Altruism and the volunteer: psychological benefits from participating as a research subject.

Psychiatric assessment of potential volunteers for hazardous biomedical experimentation should include an assessment of the motivations underlying the altruistic action of volunteering. Screening goals include evaluation of informed consent as well as screening out experimental subjects who would be likely to be psychologically harmed by participation. This discussion of psychological issues to be considered, beyond those of informed consent and screening for severe psychopathology, originated in the psychiatric screening of the small group of original volunteers for the "Dobelle eye" Artificial Vision Project.

Artificial vision for the blind by connecting a television camera to the visual cortex.

Blindness is more feared by the public than any ailment with the exception of cancer and AIDS. We report the development of the first visual prosthesis providing useful "artificial vision" to a blind volunteer by connecting a digital video camera, computer, and associated electronics to the visual cortex of his brain. This device has been the objective of a development effort begun by our group in 1968 and represents realization of the prediction of an artificial vision system made by Benjamin Franklin in his report on the "kite and key" experiment, with which he discovered electricity in 1751.

Use of breathing pacemakers to suppress intractable hiccups of up to thirteen years duration.

To suppress intractable neurologic hiccups that were unresponsive to pharmacologic management, seven patients have been implanted with modern breathing pacemakers of our design and manufacture. These devices control excursions of the diaphragm by electrical stimulation of the phrenic nerve. The first five patients have been able to control their hiccups by electrical stimulation after periods of up to 13 years.

Macroporous hydrogel membranes for a hybrid artificial pancreas. I. Synthesis and chamber fabrication.

We report development of special macroporous semipermeable membranes and diffusion chambers made of polymerized 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (pHEMA), synthesized specifically to enclose living insulin-producing pancreatic islet cells for the treatment of diabetes. This material was selected to minimize the fibrotic encapsulation which has limited hybrid artificial pancreas efforts with other membranes, including Millipore and Nuclepore filters. The pore density and pore size distribution were dependent on the ratio of water to HEMA monomer and also on the crosslinker (EGDMA) concentration.

Macroporous hydrogel membranes for a hybrid artificial pancreas. II. Biocompatibility.

A histological evaluation of the biocompatibility of a new porous hydrogel membrane made of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (2-HEMA) was performed. Isolated membranes and diffusion chambers made of this material and filled with rabbit pancreas were implanted in diabetic rats for periods of up to 8 1/2 months. Histologic evaluation showed that this polymer elicits minimal tissue reaction within the first 7 weeks but some increase in granulation tissue and fibrosis thereafter.

Coronary artery anatomy of the goat.

The coronary arteries of the goat heart were studied using angiographic techniques and molds of the coronary vessel trees. Blood supplies to the left and right ventricles, interventricular septum, atrioventricular node, and apex of the caprine heart were studied. The goat possesses a left dominant pattern of coronary supply with relatively uniform coronary anatomy and may provide a good large animal model for testing cardiovascular assist devices.

Whole-organ incubation as a first step in the isolation of pancreatic islets from large animals.

Ninety-five porcine pancreases were incubated at temperatures of 0, 20, or 37 degrees C for periods of 1-32 h. After incubation at 37 degrees C for 2-4 h, islet cells retain their morphologic and functional integrity, whereas acinar cells become necrotic. Because of acinar destruction, the pancreas also becomes soft and amenable to mechanical separation with a simple new device.

Impact of regulations on artificial organs research.

From a research perspective, some of the primary problems created by the FDA regulations include: the amount of time necessary to comply with the regulations and to obtain FDA and IRB review of the studies. The cost of such delays may be great in terms of statistical death. Lack of understanding of the regulations on the part of investigators.

Artificial vision for the blind by electrical stimulation of the visual cortex.

Artificial vision for the blind may be feasible by interfacing a television camera with electronics stimulating the visual cortex. The status of a major collaborative effort involving the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, the University of Utah, and the University of Western Ontario is reviewed. Results have been very encouraging, although much work remains to be done.

Mapping the representation of the visual field by electrical stimulation of human visual cortex.

Electrical stimulation of human visual cortex produces punctuate phosphenes in the visual field. This phenomenon, which is being explored as the basis for a visual prosthesis for the blind, also provides the first electrophysiological information about the retinocortical map in man. Stimulation of points clustered on the surface of the visual cortex produces phosphenes clustered in visual space.