...Harvard Business School 9-698-004 July 8, 1997 We’ve Got Rhythm! Medtronic Corporation’s Cardiac Pacemaker Business The legacy of Medtronic Corporation, the company that created the cardiac pacemaker industry, is a proud one. Starting from its earliest pacemakers, which had to be carried outside the body, Medtronic had achieved dramatic improvements in the functionality, size and reliability of these devices. In so doing it had extended the lives, and improved the quality of life, for hundreds of thousands of people in whom pacemakers had been implanted. The pacemaker has been designated as one of the ten most outstanding engineering achievements in the world over the past 50 years, along with the digital computer and the Apollo 11 moon landing. 1 Medtronic, which in 1995 booked operating profit of $300 million on revenues of $1.7 billion, had been founded in 1957 in Minneapolis, Minnesota by Earl Bakken, a researcher and inventor who had to his credit patents on several of the crucial technologies that led to the modern heart pacemaker. Pacemakers were small, battery-powered devices which, when implanted within a patient, helped a malfunctioning heart to beat in a steady, fixed rhythm. Because Medtronic was the first entrant into the pacemaker field and built a strong technological lead, it enjoyed a substantial portion (over 70%) of the market share for cardiac pacing through the 1960s. Building upon Medtronic’s legacy of leadership was not easy, however...
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...to start my senior year of high school, but still asked myself the same question. However, senior year in my Biomedical Engineering class I was told each week I had to research an article that was somehow related to the class. I had to read the research/article thoroughly, write a three to four page research paper and present my findings in front of the class. At first I wasn’t so eager about the assignment, because not only I hate writing but also reading. However by doing these research papers helped me shape my career aspiration and also helped prepare me for college level research papers. The first article I read that grabbed my attention was “Thoughts Control Robotic Hands”. The article talked about how a group of researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have implanted an array of electrodes into the motor cortex of a patient’s brain enabling...
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...Jesse Smith Pacemakers For the Brain April 12, 2016 Pacemakers For the Brain Pacemakers for the brain are mainly used to treat Parkinson’s disease. Today’s researchers believe the pacemaker could be used to improve brain function and to ward off many different diseases. Hearts have been regulated by electronic implants longer than the brain. This paper will explain what brain pacemakers are and how it is evolving over the years. Nearly fifteen years ago, in France, pacemakers for the brain were implanted into humans. In 1997, the first United States use of pacemakers was approved. “Scientists have shown that using deep brain stimulations, a technique used to treat Parkinson’s disease, can boost memory by causing new brain cells to be formed” (Reporter, D.M). This procedure had been performed infrequently and not surprisingly, until very recently. Researchers say the science of the pacemaker just was not there and the majority of the outcomes were horrifying. But now, the science of the brain has become better understood, and the long-term outcomes of the pacemaker for the brain have shown to be both successful and harmless. However, this all could be about to change. “By the end of this year, the group hopes to begin using deep brain-electrical stimulation to try and awaken patients who suffered sever brain damage and live in cognitive limbo”(Regalado, A). In 2003, the first experiment on how the pacemaker was adapted to help people suffering from depression was run. “Four...
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...We’ve Got Rhythm! Medtronic Corporation’s Cardiac Pacemaker Business Situational Analysis Cardiac Pacemaker, considered to be one of the greatest engineering feats of the 20th century, was invented by Medtronic Corporation, an US based organization. Medtronic dominated the early pacemaker market of the 1950-60’s being the first-mover into the domain. However, the scenario transformed promptly in the following decade, with the cropping up of steep competition, accompanied by accelerated technological changes etc. and the organization’s market share got squeezed down to close to half of the previous figure as a result of their futility in creating new & advanced products right on time, severely harming their brand reputation. However, Medtronic regained their market & product leadership from the late 1980’s through the timely invention of a path-breaking, rate responsive pacemaker named Activitrax, followed by a thorough revamp of their incorporated processes and systems. The gross lack of coordination plaguing the company’s new product development process, resulting directly into the failure to respond fittingly to the market demands or changes, was gradually got rid-off via inculcating the management philosophies (like, assigning highest priorities to the commitments made, creation of a sense of urgency, fetching greater employee productivity, unifying the management and employees etc.). New performance milestones (cycle time, unit product costs, innovative products...
