Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

The Impact Of Extreme Virtual Elevation Above Grade On Construction Workers' Physiological Responses, Physical Responses, And Task Performance, Mahmoud Habibnezhad

Department of Construction Engineering and Management: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

On average, in every two work hours, one person dies from work-related injuries at construction sites. Most incidents are due to falling from elevated surfaces. Slips, trips, and loss of balance are the main causes. Studies suggest that instigating visual mismatch and physiological changes are among the most important reasons behind falling from narrow elevated surfaces. By using advanced virtual reality models, this dissertation aims to highlight some of the possible effects of a destabilizing environment (i.e., elevation above grade) on workers’ physiological responses and task performance. More specifically, this dissertation strives to find potential effects of elevation above grade …

Testing And Validation Framework For Closed-Loop Physiology Management Systems For Critical And Perioperative Care, Farooq M. Gessa

Master’s Theses

The research aims at developing a framework for testing systems such as closed-loop physiology management systems to ensure that they are safe and effective for use with patients. Building medical devices that are both robust and safe is a challenge. There has been a tremendous increase in modernization and innovation of various medical systems but many of these systems either fail trials or are recalled due to safety issues.

Medical operation rooms require care teams responsible for monitoring the patients and other technical surgical devices. The care process requires a balancing administration that takes care of the drugs and fluids …

Glioma Grading Using Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging And Molecular Data, Syed M.S. Reza, Manar D. Samad, Zeina A. Shboul, Karra A. Jones, Khan M. Iftekharuddin

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

A glioma grading method using conventional structural magnetic resonance image (MRI) and molecular data from patients is proposed. The noninvasive grading of glioma tumors is obtained using multiple radiomic texture features including dynamic texture analysis, multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis, and multiresolution fractal Brownian motion in structural MRI. The proposed method is evaluated using two multicenter MRI datasets: (1) the brain tumor segmentation (BRATS-2017) challenge for high-grade versus low-grade (LG) and (2) the cancer imaging archive (TCIA) repository for glioblastoma (GBM) versus LG glioma grading. The grading performance using MRI is compared with that of digital pathology (DP) images in the …

Special Issue On Low Temperature Plasma Jets, Mounir Laroussi

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

[Introduction] Low temperature plasma jets are unique plasma sources capable of delivering plasma outside of the confinement of electrodes and away from gas enclosures/chambers. With these jets plasma can be easily delivered to a target located at some distance from the plasma generation region [1].

A Seed Dormancy Gene-Mediated Biotechnology To Mitigate Transgene Flow Into Weedy Rice, Luai Nahar Muhammad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Transgene flows into wild/weedy relatives may cause ecological and economic problems. Seed dormancy is an adaptive trait that distributes germination over time and promotes persistence of weeds in agroecosystems. Silencing natural genes controlling seed dormancy (SD) could promote germination and reduce weed adaptability. The goal of this project was to develop a transgenic mitigation (TM) technology by linking to a primary transgene with an SD gene-silencing structure, as a tandem construct for transformation, to reduce the risk of gene flow into weed populations. In this research, the Bar (Bialaphos) gene for resistance to the glufosinate herbicide was used as a …

Effects Of Micro-Features On Cell Detachment From Poly(N-Isopropylacrylamide) Coated Polydimethylsiloxane Membranes, Luke Webel

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The tested hypothesis was that features on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surfaces coated with a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)/aminopropyltriethoxysilane or pNIPAAM/APTES thin film would accelerate cell detachment than the film coated on a unfeatured surface. This project tested samples with features generated by molds, wrinkling, and sandpaper roughened substrates. Surface feature generation methods were limited to mechanical means, and characterized by microscopy and strain rates. 50/50 mixtures of 1.5 wt.% pNIPAAM/ APTES were used to coat thin films (30-40 nm) on PDMS membranes by spin-coating, and the coated membranes were thermally annealed to chemically graft pNIPAAm/APTES on the membrane and their thermo-responsive property was assessed …

Project "Auxilia" - Jaiden's Prosthetic Arm, Christopher Halley, Lindsay Jaros, Autumn Young

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The main objective of this project was to create a prosthetic arm for a 15 year old boy named Jaiden Foden. Jaiden was born with only one fully developed limb as a result of a genetic disorder, Hanhart Syndrome II. His right arm becomes a residual limb below the elbow, but has two fingers which act in a “claw-like” movement. Jaiden’s left arm becomes a residual limb above the elbow, and his left leg becomes a residual limb above the knee. The goal of the arm was to increase Jaiden’s overall independence and to help in completing daily tasks, such …

