Python tooth-inspired fixation device for enhanced rotator cuff repair.

Rotator cuff repair surgeries fail frequently, with 20 to 94% of the 600,000 repairs performed annually in the United States resulting in retearing of the rotator cuff. The most common cause of failure is sutures tearing through tendons at grasping points. To address this issue, we drew inspiration from the specialized teeth of snakes of the Pythonoidea superfamily, which grasp soft tissues without tearing.

The 'bIUreactor': An Open-Source 3D Tissue Research Platform.

We developed the open-source bIUreactor research platform for studying 3D structured tissues. The versatile and modular platform allows a researcher to generate 3D tissues, culture them with oxygenated perfusion, and provide cyclic loading, all in their own lab (in laboratorium) for an all in cost of $8,000 including 3D printer, printing resin, and electronics. We achieved this by applying a design philosophy that leverages 3D printing, open-source software and hardware, and practical techniques to produce the following: 1.

Breathy Voice as a Compensatory Strategy for Essential Vocal Tremor: A Single Case Experiment Across Participants.

Objective: Essential vocal tremor (EVT) manifests as nearly rhythmic modulations of fundamental frequency (f) and intensity and causes a shaky voice. Although research on behavioral therapy for EVT is limited, previous studies have shown that a breathy voice reduces the perception of simulated EVT and might be an effective compensatory strategy. The current study aimed to measure the acoustical and perceptual effects of a breathy voice strategy in speakers with EVT.

Speaker-induced Suppression in EEG during a Naturalistic Reading and Listening Task.

Speaking elicits a suppressed neural response when compared with listening to others' speech, a phenomenon known as speaker-induced suppression (SIS). Previous research has focused on investigating SIS at constrained levels of linguistic representation, such as the individual phoneme and word level. Here, we present scalp EEG data from a dual speech perception and production task where participants read sentences aloud then listened to playback of themselves reading those sentences.

The Long Road to Develop Custom-built Livers: Current Status of 3D Liver Bioprinting.

Although liver transplantation is the gold-standard therapy for end-stage liver disease, the shortage of suitable organs results in only 25% of waitlisted patients undergoing transplants. Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is an emerging technology and a potential solution for personalized medicine applications. This review highlights existing 3D bioprinting technologies of liver tissues, current anatomical and physiological limitations to 3D bioprinting of a whole liver, and recent progress bringing this innovation closer to clinical use.

Task-Dependent Modulation of Auditory Feedback Control of Vocal Intensity.

Auditory feedback control of fundamental frequency (f) is modulated in a task-dependent manner. When voice pitch auditory feedback perturbations are applied in sentence versus sustained-vowel production, larger and faster vocal f responses are measured in sentence production. This task-dependency reflects the scaling of auditory targets for pitch for the precision required in each speech task.

The Effects of Masked and Delayed Auditory Feedback on Fundamental Frequency Modulation in Vocal Vibrato.

Purpose: Although relatively precise control over the extent and rate of fundamental frequency (f) modulation may be needed for optimal production of vibrato, the role of auditory feedback in controlling vibrato is not well understood. Previous studies altered the gain and timing of auditory feedback in singers producing vibrato and showed inconsistent effects on the extent and rate of f modulation, which may have been related to small sample sizes or limited analyses. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to further investigate whether the gain or timing of auditory feedback impacts control of vibrato in a larger sample of speakers and with advanced statistical analyses.

Feedback and Feedforward Auditory-Motor Processes for Voice and Articulation in Parkinson's Disease.

Purpose: Unexpected and sustained manipulations of auditory feedback during speech production result in "reflexive" and "adaptive" responses, which can shed light on feedback and feedforward auditory-motor control processes, respectively. Persons with Parkinson's disease (PwPD) have shown aberrant reflexive and adaptive responses, but responses appear to differ for control of vocal and articulatory features. However, these responses have not been examined for both voice and articulation in the same speakers and with respect to auditory acuity and functional speech outcomes (speech intelligibility and naturalness).

