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1.
J Synchrotron Radiat ; 31(Pt 4): 923-935, 2024 Jul 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38861370

ABSTRACT

X-rays can penetrate deeply into biological cells and thus allow for examination of their internal structures with high spatial resolution. In this study, X-ray phase-contrast imaging and tomography is combined with an X-ray-compatible optical stretcher and microfluidic sample delivery. Using this setup, individual cells can be kept in suspension while they are examined with the X-ray beam at a synchrotron. From the recorded holograms, 2D phase shift images that are proportional to the projected local electron density of the investigated cell can be calculated. From the tomographic reconstruction of multiple such projections the 3D electron density can be obtained. The cells can thus be studied in a hydrated or even living state, thus avoiding artifacts from freezing, drying or embedding, and can in principle also be subjected to different sample environments or mechanical strains. This combination of techniques is applied to living as well as fixed and stained NIH3T3 mouse fibroblasts and the effect of the beam energy on the phase shifts is investigated. Furthermore, a 3D algebraic reconstruction scheme and a dedicated mathematical description is used to follow the motion of the trapped cells in the optical stretcher for multiple rotations.

2.
bioRxiv ; 2024 May 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38746417

ABSTRACT

The ability to simultaneously measure material mechanics and structure is central for understanding their nonlinear relationship that underlies the mechanical properties of materials, such as hysteresis, strain-stiffening and -softening, and plasticity. This experimental capability is also critical in biomechanics and mechanobiology research, as it enables direct characterizations of the intricate interplay between cellular responses and tissue mechanics. Stretching devices developed over the past few decades, however, do not often allow simultaneous measurements of the structural and mechanical responses of the sample. In this work, we introduce an open-source stretching system that can apply uniaxial strain at a submicron resolution, report the tensile force response of the sample, and be mounted on an inverted microscope for real-time imaging. Our system consists of a pair of stepper-based linear motors that stretch the sample symmetrically, a force transducer that records the sample tensile force, and an optically clear sample holder that allows for high-magnification microscopy. Using polymer samples and cellular specimens, we characterized the motion control accuracy, force measurement robustness, and microscopy compatibility of our stretching system. We envision that this uniaxial stretching system will be a valuable tool for characterizing soft and living materials.

3.
Heliyon ; 10(7): e28756, 2024 Apr 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38601665

ABSTRACT

Various health risk assessment models have been developed to evaluate occupational pesticide exposure in China. However, there has been limited investigation into the relationship between health risks and pesticide spraying in orchards. In this study, we analyzed pesticide exposure of applicators while spraying with a stretcher-mounted sprayer in orchards located in four different climatic regions. All garments' unit exposure (UE) demonstrated a right-skewed distribution, with gloves and shins accounting for the highest proportion of dermal pesticide exposure. We observed little difference in dermal and inhalation UE levels between apple and citrus orchards, except for pesticide exposure levels on wipes and faces. While 57% of the inhalation UE distribution variance was attributed to clustering and location effects, no significant differences were observed in dermal exposure levels. We evaluated the impact of different levels of protective clothing on pesticide exposure levels, according to applicators' working habits in China. Our findings revealed that improved levels of protection significantly reduced dermal exposure to pesticides, particularly when wearing gloves during spraying with a stretcher-mounted sprayer. Based on our empirical data, we utilized a simple random sampling model and an intercept-only lognormal mixed model to estimate dermal and inhalation exposure levels. The estimated dermal UE was accurate to within 3-fold with 95% confidence, and half of the estimated inhalation UE was acceptable according to the fold relative accuracy (fRA). Our established and verified statistics for dermal and inhalation UE can be utilized to evaluate the potential pesticide exposure to applicators during spraying in orchards with a stretcher-mounted sprayer.

