Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

The Use Of Natural Anthraquinone Emodin As A Primary And Complementary Therapeutic In The Treatment Of Colorectal Cancer, Alexander-Jacques Theodore Sougiannis

Theses and Dissertations

5 Fluorouracil (5FU) chemotherapy is widely used in the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC), and has been the first-choice chemotherapy drug for CRC for many years. However, nearly 10% of patients receiving chemotherapy die during the first 30 days of treatment. Further, it is estimated that 70% of surviving patients will develop non-specific toxicities as a result of chemotherapy treatment. We characterize these toxicities in an animal model of chemotherapy treatment and show that perturbations in the gut microbiome might be exacerbate the prolonged effects of chemotherapy. A compound that could attenuate the multiple non-selective toxicities associated with chemotherapy could …

Using Human Granulosa Cells To Select The Most Competent Embryos For Uterine Transfer In In Vitro Fertilization Cycles, Richard John Kordus

Theses and Dissertations

Infertility is a worldwide epidemic often treated with in vitro fertilization. The success of in vitro fertilization is directly dependent upon the quality of oocytes produced during the controlled stimulation of the patient’s ovaries. There is a need for improved methods to allow embryologists to select the most viable embryos with the highest probability of leading to live births since in vitro fertilization success is far from optimal.

Oocyte and subsequent embryo quality are intimately influenced by the granulosa cells which surround the oocyte during follicular maturation. The oocytes require proper signaling and energy production form the surrounding granulosa cells …

Effect Of Cannabinoid Treatment On Immune Cell Functions During Acute Lung Injury, Amira Kamil Mohammed

Theses and Dissertations

Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) is a highly potent CDC select agent that can trigger acute lung injury (ALI) via robust T cell proliferation and differentiation, and massive cytokine and chemokine release. Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a psychoactive ingredient found in Cannabis sativa. In the current study, we investigated the effects of treatment with THC on SEB-induced acute lung injury. To this end, acute lung injury was induced by a dual dose of SEB in C3H/HeJ mice, which were then treated with vehicle or THC. THC-treatment led to survival of all the SEB-administered mice when compared to vehicle-treated. This corroborated with THC-induced …

Nitric Oxide Expression With Age And Diet In The Arterial Wall Of Apoe Knockout Mice, Kara Cooper

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Hypertension is a dangerous condition that precedes many cardiovascular events including myocardial infarction, stroke, transient cerebral ischemic attack and symptomatic aortoiliac occlusive disease. While it is universally accepted that arteries stiffen with age, the physiological reason for this is debated. In a previous study, by Dr. Shana Roach Watson it was shown that collagen fibers re-orient themselves in a circumferential direction, resulting in increased arterial stiffness. The study hypothesized that this collagen remodeling could be a result of decreased nitric oxide production.

Methods: This study measured nitric oxide in two different ways, indirectly via Immunoperoxidase staining for eNOS and …

Advanced Geometric Analyses In Vascular Disease And Interventions, Dara Ahmadi Azar

Theses and Dissertations

The central function of the vascular system is the transportation and distribution of blood throughout the body. Occurrence of various forms of vascular disease, in which this central function is compromised, is associated with high mortality and morbidity rates. Vascular disease is an active and multifactorial process causing changes in local hemodynamics and blood vessel wall mechanics. The work presented here aims to advance the current knowledge on the role of local geometrical parameters in vascular disease and endovascular intervention modalities. In our first set of studies, we develop a computational framework to understand the role of aortic geometry in …

How Do Surgeon Preferences And Technique Variances Affect Outcome?, Anastasia Axiopoulou, Caroline G. L. Cao, Katherine Lin Md, Keith Watson Md

Celebration of Undergraduate & Graduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Materials

The goal of the research project is to create a blue-print of a robot-assisted hysterectomy procedure to support design and evaluation of technology to enhance system performance. To create this blue-print, we will conduct a task analysis, model the cognitive task flow and decision making, and develop a simulation of the hysterectomy procedure. The surgical simulation will be used as a platform to train surgeons on robotic-assisted hysterectomies, as well as to assess learning and performance. Additionally, it will be used to design and develop techniques and novel technology to support surgeons in their performance of the surgery. Current research …

Indirect Structural Connectivity As A Biomarker For Stroke Motor Recovery, Miguel Renato Sotelo Munoz

Dissertations (1934 -)

In this dissertation project, we demonstrated that diffusion magnetic resonance imaging and measures of indirect structural brain connectivity are sensitive to changes in fiber integrity and connectivity to remote regions in the brain after stroke. Our results revealed new insights into the effects local lesions have on global connectivity—in particular, the cerebellum—and how these changes in connectivity and integrity relate to motor impairment. We tested this methodology on two stroke groups—subacute and chronic—and were able to show that indirect connectivity is sensitive to differences in connectivity during stroke recovery. Our work can inform clinical methods for rehabilitating motor function in …

