Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

Risks And Benefits Of Using A Commercially Available Ventricular Assist Device For Failing Fontan Cavopulmonary Support: A Modeling Investigation, Masoud Farahmand, Minoo N. Kavarana, Ethan Kung

Publications

Fontan patients often develop circulatory failure and are in desperate need of a therapeutic solution. A blood pump surgically placed in the cavopulmonary pathway can substitute the function of the absent sub-pulmonary ventricle by generating a mild pressure boost. However, there is currently no commercially available device designed for the cavopulmonary application; and the risks and benefits of implanting a ventricular assist device (VAD), originally designed for the left ventricular application, on the right circulation of failing Fontan patients is not yet clear. Moreover, further research is needed to compare the hemodynamics between the two clinically-considered surgical configurations for cavopulmonary …

Comparative Performance Of The Nanoscan And The Classic Smps In Determining N95 Filtering Facepiece Efficiency Against Nanoparticles, Clothilde Brochot, Fariborz Haghighat, Ali Bahloul

Études primaires

Nanoparticles are defined as particles with at least one dimension in the range of 1–100 nm. Due to the special properties of nanoparticles, they are used in many workplaces, thus leading to occupational exposure. Filtering facepieces (FFPs) are generally used in these workplaces to reduce the exposure. Many studies have measured FFP efficiency in laboratories using a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS). The aim of this study was to determine whether a NanoScan could be used to measure FFP efficiency against nanoparticles in workplaces for one type of N95 FFP. The results showed that the NanoScan gave maximum penetration and …

Alternative Upper Configurations During Agility-Based Movements: Part 1, Biomechanical Performance, Bradley S. Davidson, Kevin B. Shelburne, Moira Pyrhoda, Rachel Wathen, Nick Nelson, Sean Higinbotham, Jay Dicharry, Daniel Feeney, Kate Harrison

Alternative Upper Configurations During Agility-Based Movements

The objective of this research was to determine if three alternative shoe closures improve biomechanical performance measures compared to a standard lace closure in agility-based movements. NCAA Division 1 and club-level male athletes recruited from lacrosse, soccer, tennis, and rugby performed four court-based movements: Lateral Skater Jump Repeats (LSJ), Countermovement Jump Repeats (CMJ), Triangle Drop Step Drill (TDS), and Anterior-Posterior Drill (AP). Each athlete performed the movements in four shoe upper closures: Standard Closure, Lace Replacement, Y Wrap, and Tri Panel. Movement completion time, Ground contact time, peak eccentric rate of force development (RFD), peak concentric GRF, peak concentric COM …

Alternative Upper Configurations During Agility-Based Movements: Part 2, Joint-Level Biomechanics, Bradley S. Davidson, Kevin B. Shelburne, Moira Pyrhoda, Rachel Wathen, Nick Nelson, Sean Higinbotham, Jay Dicharry, Daniel Feeney, Kate Harrison

Alternative Upper Configurations During Agility-Based Movements

The objective of this research was to determine if three alternative shoe closures improve biomechanical performance measures compared to a standard lace closure in agility-based movements. NCAA Division 1 and club-level male athletes recruited from lacrosse, soccer, tennis, and rugby performed four court-based movements: Lateral Skater Jump Repeats (LSJ), Countermovement Jump Repeats (CMJ), Triangle Drop Step Drill (TDS), and Anterior-Posterior Drill (AP). Each athlete performed the movements in four shoe upper closures: Standard Closure, Lace Replacement, Y Wrap, and Tri Panel. Movement completion time, Ground contact time, peak eccentric rate of force development (RFD), peak concentric GRF, peak concentric COM …

A Series-Elastic Robot For Back-Pain Rehabilitation, Elhussein Shata

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Robotics research has been broadly expanding into various fields during the past decades. It is widely spread and best known for solving many technical necessities in different fields. With the rise of the industrial revolution, it upgraded many factories to use industrial robots to prevent the human operator from dangerous and hazardous tasks. The rapid development of application fields and their complexity have inspired researchers in the robotics community to find innovative solutions to meet the new desired requirements of the field. Currently, the creation of new needs outside the traditional industrial robots are demanding robots to attend to the …

