scholarly journals Shape Morphable Hydrogel/Elastomer Bilayer for Implanted Retinal Electronics

Micromachines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muru Zhou ◽  
Do Hyun Kang ◽  
Jinsang Kim ◽  
James D. Weiland

Direct fabrication of a three-dimensional (3D) structure using soft materials has been challenging. The hybrid bilayer is a promising approach to address this challenge because of its programable shape-transformation ability when responding to various stimuli. The goals of this study are to experimentally and theoretically establish a rational design principle of a hydrogel/elastomer bilayer system and further optimize the programed 3D structures that can serve as substrates for multi-electrode arrays. The hydrogel/elastomer bilayer consists of a hygroscopic polyacrylamide (PAAm) layer cofacially laminated with a water-insensitive polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer. The asymmetric volume change in the PAAm hydrogel can bend the bilayer into a curvature. We manipulate the initial monomer concentrations of the pre-gel solutions of PAAm to experimentally and theoretically investigate the effect of intrinsic mechanical properties of the hydrogel on the resulting curvature. By using the obtained results as a design guideline, we demonstrated stimuli-responsive transformation of a PAAm/PDMS flower-shaped bilayer from a flat bilayer film to a curved 3D structure that can serve as a substrate for a wide-field retinal electrode array.

2009 ◽  
Vol 101 (3) ◽  
pp. 1671-1678 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiangang Du ◽  
Ingmar H. Riedel-Kruse ◽  
Janna C. Nawroth ◽  
Michael L. Roukes ◽  
Gilles Laurent ◽  
...  

Microelectrode array recordings of neuronal activity present significant opportunities for studying the brain with single-cell and spike-time precision. However, challenges in device manufacturing constrain dense multisite recordings to two spatial dimensions, whereas access to the three-dimensional (3D) structure of many brain regions appears to remain a challenge. To overcome this limitation, we present two novel recording modalities of silicon-based devices aimed at establishing 3D functionality. First, we fabricated a dual-side electrode array by patterning recording sites on both the front and back of an implantable microstructure. We found that the majority of single-unit spikes could not be simultaneously detected from both sides, suggesting that in addition to providing higher spatial resolution measurements than that of single-side devices, dual-side arrays also lead to increased recording yield. Second, we obtained recordings along three principal directions with a multilayer array and demonstrated 3D spike source localization within the enclosed measurement space. The large-scale integration of such dual-side and multilayer arrays is expected to provide massively parallel recording capabilities in the brain.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 4144
Author(s):  
Ohad Cohen ◽  
Jean-Yves Sichel ◽  
Chanan Shaul ◽  
Itay Chen ◽  
J. Thomas Roland ◽  
...  

Although malpositioning of the cochlear implant (CI) electrode array is rare in patients with normal anatomy, when occurring it may result in reduced hearing outcome. In addition to intraoperative electrophysiologic tests, imaging is an important modality to assess correct electrode array placement. The purpose of this report was to assess the incidence and describe cases in which intraoperative plain radiographs detected a malpositioned array. Intraoperative anti-Stenver’s view plain X-rays are conducted routinely in all CI surgeries in our tertiary center before awakening the patient and breaking the sterile field. Data of patients undergoing 399 CI surgeries were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 355 had normal inner ear and temporal bone anatomy. Patients with intra or extracochlear malpositioned electrode arrays demonstrated in the intraoperative X-ray were described. There were four cases of electrode array malposition out of 355 implantations with normal anatomy (1.1%): two tip fold-overs, one extracochlear placement and one partial insertion. All electrodes were reinserted immediately; repeated radiographs were normal and the patients achieved good hearing function. Intraoperative plain anti-Stenver’s view X-rays are valuable to confirm electrode array location, allowing correction before the conclusion of surgery. These radiographs are cheaper, faster, and emit much less radiation than other imaging options, making them a viable cost-effective tool in patients with normal anatomy.


