Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

Development Of Novel Inks And Approaches For Printing Tissues And Organs, Shen Ji

Dissertations

Tissue engineering is a multidisciplinary field that investigates and develops new methods to repair, regenerate and replace damaged tissues and organs, or to develop biomaterial platforms as in vitro models. Tissue engineering approaches require the fabrication of scaffolds using biomaterials or fabrication of living tissues using cells. As the demands of customized, implantable tissue/organs are increasing and becoming more urgent, conventional scaffold fabrication approaches are difficult to meet the requirements, especially for complex large-scale tissue fabrication. In this regard, three-dimensional (3D) printing attracted more interest over the past decades due to its unrivaled ability to fabricate highly customized tissues or …

Assessment Of The Use Of Low Molecular Weight Diblock Copolymers For The Formation Of Stable, Tunable Droplet Interface Bilayers, Joseph Tawfik

Masters Theses

This thesis presents the use of diblock copolymers, poly(butadiene)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PB_m PEO_n) and poly(isoprene)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PI_mPEO_n), as amphiphilic molecular building blocks for the formation of synthetic polymer bilayer membranes using the droplet interface bilayer (DIB) technique. The DIB technique makes use of the self-assembly of amphiphilic macromolecules along oil-water droplet interfaces that can then be physically connected for the construction of liquid supported macromolecular bilayers at the droplet interface. These bilayer membranes are capable of hosting both naturally occurring and synthetic protein channels. This technique has been used to form synthetic bilayer membranes …

The Effects Of Solution Condition On Virus Filtration Performance, Fnu Namila

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Virus filtration is an integral part of the downstream purification of mammalian cell culture-derived biotherapeutics to assure the viral safety of the products. Virus filtration membranes remove viruses based on a size-exclusion mechanism. Commercial parvovirus filers possess unique membrane structure and are designed to remove smaller non-enveloped parvoviruses with size 18-26 nm. However, some filters face issues, such as pre-mature fouling, the decline of filtrate flux, and reduction in virus retention. This doctoral dissertation focused on identifying the factors that influence the filtrate flux and the virus retention capability of commercial virus filters. The effects of solution pH and ionic …

Ventilation And Recirculation Airway Design For An Autonomous, Climate Controlled, Hydroponic Demonstration Unit, Nicholas Cross

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

For this Honors Thesis project, I designed and fabricated a ventilation and recirculation airway sub-system prototype for a hydroponic demonstration unit to be used as an educational demonstration for prospective students, illustrating the capabilities of biological engineers. This thesis focuses on the design of an autonomous air system that toggles between ventilation and recirculation modes based upon sensor output. In the literature review I discuss how ventilation can be used to achieve a targeted climate, the benefits of hands-on projects for education, and the optimum parameters for growing herbs in a hydroponic system.

In the design and fabrication process, every …

The Effect Of Joint Alignment After A Wrist Injury On Joint Mechanics And Osteoarthritis Development, Puneet Kaur Ranota

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Wrist injuries are common and can lead to the development of post-traumatic osteoarthritis. For example, one major complication after a wrist fracture, is when the fractured bone heals in a mal-aligned position, called malunion. It has been assumed that a malunion after wrist fractures alters joint congruency and mechanics leading to the development of post-traumatic osteoarthritis and poor functional outcomes. It is unclear whether anatomical restoration is a key component for the management of wrist injuries and to limit the progression of post-traumatic osteoarthritis. However, the mechanistic pathways between joint structure (and mal-alignment) and patient outcomes, such as the development …

Investigating The Combined Effects Of Whole Body Vibration And Vestibular Stimulation On Spasticity And Dystonia In Cerebral Palsy, Peter A. Michael

Dissertations

This study identifies and addresses three voids and potential shortcomings associated with the classification, assessment and management of Cerebral Palsy (CP). These concerns should not undermine the significant advancement that has been made in this specific branch of rehabilitation, but addressing them is necessary. Cerebral Palsy is a group of motor impairments due to hypoxic-ischemic brain damage around the time of birth and very commonly manifests as excessive muscle tone and poor motor control. There are classifications within CP including spasticity and dystonia.

