scholarly journals A method for image-guided positioning of cochlear specimens in insertion test benches using 3D printed stands

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-108
Author(s):  
Thomas S. Rau ◽  
Jakob Cramer ◽  
M. Geraldine Zuniga ◽  
Georg Böttcher ◽  
Thomas Lenarz

Abstract Cochlear implants include an electrode array (EA) which needs to be inserted into the cochlea. Insertion tests using artificial cochlear models (ACM) or ex vivo specimens are widely used methods during EA development to characterize EA design properties, including insertion forces. Measured forces are directly linked to the orientation of the cochlear lumen with respect to the insertion axis of the test bench. While desired insertion directions in ACM experiments can be predefined by design, specimens are individually shaped and the cochlear lumen is embedded invisibly. Therefore, a new method for accurate, individual specimen positioning is required. A key element of the proposed method is a customizable pose setting adapter (PSA) used to adjust the specimen’s fine positioning. After rigid fixation of the specimen to a holder featuring spherical registration markers and subsequent cone beam computed tomography the desired insertion direction is planned. The planned data is used to calculate the individual shape of the PSA. Finally, the PSA is 3D printed and mounted between force sensor and specimen holder to correctly align the specimen to the test bench’s insertion axis. All necessary hard- and software have been developed including the specimen holder, a software for registration and trajectory planning, and a custom Matlab script whose output drives a parametric CAD file of the PSA. Positioning accuracy was determined in a first trial using 10 virtual trajectories and was found to be 0.23 ± 0.12 mm and 0.38 ± 0.17°. The presented stereotactic positioning procedure enables high repeatability in future ex vivo insertion experiments due to accurate, image-guided control of the insertion direction.

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha F. Douman ◽  
Miren Ruiz De Eguilaz ◽  
Loanda R. Cumba ◽  
Stephen Beirne ◽  
Gordon G. Wallace ◽  
...  

The fabrication and electrochemical properties of a 3D printed titanium electrode array are described. The array comprises 25 round cylinders (0.015 cm radius, 0.3 cm high) that are evenly separated on a 0.48 × 0.48 cm square porous base (total geometric area of 1.32 cm2). The electrochemically active surface area consists of fused titanium particles and exhibits a large roughness factor ≈17. In acidic, oxygenated solution, the available potential window is from ~-0.3 to +1.2 V. The voltammetric response of ferrocyanide is quasi-reversible arising from slow heterogeneous electron transfer due to the presence of a native/oxidatively formed oxide. Unlike other metal electrodes, both [Ru(bpy)3]1+ and [Ru(bpy)3]3+ can be created in aqueous solutions which enables electrochemiluminescence to be generated by an annihilation mechanism. Depositing a thin gold layer significantly increases the standard heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant, ko, by a factor of ~80 to a value of 8.0 ± 0.4 × 10−3 cm s−1 and the voltammetry of ferrocyanide becomes reversible. The titanium and gold coated arrays generate electrochemiluminescence using tri-propyl amine as a co-reactant. However, the intensity of the gold-coated array is between 30 (high scan rate) and 100-fold (slow scan rates) higher at the gold coated arrays. Moreover, while the voltammetry of the luminophore is dominated by semi-infinite linear diffusion, the ECL response is significantly influenced by radial diffusion to the individual microcylinders of the array.


1994 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 579-583
Author(s):  
Ian R. Whittle ◽  
Michael O'sullivan ◽  
Robin Sellar ◽  
James Ironside

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allyson E. Shea ◽  
Jolie A. Stocki ◽  
Stephanie D. Himpsl ◽  
Sara N. Smith ◽  
Harry L. T. Mobley

