Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

A Probabilistic Assessment Of Vertebral Cortical Bone Fracture Of Intraosteonal Structures, Isaac Graham Mabe

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Cortical bone is a porous structure. The presence of these pores creates the possibility of a local overstressed area that has the likelihood of premature failure. Some failure modes of the vertebral endplates, for example subsidence which occurs at rates as high as 77 percent, can be better predicted with further understanding of failure mechanisms and the ability to predict those mechanisms. A probabilistic assessment of the pore size and its contribution to the fracture toughness has not been investigated in the cortical shell of the vertebral endplates. This research develops a probabilistic model that has the ability to determine …

Anthropometric Analysis Of The Cervical Spine, Susan Hueston

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An understanding of the dimensional anatomy of the cervical spine is necessary in order to help diagnose disease, deformity, injury, and device development. Previous investigation has been completed utilizing cadavers, X-rays and other imaging techniques. This research utilized computer tomography images from the trauma registry at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio to complete an anthropometric study of the cervical spine. Linear mathematical models were developed to investigate the relationships present in the dimensional anatomy of the cervical spine. New measurements were completed on subjects of both Caucasian and African American descent and of both genders. An approximation of the …

Investigation Of Variability In Cognitive State Assessment Based On Electroencephalogram-Derived Features, Samantha Lokelani Crossen

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To implement adaptive aiding in modern aviation systems there is a need for accurate and reliable classification of cognitive workload. Using electroencephalogram (EEG)-derived features, it has been reported that an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) can achieve 95% or higher classification accuracy on the same day for an individual operator, but only 70% or less on a different day. To gain a further insight into this discrepancy, data from a previous study was utilized to study the classification variability. The EEG-derived features were first calculated by spectral power estimation. The variability was then analyzed by performing cognitive workload classification in which …

Selective Automatic Image Feature Detection, Aijing Wang

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To allow automatic assessment of computed tomography (CT) images of long bones, the identification of the location of regions of interest is important. The distance between the distal and proximal styloids may act as reference points for bone length; however, the locations of the distal and proximal growth plates represent further important reference features. The current methods to locate these feature positions are manual. In this project, we attempt to find these feature positions automatically.

A CT data set was split into two subsets, a development set, and a validation set. We first extracted basic information from the stack and …

Impact Of Insulin Resistance On Behavioral And Neurochemical Deficits In Db/Db Mice, Ajaykumar Narayan Sharma

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There is a high comorbidity of type-2 diabetes and neuropsychiatric disorders. However, there is paucity of preclinical research to study this phenomenon. The validity of the db/db mouse as an animal model to study type-2 diabetes and related macrovascular and microvascular complications is well established. The first part of this dissertation was designed to investigate comprehensively the db/db mouse behavior as preclinical evidence of type-2 diabetes related major neurobehavioral complications. Juvenile (5-6 weeks) and adult (10-11 weeks) db/db mice were screened for behavioral depression in forced swim test (FST), psychosis-like symptoms using pre-pulse inhibition (PPI) test, anxiety behavior employing elevated …

The Development Of Silver Nanoparticles As Antiviral Agents, John Christopher Trefry

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Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have received tremendous attention for their antimicrobial properties; however, many gaps in knowledge exist. To address these issues, three research objectives were examined. The first objective hypothesized AgNPs can be size selected and concentrated via tangential flow ultrafiltration. The second objective hypothesized a high-throughput method could be developed to screen nanoparticle antiviral-activity and cytotoxicity simultaneously. The third objective hypothesized AgNPs inhibit viruses by preventing viral entry.

For objective one, a tangential flow ultrafiltration scheme was tested on AgNPs synthesized via the Creighton Colloid method. AgNPs were analyzed via transmission electron microscopy. In objective two, an HIV-1 vector …

Son Is Essential For Nuclear Speckle Organization, Cell Cycle Progression And Pre-Mrna Splicing, Alok S. Sharma

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Nuclear speckles provide important spatial organization and dynamic regulation for pre-mRNA processing factors in mammalian cells. While the nuclear speckle proteome is complex, little is known at the molecular level about how these factors are organized into nuclear speckles or how alterations in the organization of these factors impacts gene expression. We have discovered a new function for a large (2564 amino acid) nuclear speckle protein called Son in maintaining the organization of pre-mRNA processing factors in nuclear speckles. Depletion of Son by RNAi causes snRNP and serine-arginine rich (SR protein) splicing factors to undergo dramatic disorganization into doughnut-shaped nuclear …

