Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

Modeling Residence Time Distribution Of Chromatographic Perfusion Resin For Large Biopharmaceutical Molecules: A Computational Fluid Dynamic Study, Kevin Vehar

KGI Theses and Dissertations

The need for production processes of large biotherapeutic particles, such as virus-based particles and extracellular vesicles, has risen due to increased demand in the development of vaccinations, gene therapies, and cancer treatments. Liquid chromatography plays a significant role in the purification process and is routinely used with therapeutic protein production. However, performance with larger macromolecules is often inconsistent, and parameter estimation for process development can be extremely time- and resource-intensive. This thesis aimed to utilize advances in computational fluid dynamic (CFD) modeling to generate a first-principle model of the chromatographic process while minimizing model parameter estimation's physical resource demand. Specifically, …

Gravity-Drawing Flexible Silicone Filaments As Fiber Optics And Model Foldamers, Katherine Snell

CMC Senior Theses

Here, we present a method of gravity-drawing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) silicone fibers with application as fiber optics and as model foldamers. Beginning as a viscous liquid, PDMS is cured using heat until its measured viscosity reaches 4000 mPa•s. The semi-cured elastomer is then extruded through a tube furnace to produce thin (diameters on the order of hundred micrometers) filaments with scalable lengths. PDMS is biocompatible, gas-permeable, flexible, and hydrophobic. Additionally, the PDMS surface hydrophobicity can be modified via UV exposure, O2 plasma, and corona discharge. We demonstrate the patternibility (i.e patterns of hydrophobicity) of PDMS fibers, adding complexity to potential foldamer …

Prediction Of The Outcome In Cardiac Arrest Patients Undergoing Hypothermia Using Eeg Wavelet Entropy, Hana Moshirvaziri

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Cardiac arrest (CA) is the leading cause of death in the United States. Induction of hypothermia has been found to improve the functional recovery of CA patients after resuscitation. However, there is no clear guideline for the clinicians yet to determine the prognosis of the CA when patients are treated with hypothermia. The present work aimed at the development of a prognostic marker for the CA patients undergoing hypothermia. A quantitative measure of the complexity of Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals, called wavelet sub-band entropy, was employed to predict the patients’ outcomes. We hypothesized that the EEG signals of the patients who …

Gait And Postural Analysis In Healthy Young Adults And People With Parkinson's Disease, Aisha Joy Chen

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Postural analysis is the study of how the position of the body in any mode interacts with internal and external forces. This type of analysis is typically used to assess potential abnormalities in the balance control system and to understand how the balance control system changes with time. However, compared to other medical fields of study, postural analysis is relatively new [1]. In fact, although widely used in clinical and research studies, postural assessment methods are scientifically inaccurate, and some data collection methods are relatively expensive. A better understanding of the human balance control system could lead to more accurate …

Can A Comprehensive Transition Plan To Barefoot Running Be The Solution To The Injury Epidemic In American Endurance Runners?, Michael A. Scarlett

CMC Senior Theses

Fossils belonging to the genus Homo, dating as far back as two million years ago, exhibit uniquely efficient features suggesting that early humans had evolved to become exceptional endurance runners. Although they did not have the cushion or stability-control features provided in our modern day running shoes, our early human ancestors experienced far less of the running-related injuries we experience today. The injury rate has been estimated as high as 90% annually for Americans training for a marathon and as high as 79% annually for all American endurance runners. There is an injury epidemic in conventionally shod populations that …

A Secure Behavior Modification Sensor System For Physical Activity Improvement, Alan Price

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Today, advances in wireless sensor networks are making it possible to capture large amounts of information about a person and their interaction within their home environment. However, what is missing is how to ensure the security of the collected data and its use to alter human behavior for positive benefit.

In this research, exploration was conducted involving the "infrastructure" and "intelligence" aspects of a wireless sensor network through a Behavior Modification Sensor System. First was to understand how a secure wireless sensor network could be established through the symmetric distribution of keys (the securing of the infrastructure), and it involves …