4.
Proc Inst Mech Eng H ; 238(5): 508-519, 2024 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38562010

ABSTRACT

Emergency ambulances play a vital role in medical rescue and patient transportation, but their transit can impact patient health due to vehicle dynamic forces and vibrations. This study evaluates patient transport conditions on a stretcher subjected to vertical vibration excitation from road unevenness. Using an eight-degree-of-freedom numerical model, we analyze the construction parameters of a medical stretcher's support and vehicle suspension. Actual experimental data from an emergency vehicle were utilized to assess the vibration conditions experienced by both the stretcher and the ambulance floor. The model is adjusted based on measurements, specifically targeting the main vibration modes. The investigation involves determining temporal responses for vertical accelerations and characterizing vibration modal parameters under various transportation conditions. Notably, several system natural frequencies fall within the range of human body frequencies, making them susceptible to mechanical excitation, particularly in the human neck, abdomen, and spine. A sensitivity analysis underscores the influence of medical stretcher support structure parameters on patient comfort. Increasing support stiffness, which alters the stretcher's natural frequency, and damping coefficient reduce vibration propagation between the vehicle and the patient. Additionally, the research predicts the model's dynamic behavior on roads with low-quality pavement, indicating vibrational amplitudes that could potentially be discomforting and unhealthy for individuals. The study illustrates a vibration exposure period on a class E road, revealing that transportation longer than 25 min may cause damage to patient health.


Subject(s)
Ambulances , Vibration , Humans , Transportation of Patients , Stretchers , Models, Theoretical
5.
Appl Spectrosc ; 78(4): 438-441, 2024 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38297998

ABSTRACT

Raman spectroscopy and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) are powerful tools for molecular and elemental analysis, respectively. Their combined application, however, is challenging due to the differences in the signal generation and detection characteristics. This note proposes three experimental schemes for the simultaneous application of Raman and LIBS for gas-phase diagnostics. Ring-cavity optical pulse stretchers facilitate shaping suitable pulse pairs from a Q-switched laser that enables the quasi-simultaneous detection of the Raman and LIBS signals on a single detector.

6.
J Perioper Pract ; : 17504589231215939, 2023 Dec 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38149482

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Foot and ankle surgeons often perform minor surgeries on the preoperative stretcher instead of the operating room table. We examined whether stretcher-based and operating room table-based procedures differed with respect to operating room efficiency and staff perceptions. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients undergoing minor foot and ankle surgery at an ambulatory surgery centre. We collected 'time to start', the duration between patient arrival in the operating room and incision time, and 'time to exit', the duration between procedure end time and patient exit from the operating room. Staff were surveyed regarding their perceptions of stretcher-based and operating room table-based procedures. RESULTS: 'Time to start' was significantly shorter for stretcher-based procedures, but 'time to exit' was not. Seventeen (81%) staff members thought stretcher-based procedures increased operating room efficiency. Thirteen (62%) thought stretcher-based procedures bettered staff safety. Nineteen (91%) thought stretcher-based procedures were equivalent to or better than operating room table-based procedures for patient safety. Most (67%) would recommend stretcher-based procedures. CONCLUSION: We found small but significant time savings associated with stretcher-based procedures. Without adapting surgical scheduling practices, the impact of stretcher-based procedures on overall operating room efficiency is questionable. Nevertheless, the majority of OR staff think stretcher-based procedures increase OR efficiency and are safer for staff. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, Retrospective case series.

7.
Sheng Wu Yi Xue Gong Cheng Xue Za Zhi ; 40(6): 1200-1208, 2023 Dec 25.
Article in Chinese | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38151944

ABSTRACT

For the transportation process of rescuing wounded personnel on naval vessels, a new type of shoulder type exoskeleton stretcher for individual soldier was designed in this paper. The three-dimensional model of the shoulder type exoskeleton stretcher for individual soldier was constructed using three dimensional modeling software. Finite element analysis technique was employed to conduct statics simulation, modal analysis, and transient dynamics analysis on the designed exoskeleton stretcher. The results show that the maximum stress of the exoskeleton stretcher for walking on flat ground is 265.55 MPa, which is lower than the allowable strength of the fabrication material. Furthermore, the overall deformation of the structure is small. Modal analysis reveals that the natural frequency range of the exoskeleton stretcher under different gait conditions is 1.96 Hz to 28.70 Hz, which differs significantly from the swing frequency of 1 Hz during walking. This indicates that the designed structure can effectively avoid resonance. The transient dynamics analysis results show that the maximum deformation and stress of exoskeleton stretcher remain within the safety range, which meets the expected performance requirements. In summary, the shoulder type exoskeleton stretcher for individual soldier designed in this study can solve the problem of requiring more than 2 people to carry for the existing stretcher, especially suitable for narrow spaces of naval vessels. The research results of this paper can provide a new solution for the rescue of wounded personnel on naval vessels.


