Quantifying The Effects Of Hydrostatic Pressure On Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 Binding By The Human Endothelium,
2017
University of Kentucky
Quantifying The Effects Of Hydrostatic Pressure On Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 Binding By The Human Endothelium, Taylor R. Mckenty
Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering
Fluid pressures regulate endothelial cell (EC) tubulogenic activity involving fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) and its receptor, FGF receptor 2 (FGFR2). Our lab has recently shown that sustained 20 mmHg hydrostatic pressure (HP) upregulates EC sprout formation in a FGF2-dependent fashion. This upregulation of sprout formation may be due to enhanced FGF-2 / FGFR2 interactions in the presence of 20 mmHg HP. We hypothesize that exposure of ECs to 20 mmHg sustained HP enhances FGF-2 binding kinetics. We used a custom hydrostatic pressure system, immunofluorescence, and FACS to quantify FGF-2 binding by ECs in the absence or presence of a …
Developing Afm Techniques For Testing Peg Hydrogels,
2017
The University of Akron
Developing Afm Techniques For Testing Peg Hydrogels, Hannah L. Cebull, Jessica Stukel, Rebecca Willits
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Many instruments are used to find elastic properties of biological samples using methods such as tensile and bending tests, but using the atomic force microscope (AFM) is considered a non-destructive method because it can provide repeated local stiffness information without damaging the sample. It additionally allows the sample to be tested in an aqueous environment, which is optimal for soft materials such as hydrogels. The nanoindentation is performed via cantilever, measuring the deflection of the cantilever during the contact of the sample using a laser. Compared to hard samples, testing soft materials can present more challenges when working with the …
Evolutionary History Of Chemosensory-Related Gene Families
Across The Arthropoda,
2017
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Evolutionary History Of Chemosensory-Related Gene Families Across The Arthropoda, Seong-Il Eyun, Ho Young Soh, Marijan Posavi, James B. Munro, Daniel S.T. Hughes, Shwetha C. Murali, Jiaxin Qu, Shannon Dugan, Sandra L. Lee, Hsu Chao, Huyen Dinh, Yi Han, Harshavardhan Doddapaneni, Kim C. Worley, Donna M. Muzny, Eun-Ok Park, Joana C. Silva, Richard A. Gibbs, Stephen Richards, Carol Eunmi Lee
Nebraska Center for Biotechnology: Faculty and Staff Publications
Chemosensory-related gene (CRG) families have been studied extensively in insects, but their evolutionary history across the Arthropoda had remained relatively unexplored. Here, we address current hypotheses and prior conclusions on CRG family evolution using a more comprehensive data set. In particular, odorant receptors were hypothesized to have proliferated during terrestrial colonization by insects (hexapods), but their association with other pancrustacean clades and with independent terrestrial colonizations in other arthropod subphyla have been unclear. We also examine hypotheses on which arthropod CRG family is most ancient. Thus, we reconstructed phylogenies of CRGs, including those from new arthropod genomes and transcriptomes, and …
Modulating The Innate Immune Response To Electrospun Scaffolds And Polymer Degradative Byproducts,
2017
Virginia Commonwealth University
Modulating The Innate Immune Response To Electrospun Scaffolds And Polymer Degradative Byproducts, Daniel Abebayehu
Theses and Dissertations
Implanted biomaterials often induce inflammation that frequently leads to the foreign body response, fibrosis, and the failure of the implant. Thus, it is important to evaluate how cells interact with materials to promote a more regenerative response. It is critical to determine how to modulate the response of tissue resident innate immune cells, as they are among the first cells to interact with implanted materials. Among tissue resident innate immune cells are mast cells, which are inflammatory sentinels that degranulate and orchestrate the fate of other cell populations, such as monocytes/macrophages and lymphocytes. Mast cells have also been reported to …
Development And Validation Of A Novel Resonant Energy Transfer (Fret) Biosensor To Measure Tensile Forces At The Linc Complex In Live Cells,
2017
Virginia Commonwealth University
Development And Validation Of A Novel Resonant Energy Transfer (Fret) Biosensor To Measure Tensile Forces At The Linc Complex In Live Cells, Paul Arsenovic
Theses and Dissertations
