Cytotoxic effects of cobalt metal ions on osteoblasts, are calcium channels involved?

Metal on Metal (MM) hip replacement implants have become a popular alternative to traditional metal on polyethylene (MP) devices due to their improved wear profiles and reduced associated risk of dislocation, wear debris and subsequent osteolysis. MM articulations are most commonly made of cobalt-chromium alloy and are associated with elevated levels of cobalt and chromium ions locally and systemically which may have detrimental effects on patients, including to their bone health. Osteoblasts are a type of bone cell vital to overall bone function and turnover, and cobalt ions have been seen to inhibit osteoblast function by reducing alkaline phosphatase activity, calcium deposition and increasing chemokine secretion in osteoblasts, which may result in local osteolysis. These toxic effects of cobalt on osteoblasts may potentially arise due to metal ions entering tissue via calcium channels, and the aim of this project was to try to elucidate whether this theory was correct. The effects of acute exposure to cobalt on OST 5 cells, a rat osteoblast cell line, in vitro, were measured and calcium channel blockers were used in a bid to prevent cobalt-induced toxicity seen in cells, which if successful, would suggest the involvement of calcium channels in cobalt uptake. Cobalt concentrations ranged from 0.1 - 200 μM, and nifedipine and verapamil were expected to block calcium channels at a concentration of 10 μM. Cell viability was assessed using neutral red and MTT assays. Cobalt was seen to significantly reduce OST 5 cell viability in a dose dependent manner, and though significant differences were seen in cobalt-treated and cobalt and verapamil-treated OST 5 cells, this calcium channel blocker did not significantly prevent cobalt-induced toxicity according to the results seen here. Further research must be conducted to definitively conclude whether or not calcium channels are involved in the uptake of cobalt ions into osteoblasts.Metal on Metal (MM) hip replacement implants have become a popular alternative to traditional metal on polyethylene (MP) devices due to their improved wear profiles and reduced associated risk of dislocation, wear debris and subsequent osteolysis. MM articulations are most commonly made of cobalt-chromium alloy and are associated with elevated levels of cobalt and chromium ions locally and systemically which may have detrimental effects on patients, including to their bone health. Osteoblasts are a type of bone cell vital to overall bone function and turnover, and cobalt ions have been seen to inhibit osteoblast function by reducing alkaline phosphatase activity, calcium deposition and increasing chemokine secretion in osteoblasts, which may result in local osteolysis. These toxic effects of cobalt on osteoblasts may potentially arise due to metal ions entering tissue via calcium channels, and the aim of this project was to try to elucidate whether this theory was correct. The effects of acute exposure to cobalt on OST 5 cells, a rat osteoblast cell line, in vitro, were measured and calcium channel blockers were used in a bid to prevent cobalt-induced toxicity seen in cells, which if successful, would suggest the involvement of calcium channels in cobalt uptake. Cobalt concentrations ranged from 0.1 - 200 μM, and nifedipine and verapamil were expected to block calcium channels at a concentration of 10 μM. Cell viability was assessed using neutral red and MTT assays. Cobalt was seen to significantly reduce OST 5 cell viability in a dose dependent manner, and though significant differences were seen in cobalt-treated and cobalt and verapamil-treated OST 5 cells, this calcium channel blocker did not significantly prevent cobalt-induced toxicity according to the results seen here. Further research must be conducted to definitively conclude whether or not calcium channels are involved in the uptake of cobalt ions into osteoblasts

An Interactive Tablecloth for Facilitating Discussion in a Culturally Diverse Group

Group discussions are a useful tool in a number of environments: from working towards a common goal in a business setting, to gathering feedback on an exhibit in a museum for example. One issue in such sessions is that some group members can talk more loudly and confidently than others, making some group members change their mind or keep quiet, this can result in interesting differences of opinion being lost. In this paper we present a tool for facilitating such group discussions. The tool is an interactive tablecloth that is controlled with tangible interfaces, and provides a method for each group member’s voice to be heard prior to discussion, thus preserving the diversity of responses. When tested after an immersive theatre performance, the tool effectively allowed each group member to answer questions individually prior to beginning group discussion. This also allowed the facilitator to effectively coordinate the discussion in an efficient manner

The Effects of a Soundtrack on Board Game Player Experience

Board gaming is a popular hobby that increasingly features the inclusion of technology, yet little research has sought to under- stand how board game player experience is impacted by digital augmentation or to inform the design of new technology-enhanced games. We present a mixed-methods study exploring how the presence of music and sound effects impacts the player experience of a board game. We found that the soundtrack increased the enjoyment and tension experienced by players during game play. We also found that a soundtrack provided atmosphere surrounding the gaming experience, though players did not necessarily experience this as enhancing the world-building capabilities of the game. We discuss how our findings can inform the design of new games and soundtracks as well as future research into board game player experience

What Data do Players Rely on in Social Deduction Games?

The prisoner’s dilemma is a well-studied game, with much information available about successful strategies. In this work we explore how players make decisions within an iterative version of the game, played against varying opponents in a closed environment. We present an app-facilitated social deduction game for eight or more players based upon the prisoner’s dilemma (PD). Players sat along a table and played PD, with the results causing players to move up or down the table, potentially facing a new opponent each round. We highlight which sources of information were most important to players when deciding whether to betray or cooperate, as well as deciding whether their opponent was trustworthy. Based upon player-reported data, we find players used five sources of information in the social deduction game. Data suggests that facts provided to players about their opponents are often overlooked in favour of information gained during social interaction or from events that occurred previously in the game

Control and Being Controlled: Exploring the use of Technology in an Immersive Theatre Performance

Immersive theatre is a growing trend within theatre entertainment: audience members can now wander around performances and choose how the story unfolds in front of them. Technology can be used to create novel, multi-modal experiences for audiences in these performances; but when the rules of such an experience are ill-defined, how do users react to this technology? We present an evaluation of 25 performances of an immersive, in the dark performance. Issues of control can arise in situations where technology becomes an important part of such a performance. Participants take and relinquish control in three key areas: navigation, exploration and attention during the performance, and this affects their perception of both technology and the piece itself. We discuss how technology can play a positive role in immersive theatre and other cultural settings, yet its use must be carefully choreographed to ensure the audience experience matches the intended goal

Testing a Shape-Changing Haptic Navigation Device With Vision-Impaired and Sighted Audiences in an Immersive Theater Setting

Flatland was an immersive “in-the-wild” experimental theater and technology project, undertaken with the goal of developing systems that could assist “real-world” pedestrian navigation for both vision-impaired (VI) and sighted individuals, while also exploring inclusive and equivalent cultural experiences for VI and sighted audiences. A novel shape-changing handheld haptic navigation device, the “Animotus,” was developed. The device has the ability to modify its form in the user's grasp to communicate heading and proximity to navigational targets. Flatland provided a unique opportunity to comparatively study the use of novel navigation devices with a large group of individuals (79 sighted, 15 VI) who were primarily attending a theater production rather than an experimental study. In this paper, we present our findings on comparing the navigation performance (measured in terms of efficiency, average pace, and time facing targets) and opinions of VI and sighted users of the Animotus as they negotiated the 112 m2 production environment. Differences in navigation performance were nonsignificant across VI and sighted individuals and a similar range of opinions on device function and engagement spanned both groups. We believe more structured device familiarization, particularly for VI users, could improve performance and incorrect technology expectations (such as obstacle avoidance capability), which influenced overall opinion. This paper is intended to aid the development of future inclusive technologies and cultural experiences