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) causes the majority of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI), which affect nearly half of women worldwide. Many UPEC strains encode an annotated intimin-like adhesin ( ila ) locus in their genome related to a well-characterized virulence factor in diarrheagenic E. coli pathotypes. Its role in UPEC uropathogenesis, however, remains unknown. In prototype UPEC strain CFT073, there is an ila locus that encodes three predicted intimin-like genes sinH , sinI , and ratA . We used in silico approaches to determine the phylogeny and genomic distribution of this locus among uropathogens. We found that the currently annotated intimin-encoding proteins in CFT073 are more closely related to invasin proteins found in Salmonella . Deletion of the individual sinH , sinI , and ratA genes did not result in measurable effects on growth, biofilm formation, or motility in vitro . On average, sinH was more highly expressed in clinical strains during active human UTI than in human urine ex vivo . Unexpectedly, we found that strains lacking this ila locus had increased adherence to bladder cells in vitro , coupled with a decrease in bladder cell invasion and death. The sinH mutant displayed a significant fitness defect in the murine model of ascending UTI including reduced inflammation in the bladder. These data confirmed an inhibitory role in bladder cell adherence to facilitate invasion and inflammation; therefore, the ila locus should be termed invasin-like, rather than intimin-like. Collectively, our data suggest that loss of this locus mediates measurable interactions with bladder cells in vitro and contributes to fitness during UTI.


Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew H Park ◽  
Annabel Imbrie-moore ◽  
Yuanjia Zhu ◽  
Hanjay Wang ◽  
Michael J Paulsen ◽  
...  

Introduction: Advances in ex vivo heart simulation have enabled the study of valvular biomechanics, disease pathologies, and repair strategies. However, these simulators test the valves in isolation, which does not fully replicate in vivo physiology. We hypothesize that by engineering a simulator that preserves the aortomitral junction, we can better recreate pathophysiologies such as systolic anterior motion (SAM). Here, we present a new heart simulator that preserves and manipulates the native aortomitral physiology. Methods: Our simulator is comprised of three subsystems: the ventricular chamber, atrial chamber, and aortic chamber (Fig A, B). The heart is excised at the apex to preserve the papillary muscles, and the left ventricle, atrial cuff, and aorta are fixed to their respective chambers via hemostatic suturing to 3D-printed elastomeric rings. The chambers are equipped with pressure and flow sensors, and a linear piston pump generates physiologic pressures and flows. The atrial and aortic chambers are mounted on 5-degree-of-freedom arms. To demonstrate system function, we manipulated the aortomitral angle and measured aortic cardiac output. Results: In our testing, we evaluated two unique configurations of an explanted porcine heart, of which the aortomitral angles spanned the SAM predictive risk threshold of <120° (Fig C, D). From the flow readings, we measured a 36% reduction in aortic cardiac output upon decreasing the aortomitral angle by 25°. Conclusions: This work highlights the design and development of an ex vivo heart simulator capable of modeling native aortomitral physiology. Our results point to a clear direction for future experimentation, particularly evaluating the biomechanical changes of the heart based on the aortomitral angle. Future work will utilize this platform to create new models and repair techniques to ultimately improve clinical care of valvular pathologies.


2018 ◽  
Vol 160 (2) ◽  
pp. 320-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher R. Razavi ◽  
Paul R. Wilkening ◽  
Rui Yin ◽  
Nicolas Lamaison ◽  
Russell H. Taylor ◽  
...  

Objectives To describe a 3D-printed middle ear model that quantifies the force applied to the modeled incus. To compare the forces applied during placement and crimping of a stapes prosthesis between the Robotic ENT Microsurgery System ( REMS) and the freehand technique in this model. Study Design Prospective feasibility study. Setting Robotics laboratory. Subjects and Methods A middle ear model was designed and 3D printed to facilitate placement and crimping of a piston prosthesis. The modeled incus was mounted to a 6–degree of freedom force sensor to measure forces/torques applied on the incus. Six participants—1 fellowship-trained neurotologist, 2 neurotology fellows, and 3 otolaryngology–head and neck surgery residents—placed and crimped a piston prosthesis in this model, 3 times freehand and 3 times REMS assisted. Maximum force applied to the incus was then calculated for prosthesis placement and crimping from force/torque sensor readings for each trial. Robotic and freehand outcomes were compared with a linear regression model. Results Mean maximum magnitude of force during prosthesis placement was 126.4 ± 73.6 mN and 105.0 ± 69.4 mN for the freehand and robotic techniques, respectively ( P = .404). For prosthesis crimping, the mean maximum magnitude of force was 469.3 ± 225.2 mN for the freehand technique and 272.7 ± 97.4 mN for the robotic technique ( P = .049). Conclusions Preliminary data demonstrate that REMS-assisted stapes prosthesis placement and crimping are feasible with a significant reduction in maximum force applied to the incus during crimping with the REMS in comparison with freehand.


