Digital Commons Network^™

Understanding And Modeling Pathways To Thrombosis, John Seligson

HIM 1990-2015

This research will investigate techniques to create a sensor that is responsive to methane at 23°C. The approach will use the integration of a very thin film, which changes its resistive properties when methane gas is applied, deposited atop the surface of a piezoelectric substrate. An aluminum thin film interdigital transducer will launch a surface acoustic wave (SAW) that travels under the sensor’s gas-sensitive resistive thin film. The SAW/resistive film interaction changes the SAW amplitude, phase and delay. For this work, three films, tin dioxide (SnO2), zinc oxide (ZnO) and palladium (Pd) [1, 2] will be studied. Gas detection will …

Surface Characterization Of 316l Stainless Steel For Biomedical Applications, Lawrence Cano

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Stainless steel alloys play an important role in the field of biomaterials due to their exceptional corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. These alloys have the capability to enhance the quality of a human life by altering various structures of human physiology. The close proximity these alloys have with destructive body fluids, ion dissolution is a detrimental cause from the corrosion initiative and may cause unfavorable reactions. A view on developing an improved compatible surface for the human body leads to implementation of different chemical surface modifications used for creating features that must be corrosion resistant and biologically active without changing the …

Detecting Slow Wave Sleep Using A Single Eeg Signal Channel, Bo-Lin Su, Yuxi Luo, Chih-Yuan Hong, Mark L. Nagurka, Chen-Wen Yen

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Background: In addition to the cost and complexity of processing multiple signal channels, manual sleep staging is also tedious, time consuming, and error-prone. The aim of this paper is to propose an automatic slow wave sleep (SWS) detection method that uses only one channel of the electroencephalography (EEG) signal.

New Method: The proposed approach distinguishes itself from previous automatic sleep staging methods by using three specially designed feature groups. The first feature group characterizes the waveform pattern of the EEG signal. The remaining two feature groups are developed to resolve the difficulties caused by interpersonal EEG signal differences.

Results and …

Robust Models For Operator Workload Estimation, Andrew M. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

When human-machine system operators are overwhelmed, judicious employment of automation can be beneficial. Ideally, a system which can accurately estimate current operator workload can make better choices when to employ automation. Supervised machine learning models can be trained to estimate workload in real time from operator physiological data. Unfortunately, estimating operator workload using trained models is limited: using a model trained in one context can yield poor estimation of workload in another. This research examines the utility of three algorithms (linear regression, regression trees, and Artificial Neural Networks) in terms of cross-application workload prediction. The study is conducted for a …

On The Selection Of Just-In-Time Interventions, Luis Gabriel Jaimes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A deeper understanding of human physiology, combined with improvements in sensing technologies, is fulfilling the vision of affective computing, where applications monitor and react to changes in affect. Further, the proliferation of commodity mobile devices is extending these applications into the natural environment, where they become a pervasive part of our daily lives. This work examines one such pervasive affective computing application with significant implications for long-term health and quality of life adaptive just-in-time interventions (AJITIs). We discuss fundamental components needed to design AJITIs based for one kind of affective data, namely stress. Chronic stress has significant long-term behavioral and …

An Investigation Of Physiological Measures In A Marketing Decision Task, Nelson Lerma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of the present study was to understand the use of physiological measures as an alternative to traditional market research tools, such as self-reporting measures and focus groups. For centuries, corporations and researchers have relied almost exclusively on traditional measures to gain insights into consumer behavior. Oftentimes, traditional methods have failed to accurately predict consumer demand, and this has prompted corporations to explore alternative methods that will accurately forecast future sales. One the most promising alternative methods currently being investigated is the use of physiological measures as an indication of consumer preference. This field, also referred to as neuromarketing, …

The Guinea Pig Model For Organophosphate Toxicology And Therapeutic Development, Christopher Daniel Ruark

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Organophosphates (OPs) are highly toxic insecticides and nerve agents that have been designed to inhibit the hydrolysis of acetylcholine by binding to the serine active site of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). They are one of the most common causes of human poisoning worldwide and are frequently intentionally used in suicides in agricultural areas. For this reason, there is a need for therapeutics to rescue those from intoxication. Obvious ethical concerns prevent humans from being subjected to OP exposure for therapeutic efficacy and safety testing. Therefore, animal surrogates for humans must be appropriately selected. A new paradigm, described herein, incorporating both in silico …

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.

