Engineering Commons^™

Biom 4802/6802: Assertion-Evidence Model For Presentations In Engineering And Science (Syllabus), Amber Jennings

Biomedical Engineering Syllabi

Course Description: This course will provide training and practice in delivering scientific presentations to diverse audiences. Students will design and deliver presentations of scientific data for different audience categories.

Biom 7904: Ultrasound Imaging Technology (Syllabus), Carl Herickhoff

Biomedical Engineering Syllabi

Course Description: This course will introduce students to a variety of current and emerging methods in ultrasound imaging. Concepts will be grounded in fundamental physical principles (acoustic waves, piezoelectric transduction, diffraction, scattering) and progress to methods of array beamforming, k-space representation, and imaging system architecture. Ultrasound nonlinearity, bioeffects, safety metrics, as well as Doppler (flow), harmonic, contrast-enhanced, and elastography imaging methods will also be introduced. Students will have the opportunity to observe ultrasound experiments and perform ultrasound imaging on an abdominal phantom.

Biom 3710: Physiological Systems And Modeling (Syllabus), Stephen Strain

Biomedical Engineering Syllabi

Course Description: Fundamentals of control theory and mathematical modeling and analysis as applied to physiological systems.

Biom 4410/Mech 4397: Engineering Practicum (Syllabus), Sheila Moses, Jeff Marchetta, Amy Curry

Biomedical Engineering Syllabi

Course Description: Preparation for professional practice through experiential learning under the supervision of an experienced engineer with oversight by a member of the department’s faculty. Regular reporting throughout course required.

Biom 4720/6720: Bioelectricity (Syllabus), Amy Curry

Biomedical Engineering Syllabi

Course Description: Bioelectricity, including calculations of potential fields resulting from cardiac or neural electrogeneration; treatment of how heart and nerves generate and propagate electrical signals.

Biom 2720: Experimental Design And Analysis For Biomedical Engineering (Syllabus), Stephen Strain

Biomedical Engineering Syllabi

Description: Application of probability, statistics, error analysis, uncertainty in design and performance of biomedical engineering experimentation; discussion and evaluation of common experimental designs for medical device development.

Biom 4782: Biomedical Design Practicum (Syllabus), Amy Curry

Biomedical Engineering Syllabi

Course Description: Practical application of biomedical design principles with emphasis on project management, teamwork, prototype production, risk analysis and management, technical drawings, patent review with claim development, market analysis, regulatory issues, professional and ethical responsibilities of a biomedical engineer, engineering analysis/reports, incorporation of standards, prototype verification/validation, and presentation skills.

Biom 1720: Introduction To Biomedical Engineering Tools, Stephen Strain

Biomedical Engineering Syllabi

Course Description: Use of computer tools for data analysis, presentation, documentation; introduction to programming; individual and group design projects.

Levofloxacin Incorporated Extracellular Matrix Nanoparticles For Pulmonary Cystic Fibrosis Infections, Raahi Patel

Theses and Dissertations

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a progressive genetic disorder that affects around 40,000 people in the United States. CF is characterized by a mutation in the CFTR protein that causes dysregulated ion transport across epithelial cells, producing viscous mucus in the lung that increases bacterial invasion, causing persistent infections and subsequent inflammation. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus are two of the most common infections in CF patients that are resistant to antibiotics. One antibiotic approved to treat these infections is levofloxacin (LVX) that functions to inhibit bacterial replication, but can be further developed into tailorable particles. Nanoparticles are an emerging inhaled …

The Effect Of 17Β Estradiol On Local Production Of Active Vitamin D3 Metabolites In Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Tillat Batool

Theses and Dissertations

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) has garnered attention as a sex-hormone-dependent cancer with notable responsiveness to 17β-estradiol (E₂), in which it’s tumorigenesis can be mediated through estrogen receptors (ER). The ESR1 gene encodes for the classical full-length ERα66, as well as splice variants ERα36 and ERα46. Previous studies have shown that an active vitamin D₃metabolite, 24R,25(OH)₂D_3. has pro-tumorigenic or anti-tumorigenic responses in LSCC cells with different ER profiles, and that the tumor cells have the capability of localized production of vitamin D metabolites at the cellular level when treated with 25(OH)D₃-d6 …

Assessing The Relationship Between Contralateral Limb Synergy And Rock Climbing Efficiency, Jeromy Miramontes

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Rock climbing is a total body sport testing the mental and physical capabilities of athletes. Efficiency of movement can improve the ability of climbers to perform at a higher capacity and reduce the risk of injury. Data on the relationship between the continuous relative phase (CRP) of contralateral joint rotations and time to completion of a bouldering move are ways to assess rock climbing. This study aimed to assess this relationship, as well as the geometric entropy (GE) of the center of mass displacement when completing the bouldering move, and the metabolic efficiency over 4 min of bouldering. The study …

