Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

Effects Of Individualized Centrifugation Training On Orthostatic Tolerance In Men And Women, Nandu Goswami, Joyce Evans, Stefan Schneider, Melanie Von Der Wiesche, Edwin Mulder, Andreas Rössler, Helmut Hinghofer-Szalkay, Andrew P. Blaber

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

AIMS: Exposure to artificial gravity (AG) at different G loads and durations on human centrifuges has been shown to improve orthostatic tolerance in men. However, the effects on women and of an individual-specific AG training protocol on tolerance are not known.

METHODS: We examined the effects of 90 minutes of AG vs. 90 minutes of supine rest on the orthostatic tolerance limit (OTL), using head up tilt and lower body negative pressure until presyncope of 7 men and 5 women. Subjects were placed in the centrifuge nacelle while instrumented and after one-hour they underwent either: 1) AG exposure …

Method And Apparatus For Treating Centralized Pain, Jeffrey Hargrove

Mechanical Engineering Patents

A method for alleviating centralized pain in human subjects includes assessing the brain of a subject suffering from pain, diagnosing abnormal brain function associated with centralized pain, locating at least one area of abnormal brain function associated with the centralized pain, and alleviating the abnormal brain function by applying a cortical stimulation signal to tissues corresponding to the at least one area of abnormal brain function.

Computational Fluid Dynamics Applied To The Analysis Of Blood Flow Through Central Aortic To Pulmonary Artery Shunts, Carey Celestin Jr

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This research utilizes CFD to analyze blood flow through pathways representative of central shunts, commonly used as part of the Fontan procedure to treat cyanotic heart disease. In the first part of this research, a parametric study of steady, Newtonian blood flow through parabolic pathways was performed to demonstrate the effect that flow pathway curvature has on wall shear stress distribution and flow energy losses. In the second part, blood flow through two shunts obtained via biplane angiograms is simulated. Pressure boundary conditions were obtained via catheterization. Results showed that wall shear stresses were of sufficient magnitude to initiate platelet …

Gold Nanostructures For Sensing And Functional Bioimaging, Maximilian Y. Fei

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Gold nanostructures offer an extremely promising path forward in the fields of imaging and sensing because of their unique optical and chemical properties. Here, we demonstrate that plasmonic nanostructures can be employed as nanoscale transducers to monitor the growth and phase transitions in ultrathin polymer films. In particular, gold nanorods with high refractive index sensitivity (~150 nm / refractive index unit (RIU)) were employed to probe the growth and swelling of polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEM). By comparing the wavelength shift and extinction intensity of the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the gold nanorods coated with PEM in air and water, …

Portable Polarimetric Fiber Stress Sensor System For Visco-Elastic And Biomimetic Material Analysis, Mark C. Harrison, Andrea M. Armani

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Non-destructive materials characterization methods have significantly changed our fundamental understanding of material behavior and have enabled predictive models to be developed. However, the majority of these efforts have focused on crystalline and metallic materials, and transitioning to biomaterials, such as tissue samples, is non-trivial, as there are strict sample handling requirements and environmental controls which prevent the use of conventional equipment. Additionally, the samples are smaller and more complex in composition. Therefore, more advanced sample analysis methods capable of operating in these environments are needed. In the present work, we demonstrate an all-fiber-based material analysis system based on optical polarimetry. …

A Space-Variant Model For Motion Interpretation Across The Visual Field, Guido Maiello, Manuela Chessa, Peter J. Bex, Fabio Solari

MODVIS Workshop

We implement a neural model for the estimation of the focus of radial motion (FRM) at different retinal locations and we assess the model by comparing its results with respect to the precision with which human observers can estimate the FRM in naturalistic, moving dead leaves stimuli. The proposed neural model describes the deep hierarchy of the first stages of the dorsal visual pathway [Solari et al., 2014]. Such a model is space-variant, since it takes into account the retino-cortical transformation of the primate visual system through log-polar mapping that produces a cortical representation of the visual signal to the …

Implementation Of Raman Spectroscopy At Manufacturing Scale: Overcoming Modeling Challenges While Implementing Advanced Process Control, John Smelko, Thomas Matthews, Brandon Berry, Douglas Osborne

Cell Culture Engineering XV

In order to improve glycation control in our new high intensity platform process, we investigated implementation of Raman spectroscopy to monitor and control glucose at low levels throughout the process. Using Raman allows a way to measure glucose near real time which in turn allows for a more responsive and flexible control algorithm. Prior literature has shown connections between elevated glucose levels and glycation when in presence of high protein concentrations, which was indicative of our process. Using Raman along with advanced process control (APC), allowed us the flexibility to reduce glycation back towards historical process levels.

