Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

On The Chronological Understanding Of The Homogeneous Dielectric Barrier Discharge, Xinpei Lu, Zhi Fang, Dong Dai, Tao Shao, Feng Liu, Cheng Zhang, Dawei Liu, Chunqi Jiang

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Dielectric barrier discharges (DBD) are widely utilised non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasmas with a diverse range of applications, such as material processing, surface treatment, light sources, pollution control, and medicine. Over the course of several decades, extensive research has been dedicated to the generation of homogeneous DBD (H-DBD), focussing on understanding the transition from H-DBD to filamentary DBD and exploring strategies to create and sustain H-DBD. This paper first discusses the influence of various parameters on DBD, including gas flow, dielectric material, surface conductivity, and mesh electrode. Secondly, a chronological literature review is presented, highlighting the development of H-DBD and the …

The Wound Healing And Antibacterial Properties Of Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Extracellular Matrix Nanoparticles, Emily N. Wandling

Theses and Dissertations

Treatments for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are still unavailable and the prevalence of the disease has only increased due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Mechanical ventilation regiments are still utilized to support declining lung function, but they also contribute to lung damage and increase the risk of bacterial infection. The anti-inflammatory and pro-regenerative abilities of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have shown to be a promising therapy for ARDS. We propose to utilize the regenerative effects of MSC secretome and the extracellular matrix (ECM) into a nanoparticle. Our mouse MSC (MMSC) ECM nanoparticles were characterized using size, zeta-potential, and mass spectrometry …

Investigating Tgf-Β1 And Fibronectin Signaling In Low Oxygen Environments, Caitlin E. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in women, second to lung cancer. It’s one of the most well-known cancers, with almost 300,000 new cases estimated to be diagnosed in 2023. Breast cancer often begins in ductal epithelial cells, and these cells will typically undergo a cellular transformation process known as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in early stages. Breast cancer becomes deadly when it reaches a metastatic stage. As a part of the metastatic process, transformed cells will conduct remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) to allow for migration of an otherwise non-migratory cell type.

As dense tumors form, …

Experimental Evaluation Of Micro-Epidermal Actuators On Flexible Substrates, Courtney D. Bradley

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Does embedding actuators in a flexible substrate increase their performance in hearing aids? What are the differences in damping experienced by actuators of different diameters and at different locations? At what frequency is peak acceleration achieved and what role does the size of the actuator and embedding it in a flexible substrate play? These questions will form the basis of this thesis. This work was done to develop a small non-invasive Band-Aid-©-like hearing aid. The novelty of this device requires a detailed analysis of piezoelectric actuators. This is a continuation of past students’ work on the topic. The main parameters …

Surface Modified Titanium And Doxycycline Loaded Pcl/Plga Nanofibers For Improved Cellular Interaction And Biocompatability, Dexter D. Kling

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Biomaterials play an important role in modern medicine through their complexfunctionalities, as implants, grafts, and drug delivery systems. The addition of dopants and biomolecules in biomaterials offers unique solutions to common issues and provides new methods of improving overall health. In our work, we examined osteoblast cell interactions with titanium (Ti) after alkali treatment and deposition of magnesium (Mg) and iron (Fe). We also studied the antibacterial properties of doxycycline loaded polymeric nanofibers produced via electrospinning. To study the biological properties of surface-modified Ti, we first prepared commercially pure titanium samples by grinding and polishing, then performed alkali treatment in …

Reconfigurable Microfluidic Circuits Through Modular Surface Driven Microfluidic Diode Valves, Selina Cervantes

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

In this thesis, we explore the rapidly evolving landscape of healthcare and diagnostics, shaped by the transformative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The focus of Point-of-care showcases innovative breakthroughs in microfluidics, capillary action, and lateral flow technology that are revolutionizing medical diagnostics. We delve into the mechanics of current assays, particularly in resource-limited settings. We then unveiled the introduction of a novel fluidic diode valve, designed to enhance lateral flow assays (LFAs) for point-of-care diagnostics. This diode design boasts a unidirectional flow mechanism, and our proof-of-concept experiments validate its potential for scalability, precise flow control, and applications in complex lateral …

Studying And Troubleshooting Lubricity Test On Pressure Wire X Proximal And Distal Coatings, Usama A. Khan