Bioactive Lipid Coating Of Bone Allografts Direct Engraftment And Fate Determination Of Bone Marrow-Derived Cells In Rat Gfp Chimeras, Anusuya Das, Claire E. Segar, Yihsuan Chu, Tiffany W. Wang, Yon Lin, Chunxi Yang, Roy C. Ogle

School of Medical Diagnostics & Translational Sciences Publications

Bone grafting procedures are performed to treat wounds incurred during wartime trauma, accidents, and tumor resections. Endogenous mechanisms of repair are often insufficient to ensure integration between host and donor bone and subsequent restoration of function. We investigated the role that bone marrow-derived cells play in bone regeneration and sought to increase their contributions by functionalizing bone allografts with bioactive lipid coatings. Polymer-coated allografts were used to locally deliver the immunomodulatory small molecule FTY720 in tibial defects created in rat bone marrow chimeras containing genetically-labeled bone marrow for monitoring cell origin and fate. Donor bone marrow contributed significantly to both …

Enhanced Magnetoimpedance And Microwave Absorption Responses Of Soft Ferromagnetic Materials For Biodetection And Energy Sensing, Jagannath Devkota

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A combination of magnetic sensors with magnetic nanoparticles offers a promising approach for highly sensitive, simple, and rapid detection of cancer cells and biomolecules. The challenge facing the field of magnetic biosensing is the development of low-cost devices capable of superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID)-like field sensitivity at room temperature. In another area of interest, improving the sensitivity of existing electromagnetic field sensors for microwave energy sensing applications is an important and challenging task. In this dissertation, we have explored the excellent magnetoimpedance and microwave absorption responses of soft ferromagnetic amorphous ribbons and microwires for the development of high-performance magnetic …

Exploring Individual Differences In Workload Assessment, Danielle K. Boeke

Theses and Dissertations

Air Force missions continue to increase in complexity often imposing higher levels of task load from cognitive tasks on the operators. This increased task load manifests itself in increased cognitive workload and potentially derogated performance. While cognitive workload has been studied for decades, recent advances in objective workload models and physiology monitoring have the potential to provide a more robust understanding of workload, potentially allowing systems to adaptively employ automation to maintain operator peak performance. The current research sought to provide insight into the relationship between subjective workload, task performance, objective workload, and select physiology measures. Analysis of an existing …

Quantitative Comparison Of Time-Frequency Decomposed Gait Emg Signals, L. Patrick Mitchell

Theses and Dissertations

Falls in the senior population represent an immediate threat to both current and future generations’ quality of life. The results of falls can be disastrous, create a long road to recovery, and in many cases result in death. Hypertension represents a difficult-to-quantify condition which is known to contribute to gait and balance dysfunction. Accurate assessment of conditions such as these represents an area of primary investigative need. In order to meet this need, a new experimental setup is developed which combines time-frequency analysis with surface electromyography (sEMG) signals obtained during ambulation. 3-bit pressure data is acquired using a pressure-sensitive mat, …

Developing A Wireless Sensor Network Programming Language Application Guide Using Memsic Devices And Labview, Xiao Xie

Master of Technology Management Plan II Graduate Projects

The principal objective of this project is to develop a wireless sensor network (WSN) programming language application guide for junior and senior undergraduate students in College of Technology, Architecture and Applied Engineering in Bowling Green State University. Memsic device, MoteWorks and LabVIEW software are used to conduct experiments in developing WSN applications after both software and hardware platform are verified to be usable with experimental and statistical analysis. The guide is divided into six chapters including both theoretical knowledge and practical experiments in WSN area. Programs, both in nesC language and LabVIEW are improved from previous work, tested to run …

Lntegration Of Conventional Lithography And Printing Processes As A Key Enabling Technology For Printed And Flexible Sensing Systems, Binu Baby Narakathu

Dissertations

Sensors, which are used ubiquitously in a wide variety of applications, are revolutionizing the already ever-changing world we live in by providing real-time information about our surroundings. This dissertation focuses on the integration of conventional photolithography and printing processes as a key enabling technology for printed and flexible sensing systems.

Initially, an efficient opto-electrochemical sensing system, for the dual detection of heavy metal compounds was successfully developed. A novel microfluidic flow cell, with a reservoir volume of 25 μl, was designed and fabricated using acrylic. An electrochemical sensor with gold (Au) interdigitated electrodes (IDE) on a glass substrate was photolithographically …

Deveopment Of Explant Registry And Mechanical Testing Of Pristine And Explained Surgical Mesh, Colin Burns-Heffner

All Theses

Abdominal hernia repair is the most commonly performed general surgical procedure, with synthetic surgical mesh commonly used to buttress the defect in the abdominal wall. A majority of surgical mesh is made from Polypropylene (PP), which has been shown to invoke a foreign body response as long as the material remains in the body. Complications such as chronic pain require further investigation of mesh performance in hernia repair to better understand how performance differs for various surgical mesh materials. The broad objective of this thesis is to quantitatively characterize surgical mesh after exposure to human physiology in an in-vivo environment. …

