Active surgical positioning device for a cochlear implant electrode array

Cochlear implants have been of great benefit in restoring auditory function to individuals with profound bilateral sensorineural deafness. The implants are used to directly stimulate auditory nerves and send a signal to the brain that is then interpreted as sound. This project focuses on the development of a surgical positioning tool to accurately and effectively place an array of stimulating electrodes deep within the cochlea. This will lead to improved efficiency and performance of the stimulating electrodes, reduced surgical trauma to the cochlea, and as a result, improved overall performance to the implant recipient. The positioning tool reported here consists of multiple fluidic chambers providing localized curvature control along the length of the attached silicon electrode array. The chambers consist of 200μm inner diameter PET (polyethylene therephthalate) tubes with 4μm wall thickness. The chambers are molded in a tapered helical configuration to correspond to the cochlear shape upon relaxation of the actuators. This ensures that the optimal electrode placement within the cochlea is retained after the positioning tool becomes dormant (for chronic implants). Actuation is achieved by injecting fluid into the PET chambers and regulating the fluidic pressure. The chambers are arranged in a stacked, overlapping design to provide fluid connectivity with the non-implantable pressure controller and allow for local curvature control of the device. The stacked tube configuration allows for localized curvature control of various areas along the length of the electrode and additional stiffening and actuating power towards the base. Curvature is affected along the entire length of a chamber and the result is cumulative in sections of multiple chambers. The actuating chambers are bonded to the back of a silicon electrode array

Effets de paramètres d'opération sur la décantation de boues biologiques d'une unité de traitement d'eaux usées de raffinerie

La qualité de l'effluent des systèmes de biotraitement par boues activées est souvent limitée par la performance de l'unité de décantation. Cette étude analyse les causes possibles des difficultés d'opération rencontrées dans la décantation des boues évacuées aux décanteurs secondaires d'une raffinerie de pétrole. Les objectifs visent à déterminer et à quantifier l'effet des paramètres d'opération qui affectent le fonctionnement du décanteur, en les reliant si possible à son mauvais fonctionnement, à évaluer de l'ajout d'alun et à proposer des méthodes correctives pour améliorer l'efficacité de décantation.L'étude montre que :- l'efficacité des décanteurs sera améliorée si le niveau d'oxygène dissous et la concentration en matières totales en suspension (MTS) dans le bassin d'aération sont respectivement maintenus entre 0,9 à 1,3 ppm et 4 300 à 4 800 mg/L;- le pH de la liqueur mixte ne semble pas influencer la décantabitité;- l'addition d'alun doit être évitée ou maintenue inférieure à 50 mg/L;- l'agitation et les vitesses linéaires élevées dans les conduites d'alimentation des décanteurs doivent être évitées.The wastewater treatment systems built in the seventies for treating the effluents from oil refineries often fail to comply with new environmental standards. The present study focuses mainly on the problem of sludge settling in the clarifiers. The purpose of this work was to determine the effect of various parameters on the settling characteristics of the activated sludge, to evaluate the rote of alun as a flocculating agent and to characterize the operation of the clarifiers primarily as it relates to the settling problem. The influence of the quantity of the alun added and of the stirring speed on the settling characteristics of the sludge were determined in jar tests. The effects, on the performance of the clarifiers, of the level of dissolved oxygen in the bioreactor, of the pH and of the concentration in total suspended solids (TSS) maintained in the mixed liquor, were also investigated.The studies on the sludge settleability led to the following conclusions :- the concentration in dissolved oxygen and the concentration in TSS in the aeration tank are two parameters which have a critical effect on the effluent quality. The optimal operating intervals for these parameters are from 0.9 to 1.3 ppm for dissolved oxygen and from 4 300 to 4 800 mg/L for the TSS;- the pH of the mixed liquor is not a main factor and does not seem to have any effect on the sludge settleability;- the addition of alum in excess of 50 mg/L has an adverse effect on the sludge settling characteristics. Addition of alum below this level, however, improves the clarity of the residual liquor. Nevertheless, the addition of this flocculating agent is not recommended;- the high flowrates and violent mixing in the piping system used to feed the mixed liquor from the aeration tank to the clarifiers adversely affects the solid-liquid separation in the clarifiers.By simply stopping the addition of the flocculating agent, maintaining the dissolved oxygen concentration between 1 to 2 ppm and the TSS between 4 300 to 4 800 mg/L in the wastewater treatment unit, it was possible to improve substantially the quality of the effluent and thus meet the environmental standards

