A method for increasing permeability of a cellular layer of epithelial cells includes contacting the cellular layer with a nanostructured surface including a plurality of first nanostructures arranged thereon and projecting outward therefrom. A fractal dimension of the plurality of nanostructures is greater than 1. The permeability of the cellular layer by a compound is increased as compared to the permeability of the cellular layer prior to contact with the surface.

A method is provided that includes providing an electrode, which includes a wire that has a wire diameter of between 75 and 125 microns. The wire includes a non-electrically-insulated current-application longitudinal segment, which, in the absence of any applied forces, is coiled and has a mean pitch of between 1.1 and 2 times the wire diameter, and an entire longitudinal length of between 5 and 35 mm. The wire also includes an electrically-insulated lead longitudinal segment has an entire longitudinal length of between 5 and 80 mm, in the absence of any applied forces. At least a portion of the electrode is implanted in a body of a subject. Other embodiments are also described.

A “localizable” systemic gene therapy system is provided substantially increasing the transfection efficiency of the gene vectors into targeted tissue cells and substantially reducing the escape of the gene vectors from the targeted tissue volume, such as would waste the vectors, promote undesired immune reactions, and/or incur prohibitive costs for the required dose of gene-containing virus vectors. In this regard, the invention provides a means to simultaneously achieve local electroporation and gene-containing vector injection in a portion of a vascularized organ. It includes two double-balloon catheters that create contained volumes in parallel blood vessels for the introduction of vectors with reduced loss along with electrodes providing electroporation of the cells in the same location where the vectors are injected.

Systems, apparatus, and methods are described for delivering a therapeutic substance to a target area within or proximate to a nasal cavity of a subject, including a reservoir configured to contain the therapeutic substance and a delivery interface by which the therapeutic substance is delivered to the target area. In some embodiments, systems, apparatus, and methods described herein can deliver a therapeutic substance using iontophoresis and/or electroosmosis.

The present invention is directed to a wearable system wherein elements of the system, including various sensors adapted to detect biometric and other data and/or to deliver drugs, are positioned proximal to, on or in the ear canal of a person. In embodiments of the invention, elements of the system, including drug delivery devices, are positioned on or in the ear canal for extended periods of time. For example, an element of the system may be positioned on the tympanic membrane of a user and left there overnight, for multiple days, months, or years. Because of the position and longevity of the system elements in the ear canal, the present invention has many advantages over prior wearable biometric and drug delivery devices.

Methods and related systems for modulating neural activity by repetitively blocking conduction in peripheral neural structures with chemical blocking agents are disclosed. Methods and systems for reversing effects of chemical blocking agents and/or for producing substantially permanent conduction block are also disclosed.

Various systems and methods provide iontophoretic delivery of anesthesia at a patient's tympanic membrane. Some implementations provide channel switching enabling a single current sink to pull current through two electrodes in an alternating fashion based on clock pulses. The iontophoretic delivery of anesthesia may be driven by an AC modulated current. Some implementations provide for continuous flow of fresh iontophoresis fluid to the ear canal during iontophoresis. The fluid flows from a source reservoir into the cavity between the tympanic membrane and a plug, and then drains out of the cavity to a reservoir. An iontophoresis system may also detect capacitance between an anode electrode and an auxiliary electrode in a patient's ear canal, watching for reduced capacitance to indicate presence of a bubble in the iontophoresis fluid.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for nerve conduction block. The systems and methods can utilize at least one renewable electrode. The methods can include delivering a first direct current with a first polarity to an electrode proximate nervous tissue sufficient to block conduction in the nervous tissue. Delivering the first direct current can place the nervous tissue in a hypersuppressed state at least partially preventing conduction of the nervous tissue after cessation of delivering of the first direct current. The nervous tissue can be maintained in the hypersuppressed state for a desired period, such as at least about 1 minute.

An electrical discharge irrigation device includes a power source to produce power of a first voltage, a circuit coupled to the power source to convert the power of the first voltage to power of a second voltage where the second voltage is higher than the first voltage, a trigger to activate the circuit, an igniter coupled to the circuit to produce a spike, an electrical charge storage component coupled to the igniter the electrical charge storage component becoming conductive and storing an electrical charge after receiving the spike, and an output tip. The output tip includes an electrode and insulating material as an outer layer.

A “localizable” systemic gene therapy system is provided substantially increasing the transfection efficiency of the gene vectors into targeted tissue cells and substantially reducing the escape of the gene vectors from the targeted tissue volume, such as would waste the vectors, promote undesired immune reactions, and/or incur prohibitive costs for the required dose of gene-containing virus vectors. In this regard, the invention provides a means to simultaneously achieve local electroporation and gene-containing vector injection in a portion of a vascularized organ. It includes two double-balloon catheters that create contained volumes in parallel blood vessels for the introduction of vectors with reduced loss along with electrodes providing electroporation of the cells in the same location where the vectors are injected.