There is a large body of evidence supporting the theory that cell physiology largely depends on the mechanical properties of its surroundings or micro-environment. More recently studies have shown that changes to intra-cellular mechanical properties can also have a meaningful impact on cell function and in some cases lead to the progression of ailments or disease. For example, small changes to the protein sequence of a structural nuclear envelope protein called lamin-A is known to cause a variety of neurological and musculoskeletal diseases referred to as laminopathies. Currently, there is little incite into how these mutations lead to disease progression …
Development Of An Electrospun And 3d Printed Cellular Delivery Device For Dermal Wound Healing,
2017
Virginia Commonwealth University
Development Of An Electrospun And 3d Printed Cellular Delivery Device For Dermal Wound Healing, Ryan M. Clohessy
Theses and Dissertations
The goal of this research was to develop a system of individualized medicine that could be applied to dermal wounds serving as a wound dressing and synthetic extracellular matrix while delivering stem cells to the wound bed. First, fabrication parameters for electrospinning polymer fibers were determined. This involved evaluating fiber morphology with respect to polymer selection and solution concentration. Next, construct fabrication was examined to produce an integrated void space, or cargo area, suitable to maintain stem cells. In vitro studies to ensure stem cell viability and phenotype were conducted, and results supported the notion that cells could be administered …
A 3d Biomimetic Scaffold Using Electrospinning For Tissue Engineering Applications,
2017
Michigan Technological University
A 3d Biomimetic Scaffold Using Electrospinning For Tissue Engineering Applications, Samerender Nagam Hanumantharao
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports
Electrospinning holds great promise for designing functional 3D biomimetic scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. The technique allows for the reproducible fabrication of 3D scaffolds with control over the porosity and thickness. In this work, a novel method for the synthesis of a 3D electroactive scaffold using electrospinning from polycaprolactone (PCL), Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) and Polyaniline (PANI) is reported. Additional scaffolds involving different morphologies of PCL, PCL-PVDF and PCL-PANI-PVDF were also fabricated and evaluated. The scaffolds were characterized using electron microscopy to visualize the morphologies. Infrared spectroscopy was used to confirm the presence of polymers and their respective phases in the …
Characterization Of Molecular Communication Based On Cell Metabolism Through Mutual Information And Flux Balance Analysis,
2016
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Characterization Of Molecular Communication Based On Cell Metabolism Through Mutual Information And Flux Balance Analysis, Zahmeeth Sayed Sakkaff
School of Computing: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
Synthetic biology is providing novel tools to engineer cells and access the basis of their molecular information processing, including their communication channels based on chemical reactions and molecule exchange. Molecular communication is a discipline in communication engineering that studies these types of communications and ways to exploit them for novel purposes, such as the development of ubiquitous and heterogeneous communication networks to interconnect biological cells with nano and biotechnology-enabled devices, i.e., the Internet of Bio-Nano Things. One major problem in realizing these goals stands in the development of reliable techniques to control the engineered cells and their behavior from the …
Scaffold And Tissue Based Therapies To Improve Skeletal Muscle Regeneration After Volumetric Muscle Loss,
2016
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Scaffold And Tissue Based Therapies To Improve Skeletal Muscle Regeneration After Volumetric Muscle Loss, Benjamin Kasukonis
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Volumetric muscle loss (VML) is an injury to skeletal muscle characterized by a loss of more than 20% of a muscles volume. The combination of the bulk loss of tissue, transection and separation of myofibers proximal and distal to the injury, loss of innervation and blood supply, and the depletion of muscle progenitor cells results in permanent fibrosis and functional deficits due to loss of contractile tissue. Scaffolds, cells, and engineered constructs have been explored as potential therapeutic interventions to induce myogenesis at the site of a VML injury in animal models, in addition to limited clinical trials. This dissertation …
Surface Engineering Of Titanium Alloy To Stimulate The Bone Regeneration,
2016
Tianjin University
Surface Engineering Of Titanium Alloy To Stimulate The Bone Regeneration, Yubin Meng, Zhenduo Cui, Zhaoyang Li, Xue Li, Jin Zhao, Xubo Yuan, Xianjin Yang
The 8th International Conference on Physical and Numerical Simulation of Materials Processing
No abstract provided.
