Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

Dental Students’ Psychological Stress: A Comprehensive Investigation Of Stress Inducing Factors At Mohammed Vi University Of Sciences And Health, Latifa El Mouden, Elmehdi Fettach

Health Sciences

Dental students are significantly confronted with mental health problems. We conducted a prospective recruitment of students at the Faculty of Dentistry of the Mohammed VI University of Sciences and Health to investigate the determinants of stress specific to this population in order to find solutions to improve their quality of life. In our study, 410 students responded to the survey, the average age of the students was 21.51 ± 2.102 years, 70% were female, 30% were in their 6th year, and 60% of the students were from Casablanca. The average MSP-25B score was 101.94 ± 33.035. In our study, there …

Pharmacology Of Boldine: Summary Of The Field And Update On Recent Advances, Juan C. Sáez, Justin C. Burrell, Catherine M. Cahill, D. Kacy Cullen, Lakshmi A. Devi, Ryan J. Gilbert, Zachary A. Graham, Vadim J. Gurvich, Leif A. Havton, Ravi Iyengar, Rajesh Khanna, Edmund F. Palermo, Mustafa Siddiq, Carlos A. Toro, Walter Vasquez, Wei Zhao, Christopher P. Cardozo

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Over the past decade, boldine, a naturally occurring alkaloid found in several plant species including the Chilean Boldo tree, has garnered attention for its efficacy in rodent models of human disease. Some of the properties that have been attributed to boldine include antioxidant activities, neuroprotective and analgesic actions, hepatoprotective effects, anti-inflammatory actions, cardioprotective effects and anticancer potential. Compelling data now indicates that boldine blocks connexin (Cx) hemichannels (HCs) and that many if not all of its effects in rodent models of injury and disease are due to CxHC blockade. Here we provide an overview of boldine's pharmacological properties, including its …

Instantaneous Generation Of Subject-Specific Finite Element Models Of The Hip Capsule, Ahilan Anantha-Krishnan, Casey A. Myers, Clare K. Fitzpatrick, Chadd W. Clary

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Subject-specific hip capsule models could offer insights into impingement and dislocation risk when coupled with computer-aided surgery, but model calibration is time-consuming using traditional techniques. This study developed a framework for instantaneously generating subject-specific finite element (FE) capsule representations from regression models trained with a probabilistic approach. A validated FE model of the implanted hip capsule was evaluated probabilistically to generate a training dataset relating capsule geometry and material properties to hip laxity. Multivariate regression models were trained using 90% of trials to predict capsule properties based on hip laxity and attachment site information. The regression models were validated using …

Cellular Level Changes Induced In Cancer Cells Due To Microgravity, Sai Deepika Reddy Yaram

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The increase in human activity in space has revealed several kinds of physiological challenges brought on by the absence of Earth's gravitational pull. NASA observed that during spaceflight, astronauts experience a 1-1.5% monthly loss in the mineral density of weight-bearing bones, with rehabilitation efforts on Earth often proving ineffective. This issue extends to muscles, the neuro vestibular system, the cardiovascular system, and vision. Cancer has emerged as a significant cause of mortality among astronauts, with studies up to 2017 showing that 41.3% of natural cause deaths among U.S. astronauts were due to cancer, primarily due to space radiation exposure. Cancer …

Transparent And Conductive Gallium Oxide Electrode For Simultaneous Recording And Optogenetic Stimulation, Christopher Patrick Carey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Neural electrode technology has been around for centuries since the times of Galvani. In early electrophysiology experiments metal wires were used to induce contractions in dissected animals. The metal wire electrode has since been a standard tool to both stimulate and record neural activity. In the past two decades, a new strategy for neural stimulation has been formulated based on the emergent field of optogenetics. Optogenetics refers to the use of light-sensitive proteins genetically imbedded in the membrane of a neuron to elicit neural activity. This technique offers more selectivity in the stimulation of neurons. Typical optogenetic neural electrodes, or …

