Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

The Role Of Obesity And Dietary Fatty Acid Content In Regulating Humeral Bone And Cartilage Homeostasis, Lauren Votava

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Objective: The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of different dietary fatty acids in the context of diet-induced obesity on bone and cartilage in the humerus. It is known that obesity increases the severity of injury-induced osteoarthritis in the knee, however it is not fully understood what pathological changes have occurred due to diet alone¹. Additionally, while it is known that shoulder osteoarthritis has a link to obesity, the alterations in this joint are incompletely described.

Methods: In order to examine diet-induced changes in both bone and cartilage, this research utilized mice that had been …

Design And Development Of A Multifunctional Surgical Device For Ground And Space-Based Surgical Applications., Brooke Elaine Barrow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the possibility of longer ventures into space, NASA will face many new medical challenges. The ability to surgically treat trauma and other disorders in reduced gravity requires reliable wound access, containment, and visualization. In collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Louisville is currently developing the AISS (Aqueous Immersion Surgical System) to increase efficiency and control of the operative field in space-based surgeries. Reliable wound access and containment is achieved by placing a transparent wound-isolation dome securely over the wound-site and pressurizing it with a saline solution. Leak-free trocars provide access ports for various surgical instruments. This system …

Materials Design With Polylactic Acid-Polyethylene Glycol Blends Using 3d Printing And For Medical Applications., Jeremiah R. Bauer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an examination of two material systems derived from polylactic acid (PLA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG). PLA is a polymer commonly sourced from renewable sources such as starches and sugars. It is a relatively strong, biodegradable polymer, making it ideal for use in the body. Even though it has a relative high strength, PLA is also brittle leading to the use of plasticizers to increase flexibility. One such plasticizer is PEG, which is a material that can exist at room temperature as either a thin liquid, or a hard waxy solid depending on the molecular weight. The first …

Tumor-Targeted Double Emulsions For Ultrasound-Triggered Delivery Of Molecular Therapeutics., Connor S Centner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, with 1.74 million new cancer cases diagnosed and 610,000 cancer deaths expected in 2018 alone. Current treatments often result in negative systemic effects and ineffective treatment of the tumor. Drug delivery vehicles have been developed for more effective local delivery methods, but many drug delivery vehicles lack spatial and temporal control. Targeted double emulsions are a new class of drug delivery vehicles which present a promising option for a high payload and controlled delivery. The purpose of our project was to develop and characterize an aptamer-chelated double emulsion …

3d Bioprinting Systems For The Study Of Mammary Development And Tumorigenesis, John Reid

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Understanding the microenvironmental factors that control cell function, differentiation, and stem cell renewal represent the forefront of developmental and cancer biology. To accurately recreate and model these dynamic interactions in vitro requires both precision-controlled deposition of multiple cell types and well-defined three-dimensional (3D) extracellular matrix (ECM). To achieve this goal, we hypothesized that accessible bioprinting technology would eliminate the experimental inconsistency and random cell-organoid formation associated with manual cell-matrix embedding techniques commonly used for 3D, in vitro cell cultures. The first objective of this study was to adapt a commercially-available, 3D printer into a 3D bioprinter. Goal-based computer simulations were …

Understanding The Mechanical Behavior Of Costal Cartilage At Their Curved Exterior Surface Via A Tactile Sensor With A Built-In Probe For Distributed-Deflection Detection, Jiayue Shen

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation is aimed to determine the mechanical properties at the exterior surface of costal cartilages (CC) and examine how they vary with the cartilage length and the anatomical sites of CC in the ribcage via conformal indentation testing which is built upon a tactile sensor for distributed-deflection detection. The sensor entails a rectangular Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microstructure sensing-plate integrated with a 5 ×1 transducer array with 0.75mm spatial resolution underneath and a built-in probe of 0.5mm×5mm×3mm above. By pressing the sensor against the exterior surface of a CC tissue with a pre-defined indentation pattern, the sensor conforms to the curved …

