical instruments will be described. Finally, avenues for future work will be identified, including the need for faster print times, and the necessity for producing more intricate instruments via 3D printing. © 2022, Avestia Publishing. All rights reserved.

Pandemic Makers: How Citizen Groups Mobilized Resources to Meet Local Needs in a Global Health Crisis: ET&P

The enormous scale of suffering, breadth of societal impact, and ongoing uncertainty wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic introduced dynamics seldom examined in the crisis entrepreneurship literature. Previous research indicates that when a crisis causes a failure of public goods, spontaneous citizen ventures often emerge to leverage unique local knowledge to rapidly customize abundant external resources to meet immediate needs. However, as outsiders, emergent citizen groups responding to the dire shortage of personal protective equipment at the onset of COVID-19 lacked local knowledge and legitimacy. In this study, we examine how entrepreneurial citizens mobilized collective resources in attempts to gain acceptance and meet local needs amid the urgency of the pandemic. Through longitudinal case studies of citizen groups connected to makerspaces in four U.S. cities, we study how they adapted to address the resource and legitimacy limitations they encountered. We identify three mechanisms—augmenting, circumventing, and attenuating—that helped transient citizen groups calibrate their resource mobilization based on what they learned over time. We highlight how extreme temporality imposes limits on resourcefulness and legitimation, making it critical for collective entrepreneurs to learn when to work within their limitations rather than try to overcome them.