Browse Topic: Nervous system

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A Study of Brain Dynamics in Simulated Piloting Tracking TasksF-0081-2025-03445/20/2025
A study of mental workload and the resultant cognitive-motor behavior is essential to understanding the intrinsic limitations of the human information processing system, the results of which have impact on the design of safety-critical systems. While the effects of increased task demand on mental workload and the quality of cognitive-motor performance has been previously investigated, it remains unclear how system controllability (i.e., expected handling qualities) impacts perceptual workload and performance. Furthermore, traditional EEG spectral metrics lack the temporal specificity to capture dynamic workload. Consequently, the purpose of this experiment was to examine objective brain dynamics, task performance, and subjective ratings during piloting tracking tasks of varying complexity while also challenging participants with different expected levels of handling qualities. Our results revealed a trend suggestive of increasing mental workload related to increased task complexity and varying levels of expected handling qualities. To examine dynamic operator workload with increased temporal fidelity, we introduce a time-resolved cross-correlation based approach to assess synchronous dynamics between cortical activity and behavioral performance. The findings herein highlight the practical significance of including analyses of the time domain in workload assessment, in addition to the functional utility of a combination of metrics in the study of the temporally linked cognitive-motor output associated with increased mental workload.
Hatfield, Bradley
Driver Drowsiness and Fatigue in the Safe Operation of Vehicles - Definition of Terms and ConceptsJ3198_202010 (Current)10/26/2020
This SAE Information Report provides definitions and discussions of key terms concerning driver drowsiness and fatigue, and basic information on measuring drowsiness and fatigue. It also includes information and concepts for driver drowsiness as they relate to the safe operation of a vehicle. The key driver drowsiness and fatigue causal factors include the following: (1) sleep quality and quantity, (2) time of day, (3) time awake, (4) time on task (modulated by characteristics of the driving task), (5) task-related fatigue (variations of arousal levels related to task underload and overload), and (6) combinations of these factors. Medical conditions, medication, alcohol, or drugs exacerbate drowsiness; however, the discussion in this report is limited to fatigue concepts. This report has two primary outputs: (1) definitions and discussions of key terms concerning driver drowsiness and fatigue, and (2) basic information on measuring drowsiness and fatigue and its effects on the safe operation of a vehicle. These include the physiological and cognitive effects of driver drowsiness and fatigue on driving safety. Examples of effect of driver drowsiness and fatigue on driving safety include those related to vehicle control, operator vigilance (sustained attention), reaction times (object and event detection and response), situational awareness, physiological indicators, subjective assessments, and combinations thereof. For definitions of driving performance measures, refer to SAE J2944. This report applies to all worldwide motor vehicle passenger cars and light trucks, as well as heavy trucks, buses, motorcycles, and mopeds. The intended users of the document are practitioners and researchers in the automotive industry, academia, and other organizations with interest in driver drowsiness and fatigue, driving and driver performance assessment, and road safety.
Driver Metrics, Performance, Behaviors and States Committee
Tiny, Magnetically Powered Implant Stimulates Brain Without BatteryTBMG-373448/1/2020
Rice University neuroengineers have created a tiny surgical implant that can electrically stimulate the brain and nervous system without using a battery or wired power supply.
A Stability-Guaranteed Time-Delay Range for Feedback Control of Autonomous Vehicles2020-01-00904/14/2020
The vehicles with level-5 autonomy (L5AVs) that have no human driver in the loop are also known as self-driving cars. L5AVs are assumed the next generation of ground transportation, which have growing attention from both industry and academia in most recent years. Most of the work related to feedback strategies of L5AVs are on developing mapping systems through a variety of sensors. These systems can be considered as an analogue to the perception and central nervous system of human drivers. For instance, innovative visualization systems are more powerful when compared to the visual perception system of a person, yet, mapping demands high computation loads. This burden causes delay in the feedback loop and thus, it might have an unfavorable influence on proper and safe control action. This study investigates the effect of time delay occurring in mapping systems on the stability of the controlled vehicle. An algorithm entitled as “Cluster Treatment of Characteristic Roots - CTCR” is used to calculate a safe delay range as a remedy for the time delay caused by mapping systems. The CTCR analysis is applied to a linearized two degree-of-freedom bicycle model for different velocities. The critical time delay values, which determines the boundary between the stability and instability of the controlled vehicle, are calculated based on the vehicle dynamics. Finally, results are drawn for a regular weave test by computer simulations, in which a non-linear vehicle model is used. The proposed approach is validated by exhibiting that a delay value outside the safe range leads the vehicle instability.
