Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

Image Registration Of Ex-Vivo Mri To Sparsely Sectioned Histology Of Hippocampal And Neocortical Temporal Lobe Specimens., Maged Goubran, Cathie Crukley, Sandrine De Ribaupierre, Terence M Peters, Ali R Khan

Robarts Imaging Publications

Intractable or drug-resistant epilepsy occurs in up to 30% of epilepsy patients, with many of these patients undergoing surgical excision of the affected brain region to achieve seizure control. Recent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences and analysis techniques have the potential to detect abnormalities not identified with diagnostic MRI protocols. Prospective studies involving pre-operative imaging and collection of surgically-resected tissue provide a unique opportunity for verification and tuning of these image analysis techniques, since direct comparison can be made against histopathology, and can lead to better prediction of surgical outcomes and potentially less invasive procedures. To carry out MRI and …

Development And Verification Of A Test System To Quantify Strain Of An Optical Displacement Indicator And The Design Of A Strain Indicating Prototype, Josh Lake

All Theses

The organic-rich Middle Devonian Marcellus Shale of the Appalachian basin is a rapidly developing natural gas play. Stratigraphic boundaries of the Marcellus Shale in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania were identified using geophysical logs from 10 vertical gas-producing wells in a 23 sq. km area. Gamma-ray, bulk density, and resistivity well logs were examined to assess hydrocarbon potential. Values of porosity, total organic carbon (TOC), and water saturation (SW) were derived and mapped by incorporating well-log data into Marcellus-specific formulas. Gamma-ray, penetration (minutes per foot drilled), and mud-logging gas (total gas) from 12 horizontal wells from within the study area were also …

Raman Spectroscopic Investigation Of Chondroitinase Abc Treatment After Spinal Cord Injury In An Organotypic Model, Shane Ruberto

Theses - ALL

This study investigated (1) the ability of an organotypic model of spinal cord injury (SCI) to recapitulate significant pathobiological events of in vivo SCI from a Raman spectroscopic perspective, and (2) the Raman spectroscopic effects of chondroitinase ABC (cABC) treatment on said model of SCI. Tissue from mouse spinal cords was excised, sectioned, and placed into culture, before being systematically injured to induce trauma. Cultures with and without cABC treatment were assessed using Raman spectroscopy at varying times post-injury. We demonstrate that Raman spectral phenomena characteristic of SCI can be observed using an organotypic model. By comparing these phenomena with …

Interstitial Cell Seeding And Dynamic Conditioning Of Aortic Heart Valve Scaffolds, Allison Kennamer

All Theses

In 2011, U.S. Markets for Heart Valve Repair and Replacement Products estimated that roughly four million people in the United States are diagnosed with a heart valve disorder annually. And in the following year, the American Heart Association reported that approximately 35,000 deaths in the US were either directly or indirectly attributed to heart valve disease. Diseases of the heart valve are degenerative in nature and therefore progressively worsen unbeknownst to the patient until symptoms become clinically relevant. By this time, the valve is in such poor condition that complete replacement is often the only effective treatment. Current solutions are …

Characteristics Of Glass Ionomer Cements Composed Of Glass Powders In Cao-Sro-Zno-Sio2 System Prepared By Two Different Synthetic Routes, Ill Yong Kim, Chikara Ohtsuki, Aisling Coughlan, Lana Placek, Anthony W. Wren, Mark R. Towler

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Glass ionomer cements (GICs) are composed of an acid degradable glass, polyacrylic acid and water. Sol-gel processing to prepare the glass phase has certain advantages, such as the ability to employ lower synthesis temperatures than melt quenching and glasses that are reported to have higher purity. A previous study reported the effects of glass synthesis route on GIC fabrication. However, in that study, the sol-gel derived glass exhibited a reduced concentration of cations. This study investigates increasing the cation content of a sol-gel derived glass, 12CaO·4SrO·36ZnO·48SiO₂ (molar ratio) by heating before aging to reduce dissolution of cations. This glass …

Electrotransfer Of Single-Stranded Or Double-Stranded Dna Induces Complete Regression Of Palpable B16.F10 Mouse Melanomas, Loree Heller, Vesba Todorovic, Maja Cemazar

Bioelectrics Publications

Enhanced tumor delivery of plasmid DNA with electric pulses in vivo has been confirmed in many preclinical models. Intratumor electrotransfer of plasmids encoding therapeutic molecules has reached Phase II clinical trials. In multiple preclinical studies, a reduction in tumor growth, increased survival or complete tumor regression have been observed in control groups in which vector or backbone plasmid DNA electrotransfer was performed. This study explores factors that could produce this antitumor effect. The specific electrotransfer pulse protocol employed significantly potentiated the regression. Tumor regression was observed after delivery of single-stranded or double-stranded DNA with or without CpG motifs in both …