Developing A Skin Phantom For The Testing Of Biowearables, Tawni Henderson, Ju Young Lee, Matthew Placide, Kiran Sutaria

Interdisciplinary Design Senior Theses

There is a demonstrated need in the biowearables industry for a benchtop model that can accurately emulate the perspiration mechanism and corresponding impedance vs. frequency spectra of skin. This model, or skin phantom, could increase the efficiency and accuracy of early-stage testing of biowearables, as well as minimize animal, human, and cadaver testing.

The objective of this project is to develop a skin phantom that can emulate the perspiration mechanism and impedance spectrum behavior of human skin for the testing of biowearables in the 2,000 - 20,000 Hz range. We also endeavored to create computer-simulated models to aid in the …

Reaching Performance In Heathy Individuals And Stroke Survivors Improves After Practice With Vibrotactile State Feedback, Valay A. Shah

Dissertations (1934 -)

Stroke causes deficits of cognition, motor, and/or somatosensory functions. These deficits degrade the capability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs). Many research investigations have focused on mitigating the motor deficits of stroke through motor rehabilitation. However, somatosensory deficits are common and may contribute importantly to impairments in the control of functional arm movement. This dissertation advances the goal of promoting functional motor recovery after stroke by investigating the use of a vibrotactile feedback (VTF) body-machine interface (BMI). The VTF BMI is intended to improve control of the contralesional arm of stroke survivors by delivering supplemental limb-state feedback to the …

Patient-Specific Modeling Of Altered Coronary Artery Hemodynamics To Predict Morbidity In Patients With Anomalous Origin Of A Coronary Artery, Atefeh Razavi

Dissertations (1934 -)

Anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery (AAOCA) is a condition where a coronary artery arises from the opposite aortic sinus, often with acute angle of origin (AO). AAOCA is associated with ischemia.1 This is especially concerning when the anomalous coronary artery takes an intramural course within the aortic wall, creating the potential for distortion or compression. Unroofing surgery replaces a restrictive ostium and intramural segment with a large ostium from the appropriate sinus and aims to create a less acute AO. Although these anatomical features may alter coronary artery blood flow patterns, hemodynamic indices such as time averaged wall …

Characterization Of Neuroimage Coupling Between Eeg And Fmri Using Within-Subject Joint Independent Component Analysis, Nicholas Heugel

Dissertations (1934 -)

The purpose of this dissertation was to apply joint independent component analysis (jICA) to electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to characterize the neuroimage coupling between the two modalities. EEG and fMRI are complimentary imaging techniques which have been used in conjunction to investigate neural activity. Understanding how these two imaging modalities relate to each other not only enables better multimodal analysis, but also has clinical implications as well. In particular, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, hypertension, and ischemic stroke are all known to impact the cerebral blood flow, and by extension alter the relationship between EEG and fMRI. By characterizing …

Eeg Characterization Of Sensorimotor Networks: Implications In Stroke, Dylan Blake Snyder

Dissertations (1934 -)

The purpose of this dissertation was to use electroencephalography (EEG) to characterize sensorimotor networks and examine the effects of stroke on sensorimotor networks. Sensorimotor networks play an essential role in completion of everyday tasks, and when damaged, as in stroke survivors, the successful completion of seemingly simple motor tasks becomes fantasy. When sensorimotor networks are impaired as a result of stroke, varying degrees of sensorimotor deficits emerge, most often including loss of sensation and difficulty generating upper extremity movements. Although sensory therapies, such as the application of tendon vibration, have been shown to reduce the sensorimotor deficits after stroke, the …

Poly(Vinyl Alcohol)/Α-Chitin/Nanocellulose Composites Developed From Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (Opefb) For Removal Of Cationic Dyes, Chun Fah Mok

Student Works (2020-2029)

In search of an eco-friendly polymeric adsorbent for dye effluent treatment application, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/chitin/nanocellulose composites were synthesized. The composites were reinforced by oil palm empty fruit bunch fibers (OPEFB)-derived nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC). With addition of 1 wt.% NCC, a maximum improvement of 57.64% and 50.66% in tensile strength and Young’s Modulus were achieved, respectively. However, the PVA-based composites exhibited low resistance in aqueous medium. Hence, maleic acid (MA) was incorporated, in view of modifying PVA-based composites through cross-linking reactions. The effect of varying chitin content (10 wt.%-30 wt.%) and MA content (10%-50% based on total solid content of composite) …

