Ultrasound‐powered implants (UPIs) represent cutting edge power sources for implantable medical devices (IMDs), as their powering strategy allows for extended functional lifetime, decreased size, increased implant depth, and improved biocompatibility. IMDs are limited by their reliance on batteries. While batteries proved a stable power supply, batteries feature relatively large sizes, limited life spans, and toxic material compositions. Accordingly, energy harvesting and wireless power transfer (WPT) strategies are attracting increasing attention by researchers as alternative reliable power sources. Piezoelectric energy scavenging has shown promise for low power applications. However, energy scavenging devices need be located near sources of movement, and the power stream may suffer from occasional interruptions. WPT overcomes such challenges by more stable, on‐demand power to IMDs. Among the various forms of WPT, ultrasound powering offers distinct advantages such as low tissue‐mediated attenuation, a higher approved safe dose (720 mW cm−2), and improved efficiency at smaller device sizes. This study presents and discusses the state‐of‐the‐art in UPIs by reviewing piezoelectric materials and harvesting devices including lead‐based inorganic, lead‐free inorganic, and organic polymers. A comparative discussion is also presented of the functional material properties, architecture, and performance metrics, together with an overview of the applications where UPIs are being deployed.
More than 100 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are in industrial and clinical development to treat myriad diseases. Accurate quantification of mAbs in complex media, derived from industrial and patient samples, is vital to determine production efficiency or pharmacokinetic properties. To date, mAb quantification requires time and labor-intensive assays. Herein, we report a novel dual-affinity ratiometric quenching (DARQ) assay, which combines selective biorecognition and quenching of fluorescence signals for rapid and sensitive quantification of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). The reported assay relies on the affinity complexation of the target mAb by the corresponding antigens and Protein L (PrL, which targets the Fab region of the antibody), respectively, labeled with fluorescein and rhodamine. Within the affinity complex, the mAb acts as a scaffold framing the labeled affinity tags (PrL and antigen) in a molecular proximity that results in ratiometric quenching of their fluorescence emission. Notably, the decrease in fluorescence emission intensity is linearly dependent upon mAb concentration in solution. Control experiments conducted with one affinity tag only, two tags labeled with equal fluorophores, or two tags labeled with fluorophores of discrete absorbance and emission bands exhibited significantly reduced effect. The assay was evaluated in noncompetitive (pure mAb) and competitive conditions (mAb in a Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell culture harvest). The "DARQ" assay is highly reproducible (coefficient of variation ∼0.8−0.7%) and rapid (5 min), and its sensitivity (∼0.2−0.5 ng•mL −1 ), limit of detection (75−119 ng•mL −1 ), and dynamic range (300−1600 ng•mL −1 ) are independent of the presence of CHO host cell proteins.
Recyclable and biodegradable microelectronics, i.e., “green” electronics, are emerging as a viable solution to the global challenge of electronic waste. Accordingly, the development of novel materials to replace passive components and packaging is necessary to realize sustainable manufacturing and growing distribution of electronic devices. Specifically, alternatives to printed circuit boards (PCBs) represent a prime target for novel materials development and increasing the utility of green electronics in biomedical and Internet-of-Things (IoT) applications. Ideal PCB substrates and packaging are good dielectrics, mechanically and thermally robust, and are compatible with traditional microfabrication processes, which typically result in the use of non-biodegradable materials. Poly(octamethylene maleate (anhydride) citrate) (POMaC) – a citric acid-based elastomer with tunable degradation and mechanical properties – presents a promising alternative for PCB substrates and packaging. Here, we report the novel use and characterization of POMaC-PCBs. Synthesis and processing conditions were optimized to achieve desired degradation and mechanical properties for production of stretchable circuits. POMAC-PCB traces were characterized and exhibited sheet resistance of 0.599 Ω cm-2, crosstalk distance of <0.6 mm, and R/R0 = 30 after 100 cycles to 20% strain. Fabrication of single and multilayer layer POMaC-PCBs was demonstrated.
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