Kirli, Ahmet, Arslan, Mehmet Selçuk
Stretchable Wireless Sensor Could Monitor Healing of Cerebral AneurysmsTBMG-361493/1/2020
The stretchable sensor, which operates without batteries, would be wrapped around stents or diverters implanted to control blood flow in vessels affected by the aneurysms. To reduce costs and accelerate manufacturing, fabrication of the stretchable sensors uses aerosol jet 3D printing to create conductive silver traces on elastomeric substrates. The 3D additive manufacturing technique allows production of very small electronic features in a single step, without using traditional multi-step lithography processes in a cleanroom. The device is believed to be the first demonstration of aerosol jet 3D printing to produce an implantable, stretchable sensing system for wireless monitoring.
Wireless System Powers Devices Inside the BodyTBMG-361693/1/2020
In the brain, implantable electrodes that deliver an electrical current are used for a technique known as deep brain stimulation, which is often used to treat Parkinson’s disease or epilepsy. These electrodes are now controlled by a pacemaker-like device implanted under the skin, which could be eliminated if wireless power is used. Wireless brain implants could also help deliver light to stimulate or inhibit neuron activity through optogenetics, which so far has not been adapted for use in humans but could be useful for treating many neurological disorders.
Trunk Support Assists Those with Spinal Cord InjuryTBMG-361823/1/2020
Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) can cause devastating damage including loss of mobility and sensation. Researchers have invented the Trunk-Support Trainer (TruST), a robotic device that assists and trains people with SCIs to sit more stably by improving their trunk control and thus gain an expanded active sitting workspace without falling over or using their hands to balance.
Engineers Design Bionic ‘Heart’ for Testing Prosthetic Valves, Other Cardiac DevicesTBMG-362623/1/2020
As the geriatric population is expected to balloon in the coming decade, so too will rates of heart disease in the United States. The demand for prosthetic heart valves and other cardiac devices — a market that is valued at more than $5 billion dollars today — is predicted to rise by almost 13 percent in the next six years.
Soft, Conformable Hearing ImplantsTBMG-361593/1/2020
Close to half a million people around the world suffer from a serious hearing impairment. In some cases, they can find relief in cochlear and other types of implants. Yet these devices do not help people whose inner ear is damaged or whose auditory nerve does not function properly. For these patients to recover their sense of hearing, electrical signals must be sent directly to the auditory brainstem. The neuroprosthetic used for this purpose is called an auditory brainstem implant (ABI); however, the outcomes of ABIs are mixed and in many cases, patients recover only sound perception. Clinical ABIs are also stiff and cannot conform precisely to the curvature of the auditory brainstem.
Transistors Both Process and Store InformationTBMG-359602/1/2020
A computer chip can process and store information using two different devices. If these devices could be combined into one or put next to each other, there would be more space on a chip, making it faster and more powerful. Engineers have developed a way that the millions of tiny switches used to process information (transistors) could also store that information as one device.
Artificial Neurons Cure Chronic DiseasesTBMG-360182/1/2020
Artificial neurons on silicon chips that behave just like the real thing have been invented by scientists — a first-of-its-kind achievement with enormous scope for medical devices to cure chronic diseases, such as heart failure, Alzheimer’s, and other diseases of neuronal degeneration.
