| 1. |
- Ambarki, Khalid, et al.
(author)
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Partial Volume Correction of Cerebral Perfusion Estimates Obtained by Arterial Spin Labeling
- 2015
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In: 16th Nordic-Baltic Conference on Biomedical Engineering. - Cham : Springer International Publishing. - 9783319129662 - 9783319129679 ; , s. 17-19
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Arterial Spin labeling (ASL) is a fully non-invasive MRI method capable to quantify cerebral perfusion. However, gray (GM) and white matter (WM) ASL perfusions are difficult to assess separately due to limited spatial resolution increasing the partial volume effects (PVE). In the present study, ASL PVE correction was implemented based on a regression algorithm in 22 healthy young men. PVE corrected perfusion of GM and WM were compared to previous studies. PVE-corrected GM perfusion was in agreement with literature values. In general, WM perfusion was higher despite the use of PVE correction.
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| 2. |
- Walfridsson, Håkan, et al.
(author)
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Effects of AZD0837, a novel direct thrombin inhibitor, on the electrophysiological properties of the human heart: a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled study.
- 2010
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In: Clinical drug investigation. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1173-2563 .- 1179-1918. ; 30:7, s. 461-71
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: AZD0837 is an investigational oral anticoagulant that is bioconverted to its active form, AR-H067637, a selective direct thrombin inhibitor. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the present study were to investigate if there are any clinically relevant adverse effects of intravenous AZD0837 on cardiac conduction, refractoriness and repolarization, and to study its safety and tolerability. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled study (study code D1250C00026), invasive electrophysiological measurements were performed twice in 30 subjects with a history of, or ongoing, atrial flutter, starting 30 minutes after successful ablation of atrial flutter and then 60 minutes after start of an intravenous infusion of AZD0837. Pre-study warfarin therapy was not an exclusion criterion. The stimulation protocol was performed mainly at 500 and 400 ms drive cycle length. A 12-lead ECG was also recorded before and during AZD0837 infusion. Plasma concentrations of AZD0837 and its metabolites were obtained at predefined timepoints. RESULTS: Measurements were made at baseline and during stable plasma concentrations of the prodrug AZD0837 (mean +/- standard deviation 7.96 +/- 2.38 micromol/L, approximate target of 10 micromol/L), the intermediate metabolite AR-H69927 (1.26 +/- 0.39 micromol/L, target 1-2 micromol/L) and the active direct thrombin inhibitor AR-H067637 (0.35 +/- 0.14 micromol/L, target 0.5-1.0 micromol/L). There were no clinically relevant effects on cardiac conduction (QRS duration, PR interval, His bundle electrogram, Wenckebach point), refractoriness (atrial, atrioventricular and ventricular effective refractory periods) or repolarization (QT, QT interval corrected for heart rate using Fridericia's formula, QRS onset to the top of the T wave [QT(top)], QRS onset to the end of the T wave [QT(end)] or QT(top) - QT(end)). CONCLUSIONS: AZD0837 was well tolerated, and had no clinically relevant effects on cardiac electrophysiology of the target population, either in subjects previously treated with warfarin or in those without previous treatment.
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| 3. |
- Andersson, Kennet, 1979-, et al.
(author)
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Assessment of cerebrospinal fluid outflow conductance using an adaptive observer-experimental and clinical evaluation
- 2007
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In: Physiological Measurement. - : IOP Publishing. - 0967-3334 .- 1361-6579. ; 28:11, s. 1355-1368
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (INPH) patients have a disturbance in the dynamics of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) system. The outflow conductance, C, of the CSF system has been suggested to be prognostic for positive outcome after treatment with a CSF shunt. All current methods for estimation of C have drawbacks; these include lack of information on the accuracy and relatively long investigation times. Thus, there is a need for improved methods. To accomplish this, the theoretical framework for a new adaptive observer (OBS) was developed which provides real-time estimation of C. The aim of this study was to evaluate the OBS method and to compare it with the constant pressure infusion (CPI) method. The OBS method was applied to data from infusion investigations performed with the CPI method. These consisted of repeated measurements on an experimental set-up and 30 patients with suspected INPH. There was no significant difference in C between the CPI and the OBS method for the experimental set-up. For the patients there was a significant difference, −0.84 ± 1.25 µl (s kPa)−1, mean ± SD (paired sample t-test, p < 0.05). However, such a difference is within clinically acceptable limits. This encourages further development of this new real-time approach for estimation of the outflow conductance.
