Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

High Throughput Screening Of Priming Candidates For Impact On Nonviral Gene Delivery, Albert L. Nguyen

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Priming, in the context of nonviral gene delivery, is the treatment of cells with a compound prior to gene transfer that enhances transfection efficiency and/or transgene expression. Essentially, it is the application of an adjuvant approach to gene delivery. Effective transfection strategies may require priming to compete with the efficiency of viral transduction in order to achieve clinically relevant efficiency and expression in vivo. To search for priming compounds, a high throughput screen of the NIH Clinical Collection was performed using 25kDa b-PEI, an EGFP/luciferase plasmid, and HEK293T cells. The EGFP reporter was multiplexed with Hoechst 33342 and Resazurin fluorescence …

A Collagen Based Tissue Engineered Heart Valve Shows Excellent Functionality And Remodelling After Dynamic Conditioning, Claire Brougham, Ricardo Moreira, Tanya J. Levingstone, Stefan Jockenhoevel, Petra Mela, Fergal J. O'Brien

Conference Papers

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Tendon Vibration On Hemiparetic Arm Stability In Unstable Workspaces, Megan O. Conrad, Bani Gadhoke, Robert A. Scheidt, Brian D. Schmit

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Sensory stimulation of wrist musculature can enhance stability in the proximal arm and may be a useful therapy aimed at improving arm control post-stroke. Specifically, our prior research indicates tendon vibration can enhance stability during point-to-point arm movements and in tracking tasks. The goal of the present study was to investigate the influence of forearm tendon vibration on endpoint stability, measured at the hand, immediately following forward arm movements in an unstable environment. Both proximal and distal workspaces were tested. Ten hemiparetic stroke subjects and 5 healthy controls made forward arm movements while grasping the handle of a two-joint robotic …

An Intra-Bone Axial Load Transducer: Development And Validation In An In-Vitro Radius Model, Nikolas K. Knowles, Michael Gladwell, Louis M. Ferreira

Surgery Publications

Background

Accurate measurement of forces through the proximal radius can assess the effects of some surgical procedures on radioulnar load sharing, but is difficult to achieve given the redundant loading nature of the musculoskeletal system. Previously reported devices have relied on indirect measurements that may alter articular joint location and function. An axial load transducer interposed in the diaphysis of the radius may accurately quantify unknown axial loads of the proximal radius, and maintain articular location.

Methods

An in-vitro radius model was developed by interposing an axial load transducer in the diaphysis of the proximal radius. Static loads of 20, …

Investigation Of The Inherent Chemical, Structural, And Mechanical Attributes Of Bio-Engineered Composites Found In Nature: Alligator Gar’S Exoskeleton Fish Scales, Wayne Derald Hodo

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. Army has determined a huge cost savings of up to 51% can be accomplished by reducing the gross vehicle weight, for their personnel carrier, by 33%. To cut cost, composite materials are needed. Man-made composites can have superior material properties (high-strength, high-fracture toughness, and lightweight), but they are prone to delamination at the glued-layered interface. In contrast, fish scale is a natural composite that has the same material properties and, additionally, tend not to delaminate.

The focus of this study was to learn how nature integrates hard and soft materials at each length scale to form a layered …

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Of Cerebrovascular Reactivity Using Gas Inhalation Challenges, Harshan Ravi

Bioengineering Dissertations - Archive

Cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) is a measure of dilation capacity of cerebral vasculature. It is an important biomarker for the vascular functionality and integrity, and may have clinical indications in stroke, atherosclerosis, Moyamoya disease, multiple sclerosis, brain tumor, and other neurological disorders. The most commonly used approach to measure CVR is by applying a physiological maneuver to alter the arterial carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration (e.g. inhaling a small amount of CO2 which is a potent vasodilator), while continuously acquiring BOLD MR images. However, the current method suffers from several limitations related to specificity, sensitivity, and physiological modeling of the measured signal. …

An Investigation Of The Relation Between Sleep Disordered Breathing And Cognitive Function, Nazaneen Mousavi

Bioengineering Theses - Archive

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is one of the most prevalent sleep related breathing disorders, with an estimated amount 17% of affected adults in the U.S. Research has linked OSA to mood and cognitive disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease. Structural changes in the brain have also been found to be associated with OSA. Several studies have shown deterioration of cognition in OSA patients because of structural and physiological changes due to apnea. The purpose of this research is to study the correlational relationships between cognitive measures and 1) quantitative measures of sleep quality; 2) measures of sleep disordered breathing; and 3) hypoxia …

The Effect Of Recency To Human Mobility, Hugo Barbosa, Fernando B. De Lima-Neto, Alexandre Evsukoff, Ronaldo Menezes

Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Faculty Publications

In recent years, we have seen scientists attempt to model and explain human dynamics and in particular human movement. Many aspects of our complex life are affected by human movement such as disease spread and epidemics modeling, city planning, wireless network development, and disaster relief, to name a few. Given the myriad of applications, it is clear that a complete understanding of how people move in space can lead to considerable benefits to our society. In most of the recent works, scientists have focused on the idea that people movements are biased towards frequently-visited locations. According to them, human movement …

Phospho1 Deficiency Transiently Modifies Bone Architecture Yet Produces Consistent Modification In Osteocyte Differentiation And Vascular Porosity With Ageing, Behzad Javaheri, Alessandra Carriero, Katherine Ann Staines, Y.-M. Chang, D. A. Houston, Karla J. Oldknow, José Luis Millán, Bassir N. Kazeruni, Phil L. Salmon, Sandra J. Shefelbine

Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Faculty Publications

PHOSPHO1 is one of principal proteins involved in initiating bone matrix mineralisation. Recent studies have found that Phospho1 KO mice ( Phospho1-R74X) display multiple skeletal abnormalities with spontaneous fractures, bowed long bones, osteomalacia and scoliosis. These analyses have however been limited to young mice and it remains unclear whether the role of PHOSPHO1 is conserved in the mature murine skeleton where bone turnover is limited. In this study, we have used ex-vivo computerised tomography to examine the effect of Phospho1 deletion on tibial bone architecture in mice at a range of ages (5, 7, 16 and 34. weeks of age) …

Supervised Machine Learning For Classification Of The Electrophysiological Effects Of Chronotropic Drugs On Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes, Christopher Heylman, Rupsa Datta, Agua Sobrino, Steven George, Enrico Gratton

Biomedical Engineering

Supervised machine learning can be used to predict which drugs human cardiomyocytes have been exposed to. Using electrophysiological data collected from human cardiomyocytes with known exposure to different drugs, a supervised machine learning algorithm can be trained to recognize and classify cells that have been exposed to an unknown drug. Furthermore, the learning algorithm provides information on the relative contribution of each data parameter to the overall classification. Probabilities and confidence in the accuracy of each classification may also be determined by the algorithm. In this study, the electrophysiological effects of β–adrenergic drugs, propranolol and isoproterenol, on cardiomyocytes derived from …

Increased Lower Limb Spasticity But Not Strength Or Function Following A Single-Dose Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor In Chronic Stroke, Krishnaj Gourab, Brian D. Schmit, T. George Hornby

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: To investigate the effects of single doses of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) on lower limb voluntary and reflex function in individuals with chronic stroke.

Design: Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial.

Setting: Outpatient research setting.

Participants: Individuals (N=10; 7 men; mean age ± SD, 57±10y) with poststroke hemiplegia of >1 year duration who completed all assessments.

Interventions: Patients were assessed before and 5 hours after single-dose, overencapsulated 10-mg doses of escitalopram (SSRI) or placebo, with 1 week between conditions.

Main Outcome Measures: Primary assessments included maximal ankle and knee isometric strength, and velocity-dependent (30°/s–120°/s) plantarflexor stretch reflexes under …

Analysis Of Citrate Content In Bone Using High Performance Liquid Chromatography, Matthew Konstantin Pysh

All Theses

Approximately 1.5 wt. % of bone is comprised of citrate molecules bound to the surface of apatite crystals. Furthermore, 80 to 90% of physiological citrate is contained within bone. Recently, interest in citrate has increased due to the potential of a citrate based method for estimation of postmortem intervals, time since death, of skeletal remains. The broad objective of this research was to develop and validate a High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) method for quantitative and qualitative analysis of citrate in bone. An appropriate HPLC column and operating conditions for the detection of citrate were selected and subsequently used to analyze …

Decellularized Bovine Nucleus Pulposus As A Biomimetic Scaffold For Intervertebral Disc Regeneration, Christopher Fernandez

All Theses

Low back pain (LBP) is a significant burden with a lifetime prevalence of 84% and estimated expenditures of $85.9 billion.[1,2] Although LBP is multifactorial; it has been shown that LBP can originate from degenerating intervertebral discs (IVDs); a process which initiates in the nucleus pulposus (NP); a hydrated tissue primarily composed of type 2 collagen and proteoglycan. Current therapies for IVD degeneration (IDD) are palliative and merely delay surgical management. While these procedures may relieve pain temporarily, they fail to address the underlying cause of degeneration and make no attempt to regenerate the effected tissue. Additional concerns with the use …