First, a level of discrepancy is present in the classification of CP between the clinical and research …

Computational Modeling Of The Human Brain For Mtbi Prediction And Diagnosis, Yanir Levy

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Sports related concussions and mild traumatic brain injuries have seen an increase in frequency over the past decade. The creation of highly biofidelic computational head models is an important step in understanding the mechanisms of these mild brain injuries and preventing them. Hence, the purpose of this research is to combine state-of-the-art computational models, brain imaging modalities and traditional head injury assessment protocols to simulate and predict the brains responses during traumatic head impacts. A novel, atlas-based, parcellated axon fiber embedded head model was developed which allows for in-depth analysis of the brain’s structural connectome tracts for injury diagnosis and …

Dectin-1 Mediated Mechanical Force Generation In Candida Albicans Fungal Pathogen Recognition, Rohan Choraghe

Biomedical Engineering ETDs

Candida spp. pathogens continue to be a major health care burden with high mortality and exceeding a billion dollars in terms of healthcare cost. Candidainfection ranges from superficial dermatological infection to more serious blood stream infection in debilitated patients. One of the major lines of innate immune defense against Candidais phagocytosis. Dectin-1 is the antifungal receptor in myeloid cells responsible for most immune responses against fungi including phagocytosis. We looked into the signaling pathway coordinating this mechanical process downstream of Dectin-1. We found that Dectin-1 activation gives rise to a significant mechanical force generation mediated through RHOA-ROCK-MyosinII pathway. …

Multiphysics Computational Model Of Fluid Flow And Mass Transport In Aneurysm, Tanja Cupac

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The abdominal aortic aneurysm is progressive, asymptomatic, and can eventually lead to rupture which is a catastrophic event leading to massive internal bleeding and possibly death. AAA cases have been characterized by the development of an intraluminal thrombus (ILT). The ILT correlates with the progression of hypoxia in the arterial wall. The extent that ILT presence reduces oxygen flux to the wall has not been quantified and there is rather a poor understanding of key parameters that can affect thrombus-mediated oxygen transport in AAA. The purpose of this study is to address this gap and to assess the effects of …

Do Different Pathologies Affect The Relationship Between The Stiffness Of The Plantar Fascia And The Function Of The Mtp Joint?, Madeline Ryan Pauley

Biomedical Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Compared to healthy individuals, individuals with plantar fasciitis and diabetes experience material and structural property changes to soft tissues in the feet. The purpose of this study was to compare the relationship between material properties, power absorption, and energy storage characteristics to metatarsal power between healthy, plantar fasciitis symptomatic and asymptomatic, and diabetic participants. Investigating material change differences as well as energy storage and transfer trends in different pathology groups can lead to a better overall understanding of power transfer at the metatarsophalangeal joint (MTP). Participants were recruited for kinematic gait analysis and lower extremity shear wave elastography analysis and …

Optimization Of Indentation For The Material Characterization Of Soft Pva-Cryogels, Md. Mansur Ul Mulk

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Over the past few years a variety of clinical procedures aiming at tissue repair and other relevant therapies have been under active investigation [12,32]. Success of procedures aimed at soft tissue repair depend on the combined response of biochemical and biomechanical properties of the organs neighbouring the tissue [53]. Using human or animal cadaveric tissue for this purpose is very challenging due to issues pertaining to biodegradability and infection or biohazard risk factors [135,205].As such, tissue mimicking materials (e.g. Polyvinyl Alcohol Cryo-gel (PVA-C)) have been investigated to satisfy the need for the said clinical applications. Advantages of using tissue-mimicking materials …

Smartphone-Tape Method For Calculating Body Segment Inertial Parameters For Analysis Of Pitching Arm Kinetics, Jay Sterner

Master's Theses

The objectives of this study were to (1) develop a non-invasive method (referred to as Smart Photo-Tape) to calculate participant-specific upper arm, forearm, and hand segment inertial properties (SIPs) (e.g. mass, center of mass, and radii of gyration) and (2) use those Smart Photo-Tape properties in inverse dynamics (ID) analyses to calculate injury-related pitching arm kinetics. Five 20- to 23- year-old baseball pitchers were photographed holding a baseball and analyzed using the Smart Photo-Tape method to obtain 3-D inertial properties for their upper arm, forearm, and hand. The upper arm and forearm segments were modelled as stacked elliptic cylinders and …

Design Of Prototype Prosthesis For A Canine With A Right Front Limb Deformity As An Alternate Approach To Stabilize Gait And Withstand Gait Forces, Tayler R. Kastlunger

Master's Theses

Congenital and developmental limb deformities in canines are rare and can occur as a genetic disorder or be caused by extrinsic factors. Without surgery to correct the deformity, conservative management can be implemented to manage exercise and restrict high-intensity activity of the canine. However, any alteration to the normal gait and locomotive biomechanics of a canine can have significant long-term effects on the musculoskeletal health and quality of life of the canine. To improve quality of life and provide an alternative and more cost-effective approach to surgery, a custom prosthetic was designed and developed for a canine born with a …

Redesign And Quantitative Assessment Of An Accelerated Venous Valve Fatigue Apparatus, Megan Kueh