Carbon footprint of Canadian dairy products: Calculations and issues

The Canadian dairy sector is a major industry with about 1 million cows. This industry emits about 20% of the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the main livestock sectors (beef, dairy, swine, and poultry). In 2006, the Canadian dairy herd produced about 7.7 Mt of raw milk, resulting in about 4.4 Mt of dairy products (notably 64% fluid milk and 12% cheese). An integrated cradle-to-gate model (field to processing plant) has been developed to estimate the carbon footprint (CF) of 11 Canadian dairy products. The on-farm part of the model is the Unified Livestock Industry and Crop Emissions Estimation System (ULICEES). It considers all GHG emissions associated with livestock production but, for this study, it was run for the dairy sector specifically. Off-farm GHG emissions were estimated using the Canadian Food Carbon Footprint calculator, (cafoo)(2)-milk. It considers GHG emissions from the farm gate to the exit gate of the processing plants. The CF of the raw milk has been found lower in western provinces [0.93 kg of CO2 equivalents (CO(2)e)/L of milk] than in eastern provinces (1.12 kg of CO(2)e/L of milk) because of differences in climate conditions and dairy herd management. Most of the CF estimates of dairy products ranged between 1 and 3 kg of CO(2)e/kg of product. Three products were, however, significantly higher: cheese (5.3 kg of CO(2)e/kg), butter (7.3 kg of CO(2)e/kg), and milk powder (10.1 kg of CO(2)e/kg). The CF results depend on the milk volume needed, the co-product allocation process (based on milk solids content), and the amount of energy used to manufacture each product. The GHG emissions per kilogram of protein ranged from 13 to 40 kg of CO(2)e. Two products had higher values: cream and sour cream, at 83 and 78 kg of CO(2)e/kg, respectively. Finally, the highest CF value was for butter, at about 730 kg of CO(2)e/kg. This extremely high value is due to the fact that the intensity indicator per kilogram of product is high and that butter is almost exclusively fat. Protein content is often used to compare the CF of products; however, this study demonstrates that the use of a common food component is not suitable as a comparison unit in some cases. Functionality has to be considered too, but it might be insufficient for food product labeling because different reporting units (adapted to a specific food product) will be used, and the resulting confusion could lead consumers to lose confidence in such labeling. Therefore, simple units might not be ideal and a more comprehensive approach will likely have to be developed

Effect of the carrier material, drying technology and dissolution media on the viability of Lactobacillus fermentum K73 during simulated gastrointestinal transit

The goal of this study was to determine the effect of the carrier material, drying technology and dissolution media during the passage of L. fermentum K73 through a dynamic in vitro digestion system (IViDiS). The carrier materials were (i) culture medium with growing micro-organisms and (ii) culture medium with maltodextrin : sweet whey [0.6 : 0.4]. The carrier materials were dried by spray-drying and freeze-drying to obtain four types of powders. The dissolution media consisted of water and 1% fat milk. The powders were tested using an in vitro dynamic digestion system (IViDiS). The results showed that powders derived from culture medium had the highest protective effect on the viability of L. fermentum K73 in both dissolution media and that survival increased when the powders were tested in milk. The modified Gompertz model was used to model L. fermentum K73 behaviour during the digestion process. The model showed that cells entrapped in culture medium had the longest lag phase and the slowest inactivation rate when evaluated in milk

In vitro gastrointestinal digestion impact on stability, bioaccessibility and antioxidant activity of polyphenols from wild and commercial blackberries (Rubus spp.)

Gastrointestinal digestion (GID) is a physiological process that transforms the stability, bioaccessibility and antioxidant activity (AOX) of polyphenols from blackberries (Rubus spp.). This study aimed to investigate the effect of the INFOGEST® GID protocol on the phenolic stability, bioaccessibility and AOX of Mexican wild (WB) and commercial (CB) blackberries. After GID, the total phenolic and anthocyanin contents in blackberries decreased by ≥68% and ≥74%, respectively. More than 40 phenolics were identified during GID; most of them degraded completely during digestion. GID had a negative effect on the AOX of both fruits (>50%), but WB showed the highest antioxidant activities, as assessed by the ORAC, DPPH, reducing power and β-carotene bleaching methods. In Caco-2 cells, the cell-based antioxidant activity of digested blackberries (p < 0.05) decreased by 48% in WB and by 56% in CB. The capacity to inhibit intracellular ROS decreased by 50% in WB and by up to 86% in CB, after digestion. GID is a complex process that impacts on the bioactive properties of food nutrients, especially phenolics. In vitro and cellular AOX of WB polyphenols withstood the gastrointestinal environment better than CB phenolics. The in vitro assays results suggest that phenolics from underutilized WB have a higher bioaccessibility and antioxidant capacity than the polyphenols from the most frequently consumed CB. However, whether this corresponds to a better bioaccessibility in humans remains to be determined in future work