The Hsp90 Inhibitor, Auy-922, Ameliorates The Development Of Nitrogen Mustard-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis And Lung Dysfunction In Mice, Pavel Solopov, Ruben M.L. Colunga Biancatelli, Margarita Marinova, Christiana Dimitropoulou, John D. Catravas

Bioelectrics Publications

Increased levels of heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) have been recently implicated in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis and the use of HSP90 inhibitors constitutes a potential therapeutic approach. Similarly, acute exposure to nitrogen mustard (NM) is related to the development of chronic lung injury driven by TNF-α, TGF-β, ERK and HSP90. Thus, we developed a murine model of NM-induced pulmonary fibrosis by instilling C57BI/6J mice with 0.625 mg/kg mechlorethamine hydrochloride. After 24 h, mice began receiving AUY-922, a second generation HSP90 inhibitor, at 1 mg/kg 2 times per week or 2 mg/kg 3 times per week, for either 10 …

Thermal Analysis Of Infrared Irradiation-Assisted Nanosecond-Pulsed Tumor Ablation, James Hornef, Chelsea M. Edelblute, Karl H. Schoenbach, Richard Heller, Siqi Guo, Chunqi Jiang

Bioelectrics Publications

Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields (nsPEF) have the potential to treat a variety of cancer types including melanoma, pancreatic and lung squamous cancers. Recent studies show that nsPEF-based cancer therapy may be improved further with the assistance of moderate heating of the target. A feedbacklooped heating system, utilizing a 980-nm fiber optic laser, was integrated into nsPEF electrodes for tumor ablation. The laser beam profile was determined to be Gaussian using a knife-edge technique. Thermal properties of the biological target were evaluated based on the treatment area, penetration depth and thermal distribution due to laser irradiation with or without nsPEF. Synergistic …

Early Acid/Base And Electrolyte Changes In Permanent Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion: Aged Male And Female Rats, Sarah R. Martha, Lisa A. Collier, Stephanie M. Davis, Sarah J. Goodwin, David Powell, Doug Lukins, Justin F. Fraser, Keith R. Pennypacker

Neurosurgery Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Early changes in acid/base and electrolyte concentrations could provide insights into the development of neuropathology at the onset of stroke. We evaluated associations between acid/base and electrolyte concentrations, and outcomes in permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO) model.

METHODS: 18-month-old male and female Sprague-Dawley rats underwent pMCAO. Pre-, post- (7 min after occlusion), and at 72 hr of pMCAO venous blood samples provided pH, carbon dioxide, oxygen, glucose, hematocrit, hemoglobin, and electrolyte values of ionized calcium, potassium, and sodium. Multiple linear regression determined predictors of infarct and edema volumes from these values, Kaplan-Meier curve analyzed morality between males and …

ระบบแบบสวมใส่สำหรับประเมินฟุเกิลเมเยอร์ของรยางค์ส่วนบนในผู้ป่วยโรคหลอดเลือดสมอง, วรพงษ์ ณรงค์วงศ์วัฒนา