Non-Invasive Picosecond Pulse System For Electrostimulation, Ross Aaron Petrella

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Picosecond pulsed electric fields have been shown to have stimulatory effects, such as calcium influx, activation of action potential, and membrane depolarization, on biological cells. Because the pulse duration is so short, it has been hypothesized that the pulses permeate a cell and can directly affect intracellular cell structures by bypassing the shielding of the membrane. This provides an opportunity for studying new biophysics. Furthermore, radiating picosecond pulses can be efficiently done by a compact antenna because the antenna size is comparable to the pulse width. However, all of the previous bioelectric studies regarding picosecond pulses have been conducted in …

Comparison Of Thermal Glove Wrist-Hand Orthoses In Their Effectiveness On Rheumatoid Arthritis, Brittany E. Mott

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease affecting nearly 1% of the world’s population with symptoms such as inflammation, pain, and reduced strength [1]. Physicians and scientists work to develop pharmaceuticals and medical devices aimed at decreasing the symptoms associated with RA to better the lives of those affected. One of the most recent developments is the addition of thermal therapy gloves to the array of upper limb orthoses available to patients with RA. It was hypothesized that this study will show that orthoses in the form of thermal therapy gloves are beneficial to the patients by reducing symptoms such …

A Model-Based Approach For Estimation Of Changes In Lumbar Segmental Kinematics Associated With Alterations In Trunk Muscle Forces, Iman Shojaei, Navid Arjmand, Judith R. Meakin, Babak Bazrgari

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

The kinematics information from imaging, if combined with optimization-based biomechanical models, may provide a unique platform for personalized assessment of trunk muscle forces (TMFs). Such a method, however, is feasible only if differences in lumbar spine kinematics due to differences in TMFs can be captured by the current imaging techniques. A finite element model of the spine within an optimization procedure was used to estimate segmental kinematics of lumbar spine associated with five different sets of TMFs. Each set of TMFs was associated with a hypothetical trunk neuromuscular strategy that optimized one aspect of lower back biomechanics. For each set …

Embedded System Design Of Low-Power Wearable Bioelectronic Devices, Matthew S. Hopper

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The miniaturization of electronics in modern times has enabled the possibility of creating a “continuity of care” using small wearable bioelectronic devices. Using wearable devices, such as the Fitbit or Garmin fitness trackers, allows for the exchange of data between devices which can be used to improve the accuracy of data analysis and thus patient health.

In this thesis work, three wearable bioelectronic devices are proposed: an EOG-based eye-gaze tracking assistive technology device for the physically disabled to control a computer cursor, a battery-operated miniaturized polysomnograph that can store and transmit data wirelessly to sleep technicians and a trauma-detecting personal …

Walking Speed Differentially Alters Spinal Loads In Persons With Traumatic Lower Limb Amputation, Brad D. Hendershot, Iman Shojaei, Julian C. Acasio, Christopher L. Dearth, Babak Bazrgari

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Persons with lower limb amputation (LLA) perceive altered motions of the trunk/pelvis during activities of daily living as contributing factors for low back pain. When walking (at a singular speed), larger trunk motions among persons with vs. without LLA are associated with larger spinal loads; however, modulating walking speed is necessary in daily life and thus understanding the influences of walking speed on spinal loads in persons with LLA is of particular interest here. Three-dimensional trunk-pelvic kinematics, collected during level-ground walking at self-selected (SSW) and two controlled speeds (~1.0 and ~1.4 m/s), were obtained for seventy-eight participants: 26 with transfemoral …

Mechanical Demands On The Lower Back In Patients With Non-Chronic Low Back Pain During A Symmetric Lowering And Lifting Task, Iman Shojaei, Elizabeth G. Salt, Quenten L. Hooker, Babak Bazrgari

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

There is limited information in the literature related to the lower back loading in patients with LBP, particularly those with non-chronic LBP. Toward addressing such a research gap, a case-control study was conducted to explore the differences in lower back mechanical loads between a group of females (n=19) with non-chronic, non-specific LBP and a group of asymptomatic females (n=19). The differences in lower back mechanical loads were determined when participants completed one symmetric lowering and lifting of a 4.5 kg load at their preferred cadence. The axial, shearing, and moment components of task demand at the time of peak moment …

