Category Archives: Physiology

Physiology

Butterflies and moths look at the world differently: Blame it on evolution – Research Matters

Image by Jeremy Zero via Unsplash

The genetic makeup of butterflies and moths is similar. However, while most butterflies, which are a kind of moth, fly by the day, other moths are active at night. They possess different eyes that adapt to the surrounding lights, ranging from dazzling light to complete darkness. While the butterflies eyes enhance the clarity of images in bright light conditions, other moths eyes have evolved to help them see clearly in dim light settings. Hence, butterflies are unable to see clearly in the dark, while moths end up viewing the world a bit blurred.

All moths engage in swift flight manoeuvres, and their eyes can sense the slightest change in their environment. What causes their eyes to perform the same functions under different light conditions is not clear to scientists. Recently, researchers have studied whether the butterflies and moths activity patterns at different times of the day can explain the difference in how their eyes function. The study, by researchers from the National Centre of Biological Sciences (NCBS), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune (IISER-Pune), was published in the Journal of Comparative Physiology A. It was supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the Government of India.

To facilitate seeing, light-detecting cells in the retina send a signal to the brain about the ambient visual environment. An object appears to flicker when the eyes light-detecting cells can register the dark and light periods from an irregular light source. Sometimes, the interval between the dark and light periods is so small that eyes fail to detect it, and an individual perceives even a flickering object as a regular light source. Scientists refer to the frequency at which eyes fail to detect an actual flicker as the Flicker Fusion Frequency or the FFF. As the FFF can vary across species, researchers often use it to compare the visual abilities of animals. The scientists compared the FFF of the butterflies and the moths.

To do so, the researchers collected live butterflies and moths from the gardens of the NCBS campus. Their sample comprised day-flying, evening-flying, and night-flying species of these insects.

We initially measured flicker fusion frequencies just as a quick fun activity, says Sanjay Sane, a Professor at NCBS and an author of the study. In due course, as many of these insects fly past our backyards, we developed this study, he adds. The researchers, however, depended on an opportunistic sampling of butterflies and moths in the NCBS backyard.

The researchers studied how the eyes of butterflies and other moths perceive a light source at various rates of flicker. They observed that the FFF is significantly different for the two groups. Butterflies eyes are better at detecting objects with a higher rate of flickering than moths eyes. Additionally, evening-flying butterflies can detect flickering in an even broader range of frequency.

Although their eyes are not as good as ours, their ability to sense changes in their environment is superior, and hence their reactions much faster, says Sanjay.

The scientists found that the ability to detect a flicker did not depend upon whether they are day-flying or night-flying, but whether they are butterflies or other moth species. The study suggests that as the butterflies and other moth species have diverged from their common ancestors during evolution, their eyes evolved differently. As butterflies adapted to day-light lifestyles, their eyes got more sensitive to change in ambient light. If a moth has evolved a diurnal lifestyle, it still has to function with a sensitivity of eyes that is best under low light levels, explains Sanjay. It points out that evolution happens continuously and has not yet optimised every organ for its current role.

The researchers were able to compare the different groups by studying them simultaneously. Fossil records or comparisons of genes would be insufficient to make such a comparison because physiological or behavioural differences are often not captured when animals are not alive.

Our study highlights the importance of comparative work across all levels including physiological to assess how evolutionary processes work, Sanjay signs off.

This article has been run past the researchers, whose work is covered, to ensure accuracy.

Follow this link:
Butterflies and moths look at the world differently: Blame it on evolution - Research Matters

Physiology

Bacterial-induced pH shifts link individual cell physiology to macroscale collective behavior – pnas.org

Bacterial-induced pH shifts link individual cell physiology to macroscale collective behavior

Veeramuthu Dharanishanthi, Amit Orgad, Neta Rotem, Efrat Hagai, Jeny Kerstnus-Banchik, Julius Ben-Ari, Tim Harig, Srinivasa Rao Ravella, Stefan Schulz, Yael Helman

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Apr 2021, 118 (14) e2014346118; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2014346118

See the rest here:
Bacterial-induced pH shifts link individual cell physiology to macroscale collective behavior - pnas.org

Physiology

The Psychology and Physiology of Brand Loyalty; an emerging perspective – ETBrandEquity.com

The Psychology and Physiology of Brand Loyalty; an emerging perspective.By S Ramesh Kumar

Brand loyalty is the ultimate dream of marketers. Is brand switching, a habit of consumers? The challenge for brand managers today is not just to create loyalty but to also sustain loyalty in a digital world that is replete with a variety of consumer dialog, mind shattering discounts and constant chatter on social media. Towards an understanding of brand loyalty in todays context, it is essential to understand the physiology based psychological process, that is associated with brand loyalty.

Various approaches to brand loyalty

Also Read: Priya Jayaraman steps down as CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi Propagate

It is the Physiology and Psychology that makes or breaks Brand loyalty

Research often quoted on neuromarketing, explains how brain scans that involved Coke and Pepsi, with pre-frontal cortex associated with pleasure, self and decision making (unknown to the consumer) may play a significant role in the loyalty of millions who adore Coke. Dopamine, an enzyme associated with pleasure, also influences our sensory pleasure. And these mechanisms, may act, even without a consumer being conscious about it, during sensual consumption of brands!

Automaticity (explained in consumer behavior literature) that drives context based habitual behavior may be effective as it has a physiological origin. While the mind and the habit adapt, to familiarity (due the built-in mechanism of automaticity) the mind is also attracted to new behaviors and novel sensory inputs in a specific context. This is reason why brand loyalty is difficult to sustain. Neale Martin in his book Habit and Norman in his book Emotional Design provide insightful information to understand the interaction of psychology and physiology in terms of creating brand loyalty. Norman speaks of three layers of interaction with the incoming information/sensory inputs- visceral state, reflexive state and reflective state. The visceral state is almost involuntary and fast with no processing, the reflexive state is the habitual state of recalling the learning and the reflective state is the conscious state of thinking but the one that does not directly influence behavior.

