Biomedical Commons^™

Myofibroblast Targeted Liposomes For The Treatment Of Skin Fibrosis, Elfa Beaven

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Continuous overactivation of myofibroblasts leads to excessive deposition of profibrotic proteins, which in turn causes tissue stiffness and, ultimately, organ failure. One of those proteins, Cadherin-11 (CDH11), is reported to be overexpressed in the tissue of fibrotic skin, specifically on myofibroblasts. Similarly, chronic inflammation drives fibrosis progression in autoimmune-related illnesses like systemic sclerosis (SSc). Therefore, it is hypothesized that CDH11 could be a target for cell-specific delivery of antifibrotic therapies to fibrotic skin tissue. Here, a CDH11 peptide conjugated liposome loaded with Tofacitinib, a JAK inhibitor, was developed to understand the potential of targeted therapies to treat skin fibrosis. The …

Mechanically Cost-Effective Approach For Bipedal Walking In Robots Using Instantaneous Collision Angle, Smit R. Patel

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Humans, as bipedal locomotors, are effective at reducing the mechanical cost of transport (CoTmech) by adopting movement strategies and gaits that minimize energy expenditure for a given distance. By using different gaits at different speeds, leveraging their long spring-like tendons and muscle elasticity which store and release energy during movement, humans reduce the mechanical effort required for locomotion. Current locomotion solutions offered in bipedal robots, based on legacy walking and running gait models, are not great at energy efficiency unless walking at very low speeds. Additionally, the control system of robots, designed to ensure stability and adaptability, requires substantial resources, …

Alteration Of Peripheral Cytokines In Alzheimer’S Disease, Zhengshi Yang

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease with the clinical symptoms of gradual cognitive decline and memory loss. Biologically, abnormal accumulation of Aβ (Aβ) plaque and tau tangles in the brain are the core pathological hallmarks in AD. Although inflammatory response is not specific to AD, emerging evidence suggests that the disrupted innate immune system within the central nervous system, particularly microglial activation, might act as the bridge linking Aβ aggregation to pathological phosphorylation and aggregation of tau. The inflammatory response was suggested to initially have a neuroprotective role of attempting to clear Aβ plaques, and then become neurotoxic …

Delineating Genetic Influences On Neurodegenerative Disorders And Infectious Diseases Through Advanced Computational Methods, Xiaowei Zhuang

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Genetics plays a critical role in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative disorders and pathogen evolution in infectious diseases. For example, identifying genetic variants associated with a disease phenotype uncovers functional pathways that could lead to potential drug targets and therapeutic interventions. In addition, tracking the genetic evolution of pathogens enables early detection and warning of infectious disease outbreaks. In both applications, given the large amount of genetic data, advanced computational methods, including longitudinal and multivariate models, could significantly boost the statistical power and capture interrelationships among traits, environmental factors and genetic influences. This dissertation focuses on four applications of …

Use Of Electrical Bone Growth Stimulators In High-Risk Patients Following Spinal Fusion, Soumya Malhotra, Khavir Sharieff

HCA-NSU MD Research Day

Title: Use of Electrical Bone Growth Stimulators in High-Risk Patients Following Spinal Fusion Authors: Soumya Malhotra, BA., MS1 & Khavir Sharieff, DO, MBA2 1Class of 2027, Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, FL 2Assistant Professor of Surgery, Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Tampa Bay, FLNova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine Objective: This study aimed to elucidate the advantages of EBGSs following high-risk spinal fusions. Background: Pseudarthrosis is a condition where bones fail to fuse after an injury or surgery. It causes significant …

Digital Health Intervention For Children With Adhd To Improve Mental Health Intervention, Patient Experiences, And Outcomes: A Study Protocol, Nancy Herrera, Franceli L. Cibrian, Lucas M. Silva, Jesus Armando Beltran, Sabrina E. B. Schuck, Gillian R. Hayes, Kimberley D. Lakes

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most prevalent childhood psychiatric condition with profound public health, personal, and family consequences. ADHD requires comprehensive treatment; however, lack of communication and integration across multiple points of care is a substantial barrier to progress. Given the chronic and pervasive challenges associated with ADHD, innovative approaches are crucial. We developed the digital health intervention (DHI)—CoolTaCo [Cool Technology Assisting Co-regulation] to address these critical barriers. CoolTaCo uses Patient-Centered Digital Healthcare Technologies (PC-DHT) to promote co-regulation (child/parent), capture patient data, support efficient healthcare delivery, enhance patient engagement, and facilitate shared decision-making, thereby improving access to …

Hypoxic Incubator: Improving Robustness/Reliability And Demonstrating Physiological Efficacy, Damon Dennis Tan

Master's Theses

The Microphysiological Systems Laboratory aims to develop colorectal cancer tumor models under a hypoxic environment to assess model response to pharmaceutical compounds in vitro. To perform relevant studies, researchers have attempted to use different hypoxic inducing strategies such as a nitrogen pod and hypoxic incubator to recreate in vivo physiological responses to hypoxia. However, studies would be interrupted due to incubator functionality failure. To ensure successful and physiologically relevant studies, I improved and verified the robustness and reliability of a hypoxic incubator previously designed and manufactured in the lab. Through the testing and iterating design processes, I engineered and implemented …