St. Jude Medical: Pulmonary Edema Monitoring In Pacemakers And Icds, David Wei-Péng Chang

Master's Theses

Pulmonary edema occurs when fluid leaks from the pulmonary capillary network into the lung interstitium and alveoli. When the heart is not able to pump blood to the body efficiently, fluid can back up into the veins that take blood through the lungs to the left atrium. This then builds up the pressure in the blood vessels and fluid is pushed into the alveoli in the lungs. The fluid reduces normal oxygen movement through the lungs and can cause impaired gas exchange and respiratory failure. There are many causes of congestive heart failure that may lead to pulmonary edema such …

Functional 3-D Cellulose & Nitrocellulose Paper-Based, Multiplex Diagnostic Platforms Without Coupling Agents, Mackenzie Elizabeth Tageson

Master's Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to demonstrate device functionality of 3-D paper-based, multiplex platforms, µPADs, without the use of coupling agents between layers. Previously, these platforms were fabricated with double-sided tape and cellulose powder to try to augment proper fluid routing, but difficulties with this method occurred. An acrylic housing unit with strategically placed pressure tabs was designed to aid horizontal and vertical fluid routing through the platform, thus eliminating the inconsistencies associated with coupling agents. Channel characterization studies, a COMSOL^TM simulation, and development time studies were performed to aid device design and demonstrate device functionality.

The implementation …

Formulation Development Of A Polymer-Drug Matrix With A Controlled Release Profile For The Treatment Of Glaucoma, Eric W. Tsoi

Master's Theses

Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in the United States accounting for 9-12% of all cases of blindness. Currently, the front line treatment for glaucoma are prostaglandins that may have to be taken up to several times a day. Even with proper treatment, roughly 11% of the patients using the treatment are non-compliant and lose their vision. In this project, ForSight Laboratories has developed a pharmaceutical drug delivering implant with the capability of sustaining long-term release of a prostaglandin as a new way to treat the condition. This project reports the product development of a polymer drug matrix with …

Mechanical Properties Of Bone Due To Sost Expression: Nanoindentation Assessment Of Murine Femurs, Amir Rafie

Master's Theses

In the human genome, the SOST gene codes for a protein sclerostin. Sclerostin is an osteocyte-expressed negative regulator of bone formation. When the SOST gene is not coded, bone formation is reduced in individuals during skeletal maturation. This study utilizes nanoindentation methods to test for the mechanical properties of bones that both express and do not express the SOST gene. 100 transgenic murine femurs were obtained from Lawrence Livermore Labs in the form of 6 and 8 month SOST transgenic mice, 6 and 12 month SOST knockout mice, and wild type control littermates for each of the 4 age groups. …

The Effects Of Gantry Tilt On Breast Dose And Image Noise In Cardiac Ct, Michael Hoppe, Diksha Gandhi, Grant Stevens, Dennis Foley, Taly Gilat-Schmidt

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose:

This study investigated the effects of tilted-gantry acquisition on image noise and glandular breast dose in females during cardiac computed tomography (CT) scans. Reducing the dose to glandular breast tissue is important due to its high radiosensitivity and limited diagnostic significance in cardiac CT scans.

Methods:

Tilted-gantry acquisition was investigated through computer simulations and experimental measurements. Upon IRB approval, eight voxelized phantoms were constructed from previously acquired cardiac CT datasets. Monte Carlo simulations quantified the dose deposited in glandular breast tissue over a range of tilt angles. The effects of tilted-gantry acquisition on breast dose were measured on a …

Aerodynamic Performance And Particle Image Velocimetery Of Piezo Actuated Biomimetic Manduca Sexta Engineered Wings Towards The Design And Application Of A Flapping Wing Flight Vehicle, Anthony M. Deluca

Theses and Dissertations

Considerable research and investigation has been conducted on the aerodynamic performance, and the predominate flow physics of the Manduca sexta size of biomimetically designed and fabricated wings as part of the AFIT FWMAV design project. Despite a burgeoning interest and research into the diverse field of flapping wing flight and biomimicry, the aerodynamics of flapping wing flight remains a nebulous field of science with considerable variance into the theoretical abstractions surrounding aerodynamic mechanisms responsible for aerial performance. Traditional FWMAV flight models assume a form of a quasi-steady approximation of wing aerodynamics based on an infinite wing element model (BEM). An …

In Vitro Simulation Of Pathological Bone Conditions To Predict Clinical Outcome Of Bone Tissue Engineered Materials, Duong Nguyen

All Dissertations

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the geriatric population of ≥65 years of age will increase to 51.5 million in 2020; 40% of white women and 13% of white men will be at risk for fragility fractures or fractures sustained under normal stress and loading conditions due to bone disease, leading to hospitalization and surgical treatment. Fracture management strategies can be divided into pharmaceutical therapy, surgical intervention, and tissue regeneration for fracture prevention, fracture stabilization, and fracture site regeneration, respectively. However, these strategies fail to accommodate the pathological nature of fragility fractures, leading to unwanted side effects, implant failures, …