Also Read: BE Exclusive: Vivo makes a new celeb call

Duke researchers report that 45% of the time, we do the same thing at the same time thinking about something else! The cerebellum, an important part associated with the mind is associated with habits. The reflective state may influence the mind of a married lady to use the detergent brand used by her mother for several years due to the nostalgia involved. Of course as the environment changes over time , new lifestyles/technology set in and consumers may adapt new behaviors (iPod sold millions of downloads of songs displacing CDs and other musical delivery systems).

Implications to Marketers

Is price the basic weapon to break the loyalty the success of online retailers like Amazon and Flipkart with its Big Billion Days or private labels offered in modern retail outlets may provide an impression that the price may make consumers think about breaking loyalty. The target segment matters, as thrifty consumers may form a significant proportion in most categories. Also all brands do not have the business model of large online retailers who may always have a strong acquisition base. And it may become worthwhile for online shops to specialize in special needs of consumers (there are several, for traditional delicacies) . Private label apparel online shops may open up specialized personalization.

Does consistent feel of the brand (includes the brand proposition too) promote automaticity?Lifebuoy, Santoor, Lux and Surf with consistent brand propositions have been able to sustain themselves for a long period of time. Apple (ipod, ipad and iPhone) with its user friendly interface (besides the symbolic appeal) has been able to sustain its success. It is interesting to note that Blackberry that popularized the mail on the move had not posed a challenge to several other follower brands. This does not mean that brand extension by itself would be sufficient to garner loyalty but a consistent feel of the brand is important. Brand revitalization and reinforcement that is required in a changing environment is important in striking a balance between adapting to the environment and projecting the consistent feel.

Wherever appropriate making the brand a part of the context can nurture loyalty (Red Bull became a part of the partying context and history was created).

Emerging interdisciplinary fields are likely to synergize with the historical knowledge on consumer behavior: that must herald new vistas, in the world of branding.

The author is a professor of marketing at IIM-Bangalore. Views expressed are personal.

Watch BE+ | Way forward mantras for post COVID world | Leading marketing leaders like Deepa Krishnan, Anurita Chopra, Samir Singh to Santosh Iyer, across sectors in the special video series

Original post:
The Psychology and Physiology of Brand Loyalty; an emerging perspective - ETBrandEquity.com

Physiology

Enrollment Completed in Clinical Trial Evaluating Effect of Exclusive Human Milk Diet Including a Specialty Fortifier in Term Infants Born With Single…

DUARTE, Calif., April 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --Prolacta Bioscience, the world's leading hospital provider of 100% human milk-based nutritional products, announced today that enrollment is now complete in a clinical trial evaluating the effect of an exclusive human milk diet (EHMD),1including a specialty fortifier,for term infants who have undergone a corrective procedure for single ventricle physiology (SVP), a life-threatening congenital heart defect (CHD).

SVP refers to many types of CHDs that include specific anatomical conditions that result in the body having only one functioning heart ventricle. Because the body needs two healthy heart ventricles to pump blood around the body successfully, infants with SVP may have severe complications unless treated through a series of surgeries shortly after birth.2

"We're hopeful that an EHMD, including a specialty fortifier, will demonstrate improved short- and long-term health outcomes for this population of fragile term infants," said principal investigator Dr. Cynthia Blanco, MD, of the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. "This study allows us to examine the role of human milk nutrition for this specific infant population who require a great deal of nutrients to catch up on growth, heal from multiple surgeries, and avoid further health complications."

Blanco approached Prolacta about developing a fortifier for infants requiring cardiac surgery. SVP is rare, with only approximately 1,500 infants a year born in the U.S. with this condition.3 These infants face growth and feeding intolerance issues, which are further complicated by the infants being severely fluid restricted. To meet the specific nutritional needs of these fragile infants requiring surgery, a specialty fortifierwas developed and evaluated for potential use in this specific patient population.

"We were moved by Dr. Blanco's commitment to her patients and wanted to help her feed these fragile single ventricle physiology infants undergoing a corrective procedure," said Scott Elster, CEO of Prolacta. "It is gratifying to have the opportunity to provide human milk nutrition to other infant populations in need regardless of the relative size of that patient population."

The study, "A Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate Growth Velocity and Clinical Outcomes of Infants With Single Ventricle Physiology Fed an Exclusive Human Milk Diet With Early Nutritional Fortification Following Surgical Repair," successfully enrolled 107 infants undergoing a corrective procedure for SVP. These infants were randomly assigned to receive either Prolacta's human milk-based fortifier as part of an EHMD, or a cow milk-based fortifier as part of a human/cow milk diet (depending on hospital protocol). The trial was conducted at major medical centers in Texas, Ohio, Oklahoma, California, Illinois, New York, and Florida.

About Prolacta BioscienceProlacta BioscienceInc. is a privately held life sciences company dedicated to Advancing the Science of Human Milk. Prolacta is the world's leading hospital provider of 100% human milk-based nutritional products. These life-saving products have reduced complications and improved the health of more than 63,000 extremely premature infants globally.4 In addition, the company is exploring the therapeutic potential of human milk across a wide spectrum of human diseases, including applications for infants requiring surgery for congenital cardiac and gastrointestinal disorders. Operating the world's first pharmaceutical-grade human milk processing facilities, Prolacta leads the industry with the highest quality and safety standards for the screening and testing of donor milk. Prolacta is a global company with headquarters in Duarte, California, andcan be found online atwww.prolacta.com, on Twitter@prolacta, on Instagram@prolacta_bioscience, on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/prolacta,and LinkedIn atwww.linkedin.com/company/prolacta-bioscience/.

