Transient Local Bone Remodeling Effects Of Rhbmp-2 In An Ovine Interbody Spine Fusion Model,
2016
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Transient Local Bone Remodeling Effects Of Rhbmp-2 In An Ovine Interbody Spine Fusion Model, Hyun W. Bae, Vikas V. Patel, Zeeshan M. Sardar, Jeffrey Badura, Ben B. Pradhan, Howard Seim, Anthony S. Turner, Jeffrey M. Toth
Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications
Background: Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) is a powerful osteoinductive morphogen capable of stimulating the migration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to the site of implantation and inducing the proliferation and differentiation of these MSCs into osteoblasts. Vertebral end-plate and vertebral body resorption has been reported after interbody fusion with high doses of rhBMP-2. In this study, we investigated the effects of 2 rhBMP-2 doses on peri-implant bone resorption and bone remodeling at 7 time points in an end-plate-sparing ovine interbody fusion model. Methods: Twenty-one female sheep underwent an end-plate-sparing discectomy followed by interbody fusion at L2-L3 and L4-L5 …
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 …
A Cad System For Early Diagnosis Of Autism Using Different Imaging Modalities.,
2016
University of Louisville
A Cad System For Early Diagnosis Of Autism Using Different Imaging Modalities., Marwa Maher Tawfik Ismail
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The term “autism spectrum disorder” (ASD) refers to a collection of neuro-developmental disorders that affect linguistic, behavioral, and social skills. Autism has many symptoms, most prominently, social impairment and repetitive behaviors. It is crucial to diagnose autism at an early stage for better assessment and investigation of this complex syndrome. There have been a lot of efforts to diagnose ASD using different techniques, such as imaging modalities, genetic techniques, and behavior reports. Imaging modalities have been extensively exploited for ASD diagnosis, and one of the most successful ones is Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI),where it has shown promise for the early diagnosis …
Mechanism Of Interaction Of Peptide Modified Nanoparticles With Porphyromonas Gingivalis.,
2016
University of Louisville
Mechanism Of Interaction Of Peptide Modified Nanoparticles With Porphyromonas Gingivalis., Ankita Jain
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Studies suggest that P. gingivalis functions as a keystone pathogen and interacts with primary colonizers in the supragingival biofilm such as S. gordonii. This interaction contributes to the initial colonization of the oral cavity by P. gingivalis and thus represents a potential target for therapeutic intervention. We have identified a peptide (BAR) derived from the streptococcal SspB protein that functions to inhibit P. gingivalis adherence to S. gordonii. In addition, we showed that nanoparticles (NPs) functionalized with BAR inhibit this interaction more potently than free soluble peptide, possibly by promoting interaction with P. gingivalis at higher valency than …
Psychophysiological Analysis Of A Pedagogical Agent And Robotic Peer For Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders.,
2016
University of Louisville
Psychophysiological Analysis Of A Pedagogical Agent And Robotic Peer For Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders., Mohammad Nasser Saadatzi
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by ongoing problems in social interaction and communication, and engagement in repetitive behaviors. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 1 in 68 children in the United States has ASD. Mounting evidence shows that many of these individuals display an interest in social interaction with computers and robots and, in general, feel comfortable spending time in such environments. It is known that the subtlety and unpredictability of people’s social behavior are intimidating and confusing for many individuals with ASD. Computerized learning environments and robots, however, prepare a predictable, …
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 …
Design And Development Of A Physiological Stress Monitoring/Alert System Using A Wristband,
2016
Florida Institute of Technology
Design And Development Of A Physiological Stress Monitoring/Alert System Using A Wristband, Ritesh Varma Pathapati Thyagaraju
Theses and Dissertations
The design and development of wearable physiological systems for stress monitoring have gathered a lot of attention during the past few years. These systems have undergone much-needed development to tackle long-term effects such as a headache, depression, insomnia, high blood pressure, confusion, inability to make correct choices, etc. Accurately measuring physiological signals that are helpful to detect stress in its early stages using wearable technology have long been a goal in the healthcare industry. Current commercial products such as Fitbit and Empatica only monitor either the heart rate (Fitbit) or electrodermal activity in real time (Empatica) but these devices have …
Non-Invasive Real Time, Accurate And Affordable Monitoring Of Hemoglobin And Vital Parameters For Icu Patients,
2016
Florida Institute of Technology
Non-Invasive Real Time, Accurate And Affordable Monitoring Of Hemoglobin And Vital Parameters For Icu Patients, Harsh S. Modi
Theses and Dissertations
The measurement of hemoglobin concentration (Hb), oxygen consumption (mL and %), and partial pressure of oxygen inside the lungs are vital parameters in early prediction of respiratory diseases such as sepsis, septic shock, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) etc. The availability of these parameters in real time can play a crucial role in management of modes and parameters of the ventilators. The real time monitoring of patient’s vital signals in intensive care units can reduce the number of blood tests, time and cost spent inside the intensive care units. The medical conditions such as blood loss from surgery or an …