Investigating Alternative Measures Of Functional Recovery In Rat Sciatic Nerve Injury, Mariah L. Costa, Rebecca K. Willits

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

There is a pressing need for advancements in peripheral nerve repair techniques and functional recovery evaluation methods. The rat sciatic nerve injury model is a well examined model for peripheral nerve repair. One measure of functional recovery after nerve damage, the sciatic functional index (SFI), fails in the presence of self-mutilation, toe contracture, and other abnormalities in gait. In this IACUC approved study, the sciatic nerve was severed in four experimental groups (n=5). The nerves were repaired with Arginylglycylaspartic acid-poly(ε-caprolactone) (RGD-PCL) peptide functionalized nanofibers, non-functionalized PCL control nanofibers, an isograft, and a negative control empty conduit. Video walking track analysis …

The Wrist Brace Project, Nathan Nicholas

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This paper outlines the engineering design process of creating a specialized wrist brace for a local child. This project was completed by a team of senior Biomedical Engineering students.

Fabrication And Characterization Of Nanofiber Nylon-6-Mwcnt As An Electrochemical Sensor For Sodium Ions Concentration Detection In Sweat, Kelsey Mills

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Fabrication and characterization nylon-6-MWCNT nanofiber as an electrochemical sensor to detect sodium ion concentrations specifically in sweat. Using contact angle to determine surface morphology and chronoamperometry testing to identify ideal sensor conditions, tests optimized parameters like weight percent of nylon or other polymers, carbon nanotube (CNT) isomer, and solution concentration to determine reproducibility of functional sensors. Utilizing the electric qualities of carbon nanotubes partnered with the sodium ion selectivity of calixarene treatment and polymers unique properties like flexibility and scalability create open an arena for optimizing sodium ion sensors for further development for functional prototypes. Morphology tests showed that the …

Design And Mechanical Characterization Of 3d Printed Gradient Porosity Poly(Propylene Fumarate) Scaffolds, Andrea Felicelli

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Worldwide incidence of bone disorders and conditions, an already prevalent problem, is expected to double by 2020 from the rate in 2013 due to factors such as higher life expectancies and lower levels of physical activity. Every year in the United States, over half a million patients receive bone defect repairs, with costs greater than $2.5 billion. Current repairs are typically done with bone grafts, which are often costly and can result in added complications in the donor surgical site. Tissue engineering, a growing field that seeks to assist and enhance tissue defect repairs through the use of synthetic materials, …

The Production And Characterization Of Chitosan Based Microgels Using A Novel Microfluidic Device To Promote Cell Survival, Kaileen Shevchuk

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this project is to synthesize and characterize perfluorocarbon modified methacrylamide chitosan (MACF) microgels produced with the use of a capillary-based microfluidic device. Since cell survival and development is highly related to particles physical properties, analysis of microgels set out to determine the particle’s physical properties. I hypothesize that the viscosity of the MACF polymer as well as the amount of photo initiator influence the physical properties of synthesized particles and as a result can generate particles with various features for cell culture in terms of shape, size, charge and swelling abilities. This hypothesis was validated through the …

Differential Microrna Expression In Barrett's Esophagus Correlates With Regulation Of Posterior Homeotic Genes, Reilly June Clark

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Barrett’s Esophagus (BE) is characterized by the appearance of an intestinal-like epithelium in the distal esophagus. The molecular mechanisms behind BE development are unknown. BE is often preceded by Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) and predisposes patients to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Due to the high mortality rate associated with EAC, BE patients are continuously monitored through upper endoscopy with biopsy for progression to low grade dysplasia (LGD), high grade dysplasia, and EAC. This monitoring technique poses numerous risks, so alternative surveillance and diagnostic techniques for BE pathogenesis are continually studied. microRNA biomarkers in BE pathogenesis may provide alternative means of diagnosis …

Utilizing Immunopet To Measure Tumor Response To Treatment In Breast Cancer, Brooke Mcknight

Wayne State University Dissertations

With a broad spectrum of therapies available for treating breast cancer, the need for personalized medicine tailoring the cure according to phenotype is evident. Such an approach may be fully realized with the development of quantitative imaging technologies for disease detection, staging and diagnosis, without increasing patient burden. Immuno-positron emission tomography (PET) combines the targeted specificity of antibodies with the sensitivity of PET for whole body imaging by targeting molecular features amplified in lesions. ImmunoPET probes targeting different antigens and their utility to measure response to treatment were explored. 89Zr-trastuzumab was employed as a surrogate readout of Src inhibition after …