Media Contact: Loren Kosmont[emailprotected]310.721.9444

References:

1. An exclusive human milk diet (EHMD) is achieved when 100% of protein, fat, and carbohydrate in an infant's diet are derived from human milk. This diet includes Prolacta's 100% human milk-based fortifiers.

2. Single Ventricle Defects. American Heart Association (AHA). Accessed January 13, 2021. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/congenital-heart-defects/about-congenital-heart-defects/single-ventricle-defects

3. Estimated number of infants born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome including single ventricle physiology based on findings from: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Facts about Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. AccessedMarch 19, 2021.https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/heartdefects/hlhs.html; data on file.

4. Estimated number of premature infants fed Prolacta's products from January 2007 to August 2020; data on file.

SOURCE Prolacta Bioscience

https://www.prolacta.com

The rest is here:
Enrollment Completed in Clinical Trial Evaluating Effect of Exclusive Human Milk Diet Including a Specialty Fortifier in Term Infants Born With Single...

Physiology

Derek Chauvin trial, day 9: Doctor testifying for prosecution says ‘what Mr. Floyd was subjected to’ would kill healthy person – USA TODAY

Follow Friday's coverage of the Derek Chauvin trial here.

MINNEAPOLIS A medical expert in the physiologyof breathing testified in the murder trial of Derek Chauvin that the way George Floyd was restrained handcuffed behind his back, face-down on the ground, with a knee on his neck prevented him from breathing properly.

Dr. Martin Tobin, called as an expert witness by the prosecution, said the cause of Floyd's death washypoxia, or a low level of oxygen that led to asphyxia, or suffocation. The overall effect of the restraint was almost"asif a surgeon had gone in and removed the lung," he said, referring to Floyd's left lung.

"A healthy person subjected to what Mr. Floyd was subjected to would have died as a result of what he was subjected to," Tobin said.

Chauvinis charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd's death. The defense argues Floyd died as a result of the drugs in his system and underlying medical issues, but prosecutors say Floyd was killed by Chauvin's knee on his neck for more than nine minutes.

Stay updated on the Derek Chauvin trial: Signup for text messages of key updates, follow USA TODAY Networkreporters on Twitter, orsubscribe to the Daily Briefing newsletter.

Latest updates:

Dr. Bill Smock, called by the prosecution as an expert witness on drug tolerance who reviewed "thousands of pages of documents" in Floyd's case, took the witness stand Thursday afternoon.

Smock spent more than 20 years at a Level 1 trauma center in Louisville and teaches emergency medicine to paramedics, medical students and others in Louisville. He's edited four textbooks and has worked as an assistant medical examiner. He also is the police surgeon for the Louisville Police Department. Smock said he specializes in forensic analysis on people who have suffered major injuries but have not died.

Questioned by prosecutor Jerry Blackwell, Smock said he concluded that Floyd had died of positional asphyxia, "which is a fancy way of saying he had no oxygen in his body."

Smock said he also researched other potential causes of death, including excited delirium, a state where someone's respiration and breathing rate is up, and they're "out of control." Smock said excited delirium is a controversial diagnosis because "there isn't 100% agreement on what excited delirium is." However, Smock added, "in my opinion, it is real."

In this image taken from video witness Dr. Bill Smock, a Louisville physician in forensic medicine testifies as Hennepin County Judge PeterCahill presides Thursday, April 8, 2021, in the trial of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minn.(Photo: AP)

Responding to questions from Blackwell, Smock said Floyd showed none of the symptoms of excited delirium, including failing to respond to instructions from law enforcement officers, excessive sweating and far higher than normal strength.

Smock also said he ruled out a Fentanyl overdose as a potential cause of death. Symptoms of an overdose of the synthetic drug can be slower respiration rates, "or they're not respiring at all." Such an overdose would normally cause eye pupils to constrict said Smock. Instead, Floyd's respiration rate was normal and his pupil's were dilated, Smock testified.

The level of methamphetamine found in Floyd's system was "an extremely low level," Smock said, not suggestive of an overdose from that drug.

Smock also addressed the lack of bruising on Floyds body. He added that "you can be fatally strangled, die of asphyxia, and have absolutely no bruising." Bruising depends on where, how much and how long pressure has been applied, he said.

Trying to underscore Smocks medical opinion on the cause of death, Blackwell played part of a police body camera video and audio of the struggle with Floyd. "Listen to Mr. Floyd's voice, he's speaking with full volume," Smock said, adding, "You will hear his voice get weaker and weaker."

As the court played video of Floyd crying out "Mama,"his niece, Tiffany Hall, put her hand on her head and avoidedwatching the video. Shebreathedheavily and appearedto cry, dabbing her eyes with tissues as Floyd could be heard saying "I cant move."

At one point in the video, Smock highlighted Floyd pushing against the tire of the police patrol car in an attempt to breathe. "He's trying to get his right chest off the pavement so he can breathe," Smock said. That echoed earlier testimony from Tobin, the expert in the physiology of breathing.

Blackwell also focused Smock on the police officers duty to provide medical care to Floyd. Smock said the officers should have started CPR "way before" paramedics arrived and began to administer it a point several Minneapolis police officers have made in recent days. "As soon as Mr. Floyd was unconscious, he should have been rolled over," Smock added.