Subject(s)
Exoskeleton Device , Military Personnel , Stretchers , Humans , Shoulder , Walking , Gait , Biomechanical Phenomena
8.
Arch Acad Emerg Med ; 11(1): e44, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37609542

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Inadequate spinal motion restriction in patients suffering from spinal injuries could lead to further neurological damage, ultimately worsening their prognosis. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of long spinal boards (LSB), ske stretcher, and vacuum mattress for cervical spine immobilization during transportation of patients by measuring the angular motion of the cervical spine following lifting, transferring, and tilting. Methods: We conducted an experimental study using a box of three randomizations and crossover designs without a washout period effect for the long spinal board, sked stretcher, and vacuum mattress. We concealed the randomization with sequentially numbered, opaque, sealed envelopes (SNOSE). Kinematic data were collected using eight optoelectronic cameras at 200 Hz (BTS Bioengineering, Milan, Italy) in triangular planes (lateral bending, flexion-extension, and axial rotation) while performing all three motions (static lift-hold, transfer, and 90° tilt). Results: 12 cases (7 males and 5 females) with the mean age of 20 ± 3.03 (range: 18-28) years were studied. The three highest angular motions were observed in the axial rotation plane during patient's tilting under immobilization on all devices (Vacuum mattress having the highest value of 99.01±8.93, followed by the LSB at 89.89±34.35 and the sked stretcher at 86.30±7.73 degrees). During patient lifting, a higher angular motion was observed with vacuum mattress immobilization in flexion extension (Coefficient = 4.45; 95%CI: 0.46 - 8.45; p =0.029) and axial rotation (Coefficient = 3.70; 95%CI: 0.58 - 6.81; p =0.020) planes. During patient transfer, a higher angular motion was observed with sked stretcher in the flexion-extension plane (Coefficient = 2.98; 95%CI: 0.11 - 5.84; p = 0.042). During patient tilting to 90 degrees, a higher angular motion was observed with vacuum mattress immobilization in lateral bending (Coefficient = -4.08; 95%CI: -7.68 - -0.48; p = 0.026) for the vacuum mattress. Conclusion: Based on the finding of the present study, patients on the vacuum mattress experience significantly higher angular motion in flexion extension and axial rotation during lifting, as well as lateral bending during 90-degree tilting. In addition, patients on the sked stretcher showed significantly higher angular motion in flexion-extension during the transferring. However, the predictive margins for immobilization across all devices did not demonstrate clinically significant differences among the three immobilization devices.

9.
Methods Mol Biol ; 2600: 91-105, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36587092

ABSTRACT

In their natural environment, most cells and tissues are continuously exposed to cyclic mechanical strain. Sensing these stimuli by mechanosensory proteins and subsequent conversion into a variety of biological responses (referred to as mechanotransduction) are key processes for tissue homeostasis, survival, and differentiation. Perturbations of underlying signaling pathways lead to severe diseases in vivo (Urciuoli E, Peruzzi B, Int J Mol Sci 21(24). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21249426, (2020)). In addition, cellular mechanoresponses to cyclic stretching of an isolated single cell differ from those of a cell monolayer, network, or even three-dimensional tissue. Since these processes depend on various physical and biological parameters, the development of a precise, well-characterized, and highly reproducible but also easily tunable stretcher assay is indispensable. Here, we describe the fabrication of defined elastic substrates and their application in cyclic stretching of cultured cells in a custom-made cell stretcher device. We focus on the detailed description of the system and provide a possibility for mechanoresponse characterization, using the analysis of actin stress fiber orientation as exemplary mechanoresponse to cyclic stretching of adherent cells.