We will share …

New Design Of Nasogastric Decompression Tube That Incorporates A Self-Cleaning Brushing Mechanism, Nichole Abla, Lindsay Rucker, Paige Schroder

Senior Theses

Many hospitalized patients require the removal of secretions that accumulate in the stomach and must be removed by a nasogastric tube, which unfortunately clogs often. This project outlines the redesign of the nasogastric tube that will ideally prevent nasogastric tube clogging by incorporating a brush mechanism and a contracting tip mechanism, to act as preventative measures against clogging.

Towards A Dynamic Clamp For Neurochemical Modalities, C. M. Rivera, H.-J. Kwon, A. Hashmi, Gu Yu, J. Zhao, J. Gao, J. Xu, Wei Xue, A. G. Dimitrov

Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering Departmental Research

The classic dynamic clamp technique uses a real-time electrical interface between living cells and neural simulations in order to investigate hypotheses about neural function and structure. One of the acknowledged drawbacks of that technique is the limited control of the cells’ chemical microenvironment. In this manuscript, we use a novel combination of nanosensor and microfluidic technology and microfluidic and neural simulations to add sensing and control of chemical concentrations to the dynamic clamp technique. Specifically, we use a microfluidic lab-on-a-chip to generate distinct chemical concentration gradients (ions or neuromodulators), to register the concentrations with embedded nanosensors and use the processed …

3d Printing In Healthcare, Caleb Branch

The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research

Technology is everywhere. Technology surrounds every aspect of 21^st century life. It is in the cell phones we use, the cars we drive, and even the food we eat. A large portion of modern technology used is taken for granted and overlooked. Despite this, some technology fields continue to grow. Biomedical engineering, specifically 3D printing’s applications to healthcare, has been often overlooked until. Regardless of its status in the mainstream, 3D printing is prosperous in healthcare and its future looks bright. This piece analyzes 3D printing in healthcare. It hones in on the finer details of each specific topic, …

Section Abstracts: Biomedical And General Engineering

Virginia Journal of Science

Abstracts of the Biomedical and General Engineering Section for the 93rd Annual Meeting of the Virginia Academy of Science, May 21-23, 2015, James Madison University, Richmond, Virginia

A Comparative Evaluation Of Cadaveric And Composite Femur Models For Total Hip Arthroplasty, Anderson Lynn Adams

Graduate Theses - Biology & Biomedical Engineering

Composite bones are often used in testing of orthopedic implants due to their relative ease of use and low inter-specimen variability when compared to cadaveric bones. Tests were run to ensure that the composite bones remained an acceptable model for cadaver bones throughout surgical manipulation. Composite (n=6) and cadaver (n=6) femur specimen were subjected to a total hip arthroplasty (THA). Flexural rigidity, axial stiffness, and axial strain measurements were taken at various stages in the surgical process. The composite and cadaver specimen were not found to behave similarly in either flexural rigidity or axial stiffness tests. The results showed a …

Mobile Health Sensing With Smart Phones, Abby Logan Wise

Electrical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Depression is a serious mental condition affecting many Americans and people across the world. Postpartum depression is a form of depression affecting women who have recently gone through childbirth. Postpartum depression can have serious symptoms that may affect not only the mother, but her newborn as well. Early detection of these symptoms is of critical importance to the welfare of the mother and her child. Many medical professionals express the need for postpartum screening being that treatment has proven to be very effective. This project aims to make early symptom detection convenient and reliable for mothers with newborns. This will …