4d Epr Oximetry Imaging For 4d Bioprinting And Tissue Engineering, Sajad Sarvari

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Bioprinting, akin to 3D printing, employs cell-laden hydrogels such as GelMA (Gelatine Methacrylate) and Alginate instead of plastic or resin to create biological structures. The printing process followed by subsequent tissue maturation is known as 4D bioprinting, where the fourth dimension is time. Ensuring adequate and consistent oxygen, O2, supply within 3D bioprint volume over the entire maturation period process is crucial, as even transient hypoxia can impact cellular behavior and phenotypes. However, printing of fully developed vasculature remains an unresolved technical challenge. Several approaches to chemically (peroxides) or biologically (photosynthesis) generate oxygen during bioprint maturation have been proposed. However, …

Guardians Of The Catheters, Interprofessional Collaboration Reduced Cauti Rates At Phfh, Dawn Doud, Angela Shemwell, Stephanie Brown, Tobi Bryan, Georgia Gauron, Tasha Anisimov, Peter Weitzman, Emma Peterson, Tiffanie Rampley

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Abstract Title: A Quality Improvement Project to Reduce CAUTIs on Inpatient Units

Objectives:

1. Participants will be able to understand how interprofessional collaboration contributed to CAUTI reduction on inpatient acute care units.
2. Participants will be able to understand education nurses completed to reduce CAUTI rates on inpatient acute care units.

Purpose/Aims:

To reduce CAUTI rates for adult inpatients admitted to the acute care units: Progressive Care Unit (PCU), Surgical/Orthopedics, Medical/Oncology, and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Background

An increase in CAUTI rates for adults admitted to inpatient units was identified in January of 2024. The CAUTI rate at that time was …

Infant Molds For Cleft Deformities, Hannah Brunow, Drew Reinbolt, Rhonda Troyer, Christian Miller

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Cleft lip and palate are very common birth defects where the roof of a baby's mouth and lip do not form properly while in the womb. Babies born with cleft lip or palate can undergo surgery after going through a process to make the initial gap smaller through incrementally smaller, retainer-like appliances. We will be trying to find a way to improve the pre-surgery process by implementing 3D printing. We will be performing this research for a craniofacial orthodontist at Akron Children's Hospital. We hope that our success will lead to a decrease in the amount of time spent making …

Degradable Staples And Delivery Device, Meha Elango, Jessica Cabrera, Makayla Scarpitti, Kareemat Melaiye

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The scope of this project is to design a method to secure skin grafts to healthy tissue. The ultimate goal for the proposed method is to be dissolvable in some form. Currently, skin grafts procedures utilize staples in most cases to hold a skin graft in place, but there are disadvantages that come with it. Staples are easy to place, but time consuming during the removal procedure. They also cause a lot of pain and discomfort for the patient. The goal of this project is to determine a way a secure skin grafts to healthy skin in order to reduce …

Custom Mobility Aid - Exoskeleton, Jenna Rentsch, Mackenzie Yu, Perry Antalek, Joseph Wisniewski

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Injuries to the spinal cord can cause major mobility deficits, paralysis, and even death. Our client is an adult male who has suffered fractures to the C4 and C5 vertebrae resulting in partial nerve damage and loss of mobility in the lower extremities, primarily on the left side. He complains of significant loss of function and frequent falls due to an inability to fully pick-up his left foot and hold his hip in flexion during swing phase of gait. He describes his walking as a "stuttered walk" and frequently complains that his left foot drags and drops during steps. The …

Aggregation-Induced Emission Probe For Alzheimer's Detection And Treatment Screening, Gemini Ramlo

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The proposed project is to research if ROF-2, an aggregation-induced emitter, can be used to screen medications for Alzheimer's Disease and to accurately detect this disease, along with its progression. This will be done through multiple incubation periods using different identifiers that have already been solidified within Alzheimer's research to prove its ability and accuracy within screening and detection regarding this disease.