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...must have an in-depth understanding of primary body systems and their pathology. This paper will educate the prudent nurses who read it with detailed information about the specific cardiac pathology of atrial fibrillation. Written with a basic understanding of human heart function/structure as a prerequisite, this paper will first discuss key terms one must be familiar with before providing researched information explaining the pathophysiology of atrial fibrillation (AF). Next, it will discuss the etiology, clinical manifestations, common laboratory diagnostics, and interventions. Lastly, this paper continues by providing readers with nursing diagnoses and patient teachings associated with AF. Key Terms As a nurse one must become a scientist of sorts and must be familiar with technical nursing terminology. Atrial fibrillation, or AF, is a cardiac dysrhythmia in which “multiple rapid impulses from many atrial foci depolarize the atria in a totally disorganized manner at a rate of 350 to 600 times per minute” [ (Ignatavicius & Workman, 2010) ]. A dysrhythmia is a disorder of the heartbeat involving a disturbance in cardiac rhythm and an irregular heartbeat; whereas an arrhythmia is basically a fast or irregular heartbeat caused by a disorder in the heart's electrical system. Tachydysrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm with a rate greater than 100 beats per minute. Cardiac output refers to the volume of blood ejected from the heart in each minute. The normal...
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...To Determine the Effect of an Exercise Regime on Heart Rate and Recovery Time Introduction The events of the cardiac cycle are initiated and controlled by electrical signals generated by two nodes in the heart (Boyle and Senior, 2008). Nodes are specialised tissues strategically placed in the heart that act as nervous and muscle tissue. When nodal tissue contracts, it generates nerve impulses that travel throughout the heart wall (About.com, n.d.). Figure 1 – Cardiac Conduction Yellow Arrows/Aspects = journey of signals Area of Bundle of His/Purkinje Fibres Ventricular Septum Aorta – to the body Pulmonary Artery – to the lungs The location of the cardiac nodes is shown in figure 1. A single heartbeat begins with an electrical signal generated by the sino-atrial node, on the wall of the right atrium. This node is often referred to as the ‘pacemaker’ of the heart (it regulates the heartbeat). This signal spreads over the walls of both atria, causing them to contract and fill the ventricles. Once the ventricle walls have filled, the atrio-ventricular node picks up the signal and directs it down the ventricular septum and onto the bundle of His. From here, the signal spreads throughout the Purkinje fibres in the ventricle walls causing them to contract, pushing the blood out of the pulmonary artery and aorta. (Drugline.ord, n.d.) Heart rate is controlled by the two branches of the autonomic nervous system - the sympathetic and parasympathetic. The sympathetic...
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... By Margaret Anne Rich A Research Project Proposal Submitted to the Graduate School of Northwestern State University of Louisiana In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Science in Health and Human Performance With concentration in Sport Administration April 2013 Abstract The purpose of this study is to determine if college athletes that are predisposed to heart defects develop a heart defect during their athletic career. The researcher will conduct a causal comparative study to prove that college athletes that are predisposed to heart defects develop one during their athletic career. The study will examine college athletes that are predisposed to heart defects and do not realize they are at risk for possible development of a heart defect during their athletic career. Knowing an athlete’s family and medical history could help prevent a great deal of possible health conditions. Athletes have a higher risk of developing a higher risk if they are predisposed. There are athletes that do not realize that they are predisposed to heart defects and that they could develop one. Table of Contents Introduction 5 Background 5 Theoretical Framework 6 Statement of the problem. 6 Research question. 6 Purpose for the study. 7 Significance 7 Limitations of the Study 7 Definitions of Terms 8 Arrhythmias 8 Athletic Career 8 Electrocardiogram 8 Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: 8 Sudden Cardiac Death: 8 Review of Related Literature...
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...The Wharton School University of Pennsylvania Marketing 777 MARKETING STRATEGY Professor: George S. Day, Suite 700 JMHH, Telephone: 215 898 8245 Email: dayg@wharton.upenn.edu Administrative Mary Donegan Assistant: Suite 700 JMHH Telephone: 215 898 2104 Email: mdonegan@wharton.upenn.edu Office Hours: By appointment Web Café Address: http://webcafe.wharton.upenn.edu/eRoom/mktg/777c Class Schedule: Monday and Wednesday 9:00am – 10:20am 10:30am – 12:00 noon Introduction This course views marketing as both a general management responsibility and an orientation of an organization. Relatively less attention will be given to the specific activities of the marketing department, sales group, or advertising function in implementing strategic decisions. We will take the viewpoint of the general manager and the senior marketing executive to address the issues of: ➢ Formulating segmentation and focus strategies ➢ Understanding, attracting and keeping valuable customers ➢ Positioning the business to achieve an advantage over competitors ➢ Identifying and exploiting growth opportunities ➢ Allocating resources across businesses and segments ➢ Managing the channels for gaining access to the served markets, and ➢ Aligning the organization to changing market requirements. The course will use a mix of cases, lecture/discussion, outside speakers, and group...
