Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

Sustained Release Systems For Endometrial Cancer, Claire E. Rowlands

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the sixth most common cancer in women worldwide and is the most common cancer of female reproductive organs. From 2007-2016 there has been a global rise in incidence of EC of 1.3 %. Typically, EC is treated with surgery, but at later stages surgery is less effective requiring chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. These treatment options are less effective than surgery and there are very few FDA approved chemotherapies for EC. The minuscule number of effective treatment options as well as an increase in incidence shows the need for creating improved treatments for EC. There has been …

On The Modes Of Nanosecond Pulsed Plasmas For Combustion Ignition Of Quiescent Ch₄-Air Mixtures, Chunqi Jiang, Akash C. Dhotre, Meimei Lai, Sayan Biswas, James R. Macdonald, Isaac W. Ekoto

Bioelectrics Publications

The effect of transient plasma modes on ignition kernel development are discussed here for a quiescent CH₄-air combustion model system. A 10 ns high-voltage pulse was applied to a pin-to-pin electrode in lean fuel-air mixtures at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. High-impedance streamer, transient spark and low-impedance spark discharges were identified based on pulse waveforms of voltage and current. A sustained ignition kernel expansion was observed when the plasma discharge transitioned into a transient spark or spark discharge. The minimum ignition energy was obtained at the transient spark mode, which has less than a third of the energy …

Simultaneous Evaluation Of Tibiofemoral And Patellofemoral Mechanics In Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Combined Experimental And Computational Approach, Yashar A. Behnam, Ahilan Anantha Krishnan, Hayden Wilson, Chadd W. Clary

Center for Orthopaedic Biomechanics: Faculty Scholarship

Contemporary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has not fully restored natural patellofemoral (P-F) mechanics across the patient population. Previous experimental simulations have been limited in their ability to create dynamic, unconstrained, muscle-driven P-F articulation while simultaneously controlling tibiofemoral (T-F) contact mechanics. The purpose of this study was to develop a novel experimental simulation and validate a corresponding finite element model to evaluate T-F and P-F mechanics. A commercially available wear simulator was retrofitted with custom fixturing to evaluate whole-knee TKA mechanics with varying patella heights during a simulated deep knee bend. A corresponding dynamic finite element model was developed to validate …

Biom 1720: Introduction To Biomedical Engineering Tools, Stephen Strain

Biomedical Engineering Syllabi Archive

Course Description: Use of computer tools for data analysis, presentation, documentation; introduction to programming; individual and group design projects.

Biom 3110: Medical Physiology (Syllabus), Bradford D. Pendley

Biomedical Engineering Syllabi Archive

Course Description: Basic principles of human physiology and how these are applied in medicine and biomedical engineering problem and devices; physiological principles using appropriate mathematical and engineering models to construct an understanding of how the body works as an integrated system.

Biom 4784: Biomedical Design Studio (Syllabus), Amy Curry

Biomedical Engineering Syllabi Archive

Course Description: Laboratory experience dedicated to the design, development, and fabrication of a final prototype for use in conducting engineering analysis and design loop feedback. Responsibilities will include frequent team meetings, mentor advising, and group brainstorming along with prototype designing, technical drawings, fabrication, engineering analysis, and verification/validation. Deliverables for each team will be a prototype, final design specification report with engineering reports, and a final team presentation.

Biom 4410/Mech 4397: Engineering Practicum (Syllabus), Sheila Moses, Jeff Marchetta, Amy Curry

Biomedical Engineering Syllabi Archive

Course Description: Preparation for professional practice through experiential learning under the supervision of an experienced engineer with oversight by a member of the department’s faculty. Regular reporting throughout course required.

Biom 4782: Biomedical Design Practicum (Syllabus), Amy Curry

Biomedical Engineering Syllabi Archive

Course Description: Practical application of biomedical design principles with emphasis on project management, teamwork, prototype production, risk analysis and management, technical drawings, patent review with claim development, market analysis, regulatory issues, professional and ethical responsibilities of a biomedical engineer, engineering analysis/reports, incorporation of standards, prototype verification/validation, and presentation skills.