The Effects of Remote Signal Transmission and Recording on Acoustical Measures of Simulated Essential Vocal Tremor: Considerations for Remote Treatment Research and Telepractice.

Purpose: Studies on medical and behavioral interventions for essential vocal tremor (EVT) have shown inconsistent effects on acoustical and perceptual outcome measures across studies and across participants. Remote acoustical and perceptual assessments might facilitate studies with larger samples of participants and repeated measures that could clarify treatment effects and identify optimal treatment candidates. Furthermore, remote acoustical and perceptual assessment might allow clinicians to monitor clients' treatment responses and optimize treatment approaches during telepractice.

Characterization of Source-Filter Interactions in Vocal Vibrato Using a Neck-Surface Vibration Sensor: A Pilot Study.

Purpose: Vocal vibrato is a singing technique that involves periodic modulation of fundamental frequency (f) and intensity. The physiological sources of modulation within the speech mechanism and the interactions between the laryngeal source and vocal tract filter in vibrato are not fully understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if differences in the rate and extent of f and intensity modulation could be captured using simultaneously recorded signals from a neck-surface vibration sensor and a microphone, which represent features of the source before and after supraglottal vocal tract filtering.

Behavioral Therapy for Tremor or Dystonia Affecting Voice in Speakers with Hyperkinetic Dysarthria: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: Hyperkinetic dysarthria is characterized by atypical involuntary movements within the speech mechanism that may affect the respiratory, laryngeal, pharyngeal-oral, or velopharyngeal-nasal subsystems and may alter speech production. Although articulatory impairments are commonly considered in hyperkinetic dysarthria, speakers with hyperkinetic dysarthria may also present with changes in voice quality, pitch, and loudness. In approximately 70% of speakers with hyperkinetic dysarthria, these voice alterations are associated with tremor or dystonia.

Comparison of porcine corneal decellularization methods and importance of preserving corneal limbus through decellularization.

Background: The aim of this study is to compare the three previously applied, conventional porcine corneal decellularization methods and to demonstrate the importance of preserving the corneal limbus through decellularization.

Methods: Fresh, wild-type (with or without) limbus porcine corneas were decellularized using three different methods, including (i) sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), (ii) hypertonic saline (HS), and (iii) N2 gas (NG). Post-treatment evaluation was carried out using histological, residual nuclear material, and ultrastructural analyses.

Auditory-Motor Control of Fundamental Frequency in Vocal Vibrato.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate how classically trained singers use their auditory feedback to control fundamental frequency (f) during production of vocal vibrato. Two main questions were addressed: (1) Do singers produce reflexive fresponses to sudden perturbation of the f of their auditory feedback during production of vibrato indicative of feedback control? (2) Do singers produce adaptive fresponses to repeated perturbation of the f of their auditory feedback during production of vibrato indicative of feedback and feedforward control? In addition, one methodological question was addressed to determine if adaptive f responses were more precisely assessed with or without an auditory cue for f during the repeated f perturbation paradigm.

Method: Ten classically trained singers produced sustained vowels with vibrato while the f and harmonics of their auditory feedback were suddenly perturbed by 100 cents to assess reflexive control or repeatedly perturbed by 100 cents to assess adaptive control.

Three-Dimensional Biofabrication Models of Endometriosis and the Endometriotic Microenvironment.

Endometriosis occurs when endometrial-like tissue grows outside the uterine cavity, leading to pelvic pain, infertility, and increased risk of ovarian cancer. The present study describes the optimization and characterization of cellular spheroids as building blocks for Kenzan scaffold-free method biofabrication and proof-of-concept models of endometriosis and the endometriotic microenvironment. The spheroid building blocks must be of a specific diameter (~500 μm), compact, round, and smooth to withstand Kenzan biofabrication.

The Effect of Pitch and Loudness Auditory Feedback Perturbations on Vocal Quality During Sustained Phonation.