Evaluating The Viability Of Graphene Oxide For The Removal Of Ni(Ii) Ions From Waste Water, Cale M. White

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

When levels of heavy metal ions such as nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), Zinc (Zn), and Cobalt (Co) exceed the tolerance values for industrial wastewater, it can devastate the environment as well as the health of the individuals consuming the water. Heavy metal ions are not biodegradable and will accumulate in organic matter.(1) This accumulation leads to toxic levels in the blood and hence damage to nerve tissue, kidneys, the liver, and other vital organs. (2) Effective removal processes of these heavy metals from water must be developed. This study explores a method to adsorb nickel from water with …

Synthesis, Functionalization, And Characterization Of Metallic And Organic Nanoparticles For Biomedical Applications, Christopher Brian Sylvester

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Design Of A Simple Device For Accurate Measurement Of Human Blood Viscosity In Oxygenated And Deoxygenated Conditions, Catherine E. Oliver, Jessica Hockla, Divya Kamireddi

Honors Scholar Theses

The purpose of this research is to design, fabricate, and test a simple device that can accurately measure the viscosity of whole blood in both an oxygenated and a deoxygenated environment. The ideal device is easy to operate, inexpensive to fabricate, and is usable outside of a laboratory setting. The microfluidic rheometer presented here was fabricated using a wet chemical etching method. Using the channel dimensions, the known viscosity of a reference fluid, and the velocity of fluid flow of the sample and a reference fluid through the microchannels the unknown viscosity of a sample fluid is calculated.

Vcare: A Personal Emergency Response System To Promote Safe And Independent Living Among Elders Staying By Themselves In Community Or Residential Settings, Priyankar Bhattacharjee

Department of Computer Electronics and Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

‘Population aging’ is a growing concern for most of us living in the twenty first century, primarily because many of us in the next few years will have a senior person to care for - spending money towards their healthcare expenditures AND/OR having to balance a full-time job with the responsibility of care-giving, travelling from another city to be with this elderly citizen who might be our parent, grand-parent or even community elders. As informal care-givers, if somehow we were able to monitor the day-to-day activities of our elderly dependents, and be alerted when wrong happens to them that would …

Tactile Proprioceptive Input In Robotic Rehabilitation After Stroke, Emmanouil Tzorakoleftherakis, Maria C. Bengston, Ferdinando A. Mussa-Ivaldi, Robert A. Scheidt, Todd D. Murphey

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Stroke can lead to loss or impairment of somatosensory sensation (i.e. proprioception), that reduces functional control of limb movements. Here we examine the possibility of providing artificial feedback to make up for lost sensory information following stroke. However, it is not clear whether this kind of sensory substitution is even possible due to stroke-related loss of central processing pathways that subserve somatosensation. In this paper we address this issue in a small cohort of stroke survivors using a tracking task that emulates many activities of daily living. Artificial proprioceptive information was provided to the subjects in the form of vibrotactile …

Endothelialization Using Protein Substrates And Hydrogels For Aortic Valve Applications, Elizabeth A. Fontaine

All Theses

Aortic valve disease is currently the leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity in the United States.1 In 2003, approximately 290,000 patients required heart valve replacement and that number is estimated to continue to rise as the average age of the population continues to increase.2 However, the current valve replacement options have multiple limitations. Tissue engineering hopes to address these shortcomings by providing a viable valve that more closely mimics the native valve, structurally and functionally.3 An ideal valve replacement should contain endothelial and interstitial cells, with the ability to remodel the extra-cellular matrix. While tissue-engineered heart valves are not uncommon in …

A Pump Monitoring Approach To Irrigation Pumping Plant Performance Testing, William Merritt Mcdougall

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Traditionally, irrigation pumping plants have been tested using an instantaneous appraoch, which tests performance parameters over a very short time interval. Using this method, the tester measures the necessary work and energy use parameters to calculate the desired pumping plant performance values. The primary limitation of this approach is its inability to determine the season long efficiency of an irrigation pumping plant.

A new approach to evaluating irrigation pumping plant performance is the use of pump monitoring systems which use high frequency, real-time data collection and telemetry to relay information directly from the pump to the user. This method of …