Subject(s)
Mechanotransduction, Cellular , Stretchers , Mechanotransduction, Cellular/physiology , Cells, Cultured , Signal Transduction , Actins , Stress, Mechanical
10.
Journal of Biomedical Engineering ; (6): 1200-1208, 2023.
Article in Chinese | WPRIM (Western Pacific) | ID: wpr-1008951

ABSTRACT

For the transportation process of rescuing wounded personnel on naval vessels, a new type of shoulder type exoskeleton stretcher for individual soldier was designed in this paper. The three-dimensional model of the shoulder type exoskeleton stretcher for individual soldier was constructed using three dimensional modeling software. Finite element analysis technique was employed to conduct statics simulation, modal analysis, and transient dynamics analysis on the designed exoskeleton stretcher. The results show that the maximum stress of the exoskeleton stretcher for walking on flat ground is 265.55 MPa, which is lower than the allowable strength of the fabrication material. Furthermore, the overall deformation of the structure is small. Modal analysis reveals that the natural frequency range of the exoskeleton stretcher under different gait conditions is 1.96 Hz to 28.70 Hz, which differs significantly from the swing frequency of 1 Hz during walking. This indicates that the designed structure can effectively avoid resonance. The transient dynamics analysis results show that the maximum deformation and stress of exoskeleton stretcher remain within the safety range, which meets the expected performance requirements. In summary, the shoulder type exoskeleton stretcher for individual soldier designed in this study can solve the problem of requiring more than 2 people to carry for the existing stretcher, especially suitable for narrow spaces of naval vessels. The research results of this paper can provide a new solution for the rescue of wounded personnel on naval vessels.


Subject(s)
Humans , Stretchers , Military Personnel , Shoulder , Exoskeleton Device , Walking , Gait , Biomechanical Phenomena
11.
Cir Cir ; 90(6): 726-733, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36472841

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Concerns about surgical site infection (SSI) give rise to practices and procedures not evidence-based. OBJECTIVES: This study investigates whether the type of patient transfer to operating rooms plays a role in developing surgical site infection. METHODS: Three thousand four hundred and seventy-one patients were divided into two groups: transfer group with stretcher (ST) (n = 1699) and patient bed transfer group (PBT) (n = 1772). The data of the two groups and the SSI rates were comparatively analyzed. RESULTS: The SSI rate was 2.5% (n = 43) in the ST group and 2.8% (n = 49) in the PBT group, and there was no statistically significant difference. Both types of patient transfer had similar effects on the probability of SSI development. The odds ratio was 1.095 for stretcher transfer while 0.913 for patient bed transfer. CONCLUSION: Patients transfer to operating rooms on their beds are comfortable and safe. Furthermore, it has a similar effect to stretcher transfer on the probability of surgical site infection. Therefore, it is safer and cheaper to act based on evidence instead of trusting our concerns.


ANTECEDENTES: las preocupaciones sobre la infección del sitio quirúrgico (ISQ) dan lugar a prácticas y procedimientos que no se basan en pruebas. OBJETIVOS: Este estudio investiga si el tipo de traslado del paciente a los quirófanos influye en el desarrollo de la infección del sitio quirúrgico. MÉTODOS: Se dividieron 3471 pacientes en dos grupos: Grupo de transferencia con camilla (ST) (n = 1699) y Grupo de transferencia de cama de paciente (PBT) (n = 1772). Los datos de los dos grupos y las tasas de ISQ se analizaron comparativamente. RESULTADOS: La tasa de ISQ fue de 2.5% (n = 43) en el grupo ST y 2.8% (n = 49) en el grupo PBT, y no hubo diferencia estadísticamente significativa. Ambos tipos de transferencia de pacientes tuvieron efectos similares sobre la probabilidad de desarrollo de ISQ. La razón de posibilidades fue de 1.095 para el traslado en camilla y de 0,913 para el traslado de la cama del paciente. CONCLUSIÓN: El traslado de los pacientes a los quirófanos en sus camas es cómodo y seguro. Además, tiene un efecto similar al traslado en camilla sobre la probabilidad de infección del sitio quirúrgico. Por lo tanto, es más seguro y económico actuar en base a evidencias en lugar de confiar en nuestras preocupaciones.


