Proof-of-Concept Validation of Noninvasive Detection of Cortical Spreading Depolarization with High Resolution Direct Current-Electroencephalography.

Background/objective: Cortical spreading depolarization (SD) is increasingly recognized as a major contributor to secondary brain injury. Monitoring SDs could be used to institute and guide SD-based therapeutics if noninvasive detection methods were available. Our primary objective is to use a high density array of electrodes to compare scalp direct current (DC)-shifts to SDs detected by gold standard electrocorticography (ECoG) to establish proof-of-concept validation that scalp DC-potentials can potentially provide noninvasive SD detection.

Numerical Simulation of Concussive-Generated Cortical Spreading Depolarization to Optimize DC-EEG Electrode Spacing for Noninvasive Visual Detection.

Background: Cortical spreading depolarization (SD) is a propagating depolarization wave of neurons and glial cells in the cerebral gray matter. SD occurs in all forms of severe acute brain injury, as documented by using invasive detection methods. Based on many experimental studies of mechanical brain deformation and concussion, the occurrence of SDs in human concussion has often been hypothesized.

On the Representation of Turbulent Stresses for Computing Blood Damage.

Computational prediction of blood damage has become a crucial tool for evaluating blood-wetted medical devices and pathological hemodynamics. A difficulty arises in predicting blood damage under turbulent flow conditions because the total stress is indeterminate. Common practice uses the Reynolds stress as an estimation of the total stress causing damage to the blood cells.

Micro-flow visualization of red blood cell-enhanced platelet concentration at sudden expansion.

Microscopic steps and crevices are inevitable features within prosthetic blood-contacting devices. This study aimed to elucidate the thrombogenicity of the associated microscopic flow features by studying the transport of fluorescent platelet-sized particles in a suspension of red blood cells (RBCs) flowing through a 100 microm:200 microm sudden expansion. Micro-flow visualization revealed a strong influence of hematocrit upon the path of RBCs and spatial concentration of particles.