Bridging Language Barriers In Clinical Screening: Leveraging Large Language Models (Llms) To Generate Bilingual Screening Surveys For Patients With Limited English Proficiency (Plep), Tyler Vandyk

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

This study addresses the critical need for accessible clinical screening in communities with a high incidence of Patients with Limited English Proficiency (PLEP). Recognizing the limitations of existing interpreter services and the scarcity of validated translations for standard clinical surveys like PHQ-9 and GAD-7, we developed a novel approach leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs). Our method utilizes GPT-4 to create bilingual versions of these surveys, which are then formatted into printable PDFs via a Python script and LuaLaTeX compiler. The resulting surveys, validated for translation accuracy and cultural competency, are made accessible through a Google repository. Preliminary results demonstrate that …

Advancing Biological Applications Through Microfluidic-Based Tool Development, K.M. Taufiqur Rahman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research undertook an interdisciplinary approach, integrating bioengineering, microbiology, molecular biology, and systems biology to investigate bacterial dynamics behavior. Specifically, it delved into the development of microfluidic devices for biological applications such as bacterial cell counts, real-time observation of plant roots (here, specialized lectin-coated microbeads are used that mimic root characteristics), and soil microbe interactions. Furthermore, Next-Generation Sequencing and systems biology methodologies were employed to explore the intricate, multifaceted survival mechanisms of Escherichia coli persister population. Studying and quantifying persisters or testing for the existence of VBNC (viable but nonculturable) is challenging. These experiments require precise counts. It has been …

Plasma Protein Signatures Of Adult Asthma, Gordon J. Smilnak, Yura Lee, Abhijnan Chattopadhyay, Annah B. Wyss, Julie D. White, Sinjini Sikdar, Jianping Jin, Andrew J. Grant, Alison A. Motsinger-Reif, Jian-Liang Li, Mikyeong Lee, Bing Yu, Stephanie J. London

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

Background: Adult asthma is complex and incompletely understood. Plasma proteomics is an evolving technique that can both generate biomarkers and provide insights into disease mechanisms. We aimed to identify plasma proteomic signatures of adult asthma.

Methods: Protein abundance in plasma was measured in individuals from the Agricultural Lung Health Study (ALHS) (761 asthma, 1095 non-case) and the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study (470 asthma, 10,669 non-case) using the SOMAScan 5K array. Associations with asthma were estimated using covariate adjusted logistic regression and meta-analyzed using inverse-variance weighting. Additionally, in ALHS, we examined phenotypes based on both asthma and seroatopy (asthma with …

Synergistic Effects Of Nanosecond Pulsed Plasma And Electric Field On Inactivation Of Pancreatic Cancer Cells In Vitro, Edwin A. Oshin, Zobia Minhas, Ruben M. L. Colunga Biancatelli, John D. Catravas, Richard Heller, Siqi Guo, Chunqi Jiang

Bioelectrics Publications

Nanosecond pulsed atmospheric pressure plasma jets (ns-APPJs) produce reactive plasma species, including charged particles and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), which can induce oxidative stress in biological cells. Nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF) has also been found to cause permeabilization of cell membranes and induce apoptosis or cell death. Combining the treatment of ns-APPJ and nsPEF may enhance the effectiveness of cancer cell inactivation with only moderate doses of both treatments. Employing ns-APPJ powered by 9 kV, 200 ns pulses at 2 kHz and 60-nsPEF of 50 kV/cm at 1 Hz, the synergistic effects on pancreatic cancer cells (Pan02) …

Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields Increase Antibiotic Susceptibility In Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, Alexandra E. Chittams-Miles, Areej Malik, Erin B. Purcell, Claudia Muratori

Bioelectrics Publications

Staphylococcus aureus is the leading cause of skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs). SSTIs caused by bacteria resistant to antimicrobials, such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), are increasing in incidence and have led to higher rates of hospitalization. In this study, we measured MRSA inactivation by nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEF), a promising new cell ablation technology. Our results show that treatment with 120 pulses of 600 ns duration (28 kV/cm, 1 Hz), caused modest inactivation, indicating cellular damage. We anticipated that the perturbation created by nsPEF could increase antibiotic efficacy if nsPEF were applied as a co-treatment. To test this …

Diagnostic Accuracy Of Cbct In The Differential Diagnosis Of Apical Cysts And Granulomas Using Histopathological Findings As A Reference Standard: A Systematic Revew, Fatima Zohra Rouggani, Chaimaa Kabil, Rachida Mayou, Sidi Mohamed . Bouzoubaa

Health Sciences

Introduction

The periapical lesions represent a complex group. Granulomas and cysts represent the two most frequent forms in routine clinical practice.