Comparative Kinetic Modeling Of Growth And Molecular Hydrogen Overproduction By Engineered Strains Of Thermotoga Maritima, Raghuveer Singh, Rahul Tevatia, Derrick White, Yaşar Demirel, Paul H. Blum

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Faculty Publications

Thermotoga maritima is an anaerobic hyperthermophilic bacterium known for its high amounts of hydrogen (H₂) production. In the current study, the kinetic modeling was applied on the engineered strains of T. maritima that surpassed the natural H₂ production limit. The study generated a kinetic model explaining H₂ overproduction and predicted a continuous fermentation system. A Leudking-Piret equation-based model predicted that H₂ production by Tma200 (0.217 mol-H₂ g^–1-biomass) and Tma100 (0.147 mol-H₂ g^–1-biomass) were higher than wild type (0.096 mol-H₂ g^–1 -biomass) with reduced rates of maltose utilization. …

The Second Wind, Jacob Heiss, Logan Neidert

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The Second Wind device is a set of sensors and a data processing unit capable of recording data necessary to conduct a simplified version of a complex cardiopulmonary stress test (CPET). This data includes VO2, VCO2, ventilation, and pulse oximetry data. VO2 and VCO2 are the percent, by volume, of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the patient's breath, spirometry is the measure of air flow, and the pulse oximetry data includes heart rate (HR) and percent oxygen in the blood (SpO2). In addition, the device was designed to be portable, so this test could be run from patients’ homes or …

Ergoscopetm – Ergonomic Endoscope, Drew Drum, John D'Egidio, Bethany Scarpitti, Ceara Stack, Sara Kerestman

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Medical endoscopy is a growing industry, with a trend of chronic hand pain for gastroenterologists and flexible endoscope users. In order to address the lack of ergonomics in traditional gastrointestinal (GI) flexible endoscopes, the design team collaborated with a GI professional to design a more ergonomic endoscope interface, focusing on the more problematic controls. Two prototypes, as well as a mock-up were fabricated, which underwent verification and a user evaluation to assess the design’s benefits. As the number of endoscopies each year increase, the Ergoscope, offers an alternative to the traditional angulation controls and muchneeded relief for the issues that …

Quickcough: An Instrumentational Proximal Airway Clearance Technique (Act) For Select Patients With Neuromuscular Disease (Nmd), Sean X. Sullivan, Russell K. Catania, Madison K. Plaster, Sydney E. Kandray, Mariah Costa

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Patients with neuromuscular disease (NMD) requiring tracheostomy and mechanical ventilation secondary to respiratory failure encounter increased difficulty in removing pulmonary secretions from the airways. To combat issues associated with current treatment modalities for insufficient cough efficacy (cost, poor mobility, discomfort, lack of evidence), we have developed an instrumentational proximal airway clearance technique (ACT) which augments a manual proximal ACT developed by a client with NMD. QuickCough is a 3D-printed PLA attachment to the tracheostomy apparatus which has demonstrated its ability to facilitate pressure changes necessary to increase patient’s peak cough flow (PCF) by providing a stronger exsufflation for the patient. …

Development And Exploration Of A Z-Shaped Foot And Ankle Internal Fixation Plate, Rhaz Shaghaghi Paul, Ian Hames, Sean Rich

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This paper will detail the design process of developing a Z-shaped foot and ankle internal fixation plating system. Group 6: Plates for the Sole was made up of 5 team members, who worked together to accommodate their client’s request to complete a biomechanical analysis of a Z-Plate design and a construct a prototype. The Z-Plate’s purpose is to provide podiatrists with a new solution that can fit nicely on the small, irregular bones of the foot, while also remaining strong enough to withstand the forces and torques of the foot.

Easy Adjustable Protective Helmet, Ryan Balash

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Akron Children’s Hospital and The University of Akron’s Biomedical Engineering Design Team Engineering Forward have paired together to improve medical adapted helmets for post-operative and disabled patients. An issue is the helmets are only produced in a couple of sizes. Also, it is a tedious process to constantly adjust the pressure on the patient’s cranium within a trial-and-error process. Engineering Forward plans to improve the effectiveness of this helmet by creating an adjustable helmet that can read the pressure on a patient’s head. The caregiver can then make the necessary adjustments to the helmet to accommodate the patient. Documents of …