Bioimaging and Biomedical Optics Commons^™

Preclinical Development Of Single Walled Carbon Nanotube-Based Optical Biosensors, Eric M. Hofferber

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

High resolution, long-term monitoring of key biological analytes would improve patient outcomes by providing earlier detection of disease states and improved efficacy of treatment. One class of biosensors that have gained much attention in recent years are optical biosensors. Optical probes are attractive biosensors due to their noninvasive nature of detection, as certain light can pass through tissue, water, and blood. Single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) are a specific type of optical biosensor that fluoresce in the near infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum and offer unparalleled spatial and temporal resolution. SWNT have been applied as biosensors in vitro, …

3d Architectural Analysis Of Neurons, Astrocytes, Vasculature & Nuclei In The Motor And Somatosensory Murine Cortical Columns, Jared Leichner

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Characterization of the complex cortical structure of the brain at a cellular level is a fundamental goal of neuroscience which can provide a better understanding of both normal function as well as disease state progression. Many challenges exist however when carrying out this form of analysis. Immunofluorescent staining is a key technique for revealing 3-dimensional structure, but subsequent fluorescence microscopy is limited by the quantity of simultaneous targets that can be labeled and intrinsic lateral and isotropic axial point-spread function (PSF) blurring during the imaging process in a spectral and depth-dependent manner. Even after successful staining, imaging and optical deconvolution, …

Seeing Eye To Eye: A Machine Learning Approach To Automated Saccade Analysis, Maigh Attre

Honors Scholar Theses

Abnormal ocular motility is a common manifestation of many underlying pathologies particularly those that are neurological. Dynamics of saccades, when the eye rapidly changes its point of fixation, have been characterized for many neurological disorders including concussions, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), and Parkinson’s disease. However, widespread saccade analysis for diagnostic and research purposes requires the recognition of certain eye movement parameters. Key information such as velocity and duration must be determined from data based on a wide set of patients’ characteristics that may range in eye shapes and iris, hair and skin pigmentation [36]. Previous work on saccade analysis has …

Modeling Eeg And Tdcs In Scirun Software Packages, Aiden Keene, Aiden Thomas Keene

Senior Honors Projects

Never before has there been a greater emphasis on improving the shortcomings of treating mental health conditions. Our generation has more knowledge about technological practices with the potential to monitor and treat mental health symptoms than that of any generation before us. A breakthrough in this field made by CREmedical is called Tripolar Concentric Ring Electrodes (TCRE’s), which can measure signals from the brain more accurately than conventional electrodes. At CREmedical, TCREs are being used to study differences in electrical activity in the brain so as to identify abnormalities, and monitor responses to stimulation therapies. This semester I had the …

The Effect Of Hyperthermia On Doxorubicin Therapy And Nanoparticle Penetration In Multicellular Ovarian Cancer Spheroids, Abhignyan Nagesetti

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The efficient treatment of cancer with chemotherapy is challenged by the limited penetration of drugs into the tumor. Nanoparticles (10 – 100 nanometers) have emerged as a logical choice to specifically deliver chemotherapeutics to tumors, however, their transport into the tumor is also impeded owing to their bigger size compared to free drug moieties. Currently, monolayer cell cultures, as models for drug testing, cannot recapitulate the structural and functional complexity of in-vivo tumors. Furthermore, strategies to improve drug distribution in tumor tissues are also required. In this study, we hypothesized that hyperthermia (43°C) will improve the distribution of silica nanoparticles …

Circle Of Willis Model For Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound Training, Conner J. Beyersdorf, Ben Hage, Greg Bashford

UCARE Research Products

Transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound is a technique involving the use of high frequency transmitters to measure intracranial blood flow. The brain is supplied by blood in an arterial anastomosis called the Circle of Willis. Using TCD ultrasound on the circle is difficult and requires practice and teaching. A functional model of the Circle of Willis could prove to be a valuable teaching tool. Through the use of AutoCAD and 3D printing software, an anatomically accurate model was created and set in gelatin phantom inside of a plastic skull. Milk was pumped through the model with a peristaltic pump to simulate …

Analysis Of Breath-Holding Index As An Assessment Of Cerebrovascular Reactivity, Allison P. Porter, Madison Burger, Mohammed Alwatban, Benjamin Hage, Greg Bashford

UCARE Research Products

Cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) is a key factor in regulating blood flow into the brain, and a marker for vascular disease. If the brain's regulatory system is not working, a patient may be in serious trouble. Testing of CVR is one method of assessing the brain's regulatory capabilities. Transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) is one tool to measure CVR. In this method, carbon dioxide in the blood is transiently increased (such as with the holding of breath), and the resulting blood flow in the brain is measured. In this study, we are going to measure the variability of the breathholding index.

Within …

Cobalt Ferrite Nanoparticles Fabricated Via Co-Precipitation In Air: Overview Of Size Control And Magnetic Properties, Dennis Toledo

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cobalt Ferrite has important, size-dependent magnetic properties. Consequently, an overview of particle size is important. Co-precipitation in air was the fabrication method used because it is comparatively simple and safe. The effects of three different reaction times including 1, 2, 3 hour(s) on particle size were compared. Also, the effectiveness of three different capping agents (Oleic Acid, Polyvinylpyrollidone (PVP), and Trisodium Citrate) in reducing aggregation and correspondingly particle size were examined. Using Welch’s analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the relevant post hoc tests, there was no significant difference (p=0.05) between reaction times of 1 hour and 2 hours, but there …

Application Of Limited Mixing In The Hele-Shaw Geometry In Fabrication Of Janus Hydrogels, Md Mahmudur Rahman

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

It is widely accepted that cells behave differently responding to the stiffness of their extracellular matrix (ECM). Such observations were made by culturing cells on hydrogel substrates of tunable stiffness. However, it was recently proposed that cells may sense how strongly they are tethered to ECM, not the local stiffness of ECM. To investigate both hypotheses, we developed a method to fabricate Janus polyacrylamide (PAAM) gels. We squeeze two drops of different concentrations in the Hele-Shaw geometry to generate radial Stokes flow. When the drops coalesce, limited mixing occurs at the interface due to the narrow confinement, and diffusion normal …

Morphometric, Biochemical, And Raman Spectral Analyses Of Muscle Damage In Patients With Peripheral Arterial Disease: Providing Objective Criteria For Diagnosis And Treatment Monitoring, Kim Cluff

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD), which affects approximately 10 million Americans, is characterized by atherosclerosis of the non-coronary arteries. PAD produces a progressive accumulation of ischemic injury to the limbs that is reflected in a gradual worsening in the myofiber morphology and oxidative damage in the gastrocnemius muscle. In this study, we evaluated the hypothesis that quantitative morphological and biochemical parameters of gastrocnemius myofibers change in a consistent manner during the progression of PAD, provide an objective grading of muscle degeneration in the ischemic limb, and correlate to clinical stage of PAD. Myofiber morphometrics were determined precisely with mathematical equations that …