| 1. |
- Johansson, Martin L, et al.
(författare)
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Non-invasive sampling procedure revealing the molecular events at different abutments of bone-anchored hearing systems–A prospective clinical pilot study
- 2022
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Neuroscience. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1662-4548 .- 1662-453X. ; 16
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: To investigate the molecular activities in different compartments around the bone-anchored hearing system (BAHS) with either electropolished or machined abutments and to correlate these activities with clinical and microbiological findings. Materials and methods: Twelve patients received machined or electropolished abutments after implant installation of BAHS. Peri-abutment fluid and tissue were collected from baseline to 12 months. Gene expression of cytokines and factors related to tissue healing and inflammation, regeneration and remodelling, as well as bacterial recognition were determined using quantitative-polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The clinical status was evaluated using the Holgers scoring system, and bacterial colonisation was investigated by culturing. Results: The gene expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL-8, IL-1β, and IL-10) and bacteria-related Toll-like receptors (2 and 4) was higher in the peri-abutment fluid than at baseline and in the peri-abutment tissue at 3 and 12 months. Conversely, the expression of genes related to tissue regeneration (Coll1a1 and FOXO1) was higher in the tissue samples than in the peri-abutment fluid at 3 and 12 months. Electropolished abutments triggered higher expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL-8 and IL-1β) (in peri-abutment fluid) and regeneration factor FOXO1 (in peri-abutment tissue) than machined abutments. Several cytokine genes in the peri-abutment fluid correlated positively with the detection of aerobes, anaerobes and Staphylococcus species, as well as with high Holger scores. Conclusion: This study provides unprecedented molecular information on the biological processes of BAHS. Despite being apparently healed, the peri-abutment fluid harbours prolonged inflammatory activity in conjunction with the presence of different bacterial species. An electropolished abutment surface appears to be associated with stronger proinflammatory activity than that with a machined surface. The analysis of the peri-abutment fluid deserves further verification as a non-invasive sampling and diagnostic procedure of BAHS.
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| 2. |
- Ortiz Catalan, Max Jair, 1982, et al.
(författare)
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Patterned Stimulation of Peripheral Nerves Produces Natural Sensations With Regards to Location but Not Quality
- 2019
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Ingår i: IEEE Transactions on Medical Robotics and Bionics. - 2576-3202. ; 1:3, s. 199-203
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Sensory feedback is crucial for dexterous manipulation and sense of ownership. Electrical stimulation of severed afferent fibers due to an amputation elicits referred sensations in the missing limb. However, these sensations are commonly reported with a concurrent “electric” or “tingling” character (paresthesia). In this paper, we examined the effect of modulating different pulse parameters on the quality of perceived sensations. Three subjects with above-elbow amputation were implanted with cuff electrodes and stimulated with a train of pulses modulated in either amplitude, width, or frequency (“patterned stimulation”). Pulses were shaped using a slower carrier wave or via quasi-random generation. Subjects were asked to evaluate the natural quality of the resulting sensations using a numeric rating scale. We found that the location of the percepts was distally referred and somatotopically congruent, but their quality remained largely perceived as artificial despite employing patterned modulation. Sensations perceived as arising from the missing limb are intuitive and natural with respect to their location and, therefore, useful for functional restoration. However, our results indicate that sensory transformation from paresthesia to natural qualia seems to require more than patterned stimulation.
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| 3. |
- Capece, Sabrina, et al.
(författare)
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A general strategy for obtaining biodegradable polymer shelled microbubbles as theranostic devices
- 2013
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Ingår i: Chemical Communications. - 1359-7345 .- 1364-548X. ; 49:51, s. 5763-5765
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Fabrication of multifunctional ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) has been recently addressed by several research groups. A versatile strategy for the synthesis of UCA precursors in the form of biodegradable vesicles with a biocompatible crosslinked polymer shell is described. Upon ultrasound irradiation, acoustic droplet vaporization transforms such particles into microbubbles behaving as UCAs. This proof of concept entails the features of a potential theranostic microdevice.
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| 4. |
- Bondesson, Johan, 1991, et al.
(författare)
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Definition of Tubular Anatomic Structures from Arbitrary Stereo Lithographic Surface
- 2017
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Ingår i: Initiative Seminar Engineering Health, 8-9 November 2017, Chalmers.
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- An accurate description of anatomies and dynamics of vessels is crucial to understand their characteristics and improve surgical techniques, thus it is the basis, in addition to surgeon experience, on which stent design and operation procedures rely. The process of producing this description is user intensive, and recent improvement in image processing of medical3D imaging allows for a more automated workflow. However, there is a need to bridge the gap from a processed geometry to a robust mathematical computational grid. By sequentially segmenting a tubular anatomic structure, here defined by a stereo lithographic (STL) surface, an initial centerline is formed by connecting centroids of orthogonal cross-sectional contours along the length of the structure. Relying on the initial centerline, a set of non-overlapping 2D cross sectional contours are defined along the centerline, a centerline which is updated after the 2D contours are produced. After a second iteration of producing 2D contours and updating the centerline, a full description of the structure is created. Our method for describing vessel geometry shows good coherence to existing method. The main advantages of our method include the possibility of having arbitrary triangulated STL surface input, automated centerline definition, safety against intersecting cross-sectional contours and automatic clean-up of local kinks and wrinkles.
