A nonlinearities inverse distance weighting spatial interpolation approach applied to the surface electromyography signal

Spatial interpolation of a surface electromyography (sEMG) signal from a set of signals recorded from a multi-electrode array is a challenge in biomedical signal processing. Consequently, it could be useful to increase the electrodes' density in detecting the skeletal muscles' motor units under detection's vacancy. This paper used two types of spatial interpolation methods for estimation: Inverse distance weighted (IDW) and Kriging. Furthermore, a new technique is proposed using a modified nonlinearity formula based on IDW. A set of EMG signals recorded from the noninvasive multi-electrode grid from different types of subjects, sex, age, and type of muscles have been studied when muscles are under regular tension activity. A goodness of fit measure (R2) is used to evaluate the proposed technique. The interpolated signals are compared with the actual signals; the Goodness of fit measure's value is almost 99%, with a processing time of 100msec. The resulting technique is shown to be of high accuracy and matching of spatial interpolated signals to actual signals compared with IDW and Kriging techniques.

Magnetic Stimulation Allows Focal Activation of the Mouse Cochlea

Cochlear implants (CIs) strive to restore hearing to those with severe to profound hearing loss by artificially stimulating the auditory nerve. While most CI users can understand speech in a quiet environment, hearing that utilizes complex neural coding (e.g., appreciating music) has proved elusive, probably because of the inability of CIs to create narrow regions of spectral activation. Several novel approaches have recently shown promise for improving spatial selectivity, but substantial design differences from conventional CIs will necessitate much additional safety testing before clinical viability is established. Outside the cochlea, magnetic stimulation from small coils (micro-coils) has been shown to confine activation more narrowly than that from conventional micro-electrodes, raising the possibility that coil-based stimulation of the cochlea could improve the spectral resolution of CIs. To explore this, we delivered magnetic stimulation from micro-coils to multiple locations of the cochlea and measured the spread of activation utilizing a multi-electrode array inserted into the inferior colliculus; responses to magnetic stimulation were compared to analogous experiments with conventional micro-electrodes as well as to the responses to auditory monotones. Encouragingly, the extent of activation with micro-coils was ~60% narrower than that from electric stimulation and largely similar to the spread arising from acoustic stimulation. The dynamic range of coils was more than three times larger than that of electrodes, further supporting a smaller spread of activation. While much additional testing is required, these results support the notion that coil-based CIs can produce a larger number of independent spectral channels and may therefore improve functional performance. Further, because coil-based devices are structurally similar to existing CIs, fewer impediments to clinical translational are likely to arise.

A novel scalable electrode array and system for non-invasively assessing gastric function using flexible electronics

Disorders of gastric function are highly prevalent, but diagnosis often remains symptom-based and inconclusive. Body surface gastric mapping is an emerging diagnostic solution, but current approaches lack scalability and are cumbersome and clinically impractical. We present a novel scalable system for non-invasively mapping gastric electrophysiology in high-resolution (HR) at the body-surface. The system comprises a custom-designed flexible HR sensor array and portable data-logger synchronized to an App, with automated analysis and visualization algorithms. The novel system underwent performance testing then validation in 24 healthy subjects. In all subjects, gastric electrophysiology and meal responses were successfully captured and mapped non-invasively (mean frequency 2.9 ± 0.3 cycles per minute; peak amplitude at mean 60 m postprandially with return to baseline in <4 h). Spatiotemporal mapping showed regular and consistent wave activity of mean direction 182.7°±73 (74.7% antegrade, 7.8% retrograde, 17.5% indeterminate). The presented system is a new diagnostic tool for assessing gastric function that is scalable, validated, and ready for clinical applications, offering several biomarkers that are new to gastroenterology practice.

In Situ Investigation of Under-Deposit Microbial Corrosion and its Inhibition Using a Multi-Electrode Array System

Carbon steel pipelines used in the oil and gas industry can be susceptible to the combined presence of deposits and microorganisms, which can result in a complex phenomenon, recently termed under-deposit microbial corrosion (UDMC). UDMC and its inhibition in CO2 ambiance were investigated in real-time using a multi-electrode array (MEA) system and surface profilometry analysis. Maps from corrosion rates, galvanic currents, and corrosion potentials recorded at each microelectrode allowed the visualization of local corrosion events on the steel surface. A marine bacterium Enterobacter roggenkampii, an iron-oxidizing, nitrate-reducing microorganism, generated iron deposits on the surface that resulted in pitting corrosion under anaerobic conditions. Areas under deposits displayed anodic behavior, more negative potentials, higher corrosion rates, and pitting compared to areas outside deposits. In the presence of the organic film-forming corrosion inhibitor, 2-Mercaptopyrimidine, the marine bacterium induced local breakdown of the protective inhibitor film and subsequent pitting corrosion of carbon steel. The ability of the MEA system to locally measure self-corrosion processes, galvanic effects and, corrosion potentials across the surface demonstrated its suitability to detect, evaluate and monitor the UDMC process as well as the efficiency of corrosion inhibitors to prevent this corrosion phenomenon. This research highlights the importance of incorporating the microbial component to corrosion inhibitors evaluation to ensure chemical effectiveness in the likely scenario of deposit formation and microbial contamination in oil and gas production equipment.