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| 4. |
- Andersson, Kennet, et al.
(author)
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Measurement of CSF dynamics with oscillating pressure infusion
- 2013
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In: Acta Neurologica Scandinavica. - : Hindawi Limited. - 0001-6314 .- 1600-0404. ; 128:1, s. 17-23
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction Infusion tests are used to diagnose and select patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (INPH) for shunt surgery. The test characterizes cerebrospinal fluid dynamics and estimates parameters of the cerebrospinal fluid system, the pressure-volume index (PVI) and the outflow conductance (Cout). The Oscillating Pressure Infusion (OPI) method was developed to improve the test and reduce the investigation time. The aim of this study was to evaluate the new OPI method by comparing it with an established reference method. Methods Forty-seven patients (age 71.2 +/- 8.9years) with communicating hydrocephalus underwent a preoperative lumbar infusion investigation with two consecutive infusion protocols, reference (42min) and new (20min), that is, 94 infusion tests in total. The OPI method estimated Cout and PVI simultaneously. A real-time analysis of reliability was applied to investigate the possibility of infusion time reduction. Results The difference in Cout between the methods was 1.2 +/- 1.8l/s/kPa (Rout=-0.8 +/- 3.5mmHg/ml/min), P<0.05, n=47. With the reliability analysis, the preset 20min of active infusion could have been even further reduced for 19 patients to between 10 and 19min. PVI was estimated to 16.1 +/- 6.9ml, n=47. Conclusions The novel Oscillating Pressure Infusion method produced real-time estimates of Cout including estimates of reliability that was in good agreement with the reference method and allows for a reduced and individualized investigation time.
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| 5. |
- Andersson, Kennet, et al.
(author)
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Real-time estimation of cerebrospinal fluid system parameters via oscillating pressure infusion
- 2010
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In: Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing. - : Springer. - 0140-0118 .- 1741-0444. ; 48:11, s. 1123-1131
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Hydrocephalus is related to a disturbed cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) system. For diagnosis, lumbar infusion test are performed to estimate outflow conductance, C (out), and pressure volume index, PVI, of the CSF system. Infusion patterns and analysis methods used in current clinical practice are not optimized. Minimizing the investigation time with sufficient accuracy is of major clinical relevance. The aim of this study was to propose and experimentally evaluate a new method, the oscillating pressure infusion (OPI). The non-linear model of the CSF system was transformed into a linear time invariant system. Using an oscillating pressure pattern and linear system identification methods, C (out) and PVI with confidence intervals, were estimated in real-time. Forty-two OPI and constant pressure infusion (CPI) investigations were performed on an experimental CSF system, designed with PVI = 25.5 ml and variable C (out). The ARX model robustly estimated C (out) (mean C (out,OPI) - C (out,CPI) = 0.08 μl/(s kPa), n = 42, P = 0.68). The Box-Jenkins model proved most reliable for PVI (23.7 ± 2.0 ml, n = 42). The OPI method, with its oscillating pressure pattern and new parameter estimation methods, efficiently estimated C (out) and PVI as well as their confidence intervals in real-time. The results from this experimental study show potential for the OPI method and supports further evaluation in a clinical setting.
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| 6. |
- Banuazizi, Seyed Amir Hossein, et al.
(author)
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Control of thermal budget in nanocontact spin-torque nano-oscillators
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Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- We investigate the influence of the bottom Cu electrode thickness (tCu) in nanocontact spin-torque nano-oscillators (NC-STNOs) based on Si/SiO2/Pd(8)/Cu(tCu)/Co(8)/Cu(7)/NiFe(4.5)/Cu(3)/Pd(3) GMR stacks on the thermal budget of the magnetodynamically active region. Increasing tCu from 10 to 70 nm results in a ~50% reduction in Joule heating in both the Co and NiFe layers, which directly improves the microwave output stability and linewidth. Numerical simulations of the NC-STNO current distribution suggest that this improvement originates from a strongly reduced lateral current spread in the top ferromagnetic layer and a reduction in the device's resistance.
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| 7. |
- Banuazizi, Seyed Amir Hossein, et al.
