Engineering Commons^™

A Novel Cardiac Pacing Paradigm For Atrial Fibrillation And Heart Failure Patients, George Emanuel Yanulis

ETD Archive

It has been estimated that 4.6 million persons have heart failure, and 400,000 to 700,000 new cases develop each year and the U.S. Hospital discharges for HF rose from 399,000 in 1979 to 1,099,000 in 2004 according to the National Hospital Discharge Survey. Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia in the United States. Recent studies have demonstrated that ventricular rate control is a viable treatment strategy for patients in atrial fibrillation. In a number of cases, despite the electrical resynchronization of the ventricles using biventricular pacing (cardiac resynchronization therapy), heart failure patients in sinus rhythm do not …

Bio-Signal Analysis In Fatigue And Cancer Related Fatigue;Weakening Of Corticomuscular Functional Coupling, Qi Yang

ETD Archive

Fatigue is a common experience that reduces productivity and increases chance of injury, and has been reported as one of most common symptoms with greatest impact on quality-of-life parameters in cancer patients. Neural mechanisms behind fatigue and cancer related fatigue (CRF) are not well known. Recent research has shown dissociation between changes in brain and muscle signals during voluntary muscle fatigue, which may suggest weakening of functional corticomuscular coupling (fCMC). However, this weakening of brain-muscle coupling has never been directly evaluated. More important information could be gained if fCMC is directly detected during fatigue because a voluntary muscle contraction depends …

Biocompatibility Of Osteoblast Cells On Titanium Implants, Dilip Ayyala Somayajula

ETD Archive

Adhesion and proliferation of UMR 106-01 osteoblast cells were studied on various surface modified titanium materials such as polished, sandblasted, anodized and alkaline treated. Anodization of polished surface in Hydrofluoric acid developed nano-tubes, while NaOH treatment produced spongy microporous morphology. Test samples were coated with non-adhesive protein bovine serum albumin and compared with fibronectin coated specimens. The adhesion study lasted for 4 hrs, where osteoblast cells were cultured in serum free medium. Polished titanium, anodized titanium and NaOH titanium have shown similar percentages of cell adherence. The proliferation study lasted for 48 hrs, where cells were initially allowed to adhere …

Slurry Based Coatings On Silicon Based Ceramics, Sameer K. Khaja-Abdul

ETD Archive

The use of advanced structural ceramics, such as Si3N4 (SN282), SiC, and SiC/SiC composites, is a promising technology to accomplish the high performance goals for advanced turbine applications. These materials exhibit excellent corrosion resistance by forming a dense silica scale. However, severe degradation of the silica scale has been observed due to the presence of certain environmental species, like alkali salts and water vapors, limiting the long-term reliability of structural ceramics. Presence of water vapor in the turbine environment leads to the formation of a gaseous silicon hydroxide species (Si(OH)4) via a reaction with silica layer, SiO2(s) + 2H2O(g) = …

Nonlinear State Estimation In Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells, Uma Tumuluri

ETD Archive

Research on alternative and renewable energy sources which are amicable to the environment has gained momentum because of the growing concern about the tremendous increase in the concentration of toxic and green house gases and scarcity of the fossil fuels. Among the available renewable sources, fuel cell technology has received a high research attention due to their high efficiency and superior reliability. Among the various fuel cells available, Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell is promising source for both stationary and mobile applications because of its high efficiency and low operating temperatures. The performance of the fuel cell depends on the …

A Computer Model Of Gluconeogenesis And Lipid Metabolism In The Perfused Liver, Elie Chalhoub, Richard W. Hanson, Joanne M. Belovich

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

A mathematical model of the perfused rat liver was developed to predict intermediate metabolite concentrations and fluxes in response to changes in various substrate concentrations in the perfusion medium. The model simulates gluconeogenesis in the liver perfused separately with lactate and pyruvate and the combination of these substrates with fatty acids (oleate). The model consists of key reactions representing gluconeogenesis, glycolysis, fatty acid metabolism, tricarboxylic acid cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, and ketogenesis. Michaelis-Menten-type kinetic expressions, with control by ATP/ADP, are used for many of the reactions. For key regulated reactions (fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, phosphofructokinase, pyruvate carboxylase, pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, and pyruvate kinase), rate …

Anwendung Von Interferenz- Und Ir-Mikroskopie Zur Charakterisierung Und Untersuchung Des Stofftransportes In Nanoporösen Materialien, Lars Heinke, Christian Chmelik, Pavel Kortunov, Sergey Vasenkov, Douglas M. Ruthven, Dhananjai B. Shah, Jörg Kärger