3d Tissue Engineering, An Emerging Technique For Pharmaceutical Research, Gregory Jensen, Christian Morrill, Yu Huang

Biological Engineering Faculty Publications

Tissue engineering and the tissue engineering model have shown promise in improving methods of drug delivery, drug action, and drug discovery in pharmaceutical research for the attenuation of the central nervous system inflammatory response. Such inflammation contributes to the lack of regenerative ability of neural cells, as well as the temporary and permanent loss of function associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and traumatic brain injury. This review is focused specifically on the recent advances in the tissue engineering model made by altering scaffold biophysical and biochemical properties for use in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. …

Radiotherapy-Induced Cherenkov Luminescence Imaging In A Human Body Phantom, Syed Rakin Ahmed, Mengyu Jia, Petr Bruza, Sergei A. Vinogradov, Shudong Jiang, David J. Gladstone, Lesley A. Jarvis, Brian W. Pogue

Dartmouth Scholarship

Radiation therapy produces Cherenkov optical emission in tissue, and this light can be utilized to activate molecular probes. The feasibility of sensing luminescence from a tissue molecular oxygen sensor from within a human body phantom was examined using the geometry of the axillary lymph node region. Detection of regions down to 30-mm deep was feasible with submillimeter spatial resolution with the total quantity of the phosphorescent sensor PtG4 near 1 nanomole. Radiation sheet scanning in an epi-illumination geometry provided optimal coverage, and maximum intensity projection images provided illustration of the concept. This work provides the preliminary information needed to attempt …

Combining Thermo-Plasmonics With Microfluidics For Biological Applications, Sharad Ambardar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this project we, for the first time, integrated microfluidics with thermo-plasmonics. While microfluidics is a popular platform allowing experiments with small volumes of fluid, thermo-plasmonics can be used for powerful particle manipulation including capturing, mixing, filtering and projection. Combined, these two techniques give us an opportunity to work with numerous complex fluids containing particles, cells, and micro-beads. Here we designed, developed and tested several devices demonstrating various aspects of this exciting hybrid technology. This required use of soft lithography, metal deposition, 3D printing, oxygen plasma treatment and several other surface modification techniques. Additional challenges were in the fabrication of …

Engaging Biomedical Engineering In Health Disparities Challenges, Maribel Vazquez

Publications and Research

Health Disparities (HD) are community-based, biomedical challenges in need of innovative contributions from Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields. Surprisingly, STEM professionals demonstrate a persistent lack of HD awareness and/or engagement in both research and educational activities. This project introduced Health Disparities (HD) as technical challenges to incoming undergraduates in order to elevate engineering awareness of HD. The objective was to advance STEM-based, HD literacy and outreach to young cohorts of engineers. Engineering students were introduced to HD challenges in technical and societal contexts as part of Engineering 101 courses. Findings demonstrate that student comprehension of HD challenges increased …

Enucleated Cells Reveal Differential Roles Of The Nucleus In Cell Migration, Polarity, And Mechanotransduction, Gunes Uzer

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The nucleus has long been postulated to play a critical physical role during cell polarization and migration, but that role has not been defined or rigorously tested. Here, we enucleated cells to test the physical necessity of the nucleus during cell polarization and directed migration. Using enucleated mammalian cells (cytoplasts), we found that polarity establishment and cell migration in one dimension (1D) and two dimensions (2D) occur without the nucleus. Cytoplasts directionally migrate toward soluble (chemotaxis) and surface-bound (haptotaxis) extracellular cues and migrate collectively in scratch-wound assays. Consistent with previous studies, migration in 3D environments was dependent on the nucleus. …

P-42 Using The Raspberry Pi For Ecl Reaction Analysis, Jonathan Swerdlow

Honors Scholars & Undergraduate Research Poster Symposium Programs

Using a Raspberry Pi and its camera module, we developed an affordable and easily available system for photographing and analyzing electrochemiluminescent (ECL) reactions. These reactions can be represented as a function of average light intensity over time, allowing for a future program to determine the concentration of certain reactants. Such ECL reactions will be useful in the diagnosis of medical conditions such as cancer without the need for expensive equipment or laboratories. The proposed system will make certain diagnoses easy and available to people across the globe and will likely require only a small blood sample. It will also be …