Predicting Vigilance Performance Under Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, Nathaniel Reese Bridges

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A brain stimulation technology called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) may potentially mitigate the vigilance decrement. To practically use such technology, however, a model is necessary that indicates vigilance performance, both when stimulation is being applied and not applied. To address this issue, the author developed models capable of predicting vigilance performance in real and control stimulation conditions using previous tDCS-study data. The "all possible combinations" regression method produced over 200 models, later screened to 10. The model with the best average %error (11.49 ± 0.10) used left hemispheric cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFVL) as its sole input term-accounting for …

Semi-Automated Dental Cast Analysis Software, Mathew Thomas

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Dental casts have been used extensively to study almost all aspects of the human dentition. These aspects varied from the study of tooth form and morphology, inheritance and genetics, growth and development, occlusion, arch alignment and crowding to mathematical determination of dental arch form.

The aim of this project was to develop a tool to semi-automate the measurement of dental casts that would be precise, accurate and efficient. Measurements include tooth widths, arch lengths and widths, angle of rotation and crown area for each tooth.

The task was divided into two different parts: first, the development of semi-automatic software to …

A Computational Tool For Biomolecular Structure Analysis Based On Chemical And Enzymatic Modification Of Native Proteins, Deacon John Sweeney

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Chemical and enzymatic modification of proteins is a well-established treatment technique for probing the conformational properties of these macromolecules. Investigators have recently extended the approach to probe many sites on a protein's structure in parallel manner, such that conformational properties of a target protein can be inferred. The modern approach uses mass spectrometry to quantify reactant loss and product formation. Rigorous analysis is challenging due to the high volume of mass spectrometric data that must be processed and interpreted.

An extensively interactive software suite has been developed to assist various aspects of the analytical protocol. The software offers a variety …

Cervical Spine Biomechanical Behavior And Injury, Mbulelo T. Makola

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A finite element model of the cervical spine including the C2 through C7 levels was developed in order to study the behavior of the cervical spine region. The model was validated in flexion extension, bending, and rotational load scenarios. The model was found to represent the biomechanical behavior of the cervical spine. The validated cervical spine finite element model was used to study spinal injury and disease processes. The model provided qualitative estimates of load carrying and stress distribution as well as range of motion.

The Molecular Basis Of The Interaction Between The Coxsackievirus And Adenovirus Receptor (Car) And Magi-1, Abimbola Olayinka Kolawole

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A major factor in virus entry into cells is localization and abundance of the primary receptor. The Coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR) is the primary receptor for group B coxsackievirus and many serotypes of adenovirus. In most epithelia, a seven exon isoform of CAR (CAR^Ex7) is exclusively localized at the basolateral surface where it behaves as a homophilic adhesion protein and is inaccessible for viral infection. However, in well-differentiated human airway epithelia, we recently discovered an alternatively spliced, low abundance isoform of CAR (CAR^Ex8) that is apically localized where it may initiate apical viral infection. The …

The Response Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Biofilm To The Presence Of A Glass Polyalkenoate Cement Formulated From A Silver Containing Glass, A. Coughlan, M. P. Ryan, N. M. Cummins, Mark R. Towler

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Influence Of Tissue Absorption And Scattering On Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy Blood Flow Measurements, Daniel Irwin

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

This investigation evaluates the influences of optical property assumptions on nearinfrared diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) flow index measurements. Independent variation is induced in optical properties, absorption coefficient (μ_a) and reduced scattering coefficient (μ_s’), of liquid phantoms with concurrent measurements of flow indices. A hybrid instrument is incorporated consisting of a dual-wavelength (785 and 830 nm) DCS flow device to obtain flow indices and a frequency-domain tissue-oximeter for optical properties. Flow indices are calculated with measured μ_a and μ_s’ or assumed constant μ_a and μ_s’. Inaccurate μ_s’ assumptions produced …

Corn Seed Spacing Uniformity As Affected By Seed Tube Condition, Michael F. Kocher, John M. Coleman, John A. Smith, Stephen D. Kachman

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Variation in corn seed spacing from a John Deere MaxEmerge^TM Plus Vacumeter planter was evaluated on the University of Nebraska Planter Test Stand in a laboratory setting for two seed tube conditions (new or worn) with two examples of corn seed shape (round or flat). Seed spacing uniformity was measured using three seed spacing uniformity parameters: Coefficient of Precision (CP3), ISO Multiples index, and ISO Miss index.