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Coatings of guidewires used in medical device manufacturing industry are one of the most important element aspects. It defines its efficiency to penetrate through tightest of canals and curves. Guidewires are put through controlled environment to accelerate its age and tested for its mechanical features. Pressure Wire X failed the lubricity testing after being tested by multiple operators and at alternate sites. A cause-and-effect diagram shows all potential causes of test failure. The human factor involved in the test failure was investigated through multiple Gage R&R and training records. Calibration error with the lubricity tester DL1000 was identified and solved …

Longitudinal Oxygen Imaging In 3d (Bio)Printed Models, Ryan Curtis O'Connell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and its molecular imaging modality, is a powerful tool to noninvasively map various biological and chemical markers within objects of interest. Reliable data acquisition is a major impeding factor for longitudinal hands-off measurements. Measurements are especially challenging in biomedical applications, as live objects are not static. Frequent changes occur that require constant fine recalibration of the EPR detection system, called the resonator. To enable longitudinal imaging, a technology permitting automatic digital control of resonator coupling, tuning, and EPR data acquisition was developed. Automation was achieved through the utilization of a microcontroller and digital peripheral components such …

Evaluating Human Eye Features For Objective Measure Of Working Memory Capacity, Yasasi Abeysinghe, Enkelejda Kasneci (Ed.), Frederick Shic (Ed.), Mohamed Khamis (Ed.)

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Eye tracking measures can provide means to understand the underlying development of human working memory. In this study, we propose to develop machine learning algorithms to find an objective relationship between human eye movements via oculomotor plant and their working memory capacity, which determines subjective cognitive load. Here we evaluate oculomotor plant features extracted from saccadic eye movements, traditional positional gaze metrics, and advanced eye metrics such as ambient/focal coefficient , gaze transition entropy, low/high index of pupillary activity (LHIPA), and real-time index of pupillary activity (RIPA). This paper outlines the proposed approach of evaluating eye movements for obtaining an …

Differential Gene Expression Analysis Of Rodent Mammary Tissue Reveals Dysregulation Of Greb1 And An Age-Dependent Response To Spaceflight, Cleoma Arnold

Master's Projects

Life aboard spacecraft poses a danger to astronaut health, with hazards including microgravity, radiation, and enclosed spaces. Research into mitigating these health issues includes analysis of the transcriptome of rodents sent to the International Space Station. This project investigates the effects of spaceflight on the mammary tissue of female mice of two age groups, 10-12 and 32 weeks, in order to assess the impact of age and spaceflight on gene expression in a tissue relevant to female health. Analysis of the OSD-511 dataset from NASA’s Open Science Data Repository utilized a containerized implementation of their RNA-Seq pipeline on the San …

The Effects Of Dental Hygiene Instrument Handles On Muscle Activity Production, Jessica R. Suedbeck, Daniel Russell, Cortney Armitano Lago, Emily A. Ludwig

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose The objective of this study was to compare the effects of ten commercially available instrument handle designs’ mass and diameter on forearm muscle activity during a simulated periodontal scaling experience.

Methods A convenience sample of 25 registered dental hygienists were recruited for this IRB-approved study. Ten commercially available instruments were categorized into four groups based on their masses and diameters: large diameter/light mass, small diameter/light mass, large diameter/heavy mass, and small diameter/heavy mass. Participants were randomized to four instruments with one from each group. Participants scaled with each instrument in a simulated oral environment while muscle activity was collected …

Ultrasensitive Tapered Optical Fiber Refractive Index, Erem Ujah, Meimei Lai, Gymama Slaughter

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Refractive index (RI) sensors are of great interest for label-free optical biosensing. A tapered optical fiber (TOF) RI sensor with micron-sized waist diameters can dramatically enhance sensor sensitivity by reducing the mode volume over a long distance. Here, a simple and fast method is used to fabricate highly sensitive refractive index sensors based on localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). Two TOFs (l = 5 mm) with waist diameters of 5 µm and 12 µm demonstrated sensitivity enhancement at λ = 1559 nm for glucose sensing (5-45 wt%) at room temperature. The optical power transmission decreased with increasing glucose concentration due …

Long-Range Aceo Phenomena In Microfluidic Channel, Diganta Dutta, Keifer Smith, Xavier Palmer