Insights Into The Heart Microstructure: A Case Study, Sarah Bulger

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis focuses on better understanding the structures of the heart at the micro-scale. Cardiomyocytes and the branching of cardiomyocytes are of specific interest. A literature review was performed to extract key information on cardiomyocyte size, the branching type and frequency of cardiomyocytes, and cardiomyocytes' organization in general. The purpose of conducting the literature review was to find quantifiable data on the micro-structure of the heart. Three studies in particular provided data on the branching of cardiomyocytes. Two of these studies were conducted on rat hearts, while one other study was conducted on human hearts. The methods and terminology between …

The Regulation Of Laryngeal Cancer Cell Phenotype And Proliferation By 24r,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 Is Correlated With Erα Isoform Expression, Cydney Dennis

Theses and Dissertations

Laryngeal cancer is the most common type of head and neck cancer and is associated with poor prognosis due to common delayed diagnoses. The sex disparities associated with laryngeal cancer are constantly growing, as the risk of malignancy in males is continually increasing compared to women. Due to the high chance of late-stage diagnosis requiring aggressive treatments, there is a high demand for less aggressive treatment options and early-stage diagnostic markers. The apparent sex disposition of the larynx, the correlation between sex hormones, and the risk of malignancy in aging men suggest that estrogen may play a role in laryngeal …

Dna I-Motifs: Biophysical Characterization And Structure-Property Correlation As Foundation For Functional Material Design, Alexander Minasyan

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Over the past decades, nucleic acids have emerged as crucial frameworks with significance in biological systems and functional material engineering. Cytosine-rich deoxyribonucleotide sequences can form quadruplex structures a.k.a. i-motifs. Recently, i-motifs have attracted scientific interest in biological and material design areas.

In this work, we systematically investigate an effect of structured and unstructured modifications such as hairpins, stems, loops and overhangs on the kinetic and thermodynamic properties of DNA i-motifs. We demonstrate that the modifications can influence i-motif’s stability and folding/unfolding rates: thus, double stranded stems and hairpins are the best at stabilizing i-motifs and increasing kinetic rates of folding. …

Advancements In Sarcoma- And Nerve-Specific Fluorescence Imaging For Surgical Guidance, Kendra A. Hebert

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

Fluorescence guided surgery (FGS) is an evolving field that aims to improve patient outcomes by using fluorophores to identify important tissues during surgery, such as tumors and nerves. In this thesis work, we explored different methods of identifying nerve and tumor tissues for FGS and a novel fluorescence-based method to determine the depths of these structures.

Researchers have explored using fluorescence guided surgery for surgical resection of cancerous tissues, including recent work by our group focusing on identifying soft tissue sarcomas with ABY-029, an epidermal growth factor receptor targeting probe. However, our preclinical and clinical work shows no single reporter …

De-Risking Pretreatment Of Microalgae To Produce Fuels And Chemical Co-Products, Jacob S. Kruger, Skylar Schutter, Eric P. Knoshaug, Bonnie Panczak, Hannah Alt, Alicia Sowell, Stafanie Van Wychen, Matthew Fowler, Kyoko Hirayama, Anuj Thakkar, Sandeep Kumar

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Conversion of microalgae to renewable fuels and chemical co-products by pretreating and fractionation holds promise as an algal biorefinery concept, but a better understanding of the pretreatment performance as a function of algae strain and composition is necessary to de-risk algae conversion operations. Similarly, there are few examples of algae pretreatment at scales larger than the bench scale. This work aims to de-risk algal biorefinery operations by evaluating the pretreatment performance across nine different microalgae samples and five different pretreatment methods at small (5 mL) scale and further de-risk the operation by scaling pretreatment for one species to the 80 …

Reevaluating The Paradox: Does Low-Dose Radiation From A-Bombs Affect Lifespan And Cancer Mortality?, Razieh Rashidfar, Zeynab Seyedi Sarhad, Seyed Mohammad Javad Mortazavi, Lembit Sihver

Informatics and Engineering Systems Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Engineering Mussel Foot Protein 5 (Mfp5) For Enhanced Adhesive Performance In Tendon And Bone Repair, Ziyue Zhu

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

This study explores the development of Mussel Foot Protein 5 (MFP5) bioadhesives to improve tendon-to-tendon and tendon-to-bone adhesive outcomes. MFP5, known for its underwater adhesive properties, was synthesized using recombinant techniques and optimized through coacervation and cross-linking. Adhesion tests demonstrated the superior performance of the optimized MFP5 adhesive on the tendon and bone samples. Improved protein concentration testing and purification methods enhanced MFP5 yield and consistency. Future research will focus on further standardization, exploring alternative purification methods, and evaluating the adhesive's performance in animal models. This study lays a foundation for developing robust MFP5-based bioadhesives, potentially revolutionizing surgical repair techniques …