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| 5. |
- Enejder, Annika, 1969, et al.
(författare)
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SHG Imaging for Tissue Engineering Applications
- 2016
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Ingår i: Second Harmonic Generation Imaging. - : CRC Press. - 9781439849156 - 9781439849149 ; , s. 409-426
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Bokkapitel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Treatment of lost tissue oen relies on transplantations, either of donor or of autologous tissue. Both alternatives have limitations; there is for example a limited supply of donor transplants, which also require immunosuppression therapy with possible side eects. Transplanted autologous tissue may lack some of the functions of the original tissue and the procedure may also introduce complications at the donor site. In some cases, articial substitutes manufactured from nonbiological materials can be used, for example, synthetic polymer blood vessels or joint replacement prostheses. However, these replacements have drawbacks such as risk for infections, limited material durability, and lack of mechanisms for repair, growth, and remodeling. For these reasons, development of advanced articial tissue constructs with adaptive capabilities is desirable.
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| 6. |
- Isaksson-Daun, Johan
(författare)
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A Sound Approach Toward a Mobility Aid for Blind and Low-Vision Individuals
- 2023
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Reduced independent mobility of blind and low-vision individuals (BLVIs) cause considerable societal cost, burden on relatives, and reduced quality of life for the individuals, including increased anxiety, depression symptoms, need of assistance, risk of falls, and mortality. Despite the numerous electronic travel aids proposed since at least the 1940’s, along with ever-advancing technology, the mobility issues persist. A substantial reason for this is likely several and severe shortcomings of the field, both in regards to aid design and evaluation.In this work, these shortcomings are addressed with a generic design model called Desire of Use (DoU), which describes the desire of a given user to use an aid for a given activity. It is then applied on mobility of BLVIs (DoU-MoB), to systematically illuminate and structure possibly all related aspects that such an aid needs to aptly deal with, in order for it to become an adequate aid for the objective. These aspects can then both guide user-centered design as well as choice of test methods and measures.One such measure is then demonstrated in the Desire of Use Questionnaire for Mobility of Blind and Low-Vision Individuals (DoUQ-MoB), an aid-agnostic and comprehensive patient-reported outcome measure. The question construction originates from the DoU-MoB to ensure an encompassing focus on mobility of BLVIs, something that has been missing in the field. Since it is aid-agnostic it facilitates aid comparison, which it also actively promotes. To support the reliability of the DoUQ-MoB, it utilizes the best known practices of questionnaire design and has been validated once with eight orientation and mobility professionals, and six BLVIs. Based on this, the questionnaire has also been revised once.To allow for relevant and reproducible methodology, another tool presented herein is a portable virtual reality (VR) system called the Parrot-VR. It uses a hybrid control scheme of absolute rotation by tracking the user’s head in reality, affording intuitive turning; and relative movement where simple button presses on a controller moves the virtual avatar forward and backward, allowing for large-scale traversal while not walking physically. VR provides excellent reproducibility, making various aggregate movement analysis feasible, while it is also inherently safe. Meanwhile, the portability of the system facilitates testing near the participants, substantially increasing the number of potential blind and low-vision recruits for user tests.The thesis also gives a short account on the state of long-term testing in the field; it being short is mainly due to that there is not much to report. It then provides an initial investigation into possible outcome measures for such tests by taking instruments in use by Swedish orientation and mobility professionals as a starting point. Two of these are also piloted in an initial single-session trial with 19 BLVIs, and could plausibly be used for long-term tests after further evaluation.Finally, a discussion is presented regarding the Audomni project — the development of a primary mobility aid for BLVIs. Audomni is a visuo-auditory sensory supplementation device, which aims to take visual information and translate it to sound. A wide field-of-view, 3D-depth camera records the environment, which is then transformed to audio through the sonification algorithms of Audomni, and finally presented in a pair of open-ear headphones that do not block out environmental sounds. The design of Audomni leverages the DoU-MoB to ensure user-centric development and evaluation, in the aim of reaching an aid with such form and function that it grants the users better mobility, while the users still want to use it.Audomni has been evaluated with user tests twice, once in pilot tests with two BLVIs, and once in VR with a heterogenous set of 19 BLVIs, utilizing the Parrot-VR and the DoUQ-MoB. 76 % of responders (13 / 17) answered that it was very or extremely likely that they would want use Audomni along with their current aid. This might be the first result in the field demonstrating a majority of blind and low-vision participants reporting that they actually want to use a new electronic travel aid. This shows promise that eventual long-term tests will demonstrate an increased mobility of blind and low-vision users — the overarching project aim. Such results would ultimately mean that Audomni can become an aid that alleviates societal cost, reduces burden on relatives, and improves users’ quality of life and independence.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Grishenkov, Dmitry, 1983-, et al.
