Subj : Breaking into tears with microrheology t To : All From : ScienceDaily Date : Tue Jul 11 2023 22:30:30 Breaking into tears with microrheology to design custom eye drops New method reveals intricate behaviors of micron-sized particles in real, artificial tears Date: July 11, 2023 Source: American Institute of Physics Summary: In Physics of Fluids, Vega et al. researched human tears at the micron level to reveal new ways of customizing artificial tears to address individual symptoms of dry eye disease. The detailed insights they gained about the composition and behavior of tears could also apply to the study of ocular pathogens as well as other biological fluids. The authors collected healthy human tears and tested 10 different formulations of artificial tears and applied microrheology methods using dynamic light scattering. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email ========================================================================== FULL STORY ========================================================================== Compared to artificial tears, or eye drops, human tears are significantly more complex liquids, with a wide range of components including lipids, carbohydrates, proteins, water, and salt. It is this complex mixture that gives tears the perfect thickness and ability to moisturize the eye, a design that is hard to replicate with fewer ingredients. In Physics of Fluids, from AIP Publishing, Vega et al. researched human tears at the micron level to reveal new ways of customizing artificial tears to address individual symptoms of dry eye disease. The detailed insights they gained about the composition and behavior of tears could also apply to the study of ocular pathogens, as well as other biological fluids. "Tailoring formulations and characteristics to meet individual requirements are key considerations in achieving efficacy," author Juan F. Vega said. "The ultimate goal is to provide an effective and personalized solutionthat alleviates dry eye syndrome." The authors collected healthy human tears and tested 10 different formulations of artificial tears, probing these liquids to understand properties such as viscosity (flow), elasticity and stability and the effects of different concentrations of components in the liquids. They also tested the behavior of the liquids under stress, such as when the eye blinks. To study the tiny volumes of liquid in tears, the authors applied microrheology methods, which monitor the movement of micron-sized particles in liquids, using a technique that measures how light reflects off particles suspended in liquid to reveal how the liquid behaves in different scenarios, known as dynamic light scattering, or DLS. The authors' unique application of these methods to the study of tears has implications both for the fundamental knowledge of microbiological fluids and for the design of functional materials with specific desired properties, Vega said. "The goal of investigating these characteristics is to understand the behavior of the fluid and gain insights into its performance and potential applications -- for example, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, or food -- where understanding the viscoelastic properties helps in formulating products with desirable textures, stability, and flow behavior," Vega said. The authors plan to continue to explore more complex formulations of artificial tears and extend their work to the study of human tears with different pathologies. "Through careful tuning, artificial tears can be tailored to meet specific needs, such as stability, lubrication, and moisturization, and mimicking natural tears," Vega said. "Ultimately, this work aims to enhance the comfort and well-being of individuals experiencing dry eye symptoms." * RELATED_TOPICS o Health_&_Medicine # Back_and_Neck_Pain # Eye_Care # Medical_Topics # Disability o Matter_&_Energy # Nature_of_Water # Materials_Science # Inorganic_Chemistry # Engineering_and_Construction * RELATED_TERMS o Sore_muscles_after_exercising o Fluid_mechanics o Pathogen o Human_cloning o Artificial_heart o Science o Measles o Tissue_engineering ========================================================================== Print Email Share ========================================================================== ****** 1 ****** ***** 2 ***** **** 3 **** *** 4 *** ** 5 ** Breaking this hour ========================================================================== * Revolutionary_Electric_Artificial_Muscles * Age_of_Universe:_26.7,_Not_13.7,_Billion_Years * City_Ground_Is_Deforming:_Buildings_Aren't_Ready * The_Sound_of_Silence?_People_Hear_It * 36-Million-Year_Geological_Cycle_Drives_... * Six_Foods_to_Boost_Cardiovascular_Health * Cystic_Fibrosis:_Lasting_Improvement * Artificial_Cells_Demonstrate_That_'Life_... * Advice_to_Limit_High-Fat_Dairy_Foods_Challenged * First_Snapshots_of_Fermion_Pairs Trending Topics this week ========================================================================== SPACE_&_TIME NASA Space_Missions Asteroids,_Comets_and_Meteors MATTER_&_ENERGY Nature_of_Water Materials_Science Civil_Engineering COMPUTERS_&_MATH Artificial_Intelligence Neural_Interfaces Computers_and_Internet ========================================================================== Strange & Offbeat ========================================================================== SPACE_&_TIME Reinventing_Cosmology:_New_Research_Puts_Age_of_Universe_at_26.7_--_Not_13.7_- -_Billion_Years Quasar_'Clocks'_Show_Universe_Was_Five_Times_Slower_Soon_After_the_Big_Bang First_'Ghost_Particle'_Image_of_Milky_Way MATTER_&_ENERGY Revolutionary_Self-Sensing_Electric_Artificial_Muscles Bees_Make_Decisions_Better_and_Faster_Than_We_Do,_for_the_Things_That_Matter_to Them These_Lollipops_Could_'Sweeten'_Diagnostic_Testing_for_Kids_and_Adults_Alike COMPUTERS_&_MATH Number_Cruncher_Calculates_Whether_Whales_Are_Acting_Weirdly AI_Tests_Into_Top_1%_for_Original_Creative_Thinking Researchers_Create_Highly_Conductive_Metallic_Gel_for_3D_Printing Story Source: Materials provided by American_Institute_of_Physics. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. ========================================================================== Journal Reference: 1. Juan F. Vega, Mercedes Ferna'ndez, Andre's Cardil, Itxaso Calafel, Itziar Marti'nez-Soroa, Ane Pe'rez Sarriegui, Arantxa Acera. Shedding light on the viscoelastic behavior of artificial and human tears: A microrheological approach. Physics of Fluids, 2023; 35 (7) DOI: 10.1063/ 5.0152482 ========================================================================== Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230711133108.htm --- up 1 year, 19 weeks, 1 day, 10 hours, 50 minutes * Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1337:3/111) .