Aim: Highlight the diagnostic accuracy of CBCT imaging in the differential diagnosis between a cyst and a granuloma compared to histopathological examination as a reference technique.

Materials and Methods:

Our literature search involved articles published in the following databases: PubMed, Cochrane, science direct and Google scholar.

Our intention was to review recent articles from the last 5 years and to select studies conducted in significantly changed socio-medical contexts that could have a positive impact on the validity of our …

Evaluation And Modulation Of The Circadian Clock In Human Keratinocytes And Epidermal Skin, William Harold Cvammen Iv

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The circadian clock is a fundamental biological mechanism that regulates various physiological processes, including DNA repair, to synchronize with the day-night cycle. In human skin, exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light poses a significant challenge, inducing DNA damage that must be efficiently repaired to maintain genomic integrity and prevent carcinogenesis. This study delved into the complex interplay between the circadian clock, UV light exposure, DNA repair, and modulation of circadian transcriptional machinery in human skin. Initially, we examined the transcriptomic profile of the circadian clock in humans through in silico-based approaches and in vivo studies, revealing that core clock gene expression …

Transparent And Conductive Gallium Oxide Electrode For Simultaneous Recording And Optogenetic Stimulation, Christopher Patrick Carey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Neural electrode technology has been around for centuries since the times of Galvani. In early electrophysiology experiments metal wires were used to induce contractions in dissected animals. The metal wire electrode has since been a standard tool to both stimulate and record neural activity. In the past two decades, a new strategy for neural stimulation has been formulated based on the emergent field of optogenetics. Optogenetics refers to the use of light-sensitive proteins genetically imbedded in the membrane of a neuron to elicit neural activity. This technique offers more selectivity in the stimulation of neurons. Typical optogenetic neural electrodes, or …

The Effect Of Phase-Separated Microstructures On Cell Migration In 3d Dextran Hydrogels, Jenifer Sidhwa

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Tympanostomy Tube Efficiency Study, Reem Ghumrawi, Kristi Weir

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The ventilation of the middle ear, crucial for maintaining optimal ear health, is often impeded by factors such as swelling, inflammation, and mucus in the eustachian tubes, particularly during upper respiratory infections or allergies. This issue, prevalent in children due to their narrow and horizontal eustachian tubes, prompts the insertion of tympanostomy tubes by ENT surgeons to establish an alternative airway for pressure equalization and fluid drainage. Despite the common belief in the effectiveness of these tubes, there is a notable dearth of research validating their optimal functionality. This study aims to address this gap by systematically comparing the efficiency …

Non-Invasive Monitoring Device For Early Detection Of Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema, Amy Prendergast

Honors Theses and Capstones

Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema (BCRL) is a common co-morbidity in cancer survivors following neoadjuvant therapies such as chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgery. It is brought about by the disruption in the lymphatic system (think lymph node biopsy) that leads to a buildup of lymphatic fluid in the arm. Current diagnostic strategies for this condition are merely retroactive, and fairly limited in the parameters that are examined to ensure patient well-being long term. We hypothesize that with an approach that mimics bioimpedance spectroscopy analysis, we will be able to provide a clinical support tool that would better determine early stages of lymphedema …

De-Risking Pretreatment Of Microalgae To Produce Fuels And Chemical Co-Products, Jacob S. Kruger, Skylar Schutter, Eric P. Knoshaug, Bonnie Panczak, Hannah Alt, Alicia Sowell, Stafanie Van Wychen, Matthew Fowler, Kyoko Hirayama, Anuj Thakkar, Sandeep Kumar

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Conversion of microalgae to renewable fuels and chemical co-products by pretreating and fractionation holds promise as an algal biorefinery concept, but a better understanding of the pretreatment performance as a function of algae strain and composition is necessary to de-risk algae conversion operations. Similarly, there are few examples of algae pretreatment at scales larger than the bench scale. This work aims to de-risk algal biorefinery operations by evaluating the pretreatment performance across nine different microalgae samples and five different pretreatment methods at small (5 mL) scale and further de-risk the operation by scaling pretreatment for one species to the 80 …

Identification And Characterization Of Two Novel Kcnh2 Mutations Contributing To Long Qt Syndrome, Anthony Owusu-Mensah, Jacqueline Treat, Joyce Bernardi, Ryan Pfeiffer, Robert Goodrow, Bright Tsevi, Victoria Lam, Michel Audette, Jonathan M. Cordeiro, Makarand Deo

