Toyoda Gosei (Germany)

Electroactive polymer (EAP) artificial muscles are gaining attention in robotic control technologies. Among them, the development of self-sensing actuators that integrate sensing mechanisms within artificial muscles is highly anticipated. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy and precision of the sensing capabilities of the e-Rubber (eR), an artificial muscle developed by Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd., and to investigate its potential for healthcare sensing applications such as smart insoles. The objective was to transform the eR into a thin capacitor and estimate the applied load by sensing minute changes in the capacitance. The changes in the EAP dielectric constant, electrode area, and inter-electrode distance, all of which define the capacitance, are non-linear functions. The relationship with the external force also exhibits nonlinearity. To address this issue, we experimentally plotted the load and capacitance changes and derived a regression equation. We evaluated the sensing characteristics of both a stand-alone sensor and a sensor embedded in a smart insole, followed by a precision verification of the load estimation using the derived regression equation. Load–capacitance changes were measured up to 400 N at three conditions: 23 °C and 50% humidity, 40 °C and 50% humidity, and 40 °C and 80% humidity. For the standalone sensor, the coefficient of variation was less than 1.25% and the confidence interval was 0.25%, indicating high precision. However, for the sensor embedded within the insole housing, the coefficient of variation increased to less than 8%, and the confidence interval was 1.5%, likely owing to the influence of gaps within the insole structure. Regarding the load estimation equation, a 5th-order polynomial approximation (R2 >0.999) demonstrated the best fit, indicating that it is sufficiently accurate for healthcare sensing applications. Although capacitance-based sensors are increasingly being used in biomedical monitoring for pressure and load measurements owing to their durability and high sensitivity, their primary challenge lies in the nonlinearity of the sensing results. Although this challenge also exists for capacitance sensors utilizing artificial muscles, our study shows that developing a regression equation based on the experimental relationship between the load and capacitance changes can yield sufficient precision for practical healthcare applications.

Microphysiological systems have attracted attention because of their use in drug screening. However, it is challenging to measure cell functions in real time using a device. In this study, we developed a cell culture device using a porous membrane electrode for in situ electrochemical glucose measurements for cell analysis. First, a porous membrane electrode was fabricated and electrochemically evaluated for enzyme-free glucose measurement. Subsequently, the glucose uptake of MCF-7 spheroids was evaluated using living spheroids, fixed spheroids, supernatants, and glucose transporter inhibitor-treated spheroids. Conventionally, the direct optical measurement of glucose uptake requires fluorescence-labeled glucose derivatives. In addition, the glucose uptake can be evaluated by measuring the glucose concentration in the medium by optical or electrochemical measurements. However, glucose needs to be consumed in the entire cell culture medium, which needs a long culture time. In contrast, our system can measure glucose in approximately 5 min without any labels because of in situ electrochemical measurements. This system can be used for in situ measurements in in vitro cell culture systems, including organ-on-a-chip for drug screening.

Definition of FibromyalgiaFibromyalgia (FM) is a syndrome characterized by chronic musculoskeletal pain.The main symptoms of this disease are muscle and joint stiffness, insomnia, fatigue, mood disorders, cognitive dysfunction, anxiety, depression, general sensitivity, and inability to adequately perform normal daily activities.FM is also associated with specific diseases such as infections, diabetes, rheumatic, psychiatric or neurological disorders.There are similarities with neuropathic pain in terms of clinical findings, pathophysiology and neuropharmacology.Although FM is not a musculoskeletal system disease, most of the symptoms occur in this system (1,2).It is known that hypersensitivity is observed in some anatomical areas called tender points in FM syndrome ABSTRACT Fibromyalgia (FM) is characterized by chronic widespread pain accompanied by fatigue, poor sleep quality, and numerous accompanying conditions.Its prevalence worldwide is around 2.7%, and it is more common in women.Although its epidemiology and pathophysiology cannot be precisely explained, it is known that various factors coexist.Over the years, guidelines containing various criteria have been established for the diagnosis of the disease.The goal of treatment in FM is to improve the patient's quality of life and minimize symptoms as much as possible.The success of treatment in FM is limited.Many patients seek alternative treatment methods, including diet and lifestyle changes.Recently, medical nutritional therapies and phytotherapy products have been at the forefront of research in this area.Phytotherapy products can be added alone or in combination with other treatment methods and can enhance the success of treatment.In this article, the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnostic methods, pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods used in the treatment of FM syndrome will be discussed, and the most widely used phytotherapeutic products will be addressed.