High Frequency Devices And Circuit Modules For Biochemical Microsystems, Jiwei Sun

All Dissertations

This dissertation investigates high frequency devices and circuit modules for biochemical microsystems. These modules are designed towards replacing external bulky laboratory instruments and integrating with biochemical microsystems to generate and analyze signals in frequency and time domain. The first is a charge pump circuit with modified triple well diodes, which is used as an on-chip power supply. The second is an on-chip pulse generation circuit to generate high voltage short pulses. It includes a pulse-forming-line (PFL) based pulse generation circuit, a Marx generator and a Blumlein generator. The third is a six-port circuit based on four quadrature hybrids with 2.0~6.0 …

Development Of A Heart Rate Variability Measurement System Using Embedded Electronics, Naresh Kumar Velmurugan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recent advances in embedded electronics have a remarkable influence on the health care system. One of the most important applications is to monitor the health care of the patients at anytime and anyplace. In the last two decades, many researchers have focused mainly on heart rate variability (HRV) measurements. Patient's heart rate variability should be continuously monitored to help them in case of emergency. Under these circumstances, patients are required to have a HRV measuring kit for a constant observation.

The proposed project focuses on the development of a heart rate variability measurement system with the use of embedded electronics. …

Development, Characterization, And Optimization Of Process For Minimal Functional Barrier And Channel Width In Nitrocellulose Paper Microfluidic Diagnostic Platforms, Ryan Daniel Silva

Biomedical Engineering

A central goal of diagnostic microfluidics is to reduce the cost of diagnostic medicine by reducing the equipment and reagents needed to perform diagnostic tests. The literature has demonstrated that a wax printer can be used to pattern nitrocellulose paper with hydrophobic barriers to direct a sample in a defined reaction path, eliminating the need for external pumps and controllers. However, manufacturing methods for minimizing sample volume (and thus reagent volume) in a paper-diagnostic chip have not been well defined. In this work, we experimentally determine manufacturing processes for creating functional features of minimal size—effectively reducing the sample size and …

The Second Generation Of The Cccm System For In-Vitro Cardiac Tissue Engineering., Mai-Dung Thi Nguyen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. When a myocardial infarction occurs, scar tissue compensates the damaged myocardial tissue. This scar tissue increases the stiffness of the heart tissue, reduces the heart’s function, and finally leads to the heart failure (HF) disease. To have the tissue engraftment, in-vitro cardiac tissue should have the same properties as the native mature cardiac tissue. However, current in-vitro cell culture technologies fail to accurately recreate the in-vivo like mechanically physiological environment for in-vitro cardiac tissue culture, and therefore, fail to regenerate the in-vivo like mature cardiac tissue. Hence, a microfluidic cardiac cell …

Development And Implementation Of Assessment Methods For Tissue-Engineered Blood Vessel Mimics, Tanner Stevenson

Biomedical Engineering

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), the most prevalent form of heart disease, is the result of clogged or damaged coronary arteries and claims around 380,000 Americans annually. A common treatment for CAD involves placing a stent into the artery in order to open the lumen and support the native tissue—a procedure that drastically reduces patient recovery times in comparison to heart bypass surgery. However, stents do not always interact well with the body and require additions such as surface coatings or drug elution in order for additional biocompatibility. These additions necessitate extensive in vitro and in vivo testing which are expensive …

Program And Proceedings: Nebraska Academy Of Sciences 1880–2014, 134th Anniversary Year, One Hundred-Twenty-Fourth Annual Meeting, April 11, 2014

Nebraska Academy of Sciences: Programs and Proceedings

Program

Aeronautics and Space Science

Collegiate Academy: Biology

Chemistry and Physics

Collegiate Academy: Chemistry and Physics

Applied Science and Technology

Biological and Medical Sciences

Aeronautics and Space Science, Poster Session

Anthropology

Maiben Memorial Lecture: "Education, Careers and Opportunities in Engineering and Metallurgy in Nebraska," Terry Rasmussen, Nucor Steel, Norfolk, Nebraska

Teaching of Science and Mathematics

Anthropology

Earth Science

Design, Simulation, Prototype, And Testing Of A Notched Blade Energy Generation System, Henry Cabra

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation addresses the design, simulation, prototype, and test of a new energy generation system, which transforms rotational motion into electricity by the use of an innovative turbine-generator. The system is divided in two assembled subsystems that interact to finally transform kinetic energy into electricity. The first subsystem is a miniaturized notched impulse turbine system, and the second one is a millimeter permanent magnet generator (PMG) assembled into the turbine.

