Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

The Role Of Bone Sialoprotein In Periodontal Tissue Development And Bone Repair, Yohannes Soenjaya

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Bone development and repair involve complex processes that include interaction between cells and their surrounding matrix. In the body, bone sialoprotein (BSP) expression is up-regulated at the onset of mineralization. BSP is a multifunctional acidic phosphoprotein with collagen-binding, hydroxyapatite nucleating, and integrin recognition (RGD sequence, which is important for cell-attachment and signaling) regions. Mice lacking BSP expression (Bsp^-/-), exhibit a bone phenotype with reductions in bone mineral density, bone length, osteoclast activation, and impaired bone healing. This thesis examined the role of BSP in tooth development and also its potential use as a therapeutic reagent for bone …

Effect Of Hemiarthroplasty Implant Contact Geometry And Material On Early Cartilage Wear, Alana Khayat

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Hemiarthroplasty is a minimally invasive, cost-effective alternative to total arthroplasty in joints of the upper limb. Though these procedures reduce patient morbidity while restoring joint kinematics, their longevity is limited by wear of the adjacent cartilage. This work investigates the roles of contact geometry and implant stiffness on cartilage wear with the aim of elucidating the mechanics that contribute to cartilage damage. An in vitro study examined the influence of implant geometry on cartilage wear using a pin-on-plate wear simulator. A significant decrease in volumetric wear was observed as contact area increased, which suggests that maximizing contact area should be …

Passive Acoustic Emissions Monitoring Of Fluidized Bed Pellet Coating, Taylor Sheahan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Passive acoustic emissions were assessed for their potential as a non-invasive monitoring tool for the coating of pellets in a fluidized bed. Pharmaceutical pellets are small spherical particles that contain an active ingredient. They are film coated for the purpose of modified drug release and packed into capsules as a multiple unit dosage form. A more reliable monitoring and control method is desired to ensure the appropriate drug release profile is achieved by minimizing variations within and between coated pellets.

Microphones attached to the exterior of a conical top spray fluidized bed measured acoustic emissions produced from the coating process. …

Bioactive Glass-Ceramic Coating Of Titanium Substrates By Alkaline Hydrothermal Process, Mohamed Gebril

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Surface modification is a well-known approach to enhance the osseointegration of titanium dental implants. In this study, a novel hydrothermal method for coating titanium surfaces with bioactive glass was developed. Our method included sol-gel synthesis of bioactive glass, followed by hydrothermal coating of titanium under different NaOH concentrations. The surface properties of coated substrates were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and surface profilometry. By varying the alkalinity of the hydrothermal process, different surface topographies, crystalline phases and chemistries could be obtained. Soaking the hydrothermally coated titanium substrates in simulated body fluid resulted in hydroxyapatite …

Synthesis And Evaluation Of A Novel Polymer Microfiber Drug Delivery System, Julie La

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Skin cancer is the most prevalent cancer diagnosis worldwide. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is one of the most common diagnoses. Fortunately, these cancers are rarely fatal if detected and treated early on. However, current treatment options can be painful, disfiguring and can require long-term treatment courses, resulting in poor patient compliance and cancer progression. Since SCC begins as precancerous lesions, an opportunity exists for early preventative interventions which this work aims to address. We produced stabilized microfibers via centrifugal spinning and UV photocrosslinking composed of poly(ethylene oxide) functionalized with cinnamoyl chloride. Curcumin, a molecule known for its anti-cancer properties was …

Design And Fabrication Of A Multifunctional Nano-On-Micro Delivery System, Alexandra D. Bannerman

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The treatment of tumours using microbeads for embolization and drug delivery is a widely used, but often ineffective, technique. In this work, we aim to produce microbeads for this application with four main improvements: visibility, target-ability, degradability, and an alternative route for drug loading. We accomplish this through the fabrication of ~100μm diameter microbeads composed of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), iron oxide nanoparticles, and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) using a custom-designed microchannel system. Characterization demonstrated that microbeads were magnetic, as well as visible under clinical CT. Separately, the dissolution of PVA iron oxide hydrogels exposed to different environmental conditions was studied. Iron …

Engineering Periodontal Tissue Regeneration With The Use Of A Novel Periostin Electrospun Scaffold, Kendal I. Creber

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Clinical therapies for the treatment of periodontitis are unable to reproducibly stimulate regeneration of the periodontium. We assessed the use of a novel electrospun type I collagen scaffold containing recombinant periostin to stimulate regeneration of the periodontal ligament (PDL) and bone. Human PDL cells demonstrated the ability to form a mineralized matrix in vitro and reduced osteogenic potential with increased donor age. In vitro analysis indicated scaffolds were biocompatible, however, periostin did not significantly influence adhesion or growth. In the healing of fenestration defects in rats, type I collagen scaffolds (with and without periostin) initially delayed cell infiltration and increased …