Diagnosing Prostate Cancer with Artificial IntelligenceTBMG-360212/1/2020
Researchers at Radboud UMC have developed a “deep learning” system that is better than most pathologists at determining the aggressiveness of prostate cancer. The AI system, which uses tissue samples to arrive at its diagnosis, taught itself to identify prostate cancer based on data from over 1200 patients. The Radboud team is now working with researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and Kaggle, a Google subsidiary, with the intention to continue developing these methods as part of a major international competition.
AI Blood Test Spot Signs of Brain TumorsTBMG-357681/1/2020
Researchers have developed a test that works by detecting chemical clues shed by brain tumors into the blood. They say it could help improve brain tumor survival by making diagnosis quicker and more efficient.
Low-Field MRI Improves Lung, Cardiac ImagingTBMG-357731/1/2020
National Institutes of Health researchers, along with researchers at Siemens, have developed a high-performance, low-magnetic-field MRI system that vastly improves image quality of the lungs and other internal structures of the human body. The new system is more compatible with interventional devices that could greatly enhance image-guided procedures that diagnose and treat disease, and the system makes medical imaging more affordable and accessible for patients.
Injectable, Flexible Electrode Could Replace Rigid Nerve-Stimulating ImplantsTBMG-357701/1/2020
By electrically stimulating nerves, neuromodulation therapies can reduce epileptic seizures, soothe chronic pain, and treat depression and a host of other health conditions without the use of conventional drugs like opioids.
Biologically Inspired Artificial Skin Improves Sensory Ability of RobotsTBMG-3561112/1/2019
Inspired by human skin, a system was developed that combines artificial skin with control algorithms. The system was used to create the first autonomous humanoid robot with full-body artificial skin.
Identifying Automated Driving Systems-Dedicated Vehicles (ADS-DVs) Passenger Issues for Persons with DisabilitiesJ3171_201911 (Current)11/19/2019
It is expected that Level 4 and 5 automated driving systems-dedicated vehicles (ADS-DVs) will eventually enable persons to travel at will who are otherwise unable to obtain a driver's license for a conventional vehicle, namely, persons with certain visual, cognitive, and/or physical impairments. This information report focuses on these disabilities, but also provides guidance for those with other disabilities. This report is limited to fleet operated on-demand shared mobility scenarios, as this is widely considered to be the first way people will be able to interact with ADS-DVs. To be more specific, this report does not address fixed route transit services or private vehicle ownership. Similarly, this report is focused on road-worthy vehicles; not scooters, golf carts, etc. Lastly, this report does not address the design of chair lifts, ramps, or securements for persons who use wheeled mobility devices (WHMD) (e.g., wheelchair, electric cart, etc.), as these matters are addressed by other committees within SAE International.
On-Road Automated Driving (ORAD) committee
Controlling Wheelchairs with a Wearable Brain-Machine InterfaceTBMG-3550511/1/2019
Combining new classes of nanomembrane electrodes with flexible electronics and a deep learning algorithm could help disabled people wirelessly control an electric wheelchair, interact with a computer or operate a small robotic vehicle without donning a bulky hair-electrode cap or contending with wires.
2019 'Create the Future' Medical Category Winner: Cervical Stabilization DeviceTBMG-3551511/1/2019
Smart Electronic Skin for Robots and ProstheticsTBMG-3545211/1/2019
Humans use the sense of touch to accomplish almost every daily task such as picking up a cup of coffee or shaking someone’s hand. Without it, humans can even lose their sense of balance when walking. Similarly, robots need to have a sense of touch in order to interact better with humans but robots today still cannot feel objects well.
Magnetic Metamaterial Amplifies MRITBMG-351209/1/2019
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses magnetic fields and radio waves to create images of organs and tissues in the human body, helping doctors diagnose potential problems or diseases. Doctors use MRI to identify abnormalities or diseases in vital organs as well as many other types of body tissue, including the spinal cord and joints.
New Optical Endoscopy Using Ultrasound Could Replace ScopesTBMG-351019/1/2019
One day, scopes may no longer need to be inserted into the body — such as down the throat or under the skin — to reach the stomach, brain, or any other organs for examination.