2007 ◽  
Vol 97 (5) ◽  
pp. 3781-3789 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Nauhaus ◽  
Dario L. Ringach

Recent theoretical models of primary visual cortex predict a relationship between receptive field properties and the location of the neuron within the orientation maps. Testing these predictions requires the development of new methods that allow the recording of single units at various locations across the orientation map. Here we present a novel technique for the precise alignment of functional maps and array recordings. Our strategy consists of first measuring the orientation maps in V1 using intrinsic optical imaging. A micromachined electrode array is subsequently implanted in the same patch of cortex for electrophysiological recordings, including the measurement of orientation tuning curves. The location of the array within the map is obtained by finding the position that maximizes the agreement between the preferred orientations measured electrically and optically. Experimental results of the alignment procedure from two implementations in monkey V1 are presented. The estimated accuracy of the procedure is evaluated using computer simulations. The methodology should prove useful in studying how signals from the local neighborhood of a neuron, thought to provide a dominant feedback signal, shape the receptive field properties in V1.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhu Yihan ◽  
Dongfeng Wang ◽  
Xuehua Yan ◽  
Yanli Li ◽  
Wending Zhou ◽  
...  

Abstract A rational strategy was developed to prepare a nanocomposite with 0D/3D architecture. The composite containing Mn3O4 nanoparticles (0D) and carbon foam (3D) could be applied as an electrode material for supercapacitor by taking advantage of high conductivity of carbon foam (CF) and high pseudocapacitance of Mn3O4 nanoparticles. CF was prepared by a carbonization method using melamine foam, and then Mn3O4 nanoparticles were combined with carbon foam by a one-step hydrothermal method to prepare Mn3O4@CF nanocomposite. The 0D@3D hierarchical structure of Mn3O4@CF nanocomposite using CF as a 3D growing skeleton prevents agglomeration and increases reactive sites of Mn3O4 nanoparticles. In addition, CF as a conductive skeleton shortens the charge transfer path. The synergistic effect between CF and Mn3O4 improves the electrochemical performance of CF. Three Mn3O4@CF composites were prepared by adjusting the mass of the reactants in the processes of hydrothermal reaction. The Mn3O4 nanoparticles are uniformly grown on the CF surface with a diameter of 18 nm. Mn3O4@CF-2 composite has a specific capacitance of 212.8 F/g at a current density of 1 A/g, which is much higher than that of pristine CF (79.1 F/g) and Mn3O4 (112.7 F/g). The cyclic stability of Mn3O4@CF-2 is retained as 86.1% of initial capacitance after 2000 cycles at the current density of 1 A/g. It proves the feasibility of the as-mentioned strategy and broadens the application of carbon foam in supercapacitor.


IUCrJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroyuki Iwamoto

X-ray fiber diffraction is potentially a powerful technique to study the structure of fibrous materials, such as DNA and synthetic polymers. However, only rotationally averaged diffraction patterns can be recorded and it is difficult to correctly interpret them without the knowledge of esoteric diffraction theories. Here we demonstrate that, in principle, the non-rotationally averaged 3D structure of a fibrous material can be restored from its fiber diffraction pattern. The method is a simple puzzle-solving process and in ideal cases it does not require any prior knowledge about the structure, such as helical symmetry. We believe that the proposed method has a potential to transform the fiber diffraction to a 3D imaging technique, and will be useful for a wide field of life and materials sciences.


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.


2019 ◽  
Vol 487 (2) ◽  
pp. 2522-2537 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Marton ◽  
P Ábrahám ◽  
E Szegedi-Elek ◽  
J Varga ◽  
M Kun ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The second Gaia Data Release (DR2) contains astrometric and photometric data for more than 1.6 billion objects with mean Gaia G magnitude <20.7, including many Young Stellar Objects (YSOs) in different evolutionary stages. In order to explore the YSO population of the Milky Way, we combined the Gaia DR2 data base with Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and Planck measurements and made an all-sky probabilistic catalogue of YSOs using machine learning techniques, such as Support Vector Machines, Random Forests, or Neural Networks. Our input catalogue contains 103 million objects from the DR2xAllWISE cross-match table. We classified each object into four main classes: YSOs, extragalactic objects, main-sequence stars, and evolved stars. At a 90 per cent probability threshold, we identified 1 129 295 YSO candidates. To demonstrate the quality and potential of our YSO catalogue, here we present two applications of it. (1) We explore the 3D structure of the Orion A star-forming complex and show that the spatial distribution of the YSOs classified by our procedure is in agreement with recent results from the literature. (2) We use our catalogue to classify published Gaia Science Alerts. As Gaia measures the sources at multiple epochs, it can efficiently discover transient events, including sudden brightness changes of YSOs caused by dynamic processes of their circumstellar disc. However, in many cases the physical nature of the published alert sources are not known. A cross-check with our new catalogue shows that about 30 per cent more of the published Gaia alerts can most likely be attributed to YSO activity. The catalogue can be also useful to identify YSOs among future Gaia alerts.