Low-cost and easy-fabrication lightweight drivable electrode array for multiple-regions electrophysiological recording in free-moving mice

Objective. Extracellular electrophysiology has been widely applied to neural circuit dissections. However, long-term multiregional recording in free-moving mice remains a challenge. Low-cost and easy-fabrication of elaborate drivable electrodes is required for their prevalence. Approach. A three-layer nested construct (OD ~1.80 mm, length ~10 mm, <0.1g) was recruited as a drivable component, which consisted of an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) heat-shrinkable tube, non-closed loop ceramic bushing, and stainless ferrule with a bulge twining silver wire. The supporting and working components were equipped with drivable components to be assembled into a drivable microwire electrode array with a nested structure (drivable MEANS). Two drivable microwire electrode arrays were independently implanted for chronic recording in different brain areas at respective angles. An optic fiber was easily loaded into the drivable MEANS to achieve optogenetic modulation and electrophysiological recording simultaneously. Main results. The drivable MEANS had lightweight (~ 0.37 g), small (~ 15 mm ×15 mm × 4 mm), and low cost (≤ $64.62). Two drivable MEANS were simultaneously implanted in mice, and high-quality electrophysiological recordings could be applied ≥ 5 months after implantation in freely behaving animals. Electrophysiological recordings and analysis of the lateral septum (LS) and lateral hypothalamus (LH) in food-seeking behavior demonstrated that our drivable MEANS can be used to dissect the function of neural circuits. An optical fiber-integrated drivable MEANS (~ 0.47 g) was used to stimulate and record LS neurons, which suggested that changes in working components can achieve more functions than electrophysiological recordings, such as optical stimulation, drug release, and calcium imaging. Significance. Drivable MEANS is an easily fabricated, lightweight drivable microwire electrode array for multiple-region electrophysiological recording in free-moving mice. Our design is likely to be a valuable platform for both current and prospective users, as well as for developers of multifunctional electrodes for free-moving mice.

Spike sorting: new trends and challenges of the era of high-density probes

Recording from a large neuronal population of neurons is a crucial challenge to unravel how information is processed by the brain. In this review, we highlight the recent advances made in the field of “spike sorting”, which is arguably a very essential processing step to extract neuronal activity from extracellular recordings. We more specifically target the challenges faced by newly manufactured high-density multi-electrode array devices (HD-MEA), e.g. Neuropixels probes. Among them, we cover in depth the prominent problem of drifts (movements of the neurons with respect to the recording devices) and the current solutions to circumscribe it. In addition, we also review recent contributions making use of deep learning approaches for spike sorting, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages. Next, we highlight efforts and advances in unifying, validating, and benchmarking spike sorting tools. Finally, we discuss the spike sorting field in terms of its open and unsolved challenges, specifically regarding scalability and reproducibility. We conclude by providing our personal view on the future of spike sorting, calling for a community-based development and validation of spike sorting algorithms and fully automated, cloud-based spike sorting solutions for the neuroscience community.

3D Impedimetric Biosensor for Cyanobacteria Detection in Natural Water Sources

The excessive growth of cyanobacteria in freshwater sources produces the development of toxic blooms mainly due to the production of cyanotoxins. Here, a novel impedimetric biosensor based on a three-dimensional interdigitated electrode array (3D-IDEA) for detection of cyanobacteria cells is reported. The 3D-IDEA sensor surface biofunctionalization was performed by means of the layer-by-layer method using polyethyleneimine (PEI) as the anchoring layer and concanavalin A (Con A) as the bioreceptor to lipopolysaccharides of cyanobacteria cells. The developed PEI-Con A 3D-IDEA sensors show a linear response (R2 = 0.992) of the impedance changes (RS) versus the logarithm of cyanobacteria concentrations in the range of 102–105 cells·mL−1 with the detection limit of 100 cells·mL−1. Moreover, to prevent the interference from components that may be present in real water samples and minimize a possible sample matrix effect, a filtration methodology to recover cyanobacterial cells was developed. The proposed methodology allows 91.2% bacteria recovery, permitting to obtain results similar to controlled assays. The developed system can be used in aquatic environments to detect cyanobacteria and consequently to prevent the formation of blooms and the production of cyanotoxins. Con A can bind to most polysaccharides and so react with other types of bacteria. However, currently, on the market, it is not possible to find specific biorecognition elements for cyanobacteria. Taking into consideration the specificity of samples to be analyzed (natural water resources), it is difficult to expect high concentration of other bacteria. In this sense, the developed methodology may be used as an alarm system to select samples for more thorough and precise laboratory analysis.

Hydrogeophysical Implication of Geoelectric Sounding at Igarra Comprehensive High School, Akoko Edo Local Government, Nigeria

Electrical resistivity method was used to carry out hydrogeophysical study in order to evaluate the groundwater potential of Igarra Comprehensive High School, Akoko Edo Local Government, Nigeria. The vertical electrical sounding technique (VES) was adopted for the resistivity method. A total of eighteen electrical soundings were conducted across the area using the Schlumberger electrode array with AB/2 varying from 1 to 65 m. After the data acquisition, interpretation was carried out qualitatively and quantitatively and the results were presented as sounding curves, tables, charts, maps and geoelectric sections. The generated geoelectric layers from the sounding curves revealed four geologic layers: the topsoil, the weathered layer, the partially weathered/fractured basement and the fresh basement with their resistivity values ranging from 129.1 to 956.4 -m, 6.8 to 1491.1 -m, 261.3 to 776.6 -m and 1515.6 to 2653.5 -m respectively. The overburden thickness in the study area varies from 5.5 to 23.5 m. The groundwater potential map enabled in the classification of the study area into: low, medium and high groundwater potential area. About 85% of the study area falls within the low groundwater potential rating while about 10% constitutes the medium groundwater potential rating and the remaining 5% constitutes high groundwater potential rating. Keywords: Groundwater, overburden, electrical resistivity, basement, geoelectric sounding.