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

แบบประเมินฟุเกิลเมเยอร์ เป็นแบบประเมินผู้ป่วยโรคหลอดเลือดสมองที่เป็นที่ยอมรับกันในสากล เนื่องจากแบบประเมินมีความน่าเชื่อถือและครอบคลุมผู้ป่วยทุกระดับอาการ อย่างไรก็ตามแบบประเมินดังกล่าวนั้นใช้เวลาในการประเมินนาน และผู้ประเมินต้องมีความเชี่ยวชาญสูง ทางผู้วิจัยจึงได้สร้างระบบประเมินแบบใหม่ขึ้น โดยระบบสามารถประเมินผู้ป่วยโรคหลอดเลือดสมองอ้างอิงตามแบบประเมิน ส่วนการสั่งการ ของฟุเกิลเมเยอร์รยางค์บน งานวิจัยได้ทดสอบความแม่นยำในการตรวจวัดมุมการเคลื่อนที่ ให้ค่าความคลาดเคลื่อนเฉลี่ยที่ ± 2.24 องศา จากนั้นทดสอบการใช้งานระบบประเมินกับคนสุขภาพดี มีความแม่นยำในการประเมินคะแนนตามฟุเกิลเมเยอร์อยู่ที่ 96% และได้ทดสอบเปรียบเทียบกันระหว่าง การประเมินคะแนนฟุเกิลเมเยอร์ด้วยนักกิจกรรมบำบัด กับการประเมินด้วยระบบประเมินที่ออกแบบนี้ ในผู้ป่วยโรคหลอดเลือดสมอง จำนวน 20 ราย พบว่าให้ผล R=0.888 ที่ P=0.001 , นักกิจกรรมบำบัดใช้เวลาในการประเมินเฉลี่ย 6.25±1.57 นาที/ราย ในขณะที่ระบบประเมินนี้ใช้ระยะเวลา 9.25±1.50 นาที/ราย จากผลการทดลองพบว่ามีค่าคลาดเคลื่อนสูงสุดอยู่ที่ 5.9 องศาซึ่งความเห็นของแพทย์เชี่ยวชาญถือว่ายอมรับได้ ในขณะที่ผลการทดสอบในผู้ป่วยพบว่าระบบสามารถประเมินคะแนนเปรียบเทียบกับแบบประเมินฟุเกิลเมเยอร์ มีความสัมพันธ์กันอย่างมีนัยสำคัญ สามารถใช้ระบบประเมินได้อย่างอัตโนมัติทั้งระบบ 27 กิจกรรมย่อย จากทั้งหมด 33 กิจกรรมย่อย ทำให้ผู้ป่วยสามารถเข้าถึงการประเมินได้ง่ายยิ่งขึ้น

Development Of A Single Use Device Intended To Wash Blood Clot Debris From A Stent Retriever In The Operating Room, Shane Diller

Theses and Dissertations

Ischemic stroke is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate surgical intervention to remove the blood clot that is lodged in the blood vessels of the brain. Mechanical thrombectomy, performed by an endovascular surgeon, involves inserting a stent retriever, which deploys distally and attempts to capture the clot when dragged backwards. A complication prevalent in 50% - 67% of cases is that the blood clot is only partially removed and clings to the mesh framework of the stent. The operating surgeon must either clean the debris from the stent retriever, to be reinserted or throw the stent retriever away and open …

Surface Modification Of Titanium For Orthopedic And Drug Delivery Applications, Prantik Roy Chowdhury

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Titanium is one of the most attractive metal used in orthopedic and drug delivery applications because of its excellent mechanical properties, biocompatibility and high corrosion resistance. However, due to its bio-inertness, fibrous tissue forms between the bone and implant which causes loosening of implant. Surface modification can play an important role to enhance interaction between implant and the surrounding tissues which reduces the implant failure. The aim of this study is to a) incorporate magnesium (Mg) into modified titanium surface by different deposition methods for bone-implant interaction, b) modify the surface of titanium by alkali treatment, and c) investigate the …

Physical And Mechanical Properteis Of Magnesium-Incorporated Bone Substitute Materials, Sarah E. Fleck

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Calcium phosphate (CaP) ceramics have become popular as bone substitutes due to their biocompatibility and similarity to natural bone. Although they are widely used, the mechanical and biological properties of these CaP ceramics can be improved by various methods such as combining them with polymers or ionic substitution in their crystal structure. In current research, we have used carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and magnesium (Mg) to modify the physical and mechanical properties of CaP. CMC is a derivative of cellulose which is hydrophilic, biodegradable, and biocompatible. Presence of Mg, a trace element naturally found in the body, is linked to bone …

Regulation Of Δnp63Α By Tip60 Promotes Cellular Proliferation, Andrew Jared Stacy

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

ΔNp63α is a p53 transcription factor family member that promotes cellular proliferation and survival. In squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), ΔNp63α overexpression is associated with poor prognosis and survival, implicating it as a proto-oncogene. Despite its importance in SCC, the mechanisms regulating ΔNp63α expression are poorly understood. We have identified the acetyltransferase TIP60 as a novel upstream regulator of ΔNp63α levels. We discovered that TIP60 regulates ΔNp63α via two mechanisms. First, TIP60 upregulates ΔNp63α mRNA levels. Moreover, pharmacological inhibition of TIP60 activity reduces ΔNp63α transcript levels, indicating that TIP60-cataltyic activity is vital to amplified transcription of ΔNp63α. Second, we have demonstrated …