Subject(s)
Patient Transfer , Surgical Wound Infection , Humans , Surgical Wound Infection/epidemiology , Surgical Wound Infection/etiology , Surgical Wound Infection/prevention & control
12.
Cureus ; 14(2): e22267, 2022 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35350497

ABSTRACT

With the rise of COVID-19, the use of aerosol boxes when interacting with COVID-19 patients has increased. However, their use has been controversial. We have been involved in the development of a dome-shaped aerosol containment device with negative pressure (DAWN), an aerosol box that can maintain negative pressure inside at all times. There are two types of DAWN: one is mounted on a bed (bed type) and the other is mounted on a stretcher (stretcher type). Each device has its own characteristics and can be selected depending on the situation. The bed type has enough space inside to allow procedures to be performed easily. The stretcher type can be attached to a stretcher and can maintain negative pressure when the patient is being moved. Due to the negative pressure structure and easy change of nonwoven fabric adopted in both types of DAWN, it is expected to prevent the scattering of aerosol when it is removed, which is a problem of conventional aerosol boxes. DAWN will contribute to reducing the enormous psychological stress of medical personnel who treat infections, and will contribute to reducing aerosol dispersion.

13.
J Liposome Res ; 32(1): 1-21, 2022 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33233993

ABSTRACT

The natural vesicles, microscopic spherical structures defined by a single or many lipid bilayer membranes, not only entrap but are also dispersed in the aqueous environment. The space division between inner and outer compartments is also the basic characteristics of cell membranes playing several essential functions in all living organisms. Thus, vesicles are a simple model system for studying various cellular properties. In the last few decades, synthetic vesicles (or liposomes) have gained substantial popularity from many academia as model membranes and from many pharmaceutical industries as targeted and controlled drug delivery systems. The manufacturing of vesicles with desired characteristics that can entrap and release the drugs as required is one of the major challenges in this research area. To this end, a better understanding of the mechanical and transport properties of vesicles is essential to gain deeper insight into the fundamental biological mechanisms of vesicle formation and cellular uptake. The requirement has brought the modifications in membrane composition (with cholesterol, charged lipid, proteins, peptides, polymers, etc.) and solution conditions (with salts, pH, buffers, etc.). This article mainly focuses on the different techniques developed for studying the mechanical and transport properties of natural/synthetic vesicles. In particular, I thoroughly review the properties such as bending and stretching elastic moduli, lysis tension, and permeability of vesicle membranes.


Subject(s)
Lipid Bilayers , Liposomes , Cell Membrane , Drug Delivery Systems , Lipid Bilayers/chemistry , Liposomes/chemistry , Permeability
14.
Int J Med Sci ; 18(13): 2783-2788, 2021.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34220306

ABSTRACT

Background: The quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is closely related to the survival rate of a patient, and it is crucial to maintain the quality of CPR during the ambulance journey to the receiving hospital. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of different stretcher bed heights on operator CPR quality. Methods: In this randomized crossover trial, 16 male emergency medical technicians-paramedics (EMT-Ps) performed continuous chest compressions on a hemimorphic mannequin for 5 minutes, alternating between the current height of the stretcher bed on the ambulance (38 ± 1 cm) (S-38) and the height of the participant's midpoint of the patella (S-knee), where the stretcher bed surface is. Results: According to the analysis of the quality of CPR exercises with two different stretcher bed heights at 5 minutes of continuous chest compression, the mean chest compression depth (CCD) of the S-38 position (53.81 ± 1.91 cm) was significantly lower than that of the S-knee (55.12 ± 2.03 cm; p < 0.001). The mean chest compression rate (CCR) of the S-38 position (111.44 ± 3.44 beats/min) was significantly higher than that of the S-knee (109.63 ± 4.46 beats/min; p = 0.027). The mean of total chest compressions (TCC) of the S-38 position (557.44 ± 16.81 times) was significantly higher than that of the S-knee (548.24 ± 19.40 times; p = 0.029). The rating of perceived exertion (RPE) of the S-38 position was significantly higher than that of the S-knee (12.75 ± 1.91 %; p = 0.015). Only the chest compression rebound rate (CCRR) (S-38: 97.56 ± 4.63 % vs. S-knee: 98.31 ± 1.89 %, p = 0.401) and the chest compression fraction (CCF) (S-38: 98.44 ± 0.81 % vs. S-knee: 98.44 ± 0.96 %, p = 1.000) did not reach a significant difference. Conclusion: When a resuscitator is performing chest compressions in a standing position in an ambulance, the excessive downward leaning of the resuscitator's upper body affects CPR quality and increases fatigue. This study has verified that setting the stretcher bed of the ambulance at the knee height of the EMTs provides better CPR quality and lower fatigue.