During cross-examination, lead defense attorney Eric Nelson got Smock to acknowledge that he's not certified as a pathologist. Asked by Nelson, Smock acknowledged there's no evidence from Floyd's autopsy that his airway had been obstructed. "The evidence is not from the autopsy, it is on the videotape, sir," Smock replied.

Smock said the autopsy showed Floyd had evidence of heart disease. Nelson asked whether Floyd's struggle with police officers could be likened to a cardiac stress test, when someone is placed on a treadmill with electrodes that record heart response as the treadmill's speed and difficulty level increases. Smock disagreed.

Asked by Blackwell, Smock said: "There was absolutely no evidence at autopsy, anything to suggest that Mr. Floyd had a heart attack."

Daniel Isenschmid, a forensic toxicologist who analyzed George Floyd's hospital blood and urine collected from theHennepin County Medical Examiner's autopsy, took the witness stand Thursay afternoon. Isenschmid works at NMS Laboratory in Horsham, Pennsylvania and previously worked at various medical examiner's offices.

He told jurors hefound fentanyl and methamphetamine in Floyd's blood. The amount of meth was consistent with a prescribed dose a"very low" amount, he said.

On fentanyl and opioids or opiates, Isenschmidsaidthe impact on a person taking the drug can vary widely depending on tolerance.The state triedto show that Floyd not only had a high tolerance for drugs, but that the amount in his system was average to minimal.

In this image taken from video, witness Daniel Isenschmid, a forensic toxicologist, testifies as Hennepin County Judge PeterCahill presides, Thursday, April 8, 2021, in the trial of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minn.(Photo: AP)

Isenschmidsaid he also found evidence of caffeine, smoking and THC in Floyd's body. Morphine was not found in the blood, but rather in the urine sample, which could indicate that the drug was taken prior to the day Floyd died, he said. Isenschmid said he also foundnarcan in Floyd's system, which can be indicative of someone undergoing treatment.

On cross-examination, lead defense attorney Eric Nelson tried to show that it was possible that Floyd ingested more fentanyl during the arrest a part of his case that drugs played a role in Floyd's death but the drug had not broken down by the time he died. Nelson also tried to bring home the point that drugs can vary from pill to pill, hit to hit, and could adversely impact a person's reaction. Isenschmid agreed.

When prosecutor Erin Eldridge resumed questioning, Isenschmid agreed the levels of meth in Floyd's system "were lower than 94% of the driving under the influence population" so low that it likely wouldn't cause an effect on Floyd.

Dr. Martin Tobin,a physician who has been working in respiratory physiology for 40 years, testified Thursday that Floyd died from a "low level of oxygen," which caused damage to his brain and an abnormal heartbeat. Tobin was called as an expert witness by prosecutors and examined records and video in the Floyd case, but he did not conduct an examination of Floyd's body.

Tobin said he watched videos of Floyd's arrests "hundreds of times"and found Chauvin's left knee was on Floyd's neck for the majority of the time. The combination of Floyd being handcuffed behind his back, the officers' manipulation of the cuffs, and the pavement beneath Floyd combined to interfere with Floyd's ability to breathe, Tobin testified.

"It's like the left side is in a vise. It's totally pushed in, squeezed in from the street at the bottom, and then from the way the handcuffs are manipulated," he said. "That totally interferes with central features of how we breathe.

In this image from video, Dr. Martin Tobin testifies as Hennepin County Judge PeterCahill presides Thursday, April 8, 2021, in the trial of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minn.(Photo: AP)

Tobin said images from the videos show Floyd trying to use his right fingers and knuckles to push the right side of his lungs up to get air into them. "This tells you he has used up his resources and he's literally trying to breathe with his fingers and knuckles," Tobin said.

Tobin looked at the jurors as he testified, and everyjuror took notes. Read more on his testimony here.

The prosecution has said Chauvin is not only culpable in Floyd's death but that he also failed to carry out his duty to provide basic care when Floyd was in medical distress and then became unresponsive.

Several Minneapolis police department officials testified Chauvin violated department policy by failing to move Floyd on his side to ease his breathing once he had been restrained face-down on the ground.

"When someone is in our custody, we have an obligation to provide for their care," Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo told jurors. That's true even if an officer is applying defense tactics, the chief said. "They're still in our custody," he said. "They have rights."

The defense has argued Chauvin and the other officers were unable to care for Floyd because they were distracted and threatened by a crowd of vocal, upset bystanders. "As the crowd grew in size, seemingly so too did their anger," lead defense attorney, Eric Nelson, told jurors. Read more.

Jurors have heard from 30 witnesses so far, all have been called by the prosecution in the George Floyd murder trial. USA TODAY

Sgt. Jody Stiger, a Los Angeles Police Department officer who has conducted about 2,500 use-of-force reviews in his career,told jurors Wednesday that Chauvin used "deadly" force on George Floyd and kept his knee on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes.

In this image from video, witness Jody Stiger, a Los Angeles Police Department sergeant testifies as Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill presides Wednesday, April 7, 2021.(Photo: AP)

Stiger said the initial force used on Floyd was appropriate because Floyd was resisting arrest as officers tried to get him into their patrol car. However, after officers forced Floyd to the ground, "they should have de-escalated the situation," Stiger said. Instead, the officers continued to intensify the situation, he said.

Stiger said the number of officers on the scene outweighed any threat posed by Floyd, who was not actively resisting while he was in the prone position. He said "no force should have been used after he was in that position." But the pressure continually exerted by Chauvin "raised the possibility of death," he said. More here.