Host-Parasite Interactions: Comparative Analyses Of Population Genomics, Disease-Associated Genomic Regions, And Host Use, Sara Rose Seibert

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Birds are major vectors and reservoir hosts of pathogens across our globe. Pathogens can be spread through the dispersal and seasonal movements of migratory and resident wild birds. Although biogeographic barriers have the potential to restrict completely or in part gene flow in wild birds, variation in ecological drivers of dispersal likely influences the effectiveness of these barriers amongst different species. This dissertation seeks to enhance our knowledge of Southern Hemisphere waterfowl species’ dispersal, population genomics, and disease ecology using population genomic techniques (double-digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq)) and multi-variate statistics. First, we investigated the roles of dispersal behavior …

Development Of Cellulose Acetate-Based Scaffold For Bone Tissue Engineering Applications, Ruhit Sinha

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cellulose Acetate (CA) based biomaterials are being used as substrates for bone ingrowth applications due to their nontoxic and nonirritant nature coupled with optimum morphology and stiffness. Electrospinning with additives and/or post-treatment has emerged as a viable protocol to further improve mechanical properties of CA and expand its utility. Herein, we highlight the role of potassium chloride (KCl) in association with airdrying to enhance the elastic modulus and tensile strengths of CA fibers. Salt aggregation in between fibers is observed through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), however, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis signifies the interactions between K+ ions and acetyl groups. The …

Comparison Of Hybridizing Options For Solar Heat, Biomass And Heat Storage For Electricity Generation In Spain, Cm Iftekhar Hussain, Brian Norton, Aidan Duffy

Articles

Diurnal and seasonal variations of direct solar energy circumscribe locations suitable for sole use of concentrated solar power for electricity generation, whereas to generate electricity at night and during winter months, biomass systems can be used that incur fuel expenditures and may encounter fuel supply discontinuities. Combining solar heat, biomass conversion and heat storage in a hybrid electricity generation plant may overcome the limitations of sole use of any one of these energy sources in specific geographic and/or economic conditions. In this work standalone biomass, hybrid concentrated solar power-biomass and hybrid concentrated solar power-biomass-thermal energy storage power generation systems are …

Increasing Performance Of Classifiers For Ssvep-Based Brain-Computer Interfaces Using Extension Methods, Ethan Douglas Webster

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Brain-computer interfaces (BCI) provide an alternative communication method that does not require standard physical mediums (speech, typing, etc.). These systems have been implemented to provide additional communication and control options for people with certain motor disabilities. Classification is an important part of BCI systems and consists of inferring user commands from brain activity. Supervised classification methods often achieve higher accuracy, but unsupervised classification methods are useful when training is not practical for the user. This thesis focuses on unsupervised classification algorithms used for a BCI speller application and presents extensions for two existing classifiers that improve classification accuracy and thus …

The Brain's Large-Scale Electrophysiological Signals : Fundamental Attributes And Neurosurgical Applications, Mohammad Amin N/A Nourmohammadi

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Brain’s electrophysiological signals are most certainly the ultimate source for studying the sophisticated neural network inside our cranium. The unparalleled complexity of these biosignalsis the quintessential manifestation of their underlying complicated neurophysiological processes. Studying brain signals on the cellular level provides valuable information regarding the brain’s electrophysiology on the small-scale. However, it is the remarkable network in the large-scale that gives rise to the brain’s extraordinary attributes and exceptional capabilities—perception, cognition, computation, and consciousness are all the emergent byproducts of the dynamic neuronal interactions on the network level. In this sense, the large-scale electrophysiological signals, recorded from the surface of …

Modeling, Designing And Applying Machine Learning Algorithms For Driver Drowsiness Detection, Mohsen Babaeian