Subject(s)
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation/instrumentation , Emergency Medical Technicians/statistics & numerical data , Fatigue/prevention & control , Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest/therapy , Stretchers , Adult , Ambulances , Cross-Over Studies , Ergonomics , Fatigue/diagnosis , Fatigue/epidemiology , Fatigue/etiology , Humans , Male , Manikins , Simulation Training , Treatment Outcome
15.
Cancers (Basel) ; 13(5)2021 Mar 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33807790

ABSTRACT

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are a potential predictive surrogate marker for disease monitoring. Due to the sparse knowledge about their phenotype and its changes during cancer progression and treatment response, CTC isolation remains challenging. Here we focused on the mechanical characterization of circulating non-hematopoietic cells from breast cancer patients to evaluate its utility for CTC detection. For proof of premise, we used healthy peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), human MDA-MB 231 breast cancer cells and human HL-60 leukemia cells to create a CTC model system. For translational experiments CD45 negative cells-possible CTCs-were isolated from blood samples of patients with mamma carcinoma. Cells were mechanically characterized in the optical stretcher (OS). Active and passive cell mechanical data were related with physiological descriptors by a random forest (RF) classifier to identify cell type specific properties. Cancer cells were well distinguishable from PBMC in cell line tests. Analysis of clinical samples revealed that in PBMC the elliptic deformation was significantly increased compared to non-hematopoietic cells. Interestingly, non-hematopoietic cells showed significantly higher shape restoration. Based on Kelvin-Voigt modeling, the RF algorithm revealed that elliptic deformation and shape restoration were crucial parameters and that the OS discriminated non-hematopoietic cells from PBMC with an accuracy of 0.69, a sensitivity of 0.74, and specificity of 0.63. The CD45 negative cell population in the blood of breast cancer patients is mechanically distinguishable from healthy PBMC. Together with cell morphology, the mechanical fingerprint might be an appropriate tool for marker-free CTC detection.

16.
Ambio ; 50(7): 1351-1363, 2021 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33538986

ABSTRACT

In biodiversity hotspots, there is often tension between human needs and conservation, exacerbated when protected areas prevent access to natural resources. Forest-dependent people may compensate for exclusion by managing unprotected forests or cultivating planted woodlots. Outside Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, household wood product needs are high and population growth puts pressure on the environment. We investigated the role of privately and collectively managed woodlots in provisioning wood products and supporting local livelihoods. We found that households relied heavily on woodlots for daily needs and as resources during time of need. We also found that locally relevant social institutions, called stretcher groups, played a role in the management of woodlots, providing shared community resources. Privately and collectively owned woodlots support local livelihoods and wood product needs in the region. Long-term management of forests in Uganda should consider the value of woodlots and the mechanisms required to support them.