Can The Presence Of A 1/F Structure In Stride-To-Stride Variability Enable Us To Withstand Falls?, Jenny A. Kent, Andreas Skiadopoulos, Jordan Wickstrom, Nikolaos Stergiou

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Falls are a persistent threat to longevity and quality of life, affecting 1/3 of older adults living in the community each year. There is strong evidence suggesting that a particular pattern within our walking reflects an ability to adapt to a continually changing environment. Specifically, the stride-to-stride patterns of healthy walking have a 1/f frequency spectrum. This has been observed to degrade to varying extents with aging and pathology. The aim of this study was to determine whether the presence of this structure of variability is related to an increased ability to withstand perturbations. We hypothesized that individuals who demonstrated …

Individuals With Peripheral Artery Disease Alter Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters When Walking With Pain Versus Without Pain, Todd Leutzinger, Sara A. Myers, Iraklis Pipinos

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

This abstract compares the spatiotemporal walking parameters of individuals with peripheral artery disease at the time they first begin walking, the time when they first feel pain, and the time when they can no longer continue walking.

Effect Of Sensory Attenuation On Cortical Movement-Related Oscillations, Joseph J. Lee, Brian D. Schmit

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

This study examined the impact of induced sensory deficits on cortical, movement-related oscillations measured using electroencephalography (EEG). We hypothesized that EEG patterns in healthy subjects with induced sensory reduction would be comparable to EEG found after chronic loss of sensory feedback. EEG signals from 64 scalp locations were measured from 10 healthy subjects. Participants dorsiflexed their ankle after prolonged vibration of the tibialis anterior (TA). Beta band time frequency decompositions were calculated using wavelets and compared across conditions. Changes in patterns of movement-related brain activity were observed following attenuation of sensory feedback. A significant decrease in beta power of event-related …

The Effect Of Mg²⁺ Incorporation Into The Glass Phase Of Zinc-Based Glass Polyalkenoate Cements, Basel A. Khader, Omar Rodriguez, Mark R. Towler

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The suitability of glass polyalkenoate cements (GPCs) as injectable adhesives in orthopedics have been compromised by the presence of aluminum (Al), a component in the glass phase of all commercial GPCs. There has been considerable work on the development of Al-free GPCs which can be formulated based on calcium (Ca) zinc (Zn) silicate (Si) glasses. These materials, in terms of biocompatibility and mechanical properties, have potential for orthopedics. However, many of these experimental Al-free GPCs have setting times shorter than 60 s, restricting clinical applications. Here, the authors incorporate Magnesium (Mg) into the glass phase of Al-free GPCs in an …

Virtual Stethoscope/Otoscope Duo, Camila P. Monchini, Paige R. Mazur, Christian Navarro

Biomedical Engineering

The virtual stethoscope/otoscope duo is a medical device intended to allow patients to be seen by their medical provider via internet consultations from the comfort of their own home. This device allows patients to substitute in-person doctor visits by checking a patient’s cardiovascular, respiratory, and auditory health. This document is the statement of work for the virtual stethoscope/otoscope duo and contains information on similar products, patents, and relevant literatures containing virtual technologies that assist in patient diagnosis. Product specifications and other details for the device such as performance evaluation review techniques can also be found within this document outlining the …

Injectable Glass Polyalkenoate Cements: Evaluation Of Their Rheological And Mechanical Properties With And Without The Incorporation Of Lidocaine Hydrochloride, P. Niranjan, A. Alhalawani, S. Phull, I. Beniluz, B. Krishnan, P. Zalzal, Mark R. Towler

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Lidocaine hydrochloride is used as an anesthetic in many clinical applications. This short communication investigates the effect of complete substitution of lidocaine hydrochloride for deionized (DI) water on the physico-chemical properties of two novel glass polyalkenoate cements. Substituting DI water with lidocaine hydrochloride resulted in cements with shorter working times but comparable setting times and mechanical properties. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed that the setting reaction in cements containing DI water and lidocaine hydrochloride was completed within 24 h, post cement preparation and maturation. Further, it was explained that lidocaine hydrochloride binds to poly(acrylic) acid (PAA) due to electrostatic forces …