Pulsatile Flow Does Not Improve Efficacy In Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion., Keith A. Zoeller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) has the potential to increase the donor pool for lung transplantation by facilitating extended evaluation of marginal organs. Current methodology employs continuous flow pumps for perfusion. In vivo, continuous flow has been shown to increase pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). Thus, pulsatile flow EVLP may reduce PVR and improve organ preservation by providing physiologic flow morphology. Methods Lung blocks harvested from male, Yorkshire pigs were allocated into continuous (CF, n=3) and pulsatile flow (PF, n=4) groups. Lungs were ventilated at 4-5 mL/kg, 30% FiO2 and perfused with an acellular, albumin-based solution corrected for osmolarity, acid/base …

Characterization And Feasibility Of A Portable Oxygen Concentrator For Use With A Mass Casualty Ventilator, Paul Robert Williams

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The American Association for Respiratory Care has reported a need to stockpile 5,000-10,000 mass casualty ventilators with supplemental oxygen in preparation for pandemic emergencies (1). The American Medical Association specifies oxygen concentrators supply oxygen at 5 liters per minute at ≥90% purity (2). However, these design specifications may not be the most efficient use of system resources in portable oxygen concentrators using pressure swing adsorption. A testbed was developed to investigate the system performance of an oxygen concentrator while altering the system inlet and outlet pressures and flow rates. This investigation demonstrates that a more efficient portable oxygen concentrator, which …

Conventional And Catalytic Pyrolysis Of Pinyon Juniper Biomass, Bhuvanesh Kumar Yathavan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Pinyon and juniper are invasive woody species which has occupied more than 47 million acres of land in Western United States. Pinyon juniper woodlands domination decreases the herbaceous vegetation, increase bare lands which in turn increases soil erosion and nutrition loss. Thus, The US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has focused on harvesting these woody species to make room for herbaceous vegetation. The major application of harvested pinyon-juniper (PJ) is low value firewood. Thus, there is a need to develop new high value products from this woody biomass to reduce the cost of harvesting. In this study pyrolysis was carried …

Scratch Damage Evolution On Metals In Total Joint Replacements, Caleb Eljach

All Theses

The goal of total joint replacement (TJR) is to replace nonfunctioning joint components and relieve pain, improve quality of life, and to improve joint function. Although TJR is a successful procedure, more than 54,000 knee revisions occur each year due to factors, such as wear, loosening, infection, fracture, instability, and patient related factors (Ranawat, 2010). TJRs consist of components typically composed of polyethylene and a metallic counterface (Navarro, 2008). The sliding contact that occurs between the metal and polyethylene components has been well studied and is shown to produce both surface damage and wear of the implant components (Barbour, 1997; …

Functional Stroke Recovery Through Tissue Engineered Niche Neural Constructs, Natasha Topoluk

All Theses

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stroke is statistically responsible for 1 in every 19 deaths of American citizens.5 Stroke is the leading cause of permanent disability due to the fact that it compromises both cellular and tissue components of the brain, leading to the formation of a physical void within the tissue. Current research approaches address the cellular component by injecting stem cells into this void; however, extremely low cell engraftment, high injected cell death, and overall no matrix regeneration are observed. Additionally, these stem cells do not remain committed to a neural lineage. We propose …

The Effects Of Different Size Gold Nanoparticles On Mechanical Properties Of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Under Mechanical Stretching, Tri Kieu

All Theses

The field of nanotechnology research has seen a large growth in the past few decades due to the great potential of novel nano-size material for useful applications such as drug delivery and medical imaging. Also, they are a promising platform for the detection of terrible diseases such as cancer and atherosclerosis. Although these materials hold great promise, there is very limited understanding about the biological effects of these nanoparticles on normal healthy cells, such as vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The VSMCs are unique cells due to the two distinct phenotype characteristics it can express: a contractile and a synthetic …

Vascular Nanomedicine: Site Specific Delivery Of Elastin Stabilizing Therapeutics To Damaged Arteries, Aditi Sinha

All Dissertations

Elastin, a structural protein in the extra-cellular matrix, plays a critical role in the normal functioning of blood vessels. Apart from performing its primary function of providing resilience to arteries, it also plays major role in regulating cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, response to injury, and morphogenesis. Medial arterial calcification (MAC) and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) are two diseases where the structural and functional integrity of elastin is severely compromised. Although the clinical presentation of MAC and AAA differ, they have one common underlying causative mechanism--pathological degradation of elastin. Hence prevention of elastin degradation in the early stages of MAC and …