Implanted Wireless Nerve StimulatorTBMG-349188/1/2019
In 2016, UC Berkeley engineers demonstrated the first implanted, ultrasonic, neural dust sensors. Now, taking the next step, the smallest-volume wireless nerve stimulator was developed, called StimDust (stimulating neural dust).
Graphene Monolayer Improves Implantable Neurostim DevicesTBMG-349838/1/2019
One of the most commonly used elements in neurostimulation devices is platinum microelectrodes, but they are prone to corrosion, which can reduce the functional lifetime of the devices. Researchers have come up with a solution to help: adding a graphene monolayer to the devices to protect the microelectrodes. The graphene monolayer is an effective diffusion barrier and electrical conductor.
Digitalizing Rehabilitation with Wearable SolutionsTBMG-349778/1/2019
ExoRehab is an IoT rehabilitation solution that combines robotics, gaming, and data analysis. Digitalizing physical therapy for muscle rehabilitation enables patients to acquire therapeutic training at home via wearable technology solutions with effective training. This smart device's wireless sensors provide personalized rehabilitation guidance using motion-recognition technology and automatically adjusts the therapy for effective support and training. Remote access gives physicians access to patient data, enabling them to implement efficient patient management and provide accurate medical decisions based on their progress. Combining neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) with gamified rehab programs enhances motivation for rehab exercises with cutting-edge bio-signal sensing technology.
Cable-Free Brain ImagingTBMG-348007/1/2019
Existing electrophysiological and fluorescence-based brain imaging techniques in mice are generally invasive, require head fixes or cables, and are not suitable for long-term recordings. While there have been recent advances in imaging methods in freely moving animals, these are major limitations for researchers that are interested in the brain correlates of social behaviors.
New Electromyography Biofeedback DeviceTBMG-345946/1/2019
Anew electromyography biofeedback device that is wearable and connects to novel smartphone games may offer people with incomplete paraplegia a more affordable, self-controllable therapy to enhance their recovery, according to a new study. Electromyography (recording electrical activity of muscles) biofeedback has been shown to enhance recovery of muscle control in people with incomplete spinal cord injury. However, existing biofeedback therapy devices are expensive and can be operated only by trained personnel in a laboratory environment. These factors prevent many people — up to 50,000 in the United States — from accessing the biofeedback therapy that could benefit their recoveries.
Vascular Injury ShuntTBMG-345976/1/2019
Extremity vascular injury results in bleeding and lack of blood flow beyond the site of vessel disruption (ischemia). Priorities when this occurs include hemorrhage control, management of life-threatening injuries, and restoration of flow to the extremity. While definitive vessel repair is optimal, life-threatening injuries often prohibit this option. Alternatively, a temporary vascular shunt (a small-caliber hollow plastic tube) may be placed in the uninjured segments of vessel above and below the disruption to restore blood flow until conditions improve, and the shunt can be removed and repair performed.
Force-Sensitive Innovations: Addressing Cerebral Palsy Challenges with Electronic Medical Training DevicesTBMG-345596/1/2019
Nine years ago, Julian Gunderson was born three months prematurely and weighed just 1 kg (2.2 lb). After a year's worth of injections, medications, transfusions, and other treatments, doctors diagnosed Julian with cerebral palsy.
Synthetic Speech Generated from Brain RecordingsTBMG-345676/1/2019
A state-of-the-art brain-machine interface created by UC San Francisco neuroscientists can generate natural-sounding synthetic speech by using brain activity to control a virtual vocal tract — an anatomically detailed computer simulation including the lips, jaw, tongue and larynx.
Ultra-Low-Power Chips Enhance Performance of Small RobotsTBMG-345756/1/2019
An ultra-low-power hybrid chip inspired by the brain could help give palm-sized robots the ability to collaborate and learn from their experiences. Combined with new generations of low-power motors and sensors, the new application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), which operates on milliwatts of power, could help intelligent swarm robots operate for hours instead of minutes.