Assessing The Impact Of Femur Morphological Variations On Pediatric Hip Joint Biomechanics Using Statistical Shape Modeling, Tamara Chambers

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This dissertation aimed to (1) quantify morphological variations in the pediatric hip joint and (2) evaluate the sensitivity of an infant musculoskeletal model (MSM) to these variations, considering hip joint center estimation errors. A shape statistical model (SSM) of decedent infant femurs from the Ortolani collection was created using ShapeWorks, capturing key morphological features, such as variations in the femoral neck-shaft and anteversion angles. Seven synthetic femurs were generated from the SSM to create SSM-informed MSMs, which were systematically evaluated through kinematics and kinetics analyses in OpenSim. Incorporating the SSM led to slight changes in the pediatric MSMs’ kinematics but …

Sex Differences In Active Avoidance And Neural Circuit Mechanisms In Contextual Fear Generalization, Carly Vincent

Theses and Dissertations

The current studies were aimed to investigate two behavioral hallmarks of anxiety and stress-related disorders, avoidance responses and the over-generalization of fear. In the first set of studies, active avoidance and extinction learning, that parallels exposure therapy in preclinical rodent models, were used. It is known that stress can influence aversive learning and extinction training, which can result in poor extinction retention. However, it is not well understood how the stress response is facilitating extinction resistance in active avoidance learning across sexes. Therefore, the first set of studies aimed to investigate the role of biological sex and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) …

Precision Medicine For Apical Lesions And Peri-Endo Combined Lesions Based On Transfer Learning Using Periapical Radiographs, Pei Yi Wu, Yi Cheng Mao, Yuan Jin Lin, Xin Hua Li, Li Tzu Ku, Kuo Chen Li, Chiung An Chen, Tsung Yi Chen, Shih Lun Chen, Wei Chen Tu, Patricia Angela R. Abu

Ateneo Laboratory for Intelligent Visual Environments

An apical lesion is caused by bacteria invading the tooth apex through caries. Periodontal disease is caused by plaque accumulation. Peri-endo combined lesions include both diseases and significantly affect dental prognosis. The lack of clear symptoms in the early stages of onset makes diagnosis challenging, and delayed treatment can lead to the spread of symptoms. Early infection detection is crucial for preventing complications. PAs used as the database were provided by Chang Gung Memorial Medical Center, Taoyuan, Taiwan, with permission from the Institutional Review Board (IRB): 02002030B0. The tooth apex image enhancement method is a new technology in PA detection. …

Electromagnetic Theory And Applications, 2nd Edition, Nicholas Madamopoulos, George Kliros

Open Educational Resources

This book intends to provide both the fundamentals of Electromagnetics but also some practical applications of the concepts covered. Having taught electromagnetics for several years, the authors feel that many times the field of electromagnetics comes as “old” and often times students do not appreciate the concepts and their importance in everyday applications. The authors intend to accompany the EM concepts with life applications. Hence, students may see the direct impact of the knowledge they acquire through the study of the field of electromagnetics and better appreciate the field.

Paper-Recorded Ecg Digitization Method With Automatic Reference Voltage Selection For Telemonitoring And Diagnosis, Liang Hung Wang, Chao Xin Xie, Tao Yang, Hong Xin Tan, Ming Hui Fan, I. Chun Kuo, Zne Jung Lee, Tsung Yi Chen, Pao Cheng Huang, Shih Lun Chen, Patricia Angela R. Abu

Department of Information Systems & Computer Science Faculty Publications

In electrocardiograms (ECGs), multiple forms of encryption and preservation formats create difficulties for data sharing and retrospective disease analysis. Additionally, photography and storage using mobile devices are convenient, but the images acquired contain different noise interferences. To address this problem, a suite of novel methodologies was proposed for converting paper-recorded ECGs into digital data. Firstly, this study ingeniously removed gridlines by utilizing the Hue Saturation Value (HSV) spatial properties of ECGs. Moreover, this study introduced an innovative adaptive local thresholding method with high robustness for foreground–background separation. Subsequently, an algorithm for the automatic recognition of calibration square waves was proposed …

Dual Base Sige Is-Hbt For Use In Biosensing Applications, Liam Stephen Hayes

Master's Theses

The proposed research is for a novel SiGe-based Ion-Sensitive Dual Hetero-junction Bipolar Transistor (IS-HBT) to be used in both trans-dermal biological sensing as well as Lab-on-Chip (LOC) applications. The end goals for the device designed are two: For one, the research done for this work will be used to substantiate the claims made by Zafar et al. [1] that an HBT-style structure is better suited for biosensing application rather than a conventional Field Effect Transistor (FET) based geometries. Secondly, it provides the final element to be integrated along with a selectivity membrane, as well as with a reverse-iontophoresis system to …

Development Of A Nephelometer For Characterization Of Calcium Oxalate Crystal Concentrations Within Solution, Conrad Small

