Search results for " Biomedical"
showing 10 items of 480 documents
A Human-Humanoid Interaction Through the Use of BCI for Locked-In ALS Patients Using Neuro-Biological Feedback Fusion.
2018
This paper illustrates a new architecture for a human–humanoid interaction based on EEG-brain computer interface (EEG-BCI) for patients affected by locked-in syndrome caused by Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The proposed architecture is able to recognise users’ mental state accordingly to the biofeedback factor $\text {B}_{\text f}$ , based on users’ attention, intention, and focus, that is used to elicit a robot to perform customised behaviours. Experiments have been conducted with a population of eight subjects: four ALS patients in a near locked-in status with normal ocular movement and four healthy control subjects enrolled for age, education, and computer expertise. The results s…
Composing only by thought: Novel application of the P300 brain-computer interface.
2017
The P300 event-related potential is a well-known pattern in the electroencephalogram (EEG). This kind of brain signal is used for many different brain-computer interface (BCI) applications, e.g., spellers, environmental controllers, web browsers, or for painting. In recent times, BCI systems are mature enough to leave the laboratories to be used by the end-users, namely severely disabled people. Therefore, new challenges arise and the systems should be implemented and evaluated according to user-centered design (USD) guidelines. We developed and implemented a new system that utilizes the P300 pattern to compose music. Our Brain Composing system consists of three parts: the EEG acquisition d…
A cell-free approach with a supporting biomaterial in the form of dispersed microspheres induces hyaline cartilage formation in a rabbit knee model
2020
The objective of this study was to test a regenerative medicine strategy for the regeneration of articular cartilage. This approach combines microfracture of the subchondral bone with the implant at the site of the cartilage defect of a supporting biomaterial in the form of microspheres aimed at creating an adequate biomechanical environment for the differentiation of the mesenchymal stem cells that migrate from the bone marrow. The possible inflammatory response to these biomaterials was previously studied by means of the culture of RAW264.7 macrophages. The microspheres were implanted in a 3 mm-diameter defect in the trochlea of the femoral condyle of New Zealand rabbits, covering them wi…
Simulation study of transcatheter heart valve implantation in patients with stenotic bicuspid aortic valve
2019
Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) anatomy has routinely been considered an exclusion in the setting of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) because of the large dimension of the aortic annulus having a more calcified, bulky, and irregular shape. The study aims to develop a patient-specific computational framework to virtually simulate TAVI in stenotic BAV patients using the Edwards SAPIEN 3 valve (S3) and its improved version SAPIEN 3 Ultra and quantify stent frame deformity as well as the severity of paravalvular leakage (PVL). Specifically, the aortic root anatomy of n.9 BAV patients who underwent TAVI was reconstructed from pre-operative CT imaging. Crimping and deployment of S3 fram…
Basic cardiovascular variability signals: mutual directed interactions explored in the information domain.
2017
The study of short-term cardiovascular interactions is classically performed through the bivariate analysis of the interactions between the beat-to-beat variability of heart period (RR interval from the ECG) and systolic blood pressure (SBP). Recent progress in the development of multivariate time series analysis methods is making it possible to explore how directed interactions between two signals change in the context of networks including other coupled signals. Exploiting these advances, the present study aims at assessing directional cardiovascular interactions among the basic variability signals of RR, SBP and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), using an approach which allows direct compar…
Collagen membranes of dermal and pericardial origin-In vivo evolvement of vascularization over time.
2020
Aim of the study was to compare the evolvement of vascularization over time of collagen membranes (CMs) of dermal and pericardial origin in an in vivo animal study. Twenty-eight mice underwent implantation of three commercially available CM derived from porcine dermis (homogenous structure: CM1 (Control 1) and bilayer structure: CM2 [Control 2]), from porcine pericardium (CM3; Test 1) as well as CM3 sprayed with silica-enhanced nanostructured hydroxyapatite (CM4, Test 2). After 3, 6, 9, and 12 days, intravital fluorescence microscopy was conducted for determination of capillary diameter, density, flow, and length. At Day 12, samples were examined immunohistologically for expression of fibro…
Particle image velocimetry study of the celiac trunk hemodynamic induced by continuous-flow left ventricular assist device
2017
Abstract Whereas left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is the gold-standard therapy for patients with heart failure, gastrointestinal bleeding is one of the most common complications. LVAD implantation may remarkably impact aortic hemodynamics so that experimental and computational flow analyses can be used to study the disease mechanisms. Here we present an experimentally-calibrated computational model of the celiac trunk hemodynamic of a LVAD-supported patient who experienced bleeding after device implantation. Specifically, both particle image velocimetry (PIV) and echocardiography were used to measure and compare flow distributions in each branch of a phantom model of the patient abdomi…
Computational fluid dynamics in the assessment of patients' postoperative status after glottis-widening surgery
2017
Background. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD), a rapidly developing instrument with a number of practical applications, allows calculation and visualization of the changing parameters of airflow in the upper respiratory tract. Objectives. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the advantages of CFD as an instrument for noninvasive tests of the larynx in patients who had undergone surgical treatment due to bilateral vocal fold paralysis. Material and Methods. Surface measurements of the glottic space were made during maximum adduction of the vocal folds. Additionally, the following spirometric parameters were determined: forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first s…
A translational paradigm to dtudy the rffects of uncontrollable stress in humans
2020
Theories on the aetiology of depression in humans are intimately linked to animal research on stressor controllability effects. However, explicit translations of established animal designs are lacking. In two consecutive studies, we developed a translational paradigm to study stressor controllability effects in humans. In the first study, we compared three groups of participants, one exposed to escapable stress, one yoked inescapable stress group, and a control group not exposed to stress. Although group differences indicated successful stress induction, the manipulation failed to differentiate groups according to controllability. In the second study, we employed an improved paradigm and co…
Shear stress alterations in the celiac trunk of patients with a continuous-flow left ventricular assist device as shown by in-silico and in-vitro flo…
2017
Background The use of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) to treat advanced cardiac heart failure is constantly increasing, although this device leads to high risk for gastrointestinal bleeding. Methods Using in-silico flow analysis, we quantified hemodynamic alterations due to continuous-flow LVAD (HeartWare, Inc., Framingham, MA) in the celiac trunk and major branches of the abdominal aorta, and then explored the relationship between wall shear stress (WSS) and celiac trunk orientation. To assess outflow from the aortic branch, a 3-dimensional-printed patient-specific model of the celiac trunk reconstructed from an LVAD-supported patient was used to estimate echocardiographic outflow …