A Comparison of Control Activity and Heart Rate as Measures of Pilot Workload in a Helicopter Tracking TaskF-0075-2019-145595/13/2019
Two qualified test pilots performed a target tracking flight task on a Bell 205 helicopter. Cooper-Harper handling quality ratings confirmed that pilot compensation was proportional to task difficulty. Pilot control activity was measured using the Dynamic Interface Modeling and Simulation System Product Metric (DIMSS-PM) to quantify the number and amplitude of control deflections during each trial. Inter-beat interval measures of heart rate and heart rate variability were also computed to evaluate the pilot's autonomic nervous system (ANS) response to task workload. The DIMSS-PM was positively correlated with task difficulty, as expected based on the dynamics of target motion for each difficulty level. By comparison, the mean and high-frequency (HF) variability of heart beat intervals were negatively correlated with task difficulty, suggesting an increase in ANS arousal with increased pilot workload. Pilot-specific differences were found in the time-dependent relationship between DIMSS-PM, mean heart beat interval, and HF variability, indicating that control activity and heart rate metrics provide asynchronous and complementary information about pilot workload during helicopter flight. NOTATION ANOVA Analysis of Variance ANS Autonomic Nervous System DIMMS-PM Dynamic Interface Modeling and Simulation System Product Metric ECG Electrocardiogram FBW Fly-By-Wire FRL Flight Research Laboratory HR Heart Rate HRV Heart Rate Variability HQR Handling Qualities Rating NRC National Research Council Canada RRI Inter-beat (R-R) Interval RMS Root Mean Square RMSSD RMS of Successive Differences in RRI SDNN Standard Deviation of RRI HF High Frequency (0.15 - 0.4 Hz) LF Low Frequency (0.04 - 0.15 Hz)
Law, Andrew, Jennings, Sion, Ellis, Kris
Products of Tomorrow: May 2019TBMG-344005/1/2019
This column presents technologies that have applications in commercial areas, possibly creating the products of tomorrow. To learn more about each technology, see the contact information provided for that innovation.
Method Shrinks Objects to the NanoscaleTBMG-344085/1/2019
Existing techniques for creating nano-structures are limited in what they can accomplish. Etching patterns onto a surface with light can produce 2D nano-structures but doesn’t work for 3D structures. It is possible to make 3D nano-structures by gradually adding layers on top of each other, but this process is slow and challenging. And while methods exist that can directly 3D-print nanoscale objects, they are restricted to specialized materials like polymers and plastics that lack the functional properties necessary for many applications. Also, they can only generate self-supporting structures; for example, the technique can yield a solid pyramid, but not a linked chain or a hollow sphere.
Implant Tracks Rogue Brain ChemicalsTBMG-344365/1/2019
Engineers have built a tiny, flexible sensor that is faster and more precise than past attempts at tracking this chemical, called glutamate. The sensor, an implantable device on the spinal cord, is primarily a research tool for testing in animal models but could find future clinical use as a way to monitor whether a drug for neurotrauma or brain disease is working.