Wavelet-Based Harmonization Of Local And Global Model Shifts In Federated Learning For Histopathological Images, W. Farzana, A. Temtam, K. M. Iftekharuddin

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Federated Learning (FL) is a promising machine learning approach for development of data-driven global model using collaborative local models across multiple local institutions. However, the heterogeneity of medical imaging data is one of the challenges within FL. This heterogeneity is caused by the variation in imaging scanner protocols across institutions, which may result in weight shift among local models leading to deterioration in predictive accuracy of global model. The prevailing approaches involve applying different FL averaging techniques to enhance the performance of the global model, ignoring the distinct imaging features of the local domain. In this work, we address both …

Advancing Chronic Kidney Disease Prediction Through Machine Learning And Deep Learning With Feature Analysis, Shiddarth Dey Tusar, S. M. Ahad Ali Chowdhury, Md. Jalal Uddin Chowdhury, Rana M. Pir, H. M. Nur A. Alam, Muhammad Rezaur Rahman, Md. Nural Absar Siddiky, Muhammad Enayetur Rahman

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Chronic Kidney Diesease (CKD) is a significant health issue, ranking as the fourth leading cause of mortality worldwide. The traditional diagnosis and treatment process, reliant on medical experts, is time-consuming. Therefore, thereis an urgent need for more efficient diagnostic methods to improve patient outcomes and reduce mortality rates. In this study, we employ Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) techniques to predict CKD based on important features. Feature analysis was performed using a correlation matrix and the LASSO algo-rithm to identify the most relevant features for model training. We evaluated several ML and DL classifiers, including Logistic Regression (LR), …

Potential Role Of Ttt Complex In Regulating Dna Replication Checkpoint In The Fission Yeast Schizosaccharomyces Pombe, Sankhadip Bhadra

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

DNA replication can be perturbed by various agents that slow or stall the replication forks, causing replication stress. If undetected, stressed forks may collapse, causing mutagenic DNA damage or cell death. In response to replication stress and DNA damage, the eukaryotic cell activates the DNA replication checkpoint (DRC) and DNA damage checkpoint (DDC) pathways to promote DNA synthesis, repair, and cell survival. The two cell cycle checkpoint pathways are controlled by the protein sensor kinases Rad3 (hATR/scMec1) and Tel1 (hATM/scTel1) in fission yeast, although Tel1 plays a minimal role in checkpoint functions. Rad3 and Tel1 belong to a family of …

Tympanostomy Tube Efficiency Study, Reem Ghumrawi, Kristi Weir

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The ventilation of the middle ear, crucial for maintaining optimal ear health, is often impeded by factors such as swelling, inflammation, and mucus in the eustachian tubes, particularly during upper respiratory infections or allergies. This issue, prevalent in children due to their narrow and horizontal eustachian tubes, prompts the insertion of tympanostomy tubes by ENT surgeons to establish an alternative airway for pressure equalization and fluid drainage. Despite the common belief in the effectiveness of these tubes, there is a notable dearth of research validating their optimal functionality. This study aims to address this gap by systematically comparing the efficiency …

The Impact Of Modern Buildings On Traditional Urban Environments And Urban Identity, Ann S. Ibrahim

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

Contemporary cities face significant challenges in integrating modern buildings into traditional urban environments while preserving urban identity. This study focuses on the relationship between modern architecture and urban heritage. The research problem revolves around how modern buildings affect urban identity in traditional areas, and whether they can interact positively with the urban context without distorting its traditional character.

The study aims to analyze this impact by examining a range of global examples using architectural indicators such as visual integration, spatial integration, material harmony, urban scale, accessibility, and environmental impact. A three-point scale (weak, partial, excellent) was applied to assess each …

Novel Approaches To Treatment Of Hyperexcitability In Skeletal Muscle, Phillip Vance Walker Ii

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Myotonia Congenita (MC) is a rare, inherited ion channelopathy caused by a loss-of-function mutation in the CLCN1 gene. The resulting downregulation of the skeletal muscle chloride channel (ClC-1) results in hyperexcitable skeletal muscle fibers that fire action potentials involuntarily. Patients with MC suffer from debilitating stiffness due to myotonia, described clinically as delayed muscle relaxation following voluntary contraction. Skeletal muscle is a unique system we use in this study to advance our understanding of the pathophysiology underlying MC, and other channelopathies characterized by hyperexcitable cells (i.e., forms of epilepsy and cardiac arrhythmia). Furthermore, re-assessing what makes anti-myotonic drugs such as …