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Die Anwendung der Interferenz-Mikroskopie bedeutet einen entscheidenden Durchbruch in der Untersuchung des Stofftransports von Gastmolekülen in nanoporösen Wirtsmaterialien. Diese Technik ermöglicht die Beobachtung der zeitaufgelösten intrakristallinen Konzentrationsprofile, die durch eine Änderung des umgebenden Gasdruckes entstehen. Dieser Ansatz wurde zur Untersuchung von Adsorptions- und Desorptionsprozessen in verschiedenen Zeolithsystemen verwendet. Die Vorteile dieser Technik, vor allem wenn sie mit Infrarotabsorptionsmessungen kombiniert wird, werden an Hand der experimentellen Resultate des Methanol-in-Ferrierit-Systems illustriert.

A Distributed Model Of Carbohydrate Transport And Metabolism In The Liver During Rest And High-Intensity Exercise, E Chalhoub, L. Xie, V. Balasubramanian, Joanne M. Belovich

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

A model of reaction and transport in the liver was developed that describes the metabolite concentration and reaction flux dynamics separately within the tissue and blood domains. The blood domain contains equations for convection, axial dispersion, and transport to the surrounding tissue; and the tissue domain consists of reactions representing key carbohydrate metabolic pathways. The model includes the metabolic heterogeneity of the liver by incorporating spatial variation of key enzymatic maximal activities. Simulation results of the overnight fasted, resting state agree closely with experimental values of overall glucose uptake and lactate output by the liver. The incorporation of zonation …

An Investigation Of The Relationship Between Dermal Stresses And Foot Ground Stresses In Diabetic Patients, Zaid M. Hasasneh

ETD Archive

The number of people diagnosed with diabetes in the U.S. has been showing a large increase. It has more than doubled during the period of 1980 to 2002. Approximately 18 million Americans have diabetes today with more than 5.2 million undiagnosed cases. While diabetes is categorized as an endocrine system disorder, some of its known complications are associated to the science of biomechanics. Foot ulcers are caused by vascular deterioration due to diabetes, but also directly related to the natural mechanical forces and loads applied to the feet. Therefore, studying these forces, their locations, distribution and their stresses may be …

Mathematical Model Of Ethanol Metabolism In Liver, Parag Pande

ETD Archive

A lumped mathematical model of liver metabolism is presented to analyze the effect of ethanol on metabolic processes of 24 hr fasted rats. The model is developed in two parts. In the first part individual kinetic models for important regulatory steps in the liver metabolic pathways are developed and in second part transport and mass balance equations in the two well mixed domains: tissue and blood, are developed to calculate intermediate metabolite concentrations and fluxes in response to the changes in ethanol and lactate concentrations in the perfusion medium. Part of the model without ethanol metabolism has been validated and …

Development And Modeling Of High Temperature Polymeric Heater, Maziyar Bolourchi

ETD Archive

Polymers are generally known for their excellent insulative properties. The addition of carbonaceous fillers such as carbon black and graphite within a polymer matrix can impart electrical and thermal properties making them good conductors. The resulting composites can be used in applications requiring and/or ranging from electromagnetic and radio frequency interference (EMI/RFI) shielding, electrostatic discharge (ESD) and heaters/heating elements to which metals have been the materials of choice. The advantages of using such composites include cost reduction, part consolidation, chemical resistance, lighter weight, and ability to easily design into complex three dimensional shapes via injection molding. For this work, various …

Studying The Interaction Of Antifreeze Proteins (Type I And Type Iii) With The Phospholipid Monolayers At Air/Water Interface, Suresh Essampally

ETD Archive

Heart transplantation is a successful therapeutic procedure for the patients with end stage heart disease. Various preservative techniques have been developed to increase the shelf life of organs, but still there can be tissue damage during cold storage. One mechanism leading to damage is disruption of cell plasma membranes as they pass through temperature induced phase transitions. The addition of antifreeze protein (AFP) or glycoprotein (AFGP) to storage solutions has been hypothesized to reduce the leakiness of lipid membranes. From studies using liposomes it has been shown that AFPs can prevent leakage through lipid membranes, although the mechanism of interaction …

Noninvasive Quantification Of Fluid Mechanical Energy Losses In The Total Cavopulmonary Connection With Magnetic Resonance Phase Velocity Mapping, Anand K. Venkatachari, Sandra S. Halliburton, Randolph M. Setser, Richard D. White, George P. Chatzimavroudis

