Tan, A. Q. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2026

Healing cascades and infections in wounds monitored using a wearable sensor of gaseous flux

Capabilities for quantitative monitoring of chronic wounds remain an unmet clinical need, as existing diagnostic approaches rely on semiquantitative evaluation of symptoms that lack sensitivity especially during early stages of infection. Here we present a scheme for tracking wound physiology that leverages a miniature, wireless skin-interfaced device for non-contact, transient measurements of the flux of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and water vapor from the wound microenvironment. Unlike emerging smart bandage platforms that rely on physical contact with the fragile wound bed to interrogate liquid-phase biomarkers, this strategy uses an engineered microclimate and suspended suite of sensors to measure the diffusive transport of wound-derived gases across the wound surface but separated from it. The result enables quantitative evaluation of metabolic activity and healing progression without perturbing the healing tissues. In biofilm growth models of Staphylococcus aureus, measurements demonstrate that trends in VOC flux correlate strongly with bacterial growth kinetics and precede any visible biofilm formation. Longitudinal monitoring in infected murine wound healing models shows that concurrent measurements of water vapor and VOC flux provide complementary physiological insights, capturing both the trajectory of barrier restoration and the dynamics of bacterial burden. The findings establish this non-contact sensing scheme as a distinct and clinically translatable paradigm for wound monitoring, with broad implications for non-invasive surveillance of disease states in which tissue metabolic activity and skin barrier integrity serve as actionable physiological readouts. Significance StatementLimited capabilities in continuous, quantitative assessment of a wound make early diagnosis and effective management challenging, particularly in cases of infection that rapidly progress before symptoms appear. Non-contact approaches for wound monitoring that preserve fragile tissue can transform wound care. In this context, gaseous flux from the wound bed provides an integrative measure of microbial activity and barrier restoration. This study establishes a wearable sensing platform that quantifies these fluxes in real time, enabling early infection detection and temporal tracking of wound healing. These results highlight a path toward personalized treatment strategies and reduced reliance on episodic clinical evaluation.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2024

Motor Learning And Savings Of Adaptive Mediolateral Control During Split-Belt Walking

Active control of frontal plane mechanics regulates balance in destabilizing environments, such as during asymmetric split-belt walking. Compared to sagittal plane mechanics, mediolateral (ML) kinematic and kinetic adaptations to split-belt perturbations are not as extensively reported. Moreover, the associated metabolic cost of these adaptations as well as the retention of previously learned ML adaptations upon re-exposure to the same perturbation have not been concurrently examined. We investigated adaptations in step width and peak ML ground reaction forces (GRF) during an initial and subsequent perturbation in order to characterize motor learning and motor savings, respectively. Additionally, we examined the extent to which a neuroplasticity inducing stimulus, acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH), affected the magnitude of each adaptation. Although we observed bilateral increases in step width during the initial adaptation, only the slow leg significantly reduced step width during the subsequent perturbation. Distinct interlimb differences emerged as only the slow leg modulated ML GRF during the braking phase whereas the fast leg increased ML GRF during the propulsive phase. The AIH group uniquely demonstrated greater motor savings of reduced step width and peak ML GRF strategies during the propulsive phase, suggesting greater retention of prior strategies. Furthermore, we find significant associations between ML kinetic adaptations and reductions in metabolic cost. Together, our findings suggest that unlike the sagittal plane, asymmetrical frontal plane adaptations contribute to ML stability as well as reductions in metabolic cost during split-belt walking. These insights could inform clinical training approaches to improve balance and prevent falls in clinical populations. NEW & NOTEWORTHYWe investigated adaptations in step width and mediolateral ground reaction forces during the braking and propulsive phases of split-belt walking across an initial and subsequent perturbation. We observe that the initial learning and savings of unique interlimb frontal plane coordination strategies contribute to stability and are associated with a reduction in metabolic cost.

physiology↗