A Novel In-Vitro Approach To Investigate The Molecular Interaction Between Inhaled Particles And The Human Pulmonary Surfactant System, Bryan Mayville

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The deployment of military personnel to austere environments poses significant pulmonary health risks from inhalation of particulates including sand, dust, pollution, and heavy machinery exhaust. When particles are less than 10 µm in diameter, they can penetrate deep within the alveoli and embed within the protective lung surfactant monolayer. Here, absorption of surfactant lipids to the particle surface disrupts the essential monolayer configuration needed to reduce surface tension and prevent atelectasis, thus leading to disease. Currently, there are no in vitro surfactant-producing lung cell models capable of studying the effects of inhaled particles on the human pulmonary surfactant system. A549 …

Insights Into Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis: Novel Mechanisms And Treatments, Christopher Dupont

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis (hyperKPP) is an inherited channelopathy that leads to incapacitating episodes marked by severe skeletal muscle weakness or total paralysis, often accompanied by muscular stiffness (myotonia). The periods of muscle dysfunction are thought to be caused by the elevation in extracellular potassium (K). This autosomal dominant disorder is associated with mutations in the skeletal muscle voltage-gated sodium channel (Nav1.4). A multitude of inciting factors have been documented, including rest post-exertion, a potassium-rich diet, exposure to cold temperatures, psychological stressors, and fatigue. Given the variability of the triggers and the debilitating manifestation of symptoms, individuals afflicted by hyperKPP have …

Comparative Analysis Of Motoneuronal C-Bouton Structural Alterations In Als And Aging, Shelby Nicole Ward

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor neuron (MN) death resulting in paralysis and eventually death. ALS has greater prevalence in older populations sharing characteristics with aging like muscle weakness and MN type specific degeneration. MNs innervate skeletal muscles and control muscle contraction through their excitability which is altered in both conditions. C-Boutons are a cholinergic, excitatory synaptic input to MNs and have been studied in ALS and aging but have produced inconsistent findings and undesired gaps. We used immunohistochemistry to label mouse lumbar spinal cord and separate MN types. 60x imaging and automated analysis was …

Sex-Driven Alterations In Aging Alpha Motoneurons: Exploring Size, Type, Density, And Kv2.1 Channel Expression, Kalin R. Gerber

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This research explores how motor neurons (MNs) and Kv2.1 clustering change with age, emphasizing sex differences and MN subtypes. We found that MN density decreases with age in both sexes, while soma size increases in male mice. FF MNs were the most affected, and old weak mice had smaller MNs than their stronger counterparts, underscoring FF MN vulnerability. Baseline studies revealed that FF and FI MNs have larger Kv2.1 clusters compared to FR and S MNs. Female mice had smaller, denser Kv2.1 clusters than male mice, suggesting less clustering in females. With age, Kv2.1 clusters grew larger but became less …

Adaptation Of A Commercially Available Galvanic Skin Response Sensor To Measure Respiration Across The Chest For Heart Rate Variability Monitoring, Breno C. Dobal

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a naturally occurring cardiovascular phenomenon referring to the changing timing between consecutive heartbeats. The connection between HRV and overall cardiovascular health and autonomic nervous system function has been well established through prior research and well documented in existing literature. The existing studies, however, included shorter HRV subject recording session, using traditional HRV monitoring methods that do not typically combine electrocardiogram (ECG), seismocardiogram (SCG) and galvanic skin response (GSR) respiration monitoring. The inclusion of longer HRV subject recording may allow for further insight on the possible effects of given observable biological phenomenon on HRV.