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a form of cardiovascular disease that is caused when valves in the leg become incompetent. Current treatment methods serve to manage symptoms, but there are currently no ways to treat the underlying cause of CVI. A venous valve prosthetic made from a xenograft of a bovine jugular vein is one possible treatment method currently in the research phase. Prosthetic valves must be tested with an accelerated wear tester prior to approval for clinical testing. Although such testers exist for heart valves, physiological differences between heart and venous valves restrict the use those testers on venous …

The Response Of Astrocytes To Mechanical Stimuli, Courtney Bahan

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Traumatic brain injuries are a common cause of injury and result from a blow to the head whether it be blunt, penetrating, or inertial. TBIs are typically obtained in a fall, while playing a sport, or in a car crash. TBIs can be diagnosed as mild (commonly referred to as a concussion), moderate, or severe based upon their score from the Glasgow coma scale. TBIs can also lead to other risks such as epilepsy or Alzheimer’s Disease as well as increasing the risk of suffering another TBI. Astrocytes are heterogeneous glial cells in the brain that alter their response based …

Development Of A Matlab Gui To Assist The Active Comprehension Of Biomedical Transport Phenomena Using A Visual Aid, Pranav Suri

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Studies show that inductive teaching methods for Biomedical Transport Phenomena greatly benefit from an accompanying visual aid. The following project aimed to develop a MATLAB GUI application that illustrates steady-state heat transfer with a graph and heat map using user-defined boundary conditions and numerical parameters. The application was evaluated using a survey that first familiarized the user with the GUI by running through heat transfer exercises, then allowed the user to experiment with the application, and finally asked users about their experiences using a questionnaire. The responses indicate that the GUI was received positively overall, and that a MATLAB component …

Golf Swing Trainer Using Wii Balance Board, Brooks M. Leftwich, Nicholas Hassler, Clark A. Hall, Sam Gates, Thomas B. Vickery, Alec Rinehart, Zakkary B A Compton, Ryan A. Singley

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Solostand, Hau Nhat Doan, Sydney Gray, Celina Dioso

Biomedical Engineering

The purpose of this scope of work is to highlight the progress and development of SoloStand sponsored by Derek Herrera, chief technical officer and founder of SpinalSingularity. SoloStand is an attachment to a wheelchair that will benefit paraplegics that use wheelchairs. A portable and customizable attachment to a wheelchair will allow the user to do everyday tasks without transferring into a separate standing wheelchair and travel more easily. This document outlines everything that has been done in fulfillment of our senior project requirements.

Cumulative Shear In Vitro Model, Jared Olson, Alex Deppe, Braden Andrews

Biomedical Engineering

The purpose of our project is to find a reliable method of Subclinical Atherosclerosis detection by measuring the pressure drop across an artery. This model is intended to display how a pressure change correlates with arterial shear rate, and how a decrease in shear rate is ultimately related to atherosclerosis wherein early detection could prove life saving for millions of patients worldwide.

On-Body Pressure For Subcutaneous Infusion Of Drug, Hannah Cole, Kayla Meacham, Eleanor Moran, Kaylee Voss

Biomedical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Skier's Edge: Biomechanical Analysis, Benjamin T. Johannes

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

Skier’s Edge: Biomechanical Analysis

Benjamin T. Johannes

The Skier’s Edge trainer can be used by novice or expert skiers. Testing was performed to analyze if the use of the Skier’s Edge could reduce in shear forces of the valgus moment on the knee joint and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) due to lesser fatigue of muscle and a higher hamstring to quadricep (H/Q) ratio activity. This leads to a reduction of improper form and an increase in balance. Experiments performed observed the change in muscle activity with the use of the Skier’s Edge over time when compared to other forms …

Subject-Specific Finite Element Models Of The Human Knee For Transtibial Amputees To Analyze Tibial Cartilage Pressure For Gait, Cycling, And Elliptical Training, Jonathon Stearns

Master's Theses

It is estimated that approximately 10-12% of the adult population suffers from osteoarthritis (OA), with long reaching burdens personally and socioeconomically. OA also causes mild discomfort to severe pain in those suffering from the disease. The incidence rate of OA for individuals with transtibial amputations is much than average in the tibiofemoral joint (TF). It is well understood that abnormal articular cartilage stress, whether that be magnitude or location, increases the risk of developing OA. Finite element (FE) simulations can predict stress in the TF joint, many studies throughout the years have validated the technology used for this purpose. This …

Work Related Diurnal Changes In Trunk Mechanical Behavior, Maeve Mcdonald

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

The objectives of this study were to analyze effects of day-long exposure to LBP risk factors on lumbo-pelvic coordination (LPC) in nursing occupations and to verify if physical activity level affects diurnal work-related changes in LPC. Thirty-three nurses were recruited into three groups based on workplace physical demands and each completed two data collection sessions, one before and one after their 8-12 hour work shift. Participants completed several stationary trunk forward-bending/backward-return exercises at self-selected “fast” and “slow” rotational speeds, and while holding a 15 lbs. load. Kinematic data collected during these exercises were then used to characterize the timing and …

