Dynamic interaction of injected liquid jet with skin layer interfaces revealed by microsecond imaging of optically cleared ex vivo skin tissue model.

BACKGROUND: Needle-free jet injection (NFJI) systems enable a controlled and targeted delivery of drugs into skin tissue. However, a scarce understanding of their underlying mechanisms has been a major deterrent to the development of an efficient system. Primarily, the lack of a suitable visualization technique that could capture the dynamics of the injected fluid-tissue interaction with a microsecond range temporal resolution has emerged as a main limitation. A conventional needle-free injection system may inject the fluids within a few milliseconds and may need a temporal resolution in the microsecond range for obtaining the required images. However, the presently available imaging techniques for skin tissue visualization fail to achieve these required spatial and temporal resolutions. Previous studies on injected fluid-tissue interaction dynamics were conducted using in vitro media with a stiffness similar to that of skin tissue. However, these media are poor substitutes for real skin tissue, and the need for an imaging technique having ex vivo or in vivo imaging capability has been echoed in the previous reports. METHODS: A near-infrared imaging technique that utilizes the optical absorption and fluorescence emission of indocyanine green dye, coupled with a tissue clearing technique, was developed for visualizing a NFJI in an ex vivo porcine skin tissue. RESULTS: The optimal imaging conditions obtained by considering the optical properties of the developed system and mechanical properties of the cleared ex vivo samples are presented. Crucial information on the dynamic interaction of the injected liquid jet with the ex vivo skin tissue layers and their interfaces could be obtained. CONCLUSIONS: The reported technique can be instrumental for understanding the injection mechanism and for the development of an efficient transdermal NFJI system as well.

Prediction of Individual Dynamic Thermal Sensation in Subway Commute Using Smart Face Mask.

Wearable sensors and machine learning algorithms are widely used for predicting an individual's thermal sensation. However, most of the studies are limited to controlled laboratory experiments with inconvenient wearable sensors without considering the dynamic behavior of ambient conditions. In this study, we focused on predicting individual dynamic thermal sensation based on physiological and psychological data. We designed a smart face mask that can measure skin temperature (SKT) and exhaled breath temperature (EBT) and is powered by a rechargeable battery. Real-time human experiments were performed in a subway cabin with twenty male students under natural conditions. The data were collected using a smartphone application, and we created features using the wavelet decomposition technique. The bagged tree algorithm was selected to train the individual model, which showed an overall accuracy and f-1 score of 98.14% and 96.33%, respectively. An individual's thermal sensation was significantly correlated with SKT, EBT, and associated features.

Dispersion profile of a needle-free jet injection depends on the interfacial property of the medium.

Injections into or through the skin are common drug or vaccine administration routes, which can be achieved with conventional needles, microneedles, or needle-free jet injections (NFJI). Understanding the transport mechanism of these injected fluids is critical for the development of effective drug administration devices. NFJI devices are distinct from traditional injection techniques by their route and time scale, which relies on a propelled microjet with sufficient energy to penetrate the skin surface and deliver the drug into the targeted region. The injected fluid interacts with multiple skin tissue layers and interfaces, which implies that the corresponding injection profile is dependent on their mechanical properties. In this study, we address the lack of fundamental knowledge on the impact of these interfaces on the injection profiles of NFJI devices.

Effect of geometrical parameters on the fluid dynamics of air-powered needle-free jet injectors.

Needle-free jet injectors are non-invasive systems having intradermal drug delivery capabilities. At present, they revolutionize the next phase of drug delivery and therapeutic applications in the medical industry. An efficiently designed injection chamber can reduce the energy consumption required to achieve the maximum penetration depth in skin tissue. In this study, the authors explored the effect of various geometrical parameters using a computational fluid dynamics tool. Peak stagnation pressure during the initial phase of the injection procedure was considered as the quantifier for comparison because of its proportional relationship with the initial penetration depth during the injection process. Peak stagnation pressure indicates the maximum energy transformation that could happen between the microjet and skin tissues for an injection procedure. The results of this study indicated a tradeoff that exists between the attainable density and velocity of the microjet on the skin surface with variation in nozzle diameter; the optimum nozzle diameter was found to be within 200-250 µm under the present conditions. The authors also observed a discrepancy in the peak stagnation pressure value for lower filling ratios with variation in chamber diameter; hence, filling ratio of at least 50% was recommended for such systems. Furthermore, a 150% increase in the peak stagnation pressure was obtained with an angle of entry of 10°. In general, this study could provide valuable insights into the effect of geometrical parameters in the fluid dynamics characteristics of propelled microjets from the nozzle of a needle-free jet injector. Such information could be useful for the design of a mechanically driven needle-free jet injector having limited control over the energizing mechanism.

Computational fluid dynamics of impinging microjet for a needle-free skin scar treatment system.

A needle-free injection system is a non-invasive drug delivery system, and its applications are currently being extended from the delivery of vaccines and insulin. At present, they are gaining considerable popularity in skin remodeling treatment techniques, particularly in skin rejuvenation procedures involving the injection of aesthetic materials. Although some clinical studies have been conducted to understand the mechanisms involved in these practices, an extensive study from an engineering point of view has not yet been conducted. Herein, we aim to identify the key parameters in the needle-free injection process and study their effects on microjet characteristics. The total stagnation pressure of an impinging microjet determines the penetration capabilities of the injection and is monitored with the aid of both experimental and computational tools employed on a typical commercial injector. Our findings indicated that the filling ratio and driving pressure had significant impacts on the peak and average stagnation pressures of the impinging microjet. Furthermore, the penetration characteristics of a standard nozzle and injection fluid could be controlled by an effective combination of the filling level and driving pressure, and thus, they can be considered as vital parameters when performing skin remodeling procedures.