No abstract

Although molecular communication systems have been shown to bear great potential for many useful in-body applications, they require the intervention, action, or input of an out-of-body actor. From an Internet of Bio-Nano Things perspective, a successful overall network aims to bring together the two links belonging to the in-body and out-of-body networks for end-to-end communications. For most applications, the uplink from the in-body sensor is more significant since it provides the multi-scalar connection required to relay the information sensed and carried by the molecular communication system to a macro-scale smart terminal. This article proposes two different mechanisms to sense the output of the molecular communication system and transmit the information to an on-body reader. Each mechanism involves different genetically engineered bacteria and specific antenna designs. An experimental setup is provided to demonstrate each proposed concept. The results constitute a proof of concept to detect the in-body bacterial activity from the on-body reader.

In patients with high-volume, clinically localized, intermediate-risk prostate cancer who are sexually active, preoperative surgical planning is critical. There is an increasing dilemma in deciding whether to undertake a nerve-sparing procedure during radical prostatectomy, or to sacrifice one or both neurovascular bundles, which affects functional outcomes. This case describes such a situation and explains how preoperative information, imaging and histopathology techniques, and careful patient counselling can help surgical management to optimize oncological and functional outcomes in these patients.