2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (37) ◽  
pp. 22849-22857 ◽  
Author(s):  
Basil J. Greber ◽  
Juan M. Perez-Bertoldi ◽  
Kif Lim ◽  
Anthony T. Iavarone ◽  
Daniel B. Toso ◽  
...  

The human CDK-activating kinase (CAK), a complex composed of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 7, cyclin H, and MAT1, is a critical regulator of transcription initiation and the cell cycle. It acts by phosphorylating the C-terminal heptapeptide repeat domain of the RNA polymerase II (Pol II) subunit RPB1, which is an important regulatory event in transcription initiation by Pol II, and it phosphorylates the regulatory T-loop of CDKs that control cell cycle progression. Here, we have determined the three-dimensional (3D) structure of the catalytic module of human CAK, revealing the structural basis of its assembly and providing insight into CDK7 activation in this context. The unique third component of the complex, MAT1, substantially extends the interaction interface between CDK7 and cyclin H, explaining its role as a CAK assembly factor, and it forms interactions with the CDK7 T-loop, which may contribute to enhancing CAK activity. We have also determined the structure of the CAK in complex with the covalently bound inhibitor THZ1 in order to provide insight into the binding of inhibitors at the CDK7 active site and to aid in the rational design of therapeutic compounds.


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amin Amini ◽  
Hamidreza Ramazi

AbstractThis paper is devoted to the application of the Combined Resistivity Sounding and Profiling electrode configuration (CRSP) to detect underground cavities. Electrical resistivity surveying is among the most favorite geophysical methods due to its nondestructive and economical properties in a wide range of geosciences. Several types of the electrode arrays are applied to detect different certain objectives. In one hand, the electrode array plays an important role in determination of output resolution and depth of investigations in all resistivity surveys. On the other hand, they have their own merits and demerits in terms of depth of investigations, signal strength, and sensitivity to resistivity variations. In this article several synthetic models, simulating different conditions of cavity occurrence, were used to examine the responses of some conventional electrode arrays and also CRSP array. The results showed that CRSP electrode configuration can detect the desired objectives with a higher resolution rather than some other types of arrays. Also a field case study was discussed in which electrical resistivity approach was conducted in Abshenasan expressway (Tehran, Iran) U-turn bridge site for detecting potential cavities and/or filling loose materials. The results led to detect an aqueduct tunnel passing beneath the study area.


2017 ◽  
Vol 132 (3) ◽  
pp. 224-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Mittmann ◽  
A Ernst ◽  
I Todt

AbstractBackground:Preservation of residual hearing is one of the major goals in modern cochlear implant surgery. Intra-cochlear fluid pressure changes influence residual hearing, and should be kept low before, during and after cochlear implant insertion.Methods:Experiments were performed in an artificial cochlear model. A pressure sensor was inserted in the apical part. Five insertions were performed on two electrode arrays. Each insertion was divided into three parts, and statistically evaluated in terms of pressure peak frequency and pressure peak amplitude.Results:The peak frequency over each third part of the electrode increased in both electrode arrays. A slight increase was seen in peak amplitude in the lateral wall electrode array, but not in the midscalar electrode array. Significant differences were found in the first third of both electrode arrays.Conclusion:The midscalar and lateral wall electrode arrays have different intra-cochlear fluid pressure changes associated with intra-cochlear placement, electrode characteristics and insertion.


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