Electrical Engineering Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of kidney stones has been steadily increasing over the last 30 years, affecting both men and women across all age groups. This rise is largely attributed to lifestyle changes associated with technological advancements, such as more sedentary lifestyles, dietary shifts towards more processed foods, and an increased incidence of metabolic diseases like diabetes. Despite the growing prevalence of kidney stones, the methods for early detection have remained relatively unchanged. Current testing involves collecting urine samples over a 24-hour period and sending them to a lab for microscopic and dipstick analysis. This process provides a comprehensive overview of urine …

Design Of A Portable Fast Scan Cyclic Voltammetry Device Utilizing Pulse Width Modulation For Waveform Generation, Nora Szymkowski

Masters Theses

Fast Scan Cyclic Voltammetry (FSCV) is a widely used electrochemical technique for real-time measurement of the brain’s chemical messengers, including the molecule dopamine, with high temporal resolution. Currently the financial burden of performing FSCV is quite high, ranging from $8,000 to $20,000+ making the barrier to entry nearly insurmountable for laboratories and classrooms at small institutions. The purpose of this project was to develop a Do-It-Yourself (DIY), portable, and cost-effective FSCV system for use in laboratory and classroom settings. The project aimed to create a compact and cost-effective system that could be used by researchers and educators to study dopamine …

Evaluation Of The Alveolar Crest And Cemento-Enamel Junction In Periodontitis Using Object Detection On Periapical Radiographs, Tai Jung Lin, Yi Cheng Mao, Yuan Jin Lin, Chin Hao Liang, Yi Qing He, Yun Chen Hsu, Shih Lun Chen, Tsung Yi Chen, Chiung An Chen, Kuo Chen Li, Patricia Angela R. Abu

Ateneo Laboratory for Intelligent Visual Environments

The severity of periodontitis can be analyzed by calculating the loss of alveolar crest (ALC) level and the level of bone loss between the tooth’s bone and the cemento-enamel junction (CEJ). However, dentists need to manually mark symptoms on periapical radiographs (PAs) to assess bone loss, a process that is both time-consuming and prone to errors. This study proposes the following new method that contributes to the evaluation of disease and reduces errors. Firstly, innovative periodontitis image enhancement methods are employed to improve PA image quality. Subsequently, single teeth can be accurately extracted from PA images by object detection with …

Denoising And Super-Resolution Of In-Vitro 4e Flow Mri In A Stenotic Phantom Model Using Physics-Informed Neural Networks., Shrouk M. Wally

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, the use of 4D flow MRI has revolutionized cardiovascular imag- ing by providing comprehensive data on blood flow dynamics over time. However, the limited spatial and temporal resolution of this imaging modality can hinder the accurate assessment of complex hemodynamic phenomena. This thesis explores the application of Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs) to enhance the resolution of 4D flow MRI data, thereby improving its clinical utility. PINNs are a class of neural networks that integrate physical laws into their training process. By embedding these physics equations, PINNs can discover the underlying physics of fluid dynamics to produce more …

Novel Sensors, Algorithms And Metrics For Human-Robot Interaction., Henry Lee Reynolds

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The increased presence and deployment of robotics in sectors such as the medical field results in the demand for robots to, directly and indirectly, interface with people and their environment, making human-robot interaction (HRI) a vital thrust of robotics research. Assistive robots, for example, aid humans in accomplishing tasks or by providing support in the workforce. As the demand for nurses and the aging population increases, the assistive robots deployed will be deeply rooted in environments that require constant interaction with humans. This work contributed to improving aspects of HRI through 1) Expanding accessibility of the methods used for interfacing …

Development Of 3d Human Cardiovascular And Cancer Tissue Model Within A Self-Driven Microfluidic Platform For Preclinical Drug Screening, Aibhlin Alexis Esparza

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

According to the American Heart Association and World Health Organization, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide. Monolayer cell culture (2D) and animal models are conventional methods to study CVDs, however, they limit researcherâ??s ability to simulate the human cardiovascular cellular microenvironments and accurate predication of pharmaceutical drug responses. Human induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs), biomaterials, and microfluidic technologies can be combined to create a controlled, reproducible 3D platform to study physiologically-relevant cellular responses to biochemical and physical changes in the microenvironment. My dissertation work demonstrates the development of novel self-driven microfluidic devices designed with …

Modification Of Time-Domain Terahertz Spectroscopy System To Polarimetry Imaging System With Application To Human Breast Cancer Surgical Specimen, Nikita Gurjar

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Breast-conserving therapy (lumpectomy) is one of the most performed breast cancer surgeries in the United States. The best outcome of lumpectomy surgery is achieved when the surgical margins are free of cancer. When remnants of cancer are detected at the surgical margins after the initial operation, a second operation will be required to remove the cancer. Unfortunately, a significant number of patients undergo breast conserving surgery (BCS) at local hospitals that do not have access to immediate on-site pathology leading to high rates of re-excision or reoperation (greater than 30%). Therefore, there is a significant need for new intraoperative technology …