A doença periodontal tem sido relatada como uma das patologias que mais acomete a cavidade oral de cães, causada pelo acúmulo de placa bacteriana. Os cremes ou pastas dentais são utilizados em cães a fim de evitar a cárie, os quais acabam engolindo boa parte do produto durante a limpeza. O flúor presente nestas formulações pode ocasionar salivação acentuada, dores abdominais, vômitos e diarreia e, em casos mais graves, parada cardiorrespiratória. O extrato da goiabeira (Psidium guajava L.) foi relatado como um agente antimicrobiano, antioxidante e anti-inflamatório. Diante do exposto, o objetivo desta pesquisa foi desenvolver um filme bucal mucoadesivo contendo um extrato da P. guavaja L. como uma boa alternativa ao tratamento da doença periodontal, menos abrasivo e mais eficaz que cremes ou pastas dentais. Para isso, foi realizada uma avaliação fitoquímica do extrato e análise das características físico-químicas do filme. Inicialmente, foi realizada a coleta das folhas para preparação do extrato aquoso e alcoólico. Diferentes concentrações dos componentes foram testadas para se obter um filme mucoadesivo. Os componentes utilizados na formulação (gelatina, álcool de cereais, glicerina, água e extrato) foram pesados e aquecidos até a solubilização (n=3). Em seguida, o pH dos filmes foi ajustado para 8,0 no intuito de se adequar à cavidade bucal dos cães. O material foi submetido a três métodos de secagem diferentes, sendo avaliadas suas características físico-químicas. Avaliou-se a presença de flavonoides no extrato por meio do teste de Shinoda. Após padronizar a formulação mais estável, foram realizados a caracterização organoléptica (cor, odor, aspecto e integridade dos filmes) e físico-química em triplicata. O rendimento foi obtido a partir do peso inicial e final do filme. As dimensões foram medidas em paquímetro analítico manual e o grau de intumescimento realizado em um meio simulado de salina canina a 38ºC. O extrato aquoso mostrou-se mais eficiente que o alcoólico para formação de um filme íntegro. O teste de Shinoda identificou a presença de flavonoides no extrato aquoso. Quanto aos testes organolépticos, os filmes apresentaram coloração amarelo translúcido, odor característico e uniformes. Em relação aos ensaios físico-químicos, o método de secagem mais adequado foi em estufa a 50ºC durante 2 h e 20 minutos. As formulações desenvolvidas apresentaram resultados satisfatórios em relação às propriedades organolépticas e físico-químicas. Considerando uma crescente demanda do mercado por produtos veterinários, os filmes mucoadesivos podem ser uma boa estratégia no tratamento da doença periodontal em cães.

Congenital hand and upper limb differences include a wide spectrum of structural abnormalities that affect functional, appearance, and psychosocial domains of affected children. Ongoing advances in the understanding and treatment of these differences continue to shape management. Over the past 10 years, new developments have been made in areas of molecular genetics, noninvasive treatments, surgical techniques, and outcome measures in several commonly seen congenital hand differences. Applying these advances in knowledge and management of congenital hand differences will enable surgeons to achieve the best outcomes possible for these children.

Fluorine materials exhibit excellent properties, such as high water repellency, low adhesion, and chemical resistance, owing to their low surface energy. They also exhibit high thermal and oxidation stability owing to the strength of the C–F bonds. Recently, in the field of life science, further improvement of the low adherence and antifouling properties of biological substances and microorganisms by imparting surface properties to fluorine materials through pattern fabrication technology has attracted considerable attention. However, fluorine materials exhibit high thermal expansion and contraction, making it difficult to apply fabrication methods, such as injection molding and hot embossing. Conventional focused ion beam and laser processing are difficult for further pattern fabrication. Here, an ultraviolet (UV)-curable material with a high fluorine content (44wt%) was created, and the pattern fabrication of 80-nm line structures was performed on the material by UV nanoimprint lithography using the gas-permeable template that can permeate the gas entrained during pressurization. The water contact angle was 127.3°, with 129.7° being the most favorable, achieved by a combination of the water-repellency characteristics of the UV-curable material with high fluorine content and fine line patterning in the nanometer range. We discovered the possibility of creating surface functions on short-chain perfluoroalkyl sulfonate (PFAS) substitutes with a relatively low impact on the environment and human body by establishing a pattern fabrication method for long-chain PFAS, which is more difficult to pattern fabricate, as a preliminary experiment.

