Next-generation tourniquet: Recommendations for future capabilities and design requirements.

BACKGROUND: Advances in tourniquet development must meet new military needs for future large-scale combat operations or civilian mass casualty scenarios. This includes the potential use of engineering and automation technologies to provide advanced tourniquet features. A comprehensive set of design capabilities and requirements for an intelligent or smart tourniquet needed to meet the challenges currently does not exist. The goal of this project was to identify key features and capabilities that should be considered for the development of next-generation tourniquets. METHODS: We used a modified Delphi consensus technique to survey a panel of 34 tourniquet subject matter experts to rate various statements and potential design characteristics relevant to tourniquets systems and their use scenarios. Three iterative rounds of surveys were held, followed by virtual working group meetings, to determine importance or agreement with any given statement. We used a tiered consensus system to determine final agreement over key features that were viewed as important or unimportant features or capabilities. This information was used to refine and clarify the necessary tourniquet design features and adjust questions for the following surveys. RESULTS: Key features and capabilities of various were agreed upon by the panelists when consensus was reached. Some tourniquet features that were agreed upon included but are not limited to: Capable of being used longer than 2 hours, applied and monitored by anyone, data displays, semiautomated capabilities with inherent overrides, automated monitoring with notifications and alerts, and provide recommended actions. CONCLUSION: We were able to identify key tourniquet features that will be important for future device development. These consensus results can guide future inventors, researchers, and manufacturers to develop a portfolio of next-generation tourniquets for enhancing the capabilities of a prehospital medical provider. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic and Epidemiological; Level V.

A versatile and efficient synthesis of bithiophene-based dicarboxaldehydes from a common synthon.

Bithiophene dicarboxaldehydes are promising electron-rich building blocks for the development of arylene vinylene-based organic semiconductors, but their use has been limited due to their synthetic inaccessibility. To facilitate the facile synthesis of these compounds we have prepared a novel functional bithiophene, namely 2,2'-(3,3'-dibromo-[2,2'-bithiophene]-5,5'-diyl)bis(5,5-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane) in two high yielding steps from 3,3',5,5'-tetrabromo-2,2'-bithiophene. This synthon is readily transformed into variety of bithiophene-based dicarboxaldehydes, also in high yields. The use of these functional molecules in the synthesis of arylene vinylene-linked donor-acceptor copolymers is demonstrated by the synthesis of two copolymers with electron deficient benzobisazoles.

Oxidatively stable polyaniline:polyacid electrodes for electrochemical energy storage.

Conjugated polymers, such as polyaniline, have been widely explored as sensors, electrodes, and conductive fillers. As an electrode material in electrochemical energy storage systems, polyaniline can be subject to irreversible oxidation that reduces cycle life and electrode capacity, thus, limiting its widespread application. Here we present a simple route to produce and prepare polyaniline-based electrodes that are oxidatively stable up to 4.5 V vs. Li/Li(+). The route uses a polyacid to stabilize the fully oxidized pernigraniline salt form of polyaniline, which is normally highly unstable as a homopolymer. The result is an organic electrode of exceptionally high capacity, energy density, power density, and cycle life. We demonstrate that the polyaniline:polyacid electrode stores 230 mA h g(-1) of polyaniline for over 800 cycles, far surpassing homopolymer polyaniline under equivalent conditions. This approach provides a highly stable, electrochemically reversible replacement for conventional polyaniline.

Electrochemically Active Polymers for Electrochemical Energy Storage: Opportunities and Challenges.

Polymers have a particularly important place in electrochemical energy storage (EES), not just as the electrolyte, as has been a large focus for solid-state batteries, but also as the electrode. This Viewpoint will introduce how electrochemically active polymers (EAPs) are utilized in electrochemical energy storage with an emphasis on battery cathodes. Recent advances in high capacity EAPs and selected challenges (high voltage stability and ion transport) are presented. Should these needs be met, the resulting electrode would bear a high capacity, energy, power, and cycle life. The low cost, potential application in flexible EES, and synthetic versatility of EAPs offer many unique aspects relative to conventional metal oxides. In composites with metal oxides, EAPs can be used as a means to boost ionic and electronic conductivity. Promising examples regarding high capacity polymeric sulfur electrodes, electrochemically stable polyaniline/polyacid complexes, porous polyaniline/V2O5 electrodes, and hydrogel-based electrodes are highlighted.

Synthesis, characterization and photovoltaic properties of poly(thiophenevinylene-alt-benzobisoxazole)s.

Herein we report the synthesis of two solution processible, conjugated polymers containing the benzobisoxazole moiety. The polymers were characterized using (1)H NMR, UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. Thermal gravimetric analysis shows that the polymers do not exhibit significant weight loss until approximately 300 °C under nitrogen. Cyclic voltammetry shows that the polymers have reversible reduction waves with estimated LUMO levels at -3.02 and -3.10 eV relative to vacuum and optical bandgaps of 2.04-2.17 eV. Devices based on blends of the copolymers and [6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) exhibited modest power conversion efficiencies. Theoretical models reveal that there is poor electron delocalization along the polymer backbone, leading to poor performance. However, the energy levels of these polymers indicate that the incorporation of benzobisoxazoles into the polymer backbone is a promising strategy for the synthesis of new materials.

Facile synthesis of 2,6-disubstituted benzobisthiazoles: functional monomers for the design of organic semiconductors.

The synthesis of several synthetically useful 2,6-disubstituted benzobisthiazoles is described. The method is based on the Lewis acid-catalyzed ring-closing reaction between substituted orthoesters and diamino benzene dithiol. The resulting benzobisthiazoles are obtained cleanly and in good yields. These materials are of interest for the development of new organic semiconductors.

An efficient synthesis of 2,6-disubstituted benzobisoxazoles: new building blocks for organic semiconductors.

2,6-Disubstituted benzobisoxazoles have been synthesized by a highly efficient reaction of diaminobenzene diols with various orthoesters. The scope of this new reaction for the synthesis of substituted benzobisoxazoles has been investigated using four different orthoesters. The utility of these compounds as building blocks for the synthesis of conjugated polymers is demonstrated.