The conversion of biomechanical energy to electric energy, using clean and free energy produced by a living organism, is being increasingly researched [1]-[11]. These are all viable options, but advantages …

Characterizing Phantom Arteries With Multi-Channel Laser Ultrasonics And Photo-Acoustics, Jami L. Johnson, Kasper Van Wijk, Michelle Sabick

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Multi-channel photo-acoustic and laser ultrasonic waves are used to sense the characteristics of proxies for healthy and diseased vessels. The acquisition system is non-contacting and non-invasive with a pulsed laser source and a laser vibrometer detector. As the wave signatures of our targets are typically low in amplitude, we exploit multi-channel acquisition and processing techniques. These are commonly used in seismology to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of data. We identify vessel proxies with a diameter on the order of 1 mm, at a depth of 18 mm. Variations in scattered and photo-acoustic signatures are related to differences in vessel wall …

Passive Biaxial Mechanical Properties And In Vivo Axial Pre-Stretch Of The Diseased Human Femoropopliteal And Tibial Arteries, Alexey Kamenskiy, Iraklis I. Pipinos, Yuris A. Dzenis, Clay Lomneth, Syed A. Jaffar Kazmi, Nicholas Y. Phillips, Jason N. Mactaggart

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Surgical and interventional therapies for atherosclerotic lesions of the infrainguinal arteries are notorious for high rates of failure. Frequently, this leads to expensive reinterventions, return of disabling symptoms, or limb loss. Interaction between the artery and repair material likely plays an important role in reconstruction failure, but data describing the mechanical properties and functional characteristics of human femoropopliteal and tibial arteries are currently not available. Diseased superficial femoral (SFA, n=10), popliteal (PA, n=8), and tibial arteries (TA, n=3) from 10 patients with critical limb ischemia were tested to determine passive mechanical properties using planar biaxial extension. All …

Integrating Philosophy, Cognitive Science, And Computational Methods At A Polytechnic Institution: Experiences Of Interdisciplinary Course Designs For Critical Thinking, Mehmet Vurkaç

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Novel Technologies For The Detection And Mitigation Of Drowsy Driving, Samuel Lawoyin

Theses and Dissertations

In the human control of motor vehicles, there are situations regularly encountered wherein the vehicle operator becomes drowsy and fatigued due to the influence of long work days, long driving hours, or low amounts of sleep. Although various methods are currently proposed to detect drowsiness in the operator, they are either obtrusive, expensive, or otherwise impractical. The method of drowsy driving detection through the collection of Steering Wheel Movement (SWM) signals has become an important measure as it lends itself to accurate, effective, and cost-effective drowsiness detection. In this dissertation, novel technologies for drowsiness detection using Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) …

Human Cardiovascular Responses To Artificial Gravity Variables: Ground-Based Experimentation For Spaceflight Implementation, Mark Howarth

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

One countermeasure to cardiovascular spaceflight deconditioning being tested is the application of intermittent artificial gravity provided by centripetal acceleration of a human via centrifuge. However, artificial gravity protocols have not been optimized for the cardiovascular system, or any other physiological system for that matter. Before artificial gravity protocols can be optimized for the cardiovascular system, cardiovascular responses to the variables of artificial gravity need to be quantified.

The research presented in this document is intended to determine how the artificial gravity variables, radius (gravity gradient) and lower limb exercise, affect cardiovascular responses during centrifugation. Net fluid (blood) shifts between body …

A Theoretical Adaptive Autonomy Model: Real-Time Physiological Assessment Of Cognitive Workload, Dakota C. Evans

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Increases in modern-day system complexity, has led for a need to improve human performance and the interaction between the two. Three objectives: (1) to investigate physiological measures as indicators of cognitive workload, (2) to assess cognitive workload during human interaction with different autonomy levels, and (3) to develop a theoretical model for an adaptive autonomous system that changes with real-time cognitive workload measures were addressed. This effort seeks to improve human computer interaction by providing the human with the acceptable level of computer automation based on real-time cognitive state. Two experiments involved collection of measures of subject physiology, subjective survey …

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.

The Cooling Effect Of Cryotherapy On Power And Accuracy In The Pitching Arms Of Baseball Players, David Kimble Wilbanks

Honors Theses

As the human body does work, energy is released in the form of heat. The ability to perform the same action repeatedly and at the same intensity requires energy to be maintained. By preserving energy in sports, a reduction of injuries and an increase in performance duration would most likely be observed. More specifically in sports, for 200 years of baseball history, the pitcher has attempted to keep their arm warm during resting intervals of a game, in belief this would help sustain their level of performance. This study attempted to overturn this view. I hypothesized that by cooling their …