(författare)
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In search of the optimal ultrasound heart perfusion imaging platform
- 2015
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Ingår i: Journal of ultrasound in medicine. - : Wiley. - 0278-4297 .- 1550-9613. ; 34:9, s. 1599-1605
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- ObjectiveQuantification of the myocardial perfusion by contrast echocardiography (CEC) remains a challenge. Existing imaging phantoms used to evaluate the performance of ultrasound scanners do not comply with perfusion basics in the myocardium, where perfusion and motion are inherently coupled.MethodsTo contribute towards an improvement, we developed a CEC perfusion imaging platform based on isolated rat heart coupled to the ultrasound scanner. Perfusion was assessed using three different types of contrast agent: dextran-based Promiten®, phospholipid-shelled SonoVue®, and polymer-shelled MB-pH5-RT. The myocardial video-intensity was monitored over time from contrast administration to peak and two characteristic constants were calculated using exponential fit (A representing capillary volume and b representing inflow velocity).ResultsAcquired experimental evidence demonstrates that the application of all three types of contrast agent allow ultrasonic estimation of myocardial perfusion in the isolated rat heart. Video-intensity maps show that an increase in contrast concentration increases the late plateau values, A, mimicking increased capillary volume. Estimated values of the flow, proportional to Axb, increase when the pressure of the perfusate column increases from 80 to 110 cm of water. This finding is in agreement with the true values of the coronary flow increase measured by the flowmeter attached to the aortic cannula.ConclusionsThe described CEC perfusion imaging platform holds promise for standardized evaluation and optimization of ultrasound contrast perfusion imaging where real time inflow curves at low acoustic power semi-quantitatively reflect coronary flow.
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| 9. |
- Kothapalli, Veera Venkata Satya Naray, 1985-, et al.
(författare)
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Unique pumping-out fracturing mechanism of a polymer-shelled contrast agent : An acoustic characterization and optical visualization
- 2014
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Ingår i: IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control. - 0885-3010 .- 1525-8955. ; 62:3, s. 451-462
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This work describes the fracturing mechanism of air-filled microbubbles (MBs) encapsulated by a cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) shell. The radial oscillation and fracturing events following the ultrasound exposure were visualized with an ultrahigh-speed camera, and backscattered timedomain signals were acquired with the acoustic setup specific for harmonic detection. No evidence of gas emerging from defects in the shell with the arrival of the first insonation burst was found. In optical recordings, more than one shell defect was noted, and the gas core was drained without any sign of air extrusion when several consecutive bursts of 1 MPa amplitude were applied. In acoustic tests, the backscattered peak-to-peak voltage gradually reached its maximum and exponentially decreased when the PVA-based MB suspension was exposed to approximately 20 consecutive bursts arriving at pulse repetition frequencies of 100 and 500 Hz. Taking into account that the PVA shell is porous and possibly contains large air pockets between the cross-linked PVA chains, the aforementioned acoustic behavior might be attributed to pumping gas from these pockets in combination with gas release from the core through shell defects. We refer to this fracturing mechanism as pumping-out behavior, and this behavior could have potential use for the local delivery of therapeutic gases, such as nitric oxide.
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| 10. |
- Márquez, Juan Carlos, et al.
(författare)
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Textrode functional straps for bioimpedance measurements-experimental results for body composition analysis
- 2013
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Ingår i: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 0954-3007 .- 1476-5640. ; 67:Suppl 1, s. 22-27
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background/Objectives:Functional garments for physiological sensing purposes have been used in several disciplines, that is, sports, firefighting, military and medicine. In most of the cases, textile electrodes (textrodes) embedded in the garment are used to monitor vital signs and other physiological measurements. Electrical bioimpedance (EBI) is a non-invasive and effective technology that can be used for the detection and supervision of different health conditions.EBI technology could make use of the advantages of garment integration; however, a successful implementation of EBI technology depends on the good performance of textrodes. The main drawback of textrodes is a deficient skin-electrode interface that produces a high degree of sensitivity to signal disturbances. This sensitivity can be reduced with a suitable selection of the electrode material and an intelligent and ergonomic garment design that ensures an effective skin-electrode contact area.Subjects/Methods:In this work, textrode functional straps for total right side EBI measurements for body composition are presented, and its measurement performance is compared against the use of Ag/AgCl electrodes. Shieldex sensor fabric and a tetra-polar electrode configuration using the ImpediMed spectrometer SFB7 in the frequency range of 3-500 kHz were used to obtain and analyse the impedance spectra and Cole and body composition parameters.Results:The results obtained show stable and reliable measurements; the slight differences obtained with the functional garment do not significantly affect the computation of Cole and body composition parameters.Conclusions:The use of a larger sensor area, a high conductive material and an appropriate design can compensate, to some degree, for the charge transfer deficiency of the skin-electrode interface.
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