Molecular chains of vulcanized rubber are strongly linked by sulfur bridges, that is, covalent bonds via sulfur atoms. In order to recycle vulcanized rubber, it is necessary to cut sulfur bridges. We conceived the idea of shortening the desulfurization process, lowering the temperature, and making the desulfurization process dry by using plasma treatment, which can be expected to lower the activation energy of the cutting reaction by the action of radicals. As a first step, in this study, plasma treatment of vulcanized EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) rubber was performed in a vacuum chamber. As a result, when hydrogen plasma was used, generation of sulfide water, which should be a product of the desulfurization reaction, was detected by QMS; in addition, the swelling rate of EPDM, or expansion rate after immersion in toluene container, after plasma treatment increased significantly compared to untreated EPDM. On the other hand, no such change was observed when argon or oxygen plasma was used.

Establishing a rapid in vitro evaluation system for drug screening is essential for the development of new drugs. To reproduce tissues/organs with functions closer to living organisms, in vitro three-dimensional (3D) culture evaluation using microfabrication technology has been reported in recent years. Culture on patterned substrates with controlled hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions (Cell-ableTM) can create 3D liver models (miniature livers) with liver-specific Disse luminal structures and functions. MRI contrast agents are widely used as safe and minimally invasive diagnostic methods. We focused on anionic polysaccharide magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (Resovist®) and synthesized the four types of nanoparticle derivatives with different properties. Cationic nanoparticles (TMADM) can be used to label target cells in a short time and have been successfully visualized in vivo. In this study, we examined the morphology of various nanoparticles. The morphology of various nanoparticles showed relatively smooth-edged spherical shapes. As 3D liver models, we prepared primary hepatocyte-endothelial cell heterospheroids. The toxicity, CYP3A, and albumin secretory capacity were evaluated in the heterospheroids labeled with various nanoparticles. As the culture period progressed, the heterospheroids labeled with anionic and cationic nanoparticles showed lower liver function than non-labeled heterospheroids. In the future, there is a need to improve the method of creation of artificial 3D liver or to design a low-invasive MRI contrast agent to label the artificial 3D liver.

Humans belong to various social groups. Friendship is one of the factors composing social groups. It is important to understand the characteristics of generation and changing friendship networks in order to understand social groups. Previous studies have proposed models for observing friendship transitions and simulated actual friendship networks. There are friendship generation models based on rational and structural choices. Information Access Scope shows a scope that can know hobbies and preferences about others, and related to rational choice. Thereby, the Information Access Scope affects friendship generation. However, previous studies have not examined which Information Access Scope is suitable for a friendship generation model. In this study, we propose a friendship generation model considering Information Access Scope and simulate multiple patterns of Information Access Scope with reference to previous studies. We compared those simulated friendships with actual friendships. As a result, we were able to find an Information Access Scope suitable for the actual friendship.

The aim of this research is to realize high‐efficiency light‐emitting diodes (LEDs) with a 3D core‐shell GaN nanowire. This article describes the growth of 3D core‐shell GaN nanowires, the formation of indium tin oxide (ITO) around the p‐GaN outer shell of the nanowires, and the characteristics of the fabricated nanowire‐LED (NW‐LED). The structural properties of the n‐GaN core, GaInN/GaN multiquantum shell (MQS), p‐GaN outer shell, and ITO electrode are investigated by scanning electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy. In addition, the optical and electrical characteristics of the NW‐LEDs are evaluated. The findings show that the grown n‐GaN cores have a uniform height and diameter, the MQS is defect‐free with a uniform film thickness, and p‐GaN outer shells with a uniform thickness are grown on both the m‐ and c‐planes. Consequently, a NW‐LED that emits light from the entire chip area is successfully realized by depositing an ITO electrode that covers the p‐GaN outer shells with a uniform film thickness.