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Microfluidic devices are increasingly utilized in numerous industries, including that of medicine, for their abilities to pump and mix fluid at a microscale. Within these devices, microchannels paired with microelectrodes enable the mixing and transportation of ionized fluid. The ionization process charges the microchannel and manipulates the fluid with an electric field. Although complex in operation at the microscale, microchannels within microfluidic devices are easy to produce and economical. This paper uses simulations to convey helpful insights into the analysis of electrokinetic microfluidic device phenomena. The simulations in this paper use the Navier–Stokes and Poisson Nernst–Planck equations solved using COMSOL …

Ultra-Low Intensity Post-Pulse Affects Cellular Responses Caused By Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields, Kamal Asadipour, Carol Zhou, Vincent Yi, Stephen J. Beebe, Shu Xiao

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

High-intensity nanosecond pulse electric fields (nsPEF) can preferentially induce various effects, most notably regulated cell death and tumor elimination. These effects have almost exclusively been shown to be associated with nsPEF waveforms defined by pulse duration, rise time, amplitude (electric field), and pulse number. Other factors, such as low-intensity post-pulse waveform, have been completely overlooked. In this study, we show that post-pulse waveforms can alter the cell responses produced by the primary pulse waveform and can even elicit unique cellular responses, despite the primary pulse waveform being nearly identical. We employed two commonly used pulse generator designs, namely the Blumlein …

Integrated Multi-Omics Analysis Of Gut Microbiome And Host Transcriptome To Identify Novel Biomarkers For Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Jakkrit Khamjerm

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

An imbalance in gut microbiome is strongly linked to liver inflammation disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) via the gut-liver axis. However, the understanding of how gut microbiota interacts with the host gene expression is still limited. In this study, we aim to investigate the relationship between gut microbiome profile and transcriptomic profile in patients with HCC. In this study, 17 patients with viral-related HCC, 13 non-viral-related HCC, and 10 healthy controls were recruited. We investigated gut microbiome profile from fecal samples using 16S rRNA sequencing and host transcriptomic profile from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) using RNA sequencing method. …

Radiomics-Based Prediction Of Radiation-Induced Hypothyroidism In Nasopharyngeal Cancer Patients, Napat Ritlumlert

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

When planning radiation therapy, late-effect complications due to radiotherapy should be considered. One of the most common complications of head and neck radiotherapy is hypothyroidism. Although clinical and dosimetry data are usually used to assess the risk of hypothyroidism after radiation for nasopharyngeal cancer, the outcome is still unsatisfactory. Medical imaging can provide additional information and increase prediction accuracy. The aim of this study was to predict hypothyroidism in patients with nasopharyngeal cancer using CT radiomics combined with clinical and dosimetric data. The study included 220 participants who were diagnosed with hypothyroidism within 2 years after radiotherapy. Manual segmentation covered …

Development Of Molecular Imprinted Polymer Coated Single Mode-Multi Mode-Single Mode Optical Fiber Sensor For Diabetes Voc Biomarker Detection, Pannathorn Jitpratak

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This work demonstrates a molecular imprinted polymer (MIP) coated optical fiber sensor for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which is a biomarker for non-invasive diabetes diagnosis by using patient’s breath as a sample. MIP template is acetone, ethanol, and isopropanol on purpose to target these VOCs for the detection due to the ability of specific binding site in the cavity of polymer matrix achieved from template removal. A MIP coated multi-mode fiber (MMF) connected to single mode fiber (SMF) at both ends to achieve MIP coated SMS structure on purpose to enhance sensitivity due to the evanescent field emitting from MMF …

โครงเนื้อเยื่อกินได้ไร้ผลิตภัณฑ์จากสัตว์สำหรับเพาะเลี้ยงเนื้อเทียม : อัลจิเนต/อะกาโรส/คาร์บอกซีเมทิลเซลลูโลส, เกรียงไกร เจษฎางกูร