Ionic Basis Of Ventricular Action Potentials,
2016
University of California, Merced
Ionic Basis Of Ventricular Action Potentials, Ariel L. Escobar
Science Seminar Series
Dr. Escobar will talk about his cutting-edge approach to understanding molecular mechanisms underlying electrical activity in the heart.
Characterization Of Histological Changes In The Microvasculature Of Rat Skeletal Muscle After Spinal Cord Injury,
2016
Marquette University
Characterization Of Histological Changes In The Microvasculature Of Rat Skeletal Muscle After Spinal Cord Injury, Sally Lin
Master's Theses (2009 -)
The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are histological changes in the microvasculature of rat skeletal muscle following chronic spinal cord injury both above and below the level of injury. This study is important because microvascular structure likely impacts muscle performance and cardiovascular health. To the best of our knowledge, this is the only study to investigate microvascular structure within rat skeletal muscle after spinal cord injury. We hypothesized structural remodeling would occur in both the myofibers and microvasculature, which would then manifest in differences in myofiber cross sectional area and microvascular diameter, wall thickness, wall to …
Bone Tissue Engineering: Scalability And Optimization Of Densified Collagen-Fibril Bone Graft Substitute Materials,
2016
Purdue University
Bone Tissue Engineering: Scalability And Optimization Of Densified Collagen-Fibril Bone Graft Substitute Materials, John G. Nicholas, Lauren E. Watkins, Sherry L. Voytik-Harbin
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium
Over 240 million people missing teeth worldwide experience lingering problems such as difficulty speaking and eating, undesirable aesthetics, and resorption of bone supporting neighboring teeth. The gold standard of treatment utilizes grafts to attach a function-restoring implant to supporting bone. Current graft materials suffer from problems including autologous donor site morbidity, long resorption time, incomplete integration with the maxillae or mandible, and structural weakness. Patient-specific, cellularized bone grafts may be a solution to these issues by accelerating and improving the quality of regenerated bone. Recently, encapsulation of mesenchymal stem cells within self-assembling type I collagen oligomer matrices has been shown …
Cartilage Engineering: Optimization Of Media For Chondrogenic Differentiation In Vitro,
2016
Purdue University
Cartilage Engineering: Optimization Of Media For Chondrogenic Differentiation In Vitro, Evan Surma, Sherry L. Harbin, Hongji Zhang, Stacy Halum
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium
Lower back pain from intervertebral disc injury affects around 84% of the population at some point in their life, which at its worst may cause total immobilization. This pain can only be temporarily relieved by spinal fusion or intervertebral disc replacement; however, both of these cause loss of natural motion in patients by removing damaged fibrocartilage discs. While these techniques help mitigate pain briefly, no permanent solution exists currently to both relieve pain and preserve natural motion. My work may be a solution by eventually providing patient-specific implants that resemble native tissue in the regeneration process that could be absorbed …
Lysis And Amplifciation Of Neonatal Sepsis Causing Pathogens,
2016
Purdue University
Lysis And Amplifciation Of Neonatal Sepsis Causing Pathogens, Gregory Berglund, Elizabeth A. Phillips, Jacqueline C. Linnes
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium
Neonatal sepsis, resulting from a bloodstream infection within the first few weeks of life, is the leading cause of newborn deaths worldwide. The gold standard of neonatal sepsis diagnosis requires a blood culture to identify the infecting bacteria, however require days of incubation, expensive equipment, and expertise. Any delay in diagnosis is critical, as the condition can be treated easily if appropriate antibiotics are administered promptly. A low-cost, rapid, and sensitive diagnostic test would enable more timely treatment and lead to better patient outcomes with fewer required resources. Point-of-care, nucleic acid amplification assays are a promising alternative to blood culture …
Alginate Hydrogels As Three-Dimensional Scaffolds For In Vitro Culture Models Of Growth Plate Cartilage Development And Porcine Embryo Elongation,
2016
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Alginate Hydrogels As Three-Dimensional Scaffolds For In Vitro Culture Models Of Growth Plate Cartilage Development And Porcine Embryo Elongation, Taylor D. Laughlin
Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
The establishment of in vitro culture models utilizes tissue engineering principles to design functional mimics of in vivo environments in vitro. Advantages for the use of in vitro culture models include ethical alleviation of animal models for therapeutic testing, cost efficiency, and a greater ability to study specific mechanisms via a systematic, ground-up approach to development. In this thesis, alginate hydrogels are utilized in the development of in vitro culture models of porcine embryo elongation and growth plate cartilage development. First, the effect of scaffold and modifications to the scaffold were explored in both projects. In order to modulate …
Automated Microscopy Platform For High-Throughput Analysis Of Cellular Characteristics,
2016
Augustana College - Rock Island
Automated Microscopy Platform For High-Throughput Analysis Of Cellular Characteristics, Hussam Ibrahim
Physics: Student Scholarship & Creative Works
Existing microscopy platforms allow analysis post-hoc, but not in real time. This is an issue in the world of Bioengineering because you are limited to performing further analysis on specimen. The aim of my research was to design a sophisticated system whereby information can be exchanged between the software which acquires images and software that analyzes the images immediately after acquisition. In this system, images would be acquired by the microscope and analyzed by customized scripts (MATLAB, Mathworks) in real time. Specifically, MATLAB would wait for new images to be saved on the hard drive, import these images, and perform …
Hydrothermally Processed 1d Hydroxyapatite: Mechanism Of Formation And Biocompatibility Studies,
2016
Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts
Hydrothermally Processed 1d Hydroxyapatite: Mechanism Of Formation And Biocompatibility Studies, Zoran Stojanović, Nenad Ignjatović, Victoria M. Wu, Vojca Žunič, Ljiljana Veselinović, Srečo D. Škapin, Miroslav Miljković, Vuk Uskoković, Dragab Uskoković
Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research
Recent developments in bone tissue engineering have led to an increased interest in one-dimensional (1D) hydroxyapatite (HA) nano- and micro-structures such as wires, ribbons and tubes. They have been proposed for use as cell substrates, reinforcing phases in composites and carriers for biologically active substances. Here we demonstrate the synthesis of 1D HA structures using an optimized, urea-assisted, high-yield hydrothermal batch process. The one-pot process, yielding HA structures composed of bundles of ribbons and wires, was typified by the simultaneous occurrence of a multitude of intermediate reactions, failing to meet the uniformity criteria over particle morphology and size. To overcome …
Calcium Phosphate As A Key Material For Socially Responsible Tissue Engineering,
2016
Chapman University
Calcium Phosphate As A Key Material For Socially Responsible Tissue Engineering, Vuk Uskoković, Victoria M. Wu
Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research
Socially responsible technologies are designed while taking into consideration the socioeconomic, geopolitical and environmental limitations of regions in which they will be implemented. In the medical context, this involves making therapeutic platforms more accessible and affordable to patients in poor regions of the world wherein a given disease is endemic. This often necessitates going against the reigning trend of making therapeutic nanoparticles ever more structurally complex and expensive. However, studies aimed at simplifying materials and formulations while maintaining the functionality and therapeutic response of their more complex counterparts seldom provoke a significant interest in the scientific community. In this review …
Hiv Vaccines: Progress, Limitations And A Crispr/Cas9 Vaccine,
2016
Augustana College, Rock Island Illinois
Hiv Vaccines: Progress, Limitations And A Crispr/Cas9 Vaccine, Omar A. Garcia Martinez
Biology: Student Scholarship & Creative Works
ABSTRACT: The HIV-1 pandemic continues to thrive due to ineffective HIV-1 vaccines. Historically, the world’s most infectious diseases, such as polio and smallpox, have been eradicated or have come close to eradication due to the advent of effective vaccines. Highly active antiretroviral therapy is able to delay the onset of AIDS but can neither rid the body of HIV-1 proviral DNA nor prevent further transmission. A prophylactic vaccine that prevents the various mechanisms HIV-1 has to evade and attack our immune system is needed to end the HIV-1 pandemic. Recent advances in engineered nuclease systems, like the CRISPR/Cas9 system, have …