2002 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 105-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jarbas J. R. Rohwedder ◽  
Celio Pasquini ◽  
Ivo M. Raimundo, Jr. ◽  
M. Conceiçao ◽  
B. S. M. Montenegro ◽  
...  

A versatile potentiometer that works with electrode arrays in flow injection and/or monosegmented flow systems is described. The potentiometer is controlled by a microcomputer that allows individual, sequential multiplexed or random accesses to eight electrodes while employing only one reference electrode. The instrument was demonstrated by monitoring an array of seven flow-through ion-selective electrodes for Ag+and for three electrodes for Cl-, Ca2+and K+. The figures of merit of the individual and multiplexed (summed) readings of the electrode array were compared. The absolute standard deviation of the measurements made by summing the potential of two or more electrodes was maintained constant, thus improving the precision of the measurements. This result shows that an attempt to combine the signals of the electrodes to produce a more intense signal in the Hadamard strategy is feasible and accompanied by a proportional improvement in the precision of individual measurements. The preliminary tests suggest that the system can allow for 270 determinations per hour, with a linear range from1.0×10−2to1.0×10−4mol l-1for the three di¡erent analytes. Detection limits were estimated as3.1×10−5,3.0×10−6and1.0×10−5mol l-1for Cl-, Ca2+and K+, respectively.


2007 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 206-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pietro Valdastri ◽  
Keith Houston ◽  
Arianna Menciassi ◽  
Paolo Dario ◽  
Arne Sieber ◽  
...  

This paper reports a miniaturized triaxial force sensorized cutting tool for minimally invasive robotic surgery. This device exploits a silicon-based microelectromechanical system triaxial force sensor that acts as the core component of the system. The outer diameter of the proposed device is less than 3mm, thus enabling the insertion through a 9 French catheter guide. Characterization tests are performed for both normal and tangential loadings. A linear transformation relating the sensor output to the external applied force is introduced in order to have a triaxial force output in real time. Normal force resolution is 8.2bits over a force range between 0N and 30N, while tangential resolution is 7 bits over a range of 5N. Force signals with frequencies up to 250Hz can successfully be detected, enabling haptic feedback and tissue mechanical properties investigation. Preliminary ex vivo muscular tissue cutting experiments are introduced and discussed in order to evaluate the device overall performances.


1962 ◽  
Vol S7-IV (6) ◽  
pp. 816-825
Author(s):  
Henri Rouvier

Abstract The mineralization of Diois and Baronnies (France) is examined on the individual specimen, bed, and regional levels. The mineral composition consists essentially of zinc blende, galena and pyrite with some marcasite in a calcitic gangue. Study of galena and calcite samples indicates a low temperature of deposition. Three phases of mineral concentration are hypothesized; precipitation of water-dissolved metallic ions by hydrosulfuric acid; upper Eocene deposition of lead and zinc concentrations along faults by ground water; and upper Miocene to Recent superficial alteration of the beds.


Materials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 3588
Author(s):  
Yoshiki Ishida ◽  
Yukinori Kuwajima ◽  
Cliff Lee ◽  
Kaho Ogawa ◽  
John D. Da Silva ◽  
...  

The goal of our study is to launch magnetic force-driven orthodontics. This continuous study investigated the influence of magnet position on tipping and bodily tooth movement, using 3D printing technology and digital analysis. Orthodontic typodont models (TMs) for space-closure were 3D printed to mimic maxillary central incisors. Nd-Fe-B magnets were placed in the middle third (Model-M), and the cervical third (Model-C), of the tooth. TMs, before and after movement, were digitally scanned and superimposed. The 3D digital coordinates (X, Y, and Z axes), and rotations (yaw, pitch, and roll) of the tooth crown and root, were calculated and compared between the two magnet position settings. Model-M showed higher rates of movement, but more rotation than Model-C (p < 0.01). The root apex of Model-M moved in the opposite direction of the crown (R = −0.29), indicating tipping movement. In contrast, the crown and root apex moved in the same direction (R = 0.56) in Model-C, indicating bodily movement. These patterns were confirmed in a typodont model of a moderate crowding case. The results validated that modifying the magnet position increased the amount of bodily tooth movement, and decreased rotation/tipping in an ex vivo setting.


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