Development Of B-Type And Multi-Ion Doped Carbonated Hydroxyapatite Bioceramics, Safarzadeh Marjan

Student Works (2020-2029)

The present research is aimed to investigate the effect of varying the carbonate to phosphate (CO32−/ PO43‒) molar ratios from 0.5 to 5 on the physical and mechanical properties of carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHA) synthesized by a wet chemical method. The sintering was performed under dry carbon dioxide atmosphere at 900 °C to maintain the B-type CHA structure. It was found that increases in CO32−/ PO43‒ ratio was accompanied by an increase in the c/a lattice ratio. The diffraction peaks of the synthesized 0.5-5 CHA powders exhibited a single phase material except for 5CHA which revealed the some minor calcite or …

Biphasic Gene Electrotransfer Enhances Gene Delivery In Vitro, John Bui

Biomedical Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The application of short, pulsed electric fields to eukaryotic cells and tissues has been shown to permeabilize cells. This phenomenon has been used for clinical applications for irreversible electroporation of cancer cells or for molecule delivery for drug or gene therapies. Typically, a monophasic (monopolar) pulse train is used; however, recent studies have explored the possibility of using biphasic (often referred to as bipolar) pulses, primarily for irreversible electroporation (IRE), which report reduced muscle contraction during pulse train application compared to monophasic pulses. Additional studies show improved transfection efficiency using biphasic pulses, conversely, with low cell viability. The purpose of …

Flexible Electrochemical Lactate Sensor, Peyton Miesse

Biomedical Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Lactic acid is a vital indicator for shock, trauma, stress, and exercise intolerance. It is a key biomarker for increases in stress levels and is the primary metabolically produced acid responsible for tissue acidosis that can lead to muscle fatigue and weakness. During intensive exercise, the muscles go through anerobic metabolism to produce energy. This leads to decreases in the blood flow of nutrients and oxygen to the muscles and increases in lactate production, which in turn cause lactic acidosis. Currently, changes in blood lactate concentrations are monitored by sensors that can be invasive via blood or wearable based sensors …

Impedance Analysis Of Tissues In Nspef Treatment For Cancer Therapy, Edwin Ayobami Oshin

Biomedical Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF) for cancer therapy is characterized by applications of high voltage pulses with low pulsed energy to induce non-thermal effects on tissues such as tumor ablation. It nonthermally treats tissues via electroporation. Electroporation is the increase in permeabilization of a cell membrane due to the application of high pulsed electric field. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of nsPEF on tissue by monitoring the tissue’s impedance in real-time. Potato slices (both untreated and electroporated), and tumors extracted from female BALBc mice were studied. 100ns, 1-10kV pulses were applied to the tissues using …

The Role Of Acute And Chronic Neuroinflammation In Depression: Uncovering The Relationship Between Histamine And Serotonin Transmission, Melinda Hersey

Theses and Dissertations

Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Disorders of the brain, including depression, are notoriously difficult to treat because the basic pathology underlying behavioral outcomes remains undefined. Robust chemical biomarkers of these diseases have not been identified, nor are there reliable methods to measure brain chemicals. Depression is associated with chemical and inflammatory changes in the brain that are predicted to contribute to the pathology. By studying the serotonin and histamine systems we aim to better define the neurochemical basis of depression. Serotonin has long been hypothesized to play a role in depression since selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) …

Deep Cellular Recurrent Neural Architecture For Efficient Multidimensional Time-Series Data Processing, Lasitha S. Vidyaratne

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Efficient processing of time series data is a fundamental yet challenging problem in pattern recognition. Though recent developments in machine learning and deep learning have enabled remarkable improvements in processing large scale datasets in many application domains, most are designed and regulated to handle inputs that are static in time. Many real-world data, such as in biomedical, surveillance and security, financial, manufacturing and engineering applications, are rarely static in time, and demand models able to recognize patterns in both space and time. Current machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) models adapted for time series processing tend to grow in …

System Reliability Analysis Of The Scoliosis Disorder., Fatemeh Nouri, Seyed Hooman Ghasemi, Ji Yun Lee

Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Scoliosis is a spine abnormal deviation, which is an idiopathic disorder among children and adolescents. As a matter of the fact, distribution of loads on the patient's spine and load-carrying capacity of the vertebral column are both random variables. Therefore, the probabilistic approach may consider as a sophisticated method to deal with this problem.

METHOD: Reliability analysis is a probabilistic-based approach to consider the uncertainties of load and resistance of the vertebral column. The main contribution of this paper is to compare the reliability level of a normal and scoliosis spinal. To do so, the numerical analyses associated with …