Subject(s)
Conservation of Natural Resources , Natural Resources , Biodiversity , Forests , Humans , Uganda
17.
J Med Eng Technol ; 45(2): 145-157, 2021 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33539247

ABSTRACT

A stretcher is a lightweight and portable apparatus used to facilitate the movement of patients who require medical care. While its design and functions have been known to man for over 600 years, there is still much room for improvement with regard to comfortability, mobility and ergonomics aspects. This study aims to synthesise design features from patents, journals and products for the conceptualisation of multifunctional stretchers. Based on the conceptual synthesis of this study, if a stretcher is redesigned to be foldable, then less storage space would be required, thus allowing the paramedic or medical person to store more stretchers and attend to multiple patients at a time. In comparison to a regular stretcher, a foldable stretcher would not only be smaller and more portable but would also help medical personnel reach the patient in a timelier manner. A reduction in response time for emergency medical services might increase the survival rate among patients who are in critical conditions. In the aspect of multifunctionality, the medical person may also be able to respond to different types of medical transportation needs. Multifunctional stretchers can increase the versatility of emergency medical service teams in adapting to different situations at a reduced cost.


Subject(s)
Stretchers , Emergency Medical Services , Equipment Design
18.
Biol Open ; 10(2)2021 02 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33563607

ABSTRACT

Cells respond to mechanical cues from their environment through a process of mechanosensing and mechanotransduction. Cell stretching devices are important tools to study the molecular pathways responsible for cellular responses to mechanobiological processes. We describe the development and testing of a uniaxial cell stretcher that has applications for microscopic as well as biochemical analyses. By combining simple fabrication techniques with adjustable control parameters, the stretcher is designed to fit a variety of experimental needs. The stretcher can be used for static and cyclic stretching. As a proof of principle, we visualize stretch induced deformation of cell nuclei via incremental static stretch, and changes in IEX1 expression via cyclic stretching. This stretcher is easily modified to meet experimental needs, inexpensive to build, and should be readily accessible for most laboratories with access to 3D printing.


Subject(s)
Biophysics/methods , Mechanotransduction, Cellular/physiology , Models, Biological , Printing, Three-Dimensional , Biophysics/instrumentation , Cells, Cultured
19.
HardwareX ; 9: e00162, 2021 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35492050

ABSTRACT

Cells in the lungs, the heart, and numerous other organs, are constantly exposed to dynamic forces and deformations. To mimic these dynamic mechanical loading conditions and to study the resulting cellular responses such as morphological changes or the activation of biochemical signaling pathways, cells are typically seeded on flexible 2D substrates that are uniaxially or biaxially stretched. Here, we present an open-source cell stretcher built from parts of an Anet A8 3D printer. The cell stretcher is controlled by a fully programmable open-source software using GCode and Python. Up to six flexible optically clear substrates can be stretched simultaneously, allowing for comparative multi-batch biological studies including microscopic image analysis. The cell yield from the cell culture area of 4 cm2 per substrate is sufficient for Western-blot protein analysis. As a proof-of-concept, we study the activation of the Yes-associated protein (YAP) mechanotransduction pathway in response to increased cytoskeletal tension induced by uniaxial stretching of epithelial cells. Our data support the previously observed activation of the YAP transcription pathway by stretch-induced increase in cytoskeletal tension and demonstrate the suitability of the cell stretcher to study complex mechano-biological processes.

20.
Chinese Critical Care Medicine ; (12): 1376-1378, 2021.
Article in Chinese | WPRIM (Western Pacific) | ID: wpr-931782

ABSTRACT

Continuous chest compressions during the transportation of patients with cardiac arrest have always been a difficult part in the field of pre-hospital emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). How to ensure continuous high-quality chest compressions is an important part of the patient's entire rescue process. At present, mechanical compression devices are commonly used to provide continuous high-quality chest compressions during the transportation. However, the installation process of the mechanical compression device involves posture changes of the patient, the placement of the device base, etc., and it is very likely to affect the continuous high-quality CPR treatment in the pre-hospital emergency process with limited human resources. Therefore, the First Affiliated Hospital of Huzhou University and Huzhou University jointly designed a rescue stretcher dedicated for CPR mechanical compression device, and has obtained the national utility model patent (ZL 2019 2 1005444.9). The main design feature of this stretcher is that the base of the compression device is combined with the stretcher, which eliminates the installation and fixation process of the base during the installation of the mechanical compression device, shortens the installation time. It has certain clinical applications value.

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