Gradient patterns comprising bioactive compounds over comparably (in regard to a cell size) large areas are key for many applications in the biomedical sector, in particular, for cell screening assays, guidance, and migration experiments. Polymer pen lithography (PPL) as an inherent highly parallel and large area technique has a great potential to serve in the fabrication of such patterns. We present strategies for the printing of functional phospholipid patterns via PPL that provide tunable feature size and feature density gradients over surface areas of several square millimeters. By controlling the printing parameters, two transfer modes can be achieved. Each of these modes leads to different feature morphologies. By increasing the force applied to the elastomeric pens, which increases the tip-surface contact area and boosts the ink delivery rate, a switch between a dip-pen nanolithography (DPN) and a microcontact printing (μCP) transfer mode can be induced. A careful inking procedure ensuring a homogeneous and not-too-high ink-load on the PPL stamp ensures a membrane-spreading dominated transfer mode, which, used in combination with smooth and hydrophilic substrates, generates features with constant height, independently of the applied force of the pens. Ultimately, this allows us to obtain a gradient of feature sizes over a mm substrate, all having the same height on the order of that of a biological cellular membrane. These strategies allow the construction of membrane structures by direct transfer of the lipid mixture to the substrate, without requiring previous substrate functionalization, in contrast to other molecular inks, where structure is directly determined by the printing process itself. The patterns are demonstrated to be viable for subsequent protein binding, therefore adding to a flexible feature library when gradients of protein presentation are desired.

Lipid multilayer gratings are recently invented nanomechanical sensor elements that are capable of transducing molecular binding to fluid lipid multilayers into optical signals in a label free manner due to shape changes in the lipid nanostructures. Here, we show that nanointaglio is suitable for the integration of chemically different lipid multilayer gratings into a sensor array capable of distinguishing vapors by means of an optical nose. Sensor arrays composed of six different lipid formulations are integrated onto a surface and their optical response to three different vapors (water, ethanol and acetone) in air as well as pH under water is monitored as a function of time. Principal component analysis of the array response results in distinct clustering indicating the suitability of the arrays for distinguishing these analytes. Importantly, the nanointaglio process used here is capable of producing lipid gratings out of different materials with sufficiently uniform heights for the fabrication of an optical nose.

Purpose The Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) establishes surgical minimum numbers of cases for urologic training. Currently there is not a requirement for microsurgery, likely from a belief that programs do not offer exposure. In an effort to evaluate the availability of microsurgery training among urology residency programs we surveyed the programs. Materials and Methods We obtained a list of the 138 ACGME-accredited urology residencies and contact information the American Urology Association (AUA). We contacted the residency programs by phone and e-mail. For programs that did not reply, we performed a search of the program website. We answered 3-questions to assess resident subspecialty training in microsurgery and used penile implant and artificial urinary sphincters as a comparison. Data are reported as frequencies. Results We obtained data from 134 programs (97.1%). A total of 104 programs (77.6%) had fellowship-trained physicians for training in microsurgery, 86.6% for penile implants, and 88.8% for artificial urinary sphincters. The percentage of fellowship-trained microsurgeons per program did not vary significantly when comparing the different sections of the AUA. The northeast and southeast sections had the lowest percentage (67% and 68%). Conclusions Nearly 80% of urology residency programs have a fellowship-trained microsurgeon on faculty, we therefore believe that microsurgery should be added as part of the ACGME minimums. In order to provide an equal exposure to all graduating urology residents, urology residency programs that lack microsurgery should identify potential faculty with fellowship training.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is an emerging infectious disease caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS‐CoV‐2), which demonstrates the ability to invade endothelial cells and cause systemic inflammation. Many possible long‐term sequelae of COVID‐19 remain unidentified. We describe a case of a man who developed Peyronie's disease after a resolved COVID‐19 infection. Erectile dysfunction was confirmed by the International Index of Erectile Function‐15(IIEF) and Sexual Health Inventory for Men(SHIM) scores. A diagnosis was Peyronie's disease was confirmed on ultrasound. Furthermore, he was found to have low endothelial progenitor cells colony‐forming units and low brachial artery flow‐mediated vasodilation, both of that are indicative of endothelial dysfunction. This case suggests Peyronie's disease should be considered as a possible sequela of COVID‐19 infection and providers should inquire about a history of COVID‐19 infection in patients presenting with Peyronie's disease.

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