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/04/07/derek-chauvin-trial-live-day-9-live-george-floyd-updates/7122850002/

See the rest here:
Derek Chauvin trial, day 9: Doctor testifying for prosecution says 'what Mr. Floyd was subjected to' would kill healthy person - USA TODAY

Physiology

The Ventilator Project: A Story of Grit, Determination and Hope – Yahoo India News

Usually, businesses take a long time to take shape, from an idea to a model, from launch to results. However, there are some that do not follow the traditional norm and breakthrough just-in-time to save the world.

Also Read | Economic Survey 2020-21: Unemployment Rates at All India Level Declined to 5.8% in 2018-19 from 6.1% in 2017-18

On March 24, 2020, the nation went under a lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic. There was a lack of medical equipment, hospital beds, ventilators, restriction on movement of goods and people, import and export.

However, during this critical time of unrest and hopelessness, home-grown start-up, Noccarc Robotics under the guidance of IIT Kanpur developed a cost-effective ICU ventilator in a span of 3 months. This solved a major issue that Indian hospitals were facing, the lack of ventilators which were mostly imported from other countries.

Also Read | Republic Day 2021: Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Prasar Bharati Gear Up for Bharat Parv 2021 Scheduled From January 2631

What is The Ventilator Project?

The Ventilator Project is a story about a life-saving technology that was manufactured in just 90 days to help India fight strongly against the pandemic. Srikant Sastri and Amitabha Bandyopadhyay together wrote the book, The Ventilator Project, describing the journey of building an ICU ventilator in times of a crisis.

Sastri and Bandyopadhyay formed the IIT Kanpur ventilator Consortium as a task force to assist Noccarc Robotics, a start-up, to build affordable yet high-quality ICU ventilators.

NOCCARC V310 - The ICU Ventilator

Noccarc Robotics manufactured Noccarc V310 after witnessing the desperate need of ICU ventilators in hospitals. Interestingly, the Noccarc team had never seen a ventilator before but the prototype of NOCCARC V310 was manufactured within 48 hours using the components available in the factory and some outsourced ones.

Within 48 hours, Tushar downloaded the entire physiology and anatomical understanding of the ventilator. The team also consulted several doctors to understand the technical and medical requirements of the ventilator.

Story continues

Any medical product has 2 parts- one is tech and the other is physiology. Our main challenge was how fast we understand the medical part of it and stitch together the engineering part developed over the last three years, said Tushar Agarwal, Head New Products & Innovation, Noccarc.

Features of NOCCARC V310

-NOCCARC is an advanced, indigenous, safe, reliable, and clinically validated ICU ventilator.

-NOCCARC V310 ventilator uses turbine-based technology that eliminates the need of compressed medical air.

-It can be used in multiple infrastructural setups. Moreover, it can operate for up to 8 hours without external power due to its inbuilt battery.

-It also has 14 required ventilation modes for ICU conditions, a high flow nasal cannula with electronic control of O2 concentration, and a flow rate of up to 100 LPM.

-It meets all the specifications laid out by the Government of India through the HLL tender and has been tested by a committee of doctors under the Directorate General of Health Services, DGHS.

Funding

During the execution of the ventilator project, I witnessed the importance of being an Indian. This was a time when the entire country was working for a common purpose, a proud Amitabha Bandyopadhyay said.

Corporate houses and banks came to their rescue and through IIT Kanpur funded the project ventilator. Ansys, Standard Chartered, ICICI Securities, and Info Edge from their corporate social responsibility fund without any guarantee that it will succeed, confirmed Amitabha Bandyopadhyay.

Challenges Faced

- Understanding the machine from a physicians perspective.

- Permission and approval for movement of people.

- Clarity on the regulatory framework.

Aatmanirbhar Bharat Dream

Speaking on achieving the self-reliant India dream, Srikant shared that due to the uncertainty revolving around the regulatory framework regarding the manufacturing of ventilators, it took the team 90 days instead of 60 to manufacture the ventilator.

We need a competent, strict, and transparent regulator to provide lighthouse direction to manufacturers, he said.There are many things that require intervention. Creating demand for indigenously manufactured products is most needed. Government tendering needs to be fixed, the structure needs to change to attract investments, he added.

Role of IIT Kanpur

IIT Kanpur played a vital role in connecting people and providing technical guidance that could help in the manufacturing of the NOCCARC V310. Moreover, it also provided infrastructure support, expert connections, fundings, permissions from the government, and the initial support that Noccarc needed.

The genesis of the whole project was IIT Kanpur and as we set up the task force, many more IIT Kanpur alumni came in, shared Srikant Sastri who also happens to be an IIT Kanpur alumni and a member of the Board of Incubators.

About Noccare Robotics

Noccarc Robotics is a Pune-based start-up company that originated in the incubator of IIT Kanpur and is into building technology through innovation. Three days into the lockdown and the company changed its line of business in order to survive the pandemic

Read this article:
The Ventilator Project: A Story of Grit, Determination and Hope - Yahoo India News

Physiology

Pear Therapeutics Expands Platform with Digital Biomarkers, Machine Learning Algorithms and Sensor-Based Technologies – Business Wire

BOSTON & SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pear Therapeutics, Inc. announced today that it has entered into agreements with multiple technology companies, including Empatica Inc., etectRx, Inc., and KeyWise, Inc. The new technologies complement the voice-based biomarkers previously licensed from Winterlight Labs. These new agreements bolster Pears Prescription Digital Therapeutics (PDT) platform, by adding to its library of digital biomarkers, machine learning algorithms, sensor-based technologies, and digital therapeutics.

Pear has built the first scalable platform infrastructure to discover, develop, and deliver PDTs to patients. Pears continued investment in cutting-edge technologies supports its strategy to create a potent toolkit for the development of PDTs.