Atv Dynamics And Pediatric Rider Safety, James T. Auxier Ii

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

It has been observed through numerous academic and governmental agency studies that pediatric all-terrain vehicle ridership carries significant risk of injury and death. While no doubt valuable to safety, the post-hoc approach employed in these studies does little to explain the why and how behind the risk factors. Furthermore, there has been no prolonged, widespread, organized, and concerted effort to reconstruct and catalog the details and causes of the large (20,000+) number of ATV-related injuries that occur each year as has been done for road-based motor vehicle accidents. This dissertation takes the opposite approach from a meta-analysis and instead examines …

Diffuse Damage Repair Mechanism In Bone, Leila Mehraban Alvandi

Dissertations and Theses

Bone microdamage is a result of fatigue, creep or ‘wear and tear’ caused by physiological activities and largely contributes to bone fragility. Bone, unlike engineered materials, has the ability to repair the microscopic cracking or microdamage through targeted, osteoclast-mediated bone remodeling. This capability is crucial for preservation of its structural integrity and quality; failure of the skeleton to effectively repair microdamage leads to accumulation of damage, which is one of the main contributors to bone fragility. Linear microcracks (50-100 µm) and diffuse damage (Dif.Dx) (sub-micron) are the two types of microdamage. Recent studies show that Dif.Dx repairs without bone remodeling, …

The Impact Of Aging And Mechanical Injury On Alveolar Epithelial And Macrophage Responses In Acute Lung Injury And Inflammation, Michael S. Valentine

Theses and Dissertations

Patients with severe lung pathologies, such as Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), often require mechanical ventilation as a clinical intervention; however, this procedure frequently exacerbates the original pulmonary issue and produces an exaggerated inflammatory response that potentially leads to sepsis, multisystem organ failure, and mortality. This acute lung injury (ALI) condition has been termed Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury (VILI). Alveolar overdistension, cyclic atelectasis, and biotrauma are the primary injury mechanisms in VILI that lead to the loss of alveolar barrier integrity and pulmonary inflammation. Stress and strains during mechanical ventilation are believed to initiate alveolar epithelial mechanotransduction signaling mechanisms that contribute …

Characterization Of Bone Pathology In Sickle Cell Disease And Therapeutic Strategies, Mykel D. Green

Dissertations and Theses

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic hemoglobinopathy that has grown into a global health concern. While the advances in medical treatment and management of SCD during childhood have drastically improved the overall survival of children, the transition from pediatric to adult services is significantly inadequate in comparison. Life expectancies of patients with SCD in first world countries such as the United States are shortened to averages of 42 and 48 years for men and women, respectively. Despite the increasing number of people living with SCD, remarkably, few detailed studies have described the clinical course and complications of the disease …

In Vivo Data Capture Using Hssr For Calibration Of Computational Models, Thor Erik Andreassen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Computational modeling is a vital tool for understanding and evaluating healthy and unhealthy function of the musculoskeletal aspects of the human body. However, the accuracy of the musculoskeletal models depends significantly on the accuracy of the input data used to calibrate various behavioral parameters of the model. To date, most computational models have been built using generic in vitro data, mostly because of a lack of accurate and meaningful datasets from in vivo testing. The next major step in computational modeling is to create subject-specific computational models using calibration data taken from in vivo testing. The overall goal was to …

All-Wheel-Ukraine, Sofiya Rakovska, Hannah Mcculloch, Andrey Garasimchuk, Ahmad Alsaihati

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

We are working with a non-profit organization in Ukraine that provides wheelchairs/strollers to families of disables children who cannot afford them. Their current preferred solution is a baby stroller. The organization asked us to create a wheelchair that is cost efficient, light and collapsible to be used for children ages up to thirteen years old. We will be creating an alpha prototype wheelchair by modifying a basic wheelchair that we purchased. This modifications include adding a headrest that is adjustable and provides a sufficient support for children within the age group given to us and diverse levels of disabilities. We …

Upper Extremity Mobility Device, Timothy J. Grassi, Jacob R. Miller

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The goal of this project was to evaluate a clinical problem, explore possible solutions, and produce a functioning prototype that would conform to all the established guidelines and requirements. The project focused on developing an upper extremity mobility device for a singular client with limited muscle activity in his arms due to childhood polio. Our design process was governed by an adapted form of the FDA Design Control Process, 21 CFR 820.30 [1]. The outcome of this project was a functioning prototype that utilized the concept of a motorized pulley system remote controlled using a key fob. This research project …