A 3d Co-Culture Model Of Senescent Cell Burden And Salivary Gland Fibrosis, Stephen Rose

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Patients with head and neck cancer often suffer collateral radiation damage to the salivary glands, leading to fibrosis. Histological examinations indicate that radiation encourages fibrosis by promoting cellular changes leading to both senescent and myofibroblast phenotypes, coupled with a significant loss of regenerative and acinar cells. Chronic hypofunction remains a primary concern, even with modified radiation approaches to sparing salivary glands. Current treatments primarily offer symptomatic relief without rectifying irreversible glandular tissue damage. This limitation arises, in part, from a deficiency in predictive preclinical models to study this multifaceted problem.

We introduce a 3D in vitro microtissue model to address …

Enhanced Skin Cancer Diagnosis Through Grid Search Algorithm-Optimized Deep Learning Models For Skin Lesion Analysis, Rudresh Pillai, Neha Sharma, Sheifali Gupta, Deepali Gupta, Sapna Juneja, Saurav Malik, Hong Qin, Mohammed S. Alqahtani, Amel Ksibi

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Skin cancer is a widespread and perilous disease that necessitates prompt and precise detection for successful treatment. This research introduces a thorough method for identifying skin lesions by utilizing sophisticated deep learning (DL) techniques. The study utilizes three convolutional neural networks (CNNs)-CNN1, CNN2, and CNN3-each assigned to a distinct categorization job. Task 1 involves binary classification to determine whether skin lesions are present or absent. Task 2 involves distinguishing between benign and malignant lesions. Task 3 involves multiclass classification of skin lesion images to identify the precise type of skin lesion from a set of seven categories. The most optimal …

Modernizing And Harmonizing Regulatory Data Requirements For Genetically Modified Crops-Perspectives From A Workshop, Ming Hua Huang, Debbie Mahadeo, Carey A Mathesius, Mitscheli Sanches Da Rocha, Shuang Song, Ewa Urbanczyk-Wochniak

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Genetically modified (GM) crops that have been engineered to express transgenes have been in commercial use since 1995 and are annually grown on 200 million hectares globally. These crops have provided documented benefits to food security, rural economies, and the environment, with no substantiated case of food, feed, or environmental harm attributable to cultivation or consumption. Despite this extensive history of advantages and safety, the level of regulatory scrutiny has continually increased, placing undue burdens on regulators, developers, and society, while reinforcing consumer distrust of the technology. CropLife International held a workshop at the 16th International Society of Biosafety Research …

Integrative Machine Learning Approaches For Enhanced Classification Of Genomic Sequences: A Next-Generation Sequencing Perspective, Sujatha Alla, Nagesh Bheesetty, Sai Gireesh Komaragiri, Prasanthi Chidipudi, Joshit Mohanty, Sathish Kumar Chintala, Jubin Thomas, Jayapal Vummadi, Hemanth Volikatla, Navin Kamuni

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

The advent of Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) techniques has revolutionized genomic research by enabling the rapid sequencing of DNA and RNA. This data can be used for various applications, including genome sequencing, transcriptome profiling, metagenomics, and epigenetics studies. For this study, DNA classifier dataset was extracted from UCI repository of machine learning databases. This vast amount of genomic data necessitates the development of sophisticated machine learning (ML) models for effective classification and analysis. This study presents a comprehensive comparison of various ML models, including Support Vector Machines (SVM), Random Forests (RF), and Neural Networks (NNs), approaches, in classifying genomic data. We …

Improving Neuropathological Analysis With Aβgan: Addressing Morphology Imbalance For Efficient Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis, Sujatha Alla, Prasanthi Chidipudi, Nagesh Bheesetty, Vedvikash Reddy Velur, Joshit Mohanty, Puneeth Bheesetty, Marisha Jmukhadze, Narendra Lakshmana Gowda, Sai Gireesh Komaragiri

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Histopathologists are experiencing a digital revolution in their field thanks to the digitization of Whole Slide Images (WSIs), which are microscope slides of tissue that can measure gigapixels in size. With so much high resolution data at their disposal, computer vision techniques can now be used to automate laboratory processes, create visual standards, and increase analysis throughput, all of which reduce the workload of pathologists [1]. The "gold" standard in neuropathology, particularly for Alzheimer's Disease- is pathological diagnosis made by looking at White Matter Inclusions (WSIs) in brain tissue. Semi-quantitative scoring in accordance with the standards established by the Consortium …