Active positioning device for a perimodiolar cochlear electrode array

The authors report on an actuated positioning device for a cochlear prosthesis insertion procedure. The device consists of multiple high-aspect ratio fluidic actuator chambers integrated with a high-density silicon cochlear electrode array and manufactured in a tapered-helix form. Actuation chambers with cross-sectional sizes as small as 40 × 200 μm and lengths of 30 mm have been fabricated using flexible polymers. The device will allow for low-resistance basilar insertion of a stimulating electrode array into the cochlea providing for deep, perimodiolar position considered most beneficial for auditory nerve stimulation, while minimizing intracochlear trauma. Experimental measurements, FEA analysis, and modeling demonstrate a viable and appropriate actuation method for a cochlear implant procedure.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/47852/1/542_2004_Article_376.pd

Influence of monolayer, spheroid, and tumor growth conditions on chromosome 3 gene expression in tumorigenic epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Expression microarray analyses of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) cell lines may be exploited to elucidate genetic and epigenetic events important in this disease. A possible variable is the influence of growth conditions on discerning candidates. The present study examined the influence of growth conditions on the expression of chromosome 3 genes in the tumorigenic EOC cell lines, OV-90, TOV-21G and TOV-112D using Affymetrix GeneChip^®HG-U133A expression microarray analysis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Chromosome 3 gene expression profiles (n = 1147 probe sets, representing 735 genes) were extracted from U133A expression microarray analyses of the EOC cell lines OV-90, TOV-21G and TOV-112D that were grown as monolayers, spheroids or nude mouse xenografts and monolayers derived from these tumors. Hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to compare chromosome 3 transcriptome patterns of each growth condition. Differentially expressed genes were identified and characterized by two-way comparative analyses of fold-differences in gene expression between monolayer cultures and each of the other growth conditions, and between the maximum and minimum values of expression of all growth conditions for each EOC cell line.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>An overall high degree of similarity (> 90%) in gene expression was observed when expression values of alternative growth conditions were compared within each EOC cell line group. Two-way comparative analysis of each EOC cell line grown in an alternative condition relative to the monolayer culture showed that overall less than 15% of probe sets exhibited at least a 3-fold difference in expression profile. Less than 23% of probe sets exhibited greater than 3-fold differences in gene expression in comparisons of the maximum and minimum value of expression of all growth conditions within each EOC cell line group. The majority of these differences were less than 5-fold. There were 17 genes in common which were differentially expressed in all EOC cell lines. However, the patterns of expression of these genes were not necessarily the same for each growth condition when one cell line was compared with another.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The various alternative <it>in vivo </it>and <it>in vitro </it>growth conditions of tumorigenic EOC cell lines appeared to modestly influence the global chromosome 3 transcriptome supporting the notion that the <it>in vitro </it>cell line models are a viable option for testing gene candidates.</p

Promoting advance planning for health care and research among older adults: A randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Family members are often required to act as substitute decision-makers when health care or research participation decisions must be made for an incapacitated relative. Yet most families are unable to accurately predict older adult preferences regarding future health care and willingness to engage in research studies. Discussion and documentation of preferences could improve proxies' abilities to decide for their loved ones. This trial assesses the efficacy of an advance planning intervention in improving the accuracy of substitute decision-making and increasing the frequency of documented preferences for health care and research. It also investigates the financial impact on the healthcare system of improving substitute decision-making.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>Dyads (<it>n </it>= 240) comprising an older adult and his/her self-selected proxy are randomly allocated to the experimental or control group, after stratification for type of designated proxy and self-report of prior documentation of healthcare preferences. At baseline, clinical and research vignettes are used to elicit older adult preferences and assess the ability of their proxy to predict those preferences. Responses are elicited under four health states, ranging from the subject's current health state to severe dementia. For each state, we estimated the public costs of the healthcare services that would typically be provided to a patient under these scenarios. Experimental dyads are visited at home, twice, by a specially trained facilitator who communicates the dyad-specific results of the concordance assessment, helps older adults convey their wishes to their proxies, and offers assistance in completing a guide entitled <it>My Preferences </it>that we designed specifically for that purpose. In between these meetings, experimental dyads attend a group information session about <it>My Preferences</it>. Control dyads attend three monthly workshops aimed at promoting healthy behaviors. Concordance assessments are repeated at the end of the intervention and 6 months later to assess improvement in predictive accuracy and cost savings, if any. Copies of completed guides are made at the time of these assessments.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>This study will determine whether the tested intervention guides proxies in making decisions that concur with those of older adults, motivates the latter to record their wishes in writing, and yields savings for the healthcare system.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p><a href="http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN89993391">ISRCTN89993391</a></p