The newly licensed technologies enable the building of a comprehensive product offering for remote sensing of patient physiology. Pears physiologic sensing portfolio could allow for real-time personalization of digital therapeutic content and pharmaceutical dosing, creating the opportunity for enhanced patient outcomes across a wide range of disease states.

We are excited to announce these agreements, which expand the leading PDT platform and create optionality as the space grows beyond neurobehavioral therapies, said Corey McCann, M.D., Ph.D., President and CEO of Pear. Accessing external technologies allows us to build PDTs with new capabilities and continue to broaden their scope and effectiveness. With the ability to collect and quantify information in real-world settings and to potentially personalize products in real-time, PDTs present the opportunity to truly revolutionize healthcare.

About Pear Therapeutics

Pear Therapeutics is the leader in prescription digital therapeutics, or PDTs. Pear aims to redefine medicine by discovering, developing, and delivering clinically validated software-based therapeutics to provide better outcomes for patients, smarter engagement and tracking tools for clinicians, and cost-effective solutions for payers. Pear has a pipeline of products and product candidates across therapeutic areas, including the first three PDTs with disease treatment claims from the FDA. Pears lead product, reSET, for the treatment of substance use disorder, was the first PDT to receive marketing authorization from the FDA to treat disease. Pears second product, reSET-O, for the treatment of opioid use disorder, was the first PDT to receive Breakthrough Designation. Pears third product, Somryst for the treatment of chronic insomnia, was the first PDT submitted through the FDAs traditional 510(k) pathway while simultaneously reviewed through the FDAs Software Precertification Pilot Program. For more information, visit Pear at http://www.peartherapeutics.com.

Read the original post:
Pear Therapeutics Expands Platform with Digital Biomarkers, Machine Learning Algorithms and Sensor-Based Technologies - Business Wire

Physiology

Study Investigates the Effects of Ventilatory Rescue Therapies on the Cerebral Oxygenation of COVID-19 Patients Using Masimo O3 – Business Wire

NEUCHATEL, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Masimo (NASDAQ: MASI) today announced the results of a prospective, observational study published in Critical Care in which researchers in Genoa, Italy, evaluated the impact of a variety of rescue therapies on the systemic and cerebral oxygenation of mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).1 To gauge the impact, the researchers used the Masimo Root Patient Monitoring and Connectivity Platform with O3 Regional Oximetry, which uses near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to enable monitoring of tissue oxygen saturation (rSO2) in the region of interest, such as the brain.

Dr. Chiara Robba and colleagues noted that neurological complications are common in mechanically ventilated critically ill patients with COVID-19 and may lead to impaired cerebral hemodynamics, and further, that respiratory rescue therapies may have detrimental effects on brain physiology. Observing, however, that there is currently little data available regarding the effect of rescue therapies on these patients brains, and in particular on cerebral oxygenation, the researchers sought to assess the impact of different ventilatory rescue therapies on the brain to help guide clinicians in choosing the most appropriate therapies for their COVID-19 patients.

The rescue therapies studied were recruitment maneuvers (RMs), prone positioning (PP), inhaled nitric oxide (iNO), and extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal (ECCO2R). To assess impact, the researchers measured (before and after the application of each method) arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2), partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2), and cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2). rSO2 was obtained using Masimo Root with O3, which also allowed them to observe several additional parameters unique to Masimo O3: O2Hb, which monitors relative changes in the oxygenated hemoglobin component of rSO2; HHb, which monitors relative changes in the deoxygenated hemoglobin component of rSO2; and cHb, which monitors relative changes in total cerebral hemoglobin or blood volume. As a secondary aim, the researchers sought to evaluate the correlation between systemic and cerebral oxygenation.

The researchers found that the four rescue therapies had varied impact on cerebral oxygenation and the other measured parameters, noting in particular that after RMs, while there was no significant change in PaO2 or PaCO2, there was a significant decrease in rSO2. After PP and after iNO therapies, both PaO2 and rSO2 increased; cHb also increased, corresponding to increased cerebral blood volume. After ECCO2R, both PaO2 and rSO2 decreased.

The researchers concluded, Rescue therapies exert specific pathophysiological mechanisms, resulting in different effects on systemic and cerebral oxygenation in critically ill COVID-19 patients with ARDS. The choice of rescue strategy to be adopted should take into account both lung and brain needs.

They also noted, To our knowledge, this is the first study investigating the early effects of rescue therapies on systemic and cerebral oxygenation and their correlation in critically ill patients with COVID-19-associated ARDS. The use of multimodal neuromonitoring, including new indices such as HHbi + O2Hbi, enabled us to better investigate the specific consequences of each ventilatory rescue strategy for brain and lung function. This is particularly important, especially in the early phases after rescue therapies application, when most of the effects on cerebral physiology are mainly acting.

Dr. Robba and study co-author Dr. Basil Matta, Senior Medical Director at Masimo, commented, The ability to observe relative changes in oxygenated, deoxygenated, and total hemoglobin with O3s delta indices provided us with better insight into why brain saturations change as a result of interventions, and allowed us to better understand the interactions between systemic and cerebral hemodynamics. For example, we saw that turning patients prone resulted in improved systemic and cerebral oxygenation, whereas the lung recruitment maneuver did not improve systemic oxygenation, and even had an adverse effect by reducing brain oxygen saturation.

They continued, Above all, the main objective of improving the oxygen content of the blood is to deliver oxygen to vital organs, the most important of which is the brain. Masimo O3 provides the clinician with the ability to assess the impact of any medical intervention aimed at improving oxygenation. O3s hemoglobin indices were critical to our understanding of the effects of our interventions on the brain. Without such a monitor, we are at best guessing, and in danger of flying blind. As we continue to seek to improve care and outcomes for patients with severe COVID-19, any tool that helps us better understand the impact of different medical interventions is most welcome.