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

We identified two different inherited mutations in KCNH2 gene, or human ether-a-go-go related gene (hERG), which are linked to Long QT Syndrome. The first mutation was in a 1-day-old infant, whereas the second was in a 14-year-old girl. The two KCNH2 mutations were transiently transfected into either human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells or human induced pluripotent stem-cell derived cardiomyocytes. We performed associated multiscale computer simulations to elucidate the arrhythmogenic potentials of the KCNH2 mutations. Genetic screening of the first and second index patients revealed a heterozygous missense mutation in KCNH2, resulting in an amino acid change (P632L) in the …

Domain Adaptive Federated Learning For Multi-Institution Molecular Mutation Prediction And Bias Identification, W. Farzana, M. A. Witherow, I. Longoria, M. S. Sadique, A. Temtam, K. M. Iftekharuddin

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Deep learning models have shown potential in medical image analysis tasks. However, training a generalized deep learning model requires huge amounts of patient data that is usually gathered from multiple institutions which may raise privacy concerns. Federated learning (FL) provides an alternative to sharing data across institutions. Nonetheless, FL is susceptible to a few challenges including inversion attacks on model weights, heterogenous data distributions, and bias. This study addresses heterogeneity and bias issues for multi-institution patient data by proposing domain adaptive FL modeling using several radiomics (volume, fractal, texture) features for O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) classification across multiple institutions. The proposed …

Implementing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles To Collect Human Gait Data At Distance And Altitude For Identification And Re-Identification, Donn E. Bartram

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Gait patterns are a class of biometric information pertaining to the way a person moves and poses. Gait information is unique to each person and can be used to identify and reidentify people. Historically, this task has been achieved through the use of multiple ground-based imaging sensors. However, as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) advance, they present the opportunity to evolve the process of persons identification and re-identification. Collecting human gait data using UAVs at distances ranging from 20m to 500m and altitudes ranging from 0m to 120m is a challenging task. The current biometric data collection methods, primarily designed for …

Development Of A Two-Finger Haptic Robotic Hand With Novel Stiffness Detection And Impedance Control, Vahid Mohammadi, Ramin Shahbad, Mojtaba Hosseini, Mohammad Hossein Gholampour, Saeed Shiry Ghidary, Farshid Najafi, Ahad Behboodi

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Haptic hands and grippers, designed to enable skillful object manipulation, are pivotal for high-precision interaction with environments. These technologies are particularly vital in fields such as minimally invasive surgery, where they enhance surgical accuracy and tactile feedback: in the development of advanced prosthetic limbs, offering users improved functionality and a more natural sense of touch, and within industrial automation and manufacturing, they contribute to more efficient, safe, and flexible production processes. This paper presents the development of a two-finger robotic hand that employs simple yet precise strategies to manipulate objects without damaging or dropping them. Our innovative approach fused force-sensitive …

Infant Molds For Cleft Deformities, Hannah Brunow, Drew Reinbolt, Rhonda Troyer, Christian Miller

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Cleft lip and palate are very common birth defects where the roof of a baby's mouth and lip do not form properly while in the womb. Babies born with cleft lip or palate can undergo surgery after going through a process to make the initial gap smaller through incrementally smaller, retainer-like appliances. We will be trying to find a way to improve the pre-surgery process by implementing 3D printing. We will be performing this research for a craniofacial orthodontist at Akron Children's Hospital. We hope that our success will lead to a decrease in the amount of time spent making …

Degradable Staples And Delivery Device, Meha Elango, Jessica Cabrera, Makayla Scarpitti, Kareemat Melaiye

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The scope of this project is to design a method to secure skin grafts to healthy tissue. The ultimate goal for the proposed method is to be dissolvable in some form. Currently, skin grafts procedures utilize staples in most cases to hold a skin graft in place, but there are disadvantages that come with it. Staples are easy to place, but time consuming during the removal procedure. They also cause a lot of pain and discomfort for the patient. The goal of this project is to determine a way a secure skin grafts to healthy skin in order to reduce …

Borophene And Graphene For Non-Enzymatic Biosensor- Ab-Initio Study, Omar A. Ismail

Theses and Dissertations

Non-enzymatic glucose sensing holds promise to overcome limitations associated with glucose oxidase, such as oxygen dependence and short shelf life. This study explores the potential sensing capabilities of borophene and graphene through direct interaction with various compounds, including β-glucose, uric acid, ascorbic acid, fructose, and acetaminophen. Using Density Functional Theory (DFT), we calculated binding energies and the respective Density of States (DOS) for these adsorbates on both graphene and borophene surfaces. Preliminary results suggest that borophene might exhibit nearly twice the affinity for β-glucose compared to graphene. Moreover, the calculated Density of States reveals distinct distortions in the electronic states …