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...Priority Focus Area: Communication In preparation of a review from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) Nightingale Community Hospital will focus on improving its communication process in the operating room. The purpose of communication in the healthcare setting is to disseminate information in such a way as to create shared understanding about the patient and about what needs to be done for a positive outcome. (synergia.com) A patient is at his most vulnerable state during procedures that require sedation or anesthesia. The patient is releasing his decision making ability and safety into the control and care of the healthcare team. Therefore, effective communication on behalf of the patient is critical to the patient’s outcome. As we prepare for this upcoming review by the Joint Commission, communication is our priority focus area. From a previous Joint Commission visit 2 years ago it was found that Nightingale Community Hospital fell short in the area of communication. In one instance the surveyor was unable to find the link between the interdisciplinary and collaborative process that the hospital already had in place to the actual usage of the process to affect patient outcomes. (PC.01.03.01) It was also found that leadership had not effectively communicated how the hospital manages its programs, services, sites or departments as evidenced by an interview with three different staff nurses. (LD.04.01.05) Lastly, as it relates...
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...MBA Consulting Project Customer Loyalty as a Function of Brand Penetration Growth Arguably, generating customer loyalty is a prerequisite for effective ad campaigns. Frederick Reichheld claimed in the 1980s that by increasing customer retention by 5%, profitability would increase from 25% to 85%. Since then, profitability has actually increased 25% to 100%. Subaru used a multi-platform marketing campaign which included online and offline elements as well as a customer relationship management scheme, with personalized direct communications According to Andrew Ehrenberg's "double jeopardy rule", small brands are said to be "doubly jeopardized" because they have fewer buyers who are less loyal to the brand, while large brands tend to "benefit twice" as a result of higher market penetration, increased buying frequency and customer loyalty. Brands looking to increase customer loyalty should focus on increasing penetration, since loyalty follows as a logical consequence of brand penetration ." Consumer loyalty can also be increased by creative marketing campaigns that generate buzz and stimulate word-of-mouth. As opposed to simply looking at attitudinal loyalty, it is important to observe price sensitivity as a measure of consumer commitment to a brand. Multi-media campaigns are an effective way to stimulate market share, thereby increasing brand loyalty. An important part of any marketing mix is the use of television advertising, which repeatedly demonstrates it's superiority...
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...A seminar on Study of working of magnetic levitation trains. By Shubham Sharma Guided by Sagar Shinde Department Of Mechanical Engineering Pad. Dr. Dy Patil Institute Of Engineering, Management And Research Pad. Dr. Dy Patil Institute Of Engineering, Management And Research CERTIFICATE This is to certify that Mr. Shubham Sharma has successfully completed the seminar work entitled “study of working of magnetic levitation trains” under my supervision, in partial fulfillment of bachelor of engineering – mechanical engineering, by university of pune. Date: Place: Guide: Mr. Sagar Shinde Mrs. Amruta Adwant Guide Head, MechanicalEngineering, DYPIEMR Principal, SEAL DYPIEMR AKNOWLEDGEMENT With immense pleasure I am presenting this seminar report on “Study of working of magnetic levitation trains” ...
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...Assessment Data Milwaukee is the city of focus for The Final Community Health Paper. The City of Milwaukee is populated woth just under 600,000 people. Milwaukee lies along the shores and bluffs of Lake Michigan, which supplies three rivers: the Menomonee, the Kinnickinnic and the Milwaukee. Milwaukee’s lakefront resembles that of an oceanfront Lake Michigan is too large to see across. Milwaukee's terrain is relatively flat, except for steep bluffs along the lakeshore that begin about one half mile north and four miles south of the downtown. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 96.9 square miles. 96.1 square miles of it is land and 0.9 miles squared of it is water. Included in this graph is some basic demographic information: General Characteristics | Number | Percent | U.S. | Total population | 596,974 | | | Male | 285,363 | 47.8 | 49.1% | Female | 311,611 | 52.2 | 50.9% | Median age (years) | 30.6 | (X) | 35.3 | Under 5 years | 47,545 | 8.0 | 6.8% | 18 years and over | 425,990 | 71.4 | 74.3% | 65 years and over | 65,123 | 10.9 | 12.4% | | | | | One race | 580,824 | 97.3 | 97.6% | White | 298,379 | 50.0 | 75.1% | Black or African American | 222,933 | 37.3 | 12.3% | American Indian and Alaska Native | 5,212 | 0.9 | 0.9% | Asian | 17,571 | 2.9 | 3.6% | Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 301 | 0.1 | 0.1% | Some other race | 36,428 | 6.1 | 5.5% | Two or more races | 16,150 | 2.7 | 2.4%...