Midfield Rf Signal Detector, Dawei Zhang

Electrical Engineering

This project is part of a Master’s thesis which looks at alternative ways to measure blood glucose. The Master’s thesis uses mid-field signals in order to match impedance and therefore lose less power as they travel through flesh. The goal of this senior project is to build a receiver for those signals and give accurate RSSI (received signal strength indicator) measurements. Mid-fields were originally explored by Stanford professor Dr. Ada Poon [3] who used the signaling technique to recharge the batteries of deeply implanted devices. Devices implanted near the surface of the skin were able to have their batteries recharged …

Design And Development Of A Wearable Wireless Health Monitoring System: A Smart Watch Approach, Keerthi Paranikumar

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

According to Statistics, every year, about 610,000 people die because of heart disease in United States of America. (i.e. 1 in every 4 deaths.*) Heart disease is common for both men and women. Annually, about 370,000 people die because of coronary heart disease, which is the most common type of heart disease [1]. About 735,000 Americans have heart attack every year. In this, 210,000 people gets heart attack who already has heart problems and 525,000 people get heart attack for the first time [2]. Not many people know that they have heart problems. Around 47% of the people in United …

The Effect Of Neurostimulation On Ischemic Pain And Methods Of Assessing Pain, Kaylee Keck

Biomedical Engineering

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) impacts approximately eight million people in the United States [1]. Disease progression leads to chronic ischemic pain, hindering quality of life. Pharmaceuticals are a typical treatment for pain associated with PAD; but as few as 30% of patients have a significant reduction of pain (≥50%) [2].

Neurostimulation is commonly used as a treatment for various diseases and injuries, including Parkinson’s disease and sports-related back and knee injuries [2]. The objective of the study was to explore neurostimulation and its effect on pain and paresthesia for a model of acute peripheral ischemia in young college students.

Pain …

When 1 + 1 > 2: Nanostructured Composites For Hard Tissue Engineering Applications, Vuk Uskoković

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Multicomponent, synergistic and multifunctional nanostructures have taken over the spotlight in the realm of biomedical nanotechnologies. The most prospective materials for bone regeneration today are almost exclusively composites comprising two or more components that compensate for the shortcomings of each one of them alone. This is quite natural in view of the fact that all hard tissues in the human body, except perhaps the tooth enamel, are composite nanostructures. This review article highlights some of the most prospective breakthroughs made in this research direction, with the hard tissues in main focus being those comprising bone, tooth cementum, dentin and enamel. …

A Handcrafted Multi-Branch Nerve Scaffold For In Vivo Peripheral Nerve Regeneration, Ridwan Fayaz Hossain

Theses and Dissertations

Arm and leg peripheral nerve injuries contribute largely to functional disability. These injuries seldom affect a single-line nerve; rather the injury goes beyond and disrupts the nerve tissue across multiple nerve paths. Here we investigate handcrafted PDMS based multi-branch nerve guidance conduit, which addresses this crucial branching from the sciatic nerve to aid with the regeneration to their appropriate distal targets. The design concept of the developed multiple branch nerve scaffolds is not specific for the sciatic nerve but can be modified for general use of all peripheral nerves and additional applications. Microchannels are also fabricated into a device in …

The Effects Of Transcutaneous Electrical Neurostimulation On Analgesia And Peripheral Perfusion, Leah I. Schafer

Master's Theses

Peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) affects 8 to 12 million Americans over the age of 50. As the disease progresses, arterial occlusions arising from atherosclerotic lesions inhibit normal metabolic vasodilation in the peripheries, resulting in limb ischemia and claudication. Pharmacological and surgical treatments currently used to treat both the hemodynamic and pain symptoms associated with PAOD can involve adverse and potentially life-threatening side effects. Thus, there is a need for additional innovative therapies for PAOD.

Neurostimulation has a known analgesic effect on both acute and chronic pain. Although the exact mechanisms remain under investigation, local vascular tone may be modulated …

Background Differences In Baseline And Stimulated Mmp Levels Influence Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Susceptibility, Matthew A. Dale, Melissa K. Suh, Shijia Zhao, Trevor Meisinger, Linxia Gu, Vicki J. Swier, Devendra K. Agrawal, Timothy Greiner, Jeffrey S. Carson, B. Timothy Baxter, Wanfen Xiong

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Objective: Evidence has demonstrated profound influence of genetic background on cardiovascular phenotypes. Murine models in Marfan syndrome (MFS) have shown that genetic background-related variations affect thoracic aortic aneurysm formation, rupture, and lifespan of mice. MFS mice with C57Bl/6 genetic background are less susceptible to aneurysm formation compared to the 129/SvEv genetic background. In this study, we hypothesize that susceptibility to abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) will be increased in 129/SvEv mice versus C57Bl/6 mice. We tested this hypothesis by assessing differences in aneurysm size, tissue properties, immune response, and MMP expression.

Methods: Mice of C57Bl/6 or 129/SvEv background underwent AAA induction …