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

A major determinant of the success of surgical vascular modifications, such as the total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC), is the energetic efficiency that is assessed by calculating the mechanical energy loss of blood flow through the new connection. Currently, however, to determine the energy loss, invasive pressure measurements are necessary. Therefore, this study evaluated the feasibility of the viscous dissipation (VD) method, which has the potential to provide the energy loss without the need for invasive pressure measurements. Two experimental phantoms, a U-shaped tube and a glass TCPC, were scanned in a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging scanner and the images were …

Procedure To Quantify Biofilm Activity In Carriers Used In Wastewater Treatment Systems, James Bolton, Archana Tummala, Chirag Kapadia, Manoj Dandamudi, Joanne M. Belovich

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

A procedure is presented for evaluating and comparing the biological activity of biofilms attached to various biofilm carriers by measurement of the glucose consumption rate. This technique allows for the economical design and selection of small particulate biofilm carriers that will maximize substrate removal when used in industrial-scale fluidized bioreactors. Methods for ensuring reproducible results are described. To support the glucose consumption rate findings, biofilm dry weights were obtained at the conclusion of activity rate experiments, and scanning electron micrographs were taken to evaluate the presence of biofilm and to view surface characteristics. Fourteen different biofilm carriers were evaluated ranging …

Reliable In-Plane Velocity Measurements With Magnetic Resonance Velocity Imaging, Haosen Zhang, Sandra S. Halliburton, Andan K. Venkatachari, Randolph M. Setser, Richard D. White, George P. Chatzimavroudis

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is a well-known diagnostic imaging modality. In addition to its high-quality imaging capabilities, hydrogen-based MR can also provide non-invasively the velocity of water-based fluids in all three spatial directions (through-plane and in-plane) in an image. Many previous studies showed that MR velocity imaging can accurately measure the through-plane velocity. The aim of this study was to evaluate how reliable are the in-plane velocity measurements in an image. The axial velocity of water in horizontal tubes (inner diameter: 14.7–26.2 mm) was measured with segmented (fast) and non-segmented (slow) k-space MR velocity …

Blood Flow Measurements With Magnetic Resonance Phase Velocity Mapping, George P. Chatzimavroudis

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Magnetic resonance (MR) phase velocity mapping (PVM) is a non-invasive technique that can measure the flow velocity in any spatial direction in an imaging slice. This technique has wide application in the clinical field in quantifying blood flow, as well as in non-biomedical areas. This review describes the value and/or potential of MR PVM as a diagnostic/monitoring technique in heart valve regurgitation and in the total cavo-pulmonary connection. A single slice placed in the aortic root can accurately quantify the aortic regurgitant volume. A multi-slice control volume method has high potential for the quantification of the mitral regurgitant volume. …

Segmentation Of Non-Viable Myocardium In Delayed Enhancement Magnetic Resonance Images, Arunark Kolipaka, George P. Chatzimavroudis, Richard D. White, Thomas P. O’Donnell, Randolph M. Setser

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Purpose: To evaluate six algorithms for segmenting non-viable left ventricular (LV) myocardium in delayed enhancement (DE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: Twenty-three patients with known chronic ischemic heart disease underwent DE-MRI. DE images were first manually thresholded using an interactive region-filling tool to isolate non-viable myocardium. Then, six thresholding algorithms, based on the image intensity characteristics of either LV blood pool (BP), viable LV myocardium, or both, were applied to each image. For the Mean−2SD_BP algorithm, thresholds were equal to the mean BP intensity minus twice its standard deviation. For the Mean+2SD_Semi, Mean+3SD_Semi, Mean+2SD_{Auto …}

Relationship Between The Extent Of Non-Viable Myocardium And Regional Left Ventricular Function In Chronic Ischemic Heart Disease, Arunark Kolipaka, George P. Chatzimavroudis, Richard D. White, Michael L. Lieber, Randolph M. Setser

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Purpose. To define the relationship between left ventricular (LV) regional contractile function and the extent of myocardial scar in patients with chronic ischemic heart disease and multi-vessel coronary artery disease. Methods. Twenty-three patients with chronic ischemic heart disease and 5 healthy volunteers underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In patients, the relative area ( Percent Scar) and transmural extent (Transmurality) of myocardial infarction were computed from short-axis delayed enhancement images. In each image, myocardial segments were categorized based on the extent of infarction they contained, with 6 categories each for Percent Scar and Transmurality: normal, from healthy volunteers; and 0%; 1–25%, …

Fast Measurements Of Flow Through Mitral Regurgitant Orifices With Magnetic Resonance Phase Velocity Mapping, Haosen Zhang, Sandra S. Halliburton, Richard D. White, George P. Chatzimavroudis

