Engineering Commons^™

Designing An Instrument Based On Native Fluorescence To Determine Soil Microbial Content At A Mars Analog Site, Heather D. Smith

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

For this research project we designed an instrument to detect bacteria via biomolecular fluorescence. We introduce the current understanding of astrobiology, our knowledge of life beyond Earth, and the commonality of Earth life as it pertains to the search for life on Mars. We proposed a novel technique for searching for direct evidence of life on the surface of Mars using fluorescence. We use the arid region of the Mojave Desert as an analog of Mars. Results indicate the fluorescence of the biotic component of desert soils is approximately as strong as the fluorescence of the mineral component. Fluorescence laboratory …

Inferring Gene Regulatory Networks From Time Series Microarray Data, Peng Li

Dissertations

The innovations and improvements in high-throughput genomic technologies, such as DNA microarray, make it possible for biologists to simultaneously measure dependencies and regulations among genes on a genome-wide scale and provide us genetic information. An important objective of the functional genomics is to understand the controlling mechanism of the expression of these genes and encode the knowledge into gene regulatory network (GRN). To achieve this, computational and statistical algorithms are especially needed.

Inference of GRN is a very challenging task for computational biologists because the degree of freedom of the parameters is redundant. Various computational approaches have been proposed for …

Micro, Nano Encapsulation Methods For Sustained Release Drug Formulations And Biomimetic Applications, Shantanu Balkundi

Doctoral Dissertations

The Layer-by-Layer (LbL) assembly technique was used to obtain a new type of protein/polyphenol microcapsule based on naturally occurring polyphenol (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and gelatin, type A. The dependence of permeability on the molecular weight of permeating substances was studied and compared with commonly used polyallylamine/polystyrene sulfonate capsules. A quartz crystal microbalance was used to monitor the regularities of EGCG adsorption in alternation with type A and B Gelatins and electrophoretic mobility measurements were used that indicated that the nature of assembly was dependent on Gelatin properties. It was shown that EGCG retains its antioxidant activity in the LbL assemblies. …

Prostate Cancer Biomarker Identification: A Comparative Study, Wenjuan Jiang

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Theses & Dissertations

With the current development of proteomics techniques, the discovery of potential molecular biomarkers for early detection of prostate cancer has been greatly improved. In this thesis, we implemented five classifiers including the support vector machine (SVM), Bayesian Classifier, Decision Tree, Random Forest and the Multilayer perceptron (MLP) to test their effectiveness in prostate cancer biomarker identification using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) tissue imaging data. The classifiers were utilized to discriminate cancer mass spectra from normal ones for the data collected at the Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS). There are 94 7 spectra from normal tissues and 27 from …

Adhesion Of Jurkat Cells In Defined Media And Substrates, Sarah De Leo

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Inducing A Normal Phenotype In Breast Epithelial Cells Using A Three-Dimensional Basement Membrane Extract Culture System: A Study On The Reversion Of Cancer, Ross H. Booth

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Experimentally, traditional developmental models and transgenic animals consistently underscore the importance of studying cell behavior in the correct tissue context. However, live animal experimentation is inherently complex, and systematic assessment of the effects of individual variables, such as cell shape and matrix compliance on cell behavior, is extremely difficult at best. Two-dimensional monolayer culture of key individual cell types has provided abundant, fundamental information on cell response, but cannot be used to show the normal phenotype of breast epithelial cells. Furthermore, their results often fail to translate into in vivo and clinical studies. It has been previously established that normal …

The Influence Of Carbon Source Types And Nitrate On The Performance Of The Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal Systems, Shamim Ara Begum

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This research focuses on two issues in enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR). The first issue encompasses the effect of the type of carbon sources (i.e. volatile fatty acids and non volatile fatty acids) on the microbiology of EBPR. The second issue deals with the influence of denitrification on EBPR. Few studies have been performed to investigate these two issues. The recent findings on these areas are summarized below to establish the knowledge gaps this dissertation attempted to address. Details on the specific findings can be found in the literature review portion of this proposal.

System Architecture For An Intelligent Implantable Bio-Telemetry Device, Karthik Kumar Nattamai Kumaresan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Biotelemetry has long been used for environmental and life science research to study animal populations and behavior. The use of implantable bio-telemetric techniques makes it possible to record and study physiological variables during long-term experiments with a minimum disturbance to the animal. Fully implantable telemetric techniques greatly reduce the risk of infection associated with leads and catheters protruding from the skin. In this research the design and implementation of a completely programmable bio-implantable digital system which can measure two physiological signals extended over a period of time is considered. The proposed system consists of a standalone implantable transmitter unit and …

Temperature Influence And Heat Management Requirements Of Microalgae Cultivation In Photobioreactors, Thomas Hagen Mehlitz

Master's Theses

Microalgae are considered one of the most promising feedstocks for biofuel production for the future. The most efficient way to produce vast amounts of algal biomass is the use of closed tubular photobioreactors (PBR). The heat requirement for a given system is a major concern since the best algae growth rates are obtained between 25-30 °C, depending on the specific strain. A procedure to determine temperature influence on algal growth rates was developed for a lab-scale PBR system using the species Chlorella. A maximum growth rate of 1.44 doublings per day at 29 °C (optimal temperature) was determined. In addition, …

Numerical Modeling Of Hemodynamics In The Thoracic Aorta And Alterations By Dacron Patch Treatment Of Aortic Coarctation, Ronak Jashwant Dholakia

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) is a major congenital heart disease, characterized by a severe stenosis of the proximal descending thoracic aorta. Traditionally, surgery has been the treatment of choice for CoA. Dacron patch aortoplasty gained increased popularity after its introduction in the mid-twentieth century due to its advantages over other surgical treatment methods available at the time. A major complication with Dacron patch aortoplasty has been the formation of late aneurysm with as much as 51% incidence reported in follow up studies. The change in aortic morphology and formation of aneurysms after Dacron patch surgery could lead to local …

A Computer Science Approach To Identify And Classify Hyperactivated Spermatozoa, Norbert Kaula

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Effective Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) relies in part upon accurate but easily conducted measurements of sperm motion parameters. Several established methods are widely used to assess possible reasons for male infertility, in human and veterinary Andrology clinics. Computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) devices quantitatively assess sperm motion parameters, which have been defined by the World Health Organization, and include the percentage of motile cells in a sample and the motion characteristics of individual cells, such as curvilinear velocity (VCL), average path velocity (VAP) and straight line velocity (VSL). However, CASA analyses fail to define hyperactive sperm motility or determine the prevalence …

Three-Dimensional Hydrogel Cell Culture Systems For Modeling Neural Tissue, John P. Frampton

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Two-dimensional (2-D) neural cell culture systems have served as physiological models for understanding the cellular and molecular events that underlie responses to physical and chemical stimuli, control sensory and motor function, and lead to the development of neurological diseases. However, the development of three-dimensional (3-D) cell culture systems will be essential for the advancement of experimental research in a variety of fields including tissue engineering, chemical transport and delivery, cell growth, and cell-cell communication. In 3-D cell culture, cells are provided with an environment similar to tissue, in which they are surrounded on all sides by other cells, structural molecules …