(author)
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Order of magnitude improvement of nano-contact spin torque nano-oscillator performance
- 2017
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In: Nanoscale. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 2040-3364 .- 2040-3372. ; 9:5, s. 1896-1900
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Spin torque nano-oscillators (STNO) represent a unique class of nano-scale microwave signal generators and offer a combination of intriguing properties, such as nano sized footprint, ultrafast modulation rates, and highly tunable microwave frequencies from 100 MHz to close to 100 GHz. However, their low output power and relatively high threshold current still limit their applicability and must be improved. In this study, we investigate the influence of the bottom Cu electrode thickness (t(Cu)) in nano-contact STNOs based on Co/Cu/NiFe GMR stacks and with nano-contact diameters ranging from 60 to 500 nm. Increasing t(Cu) from 10 to 70 nm results in a 40% reduction of the threshold current, an order of magnitude higher microwave output power, and close to two orders of magnitude better power conversion efficiency. Numerical simulations of the current distribution suggest that these dramatic improvements originate from a strongly reduced lateral current spread in the magneto-dynamically active region.
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| 8. |
- Banuazizi, Seyed, et al.
(author)
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Order of magnitude improvement of nano-contact spin torque nano-oscillator performance
- 2017
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In: 2017 IEEE International Magnetics Conference, INTERMAG 2017. - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). - 9781538610862
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Spin torque nano-oscillators [1,2] (STNO) represent a unique class of nano-scale microwave signal generators where spin transfer torque [3-5] (STT) from a direct spin-polarized current drives and controls the auto-oscillation of the local free layer magnetization, which through its oscillating magnetoresistance transforms the direct current into a tunable microwave voltage.
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| 9. |
- Bonetti, Stefano, et al.
(author)
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Direct observation and imaging of a spin-wave soliton with p−like symmetry
- 2015
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In: Nature Communications. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2041-1723. ; 6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The prediction and realization of magnetic excitations driven by electrical currents via the spin transfer torque effect, enables novel magnetic nano-devices where spin-waves can be used to process and store information. The functional control of such devices relies on understanding the properties of non-linear spin-wave excitations. It has been demonstrated that spin waves can show both an itinerant character, but also appear as localized solitons. So far, it was assumed that localized solitons have essentially cylindrical, s−like symmetry. Using a newly developed high-sensitivity time-resolved magnetic x-ray microscopy, we instead observe the emergence of a novel localized soliton excitation with a nodal line, i.e. with p−like symmetry. Micromagnetic simulations identify the physical mechanism that controls the transition from s− to p−like solitons. Our results suggest a potential new pathway to design artificial atoms with tunable dynamical states using nanoscale magnetic devices.
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| 10. |
- Ekberg, Olle, et al.
(author)
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An In Vitro Model for Studying Neuromuscular Transmission in the Mouse Pharynx.
- 2009
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In: Dysphagia. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1432-0460 .- 0179-051X. ; 24, s. 32-39
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The muscles of the pharynx are controlled by networks of neurons under the control of specific regions in the brain stem, which have been fairly well studied. However, the transmission between these neurons and the pharyngeal muscles, at the motor end plates, is less well understood. Therefore, an in vitro model for the study of neuromuscular transmission in the pharyngeal muscle of the mouse was developed. Ring preparations from the inferior constrictor and the cricopharyngeus muscles were isolated and mounted for isometric force recording at physiologic temperature. Preparations from the diaphragm and the soleus muscles were examined in parallel. The muscles were stimulated at supramaximal voltage with short tetani at 100 Hz. Following direct stimulation of the muscle fibers, using a longer pulse duration, the rate of force development of the pharyngeal muscles was similar to that of the diaphragm and faster than that of the soleus muscle. By varying the duration of the stimulation pulses, conditions where the nerve-mediated activation contributed to a major extent of the contractile responses were identified. Gallamine completely inhibited the nerve-mediated responses. In separate experiments the dose dependence of gallamine inhibition was examined, showing similar sensitivity in the inferior pharyngeal constrictor compared to the diaphragm and soleus muscles. We conclude that reproducible contractile responses with an identifiable nerve-induced component can be obtained from the mouse inferior pharyngeal constrictor. The pharyngeal muscles have contractile characteristics similar to those of the faster diaphragm. The sensitivity to the neuromuscular blocking agent gallamine of the inferior pharyngeal constrictor was in the same concentration range as that of the diaphragm and soleus muscles.
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