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...Anatomy and Physiology 2, SCI 136 Research project # 40904000 Muscular Dystrophy Definition Muscular dystrophy (MD) refers to a group of more than 30 genetic diseases that cause progressive weakness and degeneration of skeletal muscles used during voluntary movement. The word dystrophy is derived from the Greek dys, which means "difficult" or "faulty," and troph, or "nourish." These disorders vary in age of onset, severity, and pattern of affected muscles. All forms of MD grow worse as muscles progressively degenerate and weaken. Many patients eventually lose the ability to walk (“National Institute,” 2011). Some types of MD also affect the heart, gastrointestinal system, endocrine glands, spine, eyes, brain, and other organs. Respiratory and cardiac diseases may occur, and some patients may develop a swallowing disorder. MD is not contagious and cannot be brought on by injury or activity (“National Institute,” 2011). Method(s) of diagnosis Muscular dystrophies are diagnosed through both the patient’s medical history and a complete family history to determine if the muscle disease is secondary to a disease affecting other tissues or organs or is an inherited condition. It is also important to rule out any muscle weakness resulting from prior surgery, exposure to toxins, current medications that may affect the patient's functional status, and any acquired muscle diseases. Thorough clinical and neurological exams can rule out disorders of the central and/or...
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...NCLEX-RN® DETAILED TEST PLAN 2010 NCLEX-RN Detailed Test Plan ® Effective | April 2010 Item Writer/Item Reviewer/Nurse Educator Version Mission Statement The National Council of State Boards of Nursing, composed of member boards, provides leadership to advance regulatory excellence for public protection. Purpose and Functions The purpose of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN ) is to provide an organization through which boards of nursing act and counsel together on matters of common interest and concern affecting the public health, safety and welfare, including the development of licensing examinations in nursing. ® The major functions of NCSBN include developing the NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN examinations, performing policy analysis and promoting uniformity in relationship to the regulation of nursing practice, disseminating data related to NCSBN’s purpose and serving as a forum for information exchange for NCSBN members. ® ® Copyright© 2010 National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. (NCSBN) All rights reserved. NCSBN , NCLEX , NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN are registered trademarks of NCSBN and this document may not be used, reproduced or disseminated to any third party without written permission from NCSBN. ® ® ® ® Permission is granted to boards of nursing to use or reproduce all or parts of this document for licensure related purposes only. Nonprofit education programs have permission to use or reproduce all or parts of this document...
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... JULY 2012 1585 A 53-nW 9.1-ENOB 1-kS/s SAR ADC in 0.13- m CMOS for Medical Implant Devices Dai Zhang, Student Member, IEEE, Ameya Bhide, Student Member, IEEE, and Atila Alvandpour, Senior Member, IEEE Abstract—This paper describes an ultra-low power SAR ADC for medical implant devices. To achieve the nano-watt range power consumption, an ultra-low power design strategy has been utilized, imposing maximum simplicity on the ADC architecture, low transistor count and matched capacitive DAC with a switching scheme which results in full-range sampling without switch bootstrapping and extra reset voltage. Furthermore, a dual-supply voltage scheme allows the SAR logic to operate at 0.4 V, reducing the overall power consumption of the ADC by 15% without any loss in performance. The ADC was fabricated in 0.13- m CMOS. In dual-supply mode (1.0 V for analog and 0.4 V for digital), the ADC consumes 53 nW at a sampling rate of 1 kS/s and achieves the ENOB of 9.1 bits. The leakage power constitutes 25% of the 53-nW total power. Index Terms—ADC, analog-to-digital conversion, leakage power consumption, low-power electronics, medical implant devices, successive approximation. I. INTRODUCTION EDICAL implant devices, such as pacemakers and implantable cardiac defibrillators, target increasingly advanced signal acquisition and signal processing systems. Such devices, which are to be implanted in the human body, require extremely low power consumption in order to operate up to 10 years...
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