Influence of DISH, Ankylosis, Spondylosis and Osteophytes on Serious-to-Fatal Spinal Fractures and Cord Injury in Rear Impacts2019-01-10284/2/2019
Seats have become stronger over the past two decades and remain more upright in rear impacts. While head restraints are higher and more forward providing support for the head and neck, serious-to-fatal injuries to the thoracic and cervical spine have been seen in occupants with spinal disorders, such as DISH (diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis), ankylosis, spondylosis and/or osteophytes that ossify the joints in the spine. This case study addresses the influence of spinal disorders on fracture-dislocation and spinal cord injury in rear impacts with relatively upright seats. Nineteen field accidents were investigated where serious-to-fatal injuries of the thoracic and cervical spine occurred with the seat remaining upright or slightly reclined. The occupants were lap-shoulder belted, some with belt pretensioning and cinching latch plate. The occupants were older and had pre-existing disorders of the spine, including DISH, ankylosis, spondylosis and/or osteophytes that ossify the spinal joints. The crashes were summarized and the mechanism for injury was analyzed. The 19 cases involved fracture-dislocation and spinal cord injury at areas of the spine where DISH, ankylosis, spondylosis and/or osteophytes ossified the intervertebral soft tissues causing stiff and brittle joints that were vulnerable to fracture-dislocation by straightening of the spine. Published sled tests at 40 km/h (25 mph) with the 50th Hybrid III showed that peak chest acceleration was 13.5 ± 2.4 g (n=7) and head acceleration was 26.0 ± 12.0 g (n=8). Sled testing at 16 km/h (10 mph) with the BioRID IIg involved T1 x-accelerations of 12.6 ± 2.4 g (n=12) and head x-accelerations of 10.1 ± 0.2 g (n=12). These levels of acceleration are sufficient to fracture the calcified spine of the older occupants without ramping or moving off the support from the seatback and head restraint. A new injury mechanism for spinal fracture-dislocation is described in older occupants with spinal disorders. The occupant remains supported by the relatively upright seatback and high and forward head restraint. The accelerations that bring the occupant up to the delta V are sufficient to fracture-dislocate the calcified spine that tries to straighten in the crash.
Viano, David, Parenteau, Chantal, White, Samuel
Analysis of Rear Seat Sled Tests with the 5th Female Hybrid III: Incorrect Conclusions in Bidez et al. SAE 2005-01-17082019-01-06184/2/2019
Objective: Sled test video and data were independently analyzed to assess the validity of statements and conclusions reported in Bidez et al. SAE paper 2005-01-1708 [7]. Method: An independent review and analysis of the test data and video was conducted for 9 sled tests at 35 km/h (21.5 mph). The 5th female Hybrid III was lap-shoulder belted in the 2nd or 3rd row seat of a SUV buck. For one series, the angle was varied from 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 deg PDOF. The second series involved shoulder belt pretensioning and other belt modifications. Results: Bidez et al. [7] claimed “The lap belts moved up and over the pelvis of the small female dummy for all impact angles tested.” We found that there was no submarining in any of the tests with the production lap-shoulder belts. Bidez et al. [7] claimed “H3-5F dummies began to roll out of their shoulder belt at… 30 degrees. Complete loss of torso support was seen at 45 degrees without significant kinetic energy dissipation.” We found that the shoulder belt remained in place and restrained the upper torso in the 0, 15 and 30 deg sled tests. At 45 and 60 deg, significant restraint was provided before the belt slipped off the shoulder. It remained in contact with the arm and chest providing restraint. Bidez et al. [7] claimed “The results indicated kinematic movement of the dummies, which were predictive of injury in all sled runs.” We found that the kinematic control was good and the biomechanical responses were well below IARVs for the 5th female Hybrid III. Bidez et al. [7] claimed “a retractor pretensioner (7 ms fire time) eliminated both submarining and torso rollout in the H3-5F in the conditions tested.” We found that the pretensioner firing pulled the lap belt up onto the abdomen inducing submarining and causing abdominal loading in two out of four tests. Conclusion: The independent review of the videos and data shows that Bidez et al. [7] misstated the results, misrepresented the findings and reached incorrect conclusions on the testing.