Asd Biomarker Detection On Fmri Images: Feature Learning With Data Corruptions By Analyzing Deep Neural Network Classifier Outcomes, Xiaoxiao Li 6984086

Yale Day of Data

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurological and developmental disorder. It emerges early in life and is generally associated with lifelong disability. Finding the biomarkers associated with ASD is extremely helpful to understand the underlying roots of the disorder and find more targeted treatment. Previous studies suggested brain activations are abnormal in ASDs, hence functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been used to identify ASD. In this work we addressed the problem of interpreting reliable biomarkers in classifying ASD vs. control; therefore, we proposed a 2-step pipeline: 1) classifying ASD and control fMRI images by deep neural network, and …

The Suitability Of Zn–1.3% Fe Alloy As A Biodegradable Implant Material, Alon Kafri, Shira Ovadia, Jeremy Goldman, Jaroslaw W. Drelich, Eli Aghion

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Efforts to develop metallic zinc for biodegradable implants have significantly advanced following an earlier focus on magnesium (Mg) and iron (Fe). Mg and Fe base alloys experience an accelerated corrosion rate and harmful corrosion products, respectively. The corrosion rate of pure Zn, however, may need to be modified from its reported ~20 µm/year penetration rate, depending upon the intended application. The present study aimed at evaluating the possibility of using Fe as a relatively cathodic biocompatible alloying element in zinc that can tune the implant degradation rate via microgalvanic effects. The selected Zn–1.3wt %Fe alloy composition produced by gravity casting …

Bilayered Calcium Sulfate/Calcium Phosphate Space-Making Composites With Multiple Drug Delivery Capabilities, David A. Puleo, Bryan R. Orellana, Mike Mcquinn

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Patents

The present invention provides for bilayered composites that provide for sustained drug delivery and support to recovering tissue(s) and areas surrounding, such as with bone tissue. The two layers degrade at separate rates, thereby providing sustained mechanical support and tailored drug delivery.

Microfluidic Technology And Application In Urinal Analysis, Jiwen Xiang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Microfluidic technology offers numerous advantages in minimizing and integrating the traditional assays. However, the lack of efficient control components of the microfluidic systems has been hindering the widely commercialization of the technology. The research work in this dissertation focused on the development of effective control components for microfluidic applications.

A linear peristaltic pump was firstly designed, fabricated, and tested for conventional microfluidics by synchronously compressing the microfluidic channel with a miniature cam-follower system in Chapter 2. The miniature cam-follower system and microfluidic chip was prototyped using three-dimensional (3D) printing technology and soft lithography technology. Results from experimental test showed that …

Muscle Activity During Maximal Isometric Forearm Rotation Using A Power Grip, Joseph Scott Bader, Michael R. Boland, Desney Greybe, Arthur J. Nitz, Timothy L. Uhl, David A. Pienkowski

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

This study aimed to provide quantitative activation data for muscles of the forearm during pronation and supination while using a power grip. Electromyographic data was collected from 15 forearm muscles in 11 subjects while they performed maximal isometric pronating and supinating efforts in nine positions of forearm rotation. Biceps brachii was the only muscle with substantial activation in only one effort direction. It was significantly more active when supinating (µ = 52.1%, SD = 17.5%) than pronating (µ = 5.1%, SD = 4.8%, p < .001). All other muscles showed considerable muscle activity during both pronation and supination. Brachioradialis, flexor carpi radialis, palmaris longus, pronator quadratus and pronator teres were significantly more active when pronating the forearm. Abductor pollicis longus and biceps brachii were significantly more active when supinating. This data highlights the importance of including muscles additional to the primary forearm rotators in a biomechanical analysis of forearm rotation. Doing so will further our understanding of forearm function and lead to the improved treatment of forearm fractures, trauma-induced muscle dysfunction and joint replacements.

No-Releasing Polymers And Uses Thereof, Megan C. Frost, Genevieve Romanowicz

Michigan Tech Patents

The present invention provides stable, photosensitive polymers that release NO response to intensity and wavelength of light, methods of making such polymers and methods using such polymers.