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การเพาะเลี้ยงเนื้อสัตว์เป็นแนวทางในการลดทรัพยากรที่ใช้ในการผลิตเนื้อสัตว์แบบดั้งเดิม ซึ่งไม่ต้องฆ่าสัตว์และลดผลิตภัณฑ์ที่ไม่ต้องการ วิธีกระบวนการนี้ต้องการโครงเนื้อเยื่อ 3 มิติ เพื่อให้เซลล์สามารถยึดติดบนโครงสร้างและขึ้นรูปเป็นก้อนเนื้อได้ นอกจากนั้น วัสดุของโครงเนื้อเยื่อต้องไม่ทำจากสัตว์อีกด้วย วัตถุประสงค์ของการศึกษานี้เพื่อตรวจสอบสมบัติเชิงกล รีโอโลยี ความเข้ากันได้ทางชีวภาพ และการปรับปรุงพื้นผิวสำหรับการยึดเกาะของเซลล์ของไฮโดรเจล 2% w/v อัลจิเนต, 0.8% w/v อะกาโรส และ 1.5% w/v คาร์บอกซีเมทิลเซลลูโลส โครงสร้าง 3 มิติถูกพิมพ์ด้วยเงื่อนไขการพิมพ์ที่เหมาะสม การทดสอบทางรีโอโลยีและความสามารถการพิมพ์แสดงถึงไฮโดรเจลมีพฤติกรรมของของไหลที่ไม่ใช่แบบนิวโทเนียน ซึ่งเหมาะสำหรับวิธีการพิมพ์แบบอัดรีดสำหรับขึ้นรูปสามมิติ ผลการทดลองแสดงว่าไฮโดรเจลมีค่าความสามารถการพิมพ์สูงสำหรับระยะห่างระหว่างเส้นภายในโครงสร้างที่แตกต่างกัน การทดสอบรับแรงกดของชิ้นงานแสดงถึงเนื้อสัมผัสของไฮโดรเจลว่ามีความคล้ายคลึงกับความนุ่มของเนื้อหมูและเนื้อวัว ไฮโดรเจลมีอัตราการละลายต่ำในสภาวะการเพาะเลี้ยงเซลล์ การทดสอบความเป็นพิษต่อเซลล์บ่งชี้ว่าไฮโดรเจลไม่แสดงความเป็นพิษต่อเซลล์และไม่ส่งผลต่อการเพิ่มจำนวนเซลล์ ไฮโดรเจลต้องการการปรับเปลี่ยนพื้นผิวสำหรับการยึดเกาะของเซลล์เนื่องจากวัสดุไม่สนับสนุนการเจริญเติบโตและการยึดเกาะของเซลล์ ผลการทดลองแสดงว่าอัลจิเนตปรับปรุงเปปไทด์ RGD มีการยึดเกาะของเซลล์ต่ำกับทั้ง L929 และเซลล์ต้นกำเนิดกล้ามเนื้อหมู ในส่วนของการเคลือบสารละลาย Poly-L-ornithine แสดงผลลัพธ์การยึดเกาะของเซลล์ที่ดีกับ L929 แต่มีผลที่ไม่ดีสำหรับเซลล์ต้นกำเนิดกล้ามเนื้อหมู

Development Of A Vr-Based System For Detecting Strabismus In Patients With Refractive Errors, Salisa Buapong

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Strabismus is an ophthalmic condition affecting approximately 2% to 5% of the global population, with a pediatric prevalence rate of about 2% to 4%. If left uncorrected and untreated for an extended period, it can lead to impairment of binocular vision and eventual vision loss. Thus, early detection and correction of ocular deviations are crucial in mitigating these risks. However, primary clinical tests, such as the Alternate Prism Cover Test (APCT) and the Hirschberg Test (HT), have several limitations. These include reliance on operator skills and experience, prolonged examination time, and an unbalanced range of prism diopters. Furthermore, previous studies …

Silk Fibroin-Platelet Rich Plasma Injectable Hydrogel With Controlled-Release Of Growth Factors For Knee Osteoarthritis, Suvinai Jiraboonsri

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Currently, there is no treatment that can stop the progression of osteoarthritis (OA). Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is a promising therapy. However, significant challenges remain for the effective use of PRP in OA treatment, namely its burst-like release of growth factors and its short-acting time due to rapid synovial clearance. Silk fibroin is a safe biomaterial for drug delivery system. Therefore, in this study, Silk-Fibroin-Platelet-Rich Plasma injectable hydrogels with the ability to controllably release growth factors were developed and characterised. Two silk fibroin-platelet-rich-plasma (SF-PRP) hydrogel with silk fibroin concentrations of 1% w/v (1% SF-PRP) and 2% w/v (2% SF-PRP) were …