Viano, David, Parenteau, Chantal
Risk of Concussion in Low- to Moderate-Speed Frontal and Rear-End Motor Vehicle Collisions Evaluated Using Head Acceleration-Based Metrics2019-01-12184/2/2019
Over the past decade, there has been an increase in awareness and concern about the occurrence and long-term effects of concussions. Traumatic brain injury (TBI)-related emergency department (ED) visits associated with motor vehicle collisions, including patients with a diagnosis of concussion or mild TBI (mTBI), have increased while deaths and hospital admissions related to TBI have decreased. The diagnostic criteria for concussion have evolved and broadened, and based on current assessments and diagnostic imaging techniques, there are often no objective findings, yet a diagnosis of concussion may still be rendered. Clinical assessment of concussion may be based only on patient-reported symptoms and history, making it difficult to objectively relate the reported increase in TBI-related ED visits due to motor vehicle collisions to specific collision parameters. This study aims to perform a scientific evaluation of concussion risk during motor vehicle collisions, strengthened by objective, quantitative data, specifically focusing on head acceleration-based metrics. Data from full-scale passenger vehicle crash tests are reported for frontal and rear-end collisions with delta-Vs ranging from 6.0 to 19.0 kph (3.7 to 11.8 mph) and 5.6 to 19.5 kph (3.5 to 12.1 mph), respectively. Head linear and rotational kinematic data were recorded from instrumented Hybrid III 50th percentile male anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) restrained in the driver’s seats. Several acceleration-based metrics currently used to assess risk of concussion were calculated and compared to published injury risk relationships that have been developed from field accident data, human subjects, and biomechanical models. Overall, the magnitudes of acceleration were low and the injury metrics corresponded to a negligible risk of concussion in these low- to moderate-speed collisions.
Pasquesi, Stephanie A., Bruno, Alexander, Courtney, Amy, Imler, Stacy M., Smedley, Janine, Prange, Michael T.
Thoracic Spine Extension Injuries in Occupants with Pre-Existing Conditions during Rear-End Collisions2019-01-12224/2/2019
Certain ankylosing spondyloarthropathies such as ankylosing spondylitis (AS) or diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) can substantially alter clinicopathologic spine biomechanics as well as injury mechanisms in rear-end motor vehicle collisions. AS is an inflammatory disease which can lead to structural impairments of the spine secondary to flowing ossification along the spinal column, including ossification across the spinal discs, facet joints, and ligaments, and it has also been associated with diffuse osteoporosis of the spine. DISH is characterized by excess bone formation along the spinal column, encompassing the annulus and forming the thickest and strongest bridging osteophytes over adjacent vertebral bodies at the level of the disc space. In both conditions the spine is mechanically stiffened and generally more kyphotic than a healthy spine. This paper presents a series of case studies in which a front-seat occupant with ankylosing spondyloarthropathy experienced a moderate- or high-speed rear-end collision and sustained a thoracic spine fracture/dislocation, often with spinal cord injuries. Forward acceleration of the occupant by the seat back in each case resulted in straightening of the kyphotic thoracic spine and consequent extension fractures of the pathologically stiff and brittle thoracic spine. This paper illustrates the predisposition of thoracic fracture for this segment of the population with spinal pathologies such as DISH and AS in rear impacts and notes the role that seat back stiffness could play in injury mechanism for these individuals.
Davis, Mathieu, Isaacs, Jessica, Graber, Martin, Fisher, Jacob
Fast, Flexible Ionic Transistors for Bioelectronic DevicesTBMG-342664/1/2019
Many major advances in medicine, especially in neurology, have been sparked by recent advances in electronic systems that can acquire, process, and interact with biological substrates. These bioelectronic systems, which are increasingly used to understand dynamic living organisms and to treat human disease, require devices that can record body signals, process them, detect patterns, and deliver electrical or chemical stimulation to address problems.
Microfluidics Device Can Detect Cancer Cells in BloodTBMG-342684/1/2019
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Queensland University of Technology of Australia have developed a device that can isolate individual cancer cells from patient blood samples. The microfluidic device works by separating the various cell types found in blood by their size. The device may one day enable rapid, cheap liquid biopsies to help detect cancer and develop targeted treatment plans. The findings are reported in the journal Microsystems & Nanoengineering.
3D Printed Implant Promotes Nerve Cell Growth to Treat Spinal Cord InjuryTBMG-339913/1/2019
Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Institute of Engineering in Medicine have used rapid 3D printing technologies to create a spinal cord, then successfully implanted that scaffolding, loaded with neural stem cells, into sites of severe spinal cord injury in rats.