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Driver drowsiness has been a significant hazard resulting in various traffic accidents. Therefore, monitoring this condition is crucial not only in alerting drivers, but also in avoiding fatal accidents. Many research studies propose new systems to reduce the number of drowsiness-related injuries and fatalities. The ultimate goal for a drowsiness detection system is to detect the drowsiness on time and minimize the system or environment errors to avoid false readings, such as studying physiological signal processing patterns. These potentially life-saving systems must operate in a timely manner with the highest precision. Researchers proposed various methods based on driving pattern changes, …

Titanium Nitride Nanotube Electrodes Used In Neural Signal Recording Application And Neurotransmitter Detection, Gui Chen

Wayne State University Dissertations

Electrode probes are devices widely used for stimulating and recording neural cell signals in the neuroscience field, which can convert the ion potential generated by electrochemical activities into an electronic potential that can be measured by the external instrument systems. A stable neural interface that effectively communicates with the nervous system via electrode is much important for the robust recording and the long-term monitoring of the activity of the neural signals. These probes are designed to minimize tissue damage for superior signal quality. Each probe’s mechanical, geometric, and electrical characteristics are precise and highly reproducible for consistent, high-quality results. There …

Cone Identification In Choroideremia: Repeatability, Reliability, And Automation Through Use Of A Convolutional Neural Network, Jessica I.W. Morgan, Min Chen, Andrew M. Huang, Yu You Jiang, Robert F. Cooper

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose: Adaptive optics imaging has enabled the visualization of photoreceptors both in health and disease. However, there remains a need for automated accurate cone photoreceptor identification in images of disease. Here, we apply an open-source convolutional neural network (CNN) to automatically identify cones in images of choroideremia (CHM). We further compare the results to the repeatability and reliability of manual cone identifications in CHM.

Methods: We used split-detection adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy to image the inner segment cone mosaic of 17 patients with CHM. Cones were manually identified twice by one experienced grader and once by two …

Deep Uv Fluorescence Scanning Microscopy For Breast Tumor Margin Detection, Tongtong Lu, Julie M. Jorns, Mollie Patton, Renee Fisher, Amanda Emmrich, Todd Doehring, Taly Gilat-Schmidt, Dong Hye Ye, Tina Yen, Bing Yu

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women. Positive margin status after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) is a predictor of higher rates of local recurrence. Intraoperative margin detection helps to complete tumor excision at the first operation. A margin tool that is capable of imaging all six margins of large lumpectomy specimens with both high resolution and fast speed (within 20 min) is yet to be developed. Deep UV light allows simultaneous excitation of multiple fluorophores and generating surface fluorescence images. We have developed a deep UV fluorescence scanning microscope (DUV-FSM) for slide-free, high-resolution and rapid examination of tumor …

Laboratory Versus Daily Life Gait Characteristics In Patients With Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’S Disease, And Matched Controls, Vrutangkumar Shah, James Mcnames, Martina Mancini, Patricia Carlson-Kuhta, Rebecca I. Spain, John G. Nutt, Mahmoud El-Gohary, Carolin Curtze, Fay Horak

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background and purpose: Recent findings suggest that a gait assessment at a discrete moment in a clinic or laboratory setting may not reflect functional, everyday mobility. As a step towards better understanding gait during daily life in neurological populations, we compared gait measures that best discriminated people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and people with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) from their respective, age-matched, healthy control subjects (MS-Ctl, PD-Ctl) in laboratory tests versus a week of daily life monitoring.

Methods: We recruited 15 people with MS (age mean ± SD: 49 ± 10 years), 16 MS-Ctl (45 ± 11 years), 16 …

Observing P300 Amplitudes In Multiple Sensory Channels Using Cognitive Probing, Cody Lee Wintermute

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

High cognitive workload occurs when excessive working memory resources have been deployed to resolve sensory and cognitive processing, resulting in decremented task performance. The P300 event-related potential (ERP) component has shown sensitivity to cognitive load, and it was hypothesized that an attenuated P300 amplitude could be indicative of high cognitive load. We tested this hypothesis by having eight participants complete two continual performance tasks at increasing workload levels while simultaneously performing an oddball task, evoking P300 ERPs in either the auditory or tactile sensory channel. In our experiment, electroencephalographic recordings were collected over the parietal region to observe the P300 …