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Magnetic-resonance (MR) phase velocity mapping (PVM) shows promise in measuring the mitral regurgitant volume. However, in its conventional nonsegmented form, MR-PVM is slow and impractical for clinical use. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of rapid, segmented k-spaceMR-PVM in quantifying the mitral regurgitant flow through a control volume (CV) method. Two segmented MR-PVM schemes, one with seven (seg-7) and one with nine (seg-9) lines per segment, were evaluated in acrylic regurgitant mitral valve models under steady and pulsatile flow. A nonsegmented (nonseg) MR-PVM acquisition was also performed for reference. The segmented acquisitions were …

Clinical Blood Flow Quantification With Segmented K-Space Magnetic Resonance Phase Velocity Mapping, George P. Chatzimavroudis, Haosen Zhang, Sandra S. Halliburton, James R. Moore, Orlando Simonetti, Paulo R. Schvartzman, Arthur E. Stillman, Richard D. White

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

To evaluate the accuracy of segmented k-space magnetic resonance phase velocity mapping (PVM) in quantifying aortic blood flow from through-plane velocity measurements.

Two segmented PVM schemes were evaluated, one with seven lines per segment (seg-7) and one with nine lines per segment (seg-9), in twenty patients with cardiovascular disease. A non-segmented (non-seg) PVM acquisition was also performed to provide the reference data.

There was agreement between the aortic flow curves acquired with segmented and non-segmented PVM. The calculated systolic and total flow volume per cycle from the seg-7 and the seg-9 scans correlated and agreed with the flow volumes from …

Accurate Quantification Of Steady And Pulsatile Flow With Segmented K-Space Magnetic Resonance Velocimetry, Haosen Zhang, Sandra S. Halliburton, James R. Moore, Orlando P. Simonetti, Paulo R. Schvartzman, Richard D. White, George P. Chatzimavroudis

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Conventional non-segmented magnetic resonance phase velocity mapping (MRPVM) is an accurate but relatively slow velocimetric technique. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the much faster segmented k-space MRPVM in quantifying flow. The axial velocity was measured in four straight tubes (inner diameter: 5.6–26.2 mm), using a segmented MRPVM sequence with seven lines of k-space per segment. The flow rate and flow volume were accurately quantified (errorssteady (r²=0.99) and pulsatile flow (r²=0.98), respectively. The measured velocity profiles and flow rates from the segmented sequence agreed …

Comment On "Quadriceps Protects The Anterior Cruciate Ligament", Antonie J. Van Den Bogert

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Ultrafast Flow Quantification With Segmented K-Space Magnetic Resonance Phase Velocity Mapping, Haosen Zhang, Sandra S. Halliburton, James R. Moore, Orlando P. Simonetti, Paulo R. Schvartzman, Richard D. White, George P. Chatzimavroudis

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Magnetic resonance (MR) phase-velocity mapping (PVM) is routinely being used clinically to measure blood flow velocity. Conventional nonsegmented PVM is accurate but relatively slow (3–5 min per measurement). Ultrafast k-space segmented PVM offers much shorter acquisitions (on the order of seconds instead of minutes). The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of segmented PVM in quantifying flow from through-plane velocity measurements. Experiments were performed using four straight tubes (inner diameter of 5.6–26.2 mm), under a variety of steady (1.7–200 ml/s) and pulsatile (6–90 ml/cycle) flow conditions. Two different segmented PVM schemes were …

In Vivo Flow Dynamics Of The Total Cavopulmonary Connection From Three-Dimensional Multislice Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Shiva Sharma, Ann E. Ensley, Katherine Hopkins, George P. Chatzimavroudis, Timothy M. Healy, Vincent K.H. Tam, Kirk R. Kanter, Ajit P. Yoganathan

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Background. The total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) design continues to be refined on the basis of flow analysis at the connection site. These refinements are of importance for myocardial energy conservation in the univentricular supported circulation. In vivo magnetic resonance phase contrast imaging provides semiquantitative flow visualization information. The purpose of this study was to understand the in vivo TCPC flow characteristics obtained by magnetic resonance phase contrast imaging and compare the results with our previous in vitro TCPC flow experiments in an effort to further refine TCPC surgical design.