Researchers Combine Metalens With an Artificial MuscleTBMG-339013/1/2019
Inspired by the human eye, researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have developed an adaptive metalens that is essentially a flat, electronically controlled artificial eye. The adaptive metalens simultaneously controls for three of the major contributors to blurry images: focus, astigmatism, and image shift.
Circuit Models for Robust, Adaptive Neural Control19AERP02_082/1/2019
Understanding a nematode's simple circuit could provide a foundation for understanding much more complex behaviors. Air Force Research Laboratory, Arlington, Virginia This project seeks to reproduce the neural circuits used by the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans for locomotion. Caenorhabditis elegans is a small (∼1.2 millimeter) nematode found in rotting fruit in many parts of the world. It feeds on bacteria and is neither parasitic nor pathogenic. Although capable of sexual reproduction, most laboratory strains reproduce primarily as self-fertilizing hermaphrodites, with each adult hermaphrodite producing approximately 300 progeny (Figure 1). C. elegans is a very simple organism, with only 959 somatic cells in the adult hermaphrodite. Although the total number of cells is small, they are differentiated into the standard array of tissues: 302 neurons, 95 body muscle cells, 32 gut cells, etc. In addition, the position, morphology, and lineage of each cell are reproducible from animal to animal. Because of the small size of the animal, the relatively small number of neurons, and the reproducible nature of the nervous system, it has been possible to provide an almost-complete synaptic connectivity map of the adult hermaphrodite nervous system (Figure 2).
Circuit Models for Robust, Adaptive Neural ControlTBMG-337662/1/2019
This project seeks to reproduce the neural circuits used by the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans for locomotion. Caenorhabditis elegans is a small (~1.2 millimeter) nematode found in rotting fruit in many parts of the world. It feeds on bacteria and is neither parasitic nor pathogenic. Although capable of sexual reproduction, most laboratory strains reproduce primarily as self-fertilizing hermaphrodites, with each adult hermaphrodite producing approximately 300 progeny (Figure 1).
Using Graphene to Detect ALS and Other Neurodegenerative DiseasesTBMG-337242/1/2019
The wonders of graphene are numerous. It can enable flexible electronic components, enhance solar cell capacity, filter the finest subatomic particles, and revolutionize batteries. Now, the “supermaterial” may one day be used to test for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS — a progressive, neurodegenerative disease that is diagnosed mostly by ruling out other disorders, according to new research from the University of Illinois at Chicago published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.
Promising Diagnostic Tool for Alzheimer's Disease IdentifiedTBMG-337332/1/2019
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have identified in live human brains new radioactive “tracer” molecules that bind to and “light up” tau tangles, a protein associated with a number of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease and other related dementias. Two studies were published in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine describing testing of three candidate molecules in patients with Alzheimer's disease, as well as the use of one molecule to measure the accumulation of tau proteins.
Noninvasive Technology Detects When Nerve Cells FireTBMG-337282/1/2019
Researchers at Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, have created a noninvasive technology that detects when nerve cells fire based on changes in shape. The method could be used to observe nerve activity in light-accessible parts of the body, such as the eye, which would allow physicians to quantitatively monitor visual function at the cellular level. The study was published in the journal Light: Science and Applications. The work was funded by the National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health.
Brain-Computer Interface Enables People with Paralysis to Control Tablet DevicesTBMG-335661/1/2019
Tablets and other mobile computing devices are part of everyday life, but using them can be difficult for people with paralysis. New research from the BrainGate consortium shows that a brain-computer interface (BCI) can enable people with paralysis to directly operate an off-the-shelf tablet device just by thinking about making cursor movements and clicks.
New X-Ray Scanning Method Reveals How Particles Move in SolutionTBMG-335531/1/2019
A new method of X-ray scanning will allow for the visualization of many more biological molecules, providing critical information about what is inside molecules to scientists who currently can only access their outer shape or envelope. Such information could be a major boost to studies of viruses, for example.
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