@Masimo | #Masimo

About Masimo

Masimo (NASDAQ: MASI) is a global medical technology company that develops and produces a wide array of industry-leading monitoring technologies, including innovative measurements, sensors, patient monitors, and automation and connectivity solutions. Our mission is to improve patient outcomes and reduce the cost of care. Masimo SET Measure-through Motion and Low Perfusion pulse oximetry, introduced in 1995, has been shown in over 100 independent and objective studies to outperform other pulse oximetry technologies.2 Masimo SET has also been shown to help clinicians reduce severe retinopathy of prematurity in neonates,3 improve CCHD screening in newborns,4 and, when used for continuous monitoring with Masimo Patient SafetyNet in post-surgical wards, reduce rapid response team activations, ICU transfers, and costs.5-8 Masimo SET is estimated to be used on more than 200 million patients in leading hospitals and other healthcare settings around the world,9 and is the primary pulse oximetry at 9 of the top 10 hospitals according to the 2020-21 U.S. News and World Report Best Hospitals Honor Roll.10 Masimo continues to refine SET and in 2018, announced that SpO2 accuracy on RD SET sensors during conditions of motion has been significantly improved, providing clinicians with even greater confidence that the SpO2 values they rely on accurately reflect a patients physiological status. In 2005, Masimo introduced rainbow Pulse CO-Oximetry technology, allowing noninvasive and continuous monitoring of blood constituents that previously could only be measured invasively, including total hemoglobin (SpHb), oxygen content (SpOC), carboxyhemoglobin (SpCO), methemoglobin (SpMet), Pleth Variability Index (PVi), RPVi (rainbow PVi), and Oxygen Reserve Index (ORi). In 2013, Masimo introduced the Root Patient Monitoring and Connectivity Platform, built from the ground up to be as flexible and expandable as possible to facilitate the addition of other Masimo and third-party monitoring technologies; key Masimo additions include Next Generation SedLine Brain Function Monitoring, O3 Regional Oximetry, and ISA Capnography with NomoLine sampling lines. Masimos family of continuous and spot-check monitoring Pulse CO-Oximeters includes devices designed for use in a variety of clinical and non-clinical scenarios, including tetherless, wearable technology, such as Radius-7 and Radius PPG, portable devices like Rad-67, fingertip pulse oximeters like MightySat Rx, and devices available for use both in the hospital and at home, such as Rad-97. Masimo hospital automation and connectivity solutions are centered around the Masimo Hospital Automation platform, and include Iris Gateway, iSirona, Patient SafetyNet, Replica, Halo ION, UniView, UniView :60, and Masimo SafetyNet. Additional information about Masimo and its products may be found at http://www.masimo.com. Published clinical studies on Masimo products can be found at http://www.masimo.com/evidence/featured-studies/feature/.

ORi and RPVi have not received FDA 510(k) clearance and are not available for sale in the United States. The use of the trademark Patient SafetyNet is under license from University HealthSystem Consortium.

References

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, in connection with the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, among others, statements regarding the potential effectiveness of Root with O3. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations about future events affecting us and are subject to risks and uncertainties, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control and could cause our actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in our forward-looking statements as a result of various risk factors, including, but not limited to: risks related to our assumptions regarding the repeatability of clinical results; risks related to our belief that Masimo's unique noninvasive measurement technologies, including Root with O3, contribute to positive clinical outcomes and patient safety; risks related to our belief that Masimo noninvasive medical breakthroughs provide cost-effective solutions and unique advantages; risks related to COVID-19; as well as other factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of our most recent reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), which may be obtained for free at the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, we do not know whether our expectations will prove correct. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of today's date. We do not undertake any obligation to update, amend or clarify these statements or the "Risk Factors" contained in our most recent reports filed with the SEC, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under the applicable securities laws.

Link:
Study Investigates the Effects of Ventilatory Rescue Therapies on the Cerebral Oxygenation of COVID-19 Patients Using Masimo O3 - Business Wire

Physiology

Penrose TherapeuTx Expands Scientific Advisory Board with Three World-Renowned Oncology Researchers – BioSpace

Drs. Mircea Ivan, David Rubin and Patrick Farmer join Penroses growing board of experts in latest round of scientific appointees

ANN ARBOR, Mich. & CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Penrose TherapeuTx, a pharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative small-molecule therapies for the treatment of advanced cancers, has welcomed three new leading oncology researchers to serve on the companys advisory board. Penroses deep bench of scientific advisors will now also include Mircea Ivan, M.D., Ph.D., a microbiologist and immunologist whose research contributed to the 2019 Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology for the discovery of how cells sense and adapt to oxygen availability, David Rubin, M.D., a gastroenterologist with expertise in high-risk cancer syndromes, inflammatory bowel diseases and clinical trial design, and Patrick Farmer, M.D., a chemical and biochemical expert whose research includes metal-based therapies for melanoma.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210406005498/en/

Mircea Ivan, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Indiana School of Medicine. (Photo: Business Wire)

Drs. Ivan, Rubin and Farmer all bring world-class experience across the many interconnected fields of oncology research, said Mark de Souza, CEO of Penrose TherapeuTx. With unique backgrounds in microbiology, gastroenterology and chemistry, we believe their expertise will propel and expedite our novel mitochondrial research platform through the next stages of development.