Methods. Twelve patients with TCPC underwent sedated three-dimensional, multislice …

Evaluation Of The Precision Of Magnetic Resonance Phase Velocity Mapping For Blood Flow Measurements, George P. Chatzimavroudis, John N. Oshinski, Robert H. Franch, Peter G. Walker, Ajit P. Yoganathan, Roderic I. Pettigrew

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Evaluating the in vivo accuracy of magnetic resonance phase velocity mapping (PVM) is not straightforward because of the absence of a validated clinical flow quantification technique. The aim of this study was to evaluate PVM by investigating its precision, both in vitro and in vivo, in a 1.5 Tesla scanner. In the former case, steady and pulsatile flow experiments were conducted using an aortic model under a variety of flow conditions (steady: 0.1–5.5 L/min; pulsatile: 10–75 mL/cycle). In the latter case, PVM measurements were taken in the ascending aorta of ten subjects, seven of which had aortic regurgitation. Each velocity …

Fluid Mechanic Assessment Of The Total Cavopulmonary Connection Using Magnetic Resonance Phase Velocity Mapping And Digital Particle Image Velocimetry, Ann E. Ensley, Agnès Ramuzat, Timothy M. Healy, George P. Chatzimavroudis, Carol Lucas, Shiva Sharma, Roderic Pettigrew, Ajit P. Yoganathan

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

The total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) is currently the most promising modification of the Fontan surgical repair for single ventricle congenital heart disease. The TCPC involves a surgical connection of the superior and inferior vena cavae directly to the left and right pulmonary arteries, bypassing the right heart. In the univentricular system, the ventricle experiences a workload which may be reduced by optimizing the cavae-to-pulmonary anastomosis. The hypothesis of this study was that the energetic efficiency of the connection is a consequence of the fluid dynamics which develop as a function of connection geometry. Magnetic resonance phase velocity mapping (MRPVM) and …

Mri Techniques For Cardiovascular Imaging, Roderic I. Pettigrew, John N. Oshinski, George P. Chatzimavroudis, W. Thomas Dixon

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Over the last several years, cardiovascular MRI has benefited from a number of technical advances which have improved routine clinical imaging techniques. As a result, MRI is now well positioned to realize its longstanding promise of becoming the comprehensive cardiac imaging test of choice in many clinical settings. This may be achieved using a combination of basic advanced techniques. In this overview, the basic cardiac MRI techniques which are clinically useful are reviewed, and the recent technical advances which are clinically promising are described. These advances include routine black blood and cine bright blood techniques that are high speed (slice), …

Toward Designing The Optimal Total Cavopulmonary Connection: An In Vitro Study, Ann E. Ensley, Patricia Lynch, George P. Chatzimavroudis, Carol Lucas, Shiva Sharma, Ajit P. Yoganathan

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Background. Understanding the total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) hemodynamics may lead to improved surgical procedures which result in a more efficient modified circulation. Reduced energy loss will translate to less work for the single ventricle and although univentricular physiology is complex, this improvement could contribute to improved postoperative outcomes. Therefore to conserve energy, one surgical goal is optimization of the TCPC geometry. In line with this goal, this study investigated whether addition of caval curvature or flaring at the connection conserves energy.

Methods. TCPC models were made varying the curvature of the caval inlet or by flaring the anastomosis. …

Quantification Of Mitral Regurgitation With Mr Phase-Velocity Mapping Using A Control Volume Method, George P. Chatzimavroudis, John N. Oshinski, Roderic I. Pettigrew, Peter G. Walker, Robert H. Franch, Ajit P. Yoganathan

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Reliable diagnosis and quantification of mitral regurgitation are important for patient management and for optimizing the time for surgery. Previous methods have often provided suboptimal results. The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate MR phase-velocity mapping in quantifying the mitral regurgitant volume (MRV) using a control volume (CV) method. A number of contiguous slices were acquired with all three velocity components measured. A CV was then selected, encompassing the regurgitant orifice. Mass conservation dictates that the net inflow into the CV should be equal to the regurgitant flow. Results showed that a CV, the boundary voxels of …

Slice Location Dependence Of Aortic Regurgitation Measurements With Mr Phase Velocity Mapping, George P. Chatzimavroudis, Peter G. Walker, John N. Oshinski, Robert H. Franch, Roderic I. Pettigrew, Ajit P. Yoganathan

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Although several methods have been used clinically to assess aortic regurgitation (AR), there is no “gold standard” for regurgitant volume measurement. Magnetic resonance phase velocity mapping (PVM) can be used for noninvasive blood flow measurements. To evaluate the accuracy of PVM in quantifying AR with a single imaging slice in the ascending aorta, in vitro experiments were performed by using a compliant aortic model. Attention was focused on determining the slice location that provided the best results. The most accurate measurements were taken between the aortic valve annulus and the coronary ostia where the measured (Y) and actual …