Novel lateral transfer assist robot decreases the difficulty of transfer in post-stroke hemiparesis patients: a pilot study

Engineered Extracellular Vesicles Driven by Erythrocytes Ameliorate Bacterial Sepsis by Iron Recycling, Toxin Clearing and Inflammation Regulation

Sepsis poses a significant challenge in clinical management. Effective strategies targeting iron restriction, toxin neutralization, and inflammation regulation are crucial in combating sepsis. However, a comprehensive approach simultaneously targeting these multiple processes has not been established. Here, an engineered apoptotic extracellular vesicles (apoEVs) derived from macrophages is developed and their potential as multifunctional agents for sepsis treatment is investigated. The extensive macrophage apoptosis in a Staphylococcus aureus-induced sepsis model is discovered, unexpectedly revealing a protective role for the host. Mechanistically, the protective effects are mediated by apoptotic macrophage-released apoEVs, which bound iron-containing proteins and neutralized α-toxin through interaction with membrane receptors (transferrin receptor and A disintegrin and metalloprotease 10). To further enhance therapeutic efficiency, apoEVs are engineered by incorporating mesoporous silica nanoparticles preloaded with anti-inflammatory agents (microRNA-146a). These engineered apoEVs can capture iron and neutralize α-toxin with their natural membrane while also regulating inflammation by releasing microRNA-146a in phagocytes. Moreover, to exploit the microcosmic movement and rotation capabilities, erythrocytes are utilized to drive the engineered apoEVs. The erythrocytes-driven engineered apoEVs demonstrate a high capacity for toxin and iron capture, ultimately providing protection against sepsis associated with high iron-loaded conditions. The findings establish a multifunctional agent that combines natural and engineered antibacterial strategies.

Development of Transfer-Assisting Robot System Using Posture-Supporting Wear and Support Robot

When assisting a care receiver to transfer from one plane to another, a caregiver needs to hold up and move him/her. As a caregiver has to support the weight of one person, transfer assistance imposes a heavy physical burden on the caregiver. Particularly, in Japan, with an increasing elderly population and a decreasing young population, there are a few caregivers to assist numerous care receivers to transfer. In this scenario, it is an extremely vital issue to develop methods to reduce the burden of the caregivers when assisting care receivers to transfer. In this study, by focusing on the clothes that care receivers wear, we developed a transfer-assisting robot system by combining a dedicated posture-supporting wear and a mobile robot based on a lift mechanism.