Objective: Dysphonia is a reduction in vocal quality that impacts communication and is often an early sign of a voice disorder. There is little information regarding the effects of auditory feedback control of loudness and pitch on voice quality. In this study, we used both loudness-shift and pitch-shift paradigms to study the relationship between auditory feedback control and vocal quality as measured by smoothed cepstral peak prominence (CPPS), which reflects the harmonicity of the voice signal.

Ten Years of National Seasonal Surveillance for Severe Complications of Influenza in Australian Children.

Background: Severe complications of influenza in children are uncommon but may result in admission to hospital or an intensive care unit (ICU) and death.

Methods: Active prospective surveillance using the Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit with monthly reporting by pediatricians of national demographic and clinical data on children with <15 years of age hospitalized with severe complications of laboratory-confirmed influenza during ten influenza seasons 2008-2017.

Results: Of 722 children notified, 613 had laboratory-confirmed influenza and at least one severe complication.

The Relation of Articulatory and Vocal Auditory-Motor Control in Typical Speakers.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between feedback and feedforward control of articulation and voice by measuring reflexive and adaptive responses to first formant ( ) and fundamental frequency ( ) perturbations. In addition, perception of and perturbation was estimated using passive (listening) and active (speaking) just noticeable difference paradigms to assess the relation of auditory acuity to reflexive and adaptive responses. Method Twenty healthy women produced single words and sustained vowels while the or of their auditory feedback was suddenly and unpredictably perturbed to assess reflexive responses or gradually and predictably perturbed to assess adaptive responses.

The Effect of Pitch Auditory Feedback Perturbations on the Production of Anticipatory Phrasal Prominence and Boundary.

Purpose In this study, we investigated how the direction and timing of a perturbation in voice pitch auditory feedback during phrasal production modulated the magnitude and latency of the pitch-shift reflex as well as the scaling of acoustic production of anticipatory intonation targets for phrasal prominence and boundary. Method Brief pitch auditory feedback perturbations (±200 cents for 200-ms duration) were applied during the production of a target phrase on the first or the second word of the phrase. To replicate previous work, we first measured the magnitude and latency of the pitch-shift reflex as a function of the direction and timing of the perturbation within the phrase.

Oxygenation Profiles of Human Blood, Cell Culture Medium, and Water for Perfusion of 3D-Bioprinted Tissues using the FABRICA Bioreactor Platform.

Persistent and saturated oxygen distribution from perfusion media (i.e., blood, or cell culture media) to cells within cell-dense, metabolically-active biofabricated tissues is required to keep them viable.

Decellularization methods for developing porcine corneal xenografts and future perspectives.

Corneal transplantation is the only option to cure corneal opacities. However, there is an imbalance between supply and demand of corneal tissues in the world. To solve the problem of corneal shortage, corneal xenotransplantation studies have been implemented in the past years using porcine corneas.

Scaffold-free Bioprinting of Mesenchymal Stem Cells with the Regenova Printer: Optimization of Printing Parameters.

The Kenzan bioprinting method provides a high-resolution biofabrication process by facilitating the fusion of submillimeter cell aggregates (spheroids) into larger tissue constructs on a needle array that is removed upon spheroid fusion. Although the method is relatively straightforward in principle, Kenzan method bioprinting relies on a complex 3D bioprinter (Regenova Bio 3D Printer, Cyfuse, K.K.

Scaffold-free bioprinting of mesenchymal stem cells using the Regenova printer: Spheroid characterization and osteogenic differentiation.

Limitations in scaffold material properties, such as sub-optimal degradation time, highlight the need for alternative approaches to engineer tissues. One emerging solution for fabricating tissue constructs is scaffold-free tissue engineering. To facilitate this approach, three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting technology (Regenova Bio 3D Printer) has been developed to construct complex geometric shapes from discrete cellular spheroids without exogenous scaffolds.