Multiscale Mechanics Of Bone: Examining The Influence Of Genetic Alterations,
2016
Florida Institute of Technology
Multiscale Mechanics Of Bone: Examining The Influence Of Genetic Alterations, Brendyn James Miller
Theses and Dissertations
This MSc thesis investigates how genetic alterations involved in the synthesis of proteins or in the regulation of tissue remodeling affects the composition, structure and mechanics of bone at the multiscale levels. This was accomplished by performing two mouse model studies. In the first study, bone properties of TIMP-3 knock-out (Timp-3⁻ˊ⁻) mice were examined by performing mechanical testing, µCT analysis, and FTIR analysis. Results demonstrated that the mechanical integrity of the Timp-3⁻ˊ⁻ bone was compromised. Decreased values for the yield and ultimate load, stress capacity, and fracture toughness were observed in both the TIMP-3 deficient bones. These reductions in the …
Laboratory Development Of A Self-Powered Fontan For Treatment Of Congenital Heart Disease,
2016
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Laboratory Development Of A Self-Powered Fontan For Treatment Of Congenital Heart Disease, Arka Das
Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses
Around 8% of all newborns with a Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) have only a single functioning ventricle. The Fontan operation has served as a palliation for this anomaly for decades, but the surgery entails multiple complications and survival rate is less than 50% by adulthood. A rapidly testable novel alternative is proposed by creating a bifurcating graft, or Injection Jet Shunt (IJS), used to “entrain” the pulmonary flow and thus provide assistance while reducing the caval pressure. A benchtop Mock Flow Loop (MFL) is configured to validate this hypothesis. The MFL is based on a Lumped-Parameter Model (LPM) of the …
An Emg-Based Patient Monitoring System Using Zynq Soc Device,
2016
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
An Emg-Based Patient Monitoring System Using Zynq Soc Device, Farhad Fallahlalehzari
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
This thesis describes the design, development, and testing of an EMG-based patient monitoring system using the Zynq device. Zynq is a system on chip device designed by Xilinx which consists of an ARM dual cortex-A9 processor as well as an FPGA integrated into one chip. This work also analyzes the performance of image-processing algorithms on this system and compares that performance to more traditional PC-based systems. Image processing algorithms, such as Sobel edge detection, dilation and erosion, could be used in conjunction with a camera for the patient monitoring purposes. These algorithms often perform sub-optimally on processors because of their …
The Effects Of Cryopreservation On Human Dental Pulp-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells,
2016
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
The Effects Of Cryopreservation On Human Dental Pulp-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Allison Elaine Tomlin
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Many studies have demonstrated clinical applications for the use of dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) for the treatment of various conditions. This has driven medical and scientific interest in the collection, isolation and banking of DPSC tissues for research into these potential therapies. Few studies to date have evaluated the viability of DPSC following long-term cryopreservation. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of cryopreservation on dental pulp-derived stem cells (DPSC) viability over a period of three years. Dental pulp-derived stem cells were isolated and cultured from thirty-one healthy teeth. DPSC isolates were assessed for doubling-time and …
Synchronization And Random Triggering Of Lymphatic Vessel Contractions,
2016
Bucknell University
Synchronization And Random Triggering Of Lymphatic Vessel Contractions, James W. Baish, Christian Kunert, Timothy P. Padera, Lance L. Munn
Faculty Journal Articles
The lymphatic system is responsible for transporting interstitial fluid back to the bloodstream, but unlike the cardiovascular system, lacks a centralized pump-the heart–to drive flow. Instead, each collecting lymphatic vessel can individually contract and dilate producing unidirectional flow enforced by intraluminal check valves. Due to the large number and spatial distribution of such pumps, high-level coordination would be unwieldy. This leads to the question of how each segment of lymphatic vessel responds to local signals that can contribute to the coordination of pumping on a network basis. Beginning with elementary fluid mechanics and known cellular behaviors, we show that two …
Accuracy Of Patient-Specific Organ Dose Estimates Obtained Using An Automated Image Segmentation Algorithm,
2016
Marquette University
Accuracy Of Patient-Specific Organ Dose Estimates Obtained Using An Automated Image Segmentation Algorithm, Taly Gilat-Schmidt, Adam S. Wang, Thomas Coradi, Benjamin Haas, Josh Star-Lack
Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications
The overall goal of this work is to develop a rapid, accurate, and automated software tool to estimate patient-specific organ doses from computed tomography (CT) scans using simulations to generate dose maps combined with automated segmentation algorithms. This work quantified the accuracy of organ dose estimates obtained by an automated segmentation algorithm. We hypothesized that the autosegmentation algorithm is sufficiently accurate to provide organ dose estimates, since small errors delineating organ boundaries will have minimal effect when computing mean organ dose. A leave-one-out validation study of the automated algorithm was performed with 20 head-neck CT scans expertly segmented into nine …