Dr. Mircea Ivan is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Indiana School of Medicine and a leading researcher in hypoxia, having pioneered the study of noncoding RNAs regulated by oxygen deprivation. He is also focused on combinatorial therapeutic approaches in oncology and tumor metabolism. Dr. Ivans research with Dr. William Kaelin (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute) showing how normal oxygen levels control rapid HIF-1 degradation with the help of oxygen-sensitive enzymes contributed to the 2019 Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology.

Dr. David Rubin is an international thought leader in the field of gastroenterology and the Joseph B. Kirsner Professor Chair, Chief of the Section of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, and the Co-Director of the Digestive Diseases Center at the University of Chicago Medicine. His 30 plus years of clinical expertise includes high-risk cancer syndromes and inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis) with particular interest in the prevention of cancer associated with these gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, as well as better screening tools for colorectal cancer.

Dr. Patrick Farmer is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Baylor University who has extensively researched melanoma and brings over 30 years of chemical and biochemical expertise to the scientific advisory board. His research groups early study of the pigment melanin as a means of targeting melanoma led to chelator-based therapies that are currently in clinical trial for several types of cancer.

Drs. Ivan, Rubin and Farmer join current board members Dr. Navdeep Chandel, a Professor of Medicine, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine with over 25 years of experience focused on understanding mitochondria as signaling organelles, Dr. Bhardwaj Desai, Chief Development Officer at Penrose TherapeuTx and a leader in oncology clinical drug development across all classes of medication and phases of development, and Dr. James Stankiewicz, a Professor of Otolaryngology at the Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago for over four decades.

About Penrose TherapeuTx

Penrose TherapeuTx is a U.S.-based pharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative small-molecule therapies for the treatment of advanced cancers. Penrose has pioneered the development of a novel Mitochondrial Modifying Agent (MMA) therapeutic platform designed to generate therapies for difficult to treat cancers through a unique cooperative mechanism of action. Our approach has potential broad applicability across both hematologic and solid tumors. Learn more at https://penrosetherapeutx.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210406005498/en/

Read more from the original source:
Penrose TherapeuTx Expands Scientific Advisory Board with Three World-Renowned Oncology Researchers - BioSpace

Physiology

OpSens Awarded Innovative Technology Contract by Vizient for OptoWire III – BioSpace

Contract awarded for products that bring improvement to health care industry

QUEBEC CITY, April 7, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - OpSens Inc. ("OpSens" or the "Company") (TSX: OPS) (OTCQX: OPSSF), a medical device cardiology-focused company, announced today it has been awarded an Innovative Technology contract from Vizient, Inc., the largest member-driven health care performance improvement company in the U.S. The contract was awarded based on the recommendation of OptoWire III, a guidewire to diagnose and treat coronary disease, by hospital experts who serve on one of Vizient's member-led councils.

Innovative Technology contracts are recommended after review and interaction with products submitted through Vizient's Innovative Technology Program. Vizient member-led councils identify technologies that have the potential to enhance clinical care, patient safety, health care worker safety or improve business operations of health care organizations.

The OpSens OptoWire III is a modern pressure guidewire designed for contemporary clinical practice to diagnose, treat, and confirm results in coronary arteries. The OptoWire III allows navigation through complex anatomies, delivery of a stent without guidewire exchange, choices among different hyperemic and resting indices to assess coronary physiology, and confirmation of treatment with easy and reliable post-PCI measurements. The accuracy of the device, or absence of drift, and the possibility to use a single wire for the full procedure, can cut time and costs from the procedure and provides confidence in the diagnosis with consistent and repeatable measurements.

Louis Laflamme, President and Chief Executive Officer of OpSens, commented, "We are delighted to have been awarded a contract with Vizient. We are honored to be rewarded for the innovation we are bringing with the OptoWire III. Working with hospital systems has been a key initiative within OpSens and we are excited to be in the position to serve the numerous Vizient members through this contract."

"Hospitals and providers are looking for innovations that offer unique benefit over other products available on the market today. Our member council determined this technology met the criteria to be awarded with the Innovative Technology contract. Congratulations to OpSens on receiving this status," said Debbie Archer, director of procurement and Vizient Innovative Technology Program leader.

Coronary artery disease is the blockage or narrowing (stenosis) of the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle, often due to the buildup of fatty plaque inside the arteries, which may cause heart attacks. Several studies, such as the FAME Study, showed that when Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) is used prior to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), patients' outcomes are improved with major adverse cardiac events significantly reduced.

The OptoWire III offers physicians several competitive advantages, including superior steerability, reliability in coronary physiologic assessments, and the ability to use a single guidewire for the entire procedure, saving physicians and staff costs and time. Since OptoWire's approval in 2015, more than 100,000 patients have been evaluated or treated with this system.

About OpSens Inc. (www.OpSens.com or http://www.OpSensmedical.com)

OpSens focuses mainly on coronary physiology products in interventional cardiology. OpSens offers an advanced optical-based pressure guidewire that aims at improving the clinical outcome of patients with coronary artery disease. Its flagship product, the OptoWire, is a second-generation fiber optic pressure guidewire designed to provide the lowest drift in the industry and excellent lesions access. The OptoWire has been used in the diagnosis and treatment of over 100,000 patients in more than 30 countries. It is approved for sale in the United States, European Union, Japan, and Canada.

OpSens is also involved in industrial activities in developing, manufacturing, and installing innovative fiber optic sensing solutions for critical applications.

Forward-looking statements contained in this press release involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, and achievements of OpSens to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the said forward-looking statements.

Neither TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE OPSENS Inc.

Company Codes: OTC-QX:OPSSF, Toronto:OPS, OTC-PINK:OPSSF

Follow this link:
OpSens Awarded Innovative Technology Contract by Vizient for OptoWire III - BioSpace