Renca Macrobeads Inhibit Tumor Cell Growth Via Egfr Activation And Regulation Of Mef2 Isoform Expression, Prithy Caroline Martis

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Tumors are heterogeneous systems, whose growth is influenced by intrinsic properties of malignant cells, external systemic factors (i.e. immune, neural, endocrine, etc.), and the dynamic interactions between tumor cells and their microenvironment. Given the inherent complexity of cancers, combined with the continual evolution of tumors and the development of treatment resistance, a precision medicine approach may not provide an optimal clinical response. Exploring a new paradigm that focuses on regulating cancer as a system may not only control tumor progression but also address the extraordinary challenges of tumor heterogeneity and disease recurrence in order to improve clinical outcomes. As a …

Atv Dynamics And Pediatric Rider Safety, James T. Auxier Ii

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

It has been observed through numerous academic and governmental agency studies that pediatric all-terrain vehicle ridership carries significant risk of injury and death. While no doubt valuable to safety, the post-hoc approach employed in these studies does little to explain the why and how behind the risk factors. Furthermore, there has been no prolonged, widespread, organized, and concerted effort to reconstruct and catalog the details and causes of the large (20,000+) number of ATV-related injuries that occur each year as has been done for road-based motor vehicle accidents. This dissertation takes the opposite approach from a meta-analysis and instead examines …

Assessment Of White Matter Hyperintensity, Cerebral Blood Flow, And Cerebral Oxygenation In Older Subjects Stratified By Cerebrovascular Risk, Ahmed A. Bahrani

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

Objective: Cerebrovascular disease (CVD) is the fifth most common cause of mortality in the United States. Diagnosis of CVD at an early stage is critical for optimal intervention designed to prevent ongoing and future brain injury. CVD is commonly associated with abnormalities of the cerebral microvasculature leading to tissue dysfunction, neuronal injury and death, and resultant clinical symptoms, which in turn, further impacts cerebral autoregulation (CA). This series of studies aims to test the hypothesis that white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and cerebral hemodynamics (quantified by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and an by innovative hybrid near-infrared diffuse optical instrument) can be …

Effects Of A Hip Orthosis On Lumbopelvic Coordination In Individuals With And Without Low Back Pain, Colin Drury

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

Individuals with low back pain (LBP) demonstrate an abnormal lumbopelvic coordination compared to back-healthy individuals. This abnormal coordination presents itself as a reduction in lumbar contribution and an increase in pelvic contribution to trunk motion. This study investigated the ability of a hip orthosis to correct such an abnormal lumbo-pelvic coordination by restricting pelvic rotation and, as a result, increasing lumbar contributions. The effects of the hip orthosis on the magnitude and timing characteristics of lumbopelvic coordination were investigated in 20 patients with LBP and 20 asymptomatic controls. The orthosis significantly increased lumbar contributions by 11%, 5.42%, 4.84%, and 4.89% …

High Frequency Oscillations In The Epileptic Brain: Accurate Detection, Effect Of Vigilance State, And Sample Size Considerations, Amir Fared Partu Al-Bakri

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

About a third of all epilepsy patients may experience seizures that are resistant to medication. Surgical resection may be an option for some of these patients, but localization of the epileptogenic zone is difficult and expensive. For this process, the seizures must be observed and recorded in a clinical setting over several days. High-frequency oscillations (HFOs) have emerged as a possible biomarker for predicting the epileptogenic zone from a brief interictal recording of brain electrical activity without having to wait for seizures. The broad objective of this dissertation is to devise methods and criteria for accurate detection, sampling and localization …

Work Related Diurnal Changes In Trunk Mechanical Behavior, Maeve Mcdonald

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

The objectives of this study were to analyze effects of day-long exposure to LBP risk factors on lumbo-pelvic coordination (LPC) in nursing occupations and to verify if physical activity level affects diurnal work-related changes in LPC. Thirty-three nurses were recruited into three groups based on workplace physical demands and each completed two data collection sessions, one before and one after their 8-12 hour work shift. Participants completed several stationary trunk forward-bending/backward-return exercises at self-selected “fast” and “slow” rotational speeds, and while holding a 15 lbs. load. Kinematic data collected during these exercises were then used to characterize the timing and …