Importance Of Heat And Pressure For Solubilization Of Recombinant Spider Silk Proteins In Aqueous Solution,
2016
Utah State University
Importance Of Heat And Pressure For Solubilization Of Recombinant Spider Silk Proteins In Aqueous Solution, Justin A. Jones, Thomas I. Harris, Paula F. Oliveira, Brianne E. Bell, Abdulrahman Alhabib, Randolph V. Lewis
Biology Faculty Publications
The production of recombinant spider silk proteins continues to be a key area of interest for a number of research groups. Several key obstacles exist in their production as well as in their formulation into useable products. The original reported method to solubilize recombinant spider silk proteins (rSSp) in an aqueous solution involved using microwaves to quickly generate heat and pressure inside of a sealed vial containing rSSp and water. Fibers produced from this system are remarkable in their mechanical ability and demonstrate the ability to be stretched and recover 100 times. The microwave method dissolves the rSSPs with dissolution …
Hydrodeoxygenation Of Pinyon Juniper Catalytic Pyrolysis Oil To Hydrocarbon Fuels,
2016
Utah State University
Hydrodeoxygenation Of Pinyon Juniper Catalytic Pyrolysis Oil To Hydrocarbon Fuels, Hossein Jahromi, Foster Agblevor
Biological Engineering Faculty Publications
As a renewable source, biomass is an essential option for diminishing dependence on conventional fossil fuel energy sources. Pyrolysis is a promising technology for the conversion of biomass into liquid fuels. However, several challenges associated with using pyrolysis oils such as their high acidity and low energy content inhibit their direct use as transportation fuels. We conducted a batch hydrodeoxygenation of pinyon juniper catalytic pyrolysis oil using Ni/SiO2-Al2O3 catalyst to improve the following properties of the oil: heating value, acidity, oxygen content, water content, and viscosity. During the hydrogenation process, the influence of four experimental factors; temperature, catalyst loading, residence …
Point-Of-Care Microfluidic Device For Blood Typing,
2016
Michigan Technological University
Point-Of-Care Microfluidic Device For Blood Typing, Hector Moncada-Hernandez
TechTalks
There has been increasing efforts to translate laboratory blood tests analysis into portable, reliable, and cheap miniaturized devices. Electrokinetic-based microfluidic devices provide a new approach to blood tests with a simple infrastructure for the manipulation of cells. Previous studies show red blood cells’ (RBC) dielectrophoretic response changes based on the different ABO-Rh antigens present in the cells membrane. In this research, an alternate-current electric signal with a frequency sweep (0.1 – 1 MHz) is applied through an array of electrodes to generate non-uniform electric fields and induce dielectrophoretic forces on RBC from all eight blood types. The RBC’s response to …
Raman Spectroscopy Detects Distant Invasive Brain Cancer Cells Centimeters Beyond Mri Capability In Humans,
2016
Dartmouth College
Raman Spectroscopy Detects Distant Invasive Brain Cancer Cells Centimeters Beyond Mri Capability In Humans, Michael Jermyn, Joannie Desroches, Jeanne Mercier, Karl St-Arnaud
Dartmouth Scholarship
Surgical treatment of brain cancer is limited by the inability of current imaging capabilities such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect the entirety of this locally invasive cancer. This results in residual cancer cells remaining following surgery, leading to recurrence and death. We demonstrate that intraoperative Raman spectroscopy can detect invasive cancer cells centimeters beyond pathological T1-contrast-enhanced and T2-weighted MRI signals. This intraoperative optical guide can be used to detect invasive cancer cells and minimize post-surgical cancer burden. The detection of distant invasive cancer cells beyond MRI signal has the potential to increase the effectiveness of surgery and directly …
Interaction Between The Stress Phase Angle (Spa) And The Oscillatory Shear Index (Osi) Affects Endothelial Cell Gene Expression,
2016
CUNY City College
Interaction Between The Stress Phase Angle (Spa) And The Oscillatory Shear Index (Osi) Affects Endothelial Cell Gene Expression, Ronny Amaya, Limary M. Cancel, John M. Tarbell
Publications and Research
Hemodynamic forces play an important role in the non-uniform distribution of atherosclerotic lesions. Endothelial cells are exposed simultaneously to fluid wall shear stress (WSS) and solid circumferential stress (CS). Due to variations in impedance (global factors) and geometric complexities (local factors) in the arterial circulation a time lag arises between these two forces that can be characterized by the temporal phase angle between CS and WSS (stress phase angle±SPA). Asynchronous flows (SPA close to -180Ê) that are most prominent in coronary arteries have been associated with localization of atherosclerosis. Reversing oscillatory flows characterized by an oscillatory shear index (OSI) that …
Development Of In Vivo Systems For Detecting And Studying Ribosome Inhibition By Small Molecules,
2016
The University of New Mexico
Development Of In Vivo Systems For Detecting And Studying Ribosome Inhibition By Small Molecules, Shijie Huang
Chemistry and Chemical Biology ETDs
The ribosome is the quintessential antibacterial drug target, with many structurally and mechanistically distinct classes of antibacterial agents acting by inhibiting ribosome function. Detecting and quantifying ribosome inhibition by small molecules and investigating their binding modes and mechanisms of action are critical to antibacterial drug discovery and development efforts. To develop a ribosome inhibition assay that is operationally simple, yet provides direct information on the drug target and the mechanism of action, we have developed engineered E. coli strains harboring an orthogonal ribosome controlled green fluorescent protein reporter that produce fluorescent signal when the O-ribosome is inhibited. As a proof …