Differences were detected in all three seed spacing uniformity parameters due to the seed tube condition. The new seed tubes had better seed spacing uniformity than the worn seed tubes, within each …

High Temperature Dilute Acid Pretreatment Of Coastal Bermuda Grass For Enzymatic Hydrolysis, Arthur P. Redding, Ziyu Wang, Deepak R. Keshwani, Jay J. Cheng

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Dilute sulfuric acid was used to pretreat coastal Bermuda grass at high temperature prior to enzymatic hydrolysis. After both pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis processes, the highest yield of total sugars (combined xylose and glucose) was 97% of the theoretical value. The prehydrolyzate liquor was analyzed for inhibitory compounds (furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF)) in order to assess potential risk for inhibition during the following fermentation. Accounting for the formation of the inhibitory compounds, a pretreatment with 1.2% acid at 140 °C for 30 min with a total sugar yield of 94% of the theoretical value may be more favorable for fermentation. From …

Evaluation Of Soil Salinity Leaching Requirement Guidelines, John Letey, Glenn J. Hoffman, Jan W. Hopmans, Stephen R. Grattan, Donald Louis Suarez, Dennis L. Corwin, Jim D. Oster, Laosheng Wu, Christopher Amrhein

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Water for irrigation is a major limitation to agricultural production in many parts of the world. Use of waters with elevated levels of salinity is one likely option to meet the supply of increased demands. The sources of these waters include drainage water generated by irrigated agriculture, municipal wastewater, and poor quality groundwater. Soil salinity leaching requirements that were established several decades ago were based on steady-state conditions. Recently transient-state models have been developed that potentially can more correctly predict the dynamics of the chemical–physical–biological interactions in an agricultural system. The University of California Center for Water Resources appointed a …

Analysis Of The Performance Of Peanut Fame In A Single Cylinder Idi Engine And Investigations Of Neat Methyl Ester Influence On Fuel Quality, Jeffery Lewis

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Author's abstract: To meet evolving standards set forth by the U.S. EPA and U.S. Energy Policy it is necessary to consider a variety of feedstock for biofuels synthesis and to understand the role individual fatty acids contribute to the overall performance. It is the belief of the authors that excess peanut production would provide an excellent source for high quality biodiesel feedstock, and the complete property and combustion analysis of the fatty acid components will provide insight for future biofuel developments. The preliminary investigations of the project focused on the combustion performance and thermal efficiency of peanut FAME and its …

Reorganization Of Finger Coordination Patterns During Adaptation To Rotation And Scaling Of A Newly Learned Sensorimotor Transformation, Xiaolin Liu, Kristine M. Mosier, Ferdinando A. Mussa-Ivaldi, Maura Casadio, Robert A. Scheidt

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

We examined how people organize redundant kinematic control variables (finger joint configurations) while learning to make goal-directed movements of a virtual object (a cursor) within a low-dimensional task space (a computer screen). Subjects participated in three experiments performed on separate days. Learning progressed rapidly on day 1, resulting in reduced target capture error and increased cursor trajectory linearity. On days 2 and 3, one group of subjects adapted to a rotation of the nominal map, imposed either stepwise or randomly over trials. Another group experienced a scaling distortion. We report two findings. First, adaptation rates and memory-dependent motor command updating …

Development, Validation, And Application Of A Noninvasive Spinal Motion Measurement System, Shaun Kevin Stinton

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Spontaneous vertebral fractures are a large and growing health care problem. Biomechanical factors, specifically, abnormal posture or gait‐related spinal motion may interact with age‐weakened bone to induce altered spinal biomechanics that in turn increase the likelihood of vertebral body fracture. This research takes steps towards the goal of reducing the number of vertebral fractures in two phases: 1) Validation of a noninvasive spinal motion measurement system in cadaver torsos and 2) Application of the measurement system in human subjects.

The cadaver study compared vertebral motion at 4 levels (T7,T12,L3,L5) as measured by adhesive skin markers versus motion measured by bone …