The current …

Economic Profitability Of Sustainable Buildings Industry, Mohanad Ibrahim Altuma, Hanadi Abdulridha Lateef, Ayad Abdulkhaleq Al-Yousuf

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

The increasing global awareness of the Earth's deteriorating condition and the unpredictable effects of climate change has given rise to worldwide phenomena that impact several elements like the economy, agricultural security, water availability, and energy supplies. Buildings contribute significantly to the generation of greenhouse gases, as well as the disposal of pollutants and energy consumption. Therefore, they play a crucial role in addressing environmental issues.

Although sustainable buildings are widely acknowledged as a potential advancement, professionals in the property market still believe that the upfront costs of creating sustainable buildings are significantly higher than those of conventional buildings. This view …

Designing A Visual Control Framework Based On Feature Point Analysis To Guide Robots In Uncharted Areas, Isam Sadiq Rasham Al-Ghadhbawi

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

Image processing may be made more accurate and efficient with the use of optical processing technologies. In order to make better design judgments early in the package design process, visual packaging art simulation aims to swiftly develop realistic packaging effects. Conventional simulation techniques frequently yield findings that are neither realistic or detailed, and they also take a lot of time and human resources. Optical processing-based machine vision technology can fully utilize computer vision and image processing techniques to simulate package designs accurately and efficiently. This research proposes a foundation for machine vision technologies based on image optical processing. Real package …

Salmonella Detection In Food Using A Hek-Htlr5 Reported Cell-Based Sensor, Esma Eser, Victoria A. Felton, Rishi Drolia, Arun K. Bhunia

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The development of a rapid, sensitive, specific method for detecting foodborne pathogens is paramount for supplying safe food to enhance public health safety. Despite the significant improvement in pathogen detection methods, key issues are still associated with rapid methods, such as distinguishing living cells from dead, the pathogenic potential or health risk of the analyte at the time of consumption, the detection limit, and the sample-to-result. Mammalian cell-based assays analyze pathogens’ interaction with host cells and are responsive only to live pathogens or active toxins. In this study, a human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cell line expressing Toll-Like Receptor 5 (TLR-5) …

Receptor-Targeted Next-Generation Probiotics Ameliorate Mammalian Colitis, Nicholas L. F. Gallina, Vignesh Nathan, Akshay Krishnakumar, Dongqi Liu, Rishi Drolia, Nicole Irrizary Tardi, Yang Fu, Manalee Samadar, Shivendra Tenguria, Alvin Cai, Ruth Eunice Centeno-Martinez, Timothy A. Johnson, Abigail Cox, Lavanya Reddivari, Bruce Applegate, Xingjian Bai, Luping Xu, Deepti Tanjore, Ramesh Vemulapalli, Rahim Rahimi, Arun K. Bhunia

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Introduction: a loss of intestinal barrier function, inflammation, and an elevated expression of epithelial heat shock protein 60 (Hsp60) are features of an inflamed bowel. Probiotics have been used to alleviate colitis-induced pathologies, but offer poor adhesion and adaptation to the diseased gut. We hypothesize that enhancing probiotic adhesion in the inflamed bowel may ameliorate such pathologies. Listeria adhesion protein (LAP; 94-kDa acetaldehyde alcohol dehydrogenase) aids Listeria attachment to the epithelial cells by interacting with the mammalian receptor Hsp60. Bioengineered Lactobacillus casei probiotics (BLPs) expressing LAP showed strong interaction with epithelial Hsp60, a high immunomodulatory response, and sustained epithelial barrier …

Investigating The Regulation Of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Through Fibronectin-Mediated Tgf-Β1 Mechanotransduction Using In Vitro Models Of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Michael M. Sofroniou

Theses and Dissertations

TGF-β1 is a potent regulator of epithelial-mesenchymal transtion (EMT), a cellular
transdifferentation process that promotes cellular motility and matrix remodeling, critical to tumorigenesis and metastasis. TGF-β1-induced EMT promotes the assembly of FN, which synergistically binds latent TGF-β1 to aid in its activation. The purpose of of this work is to further probe the effects of autocrine TGF-β1 signaling during EMT progression by utilizing CRISPR-Cas9 deletion of the TGFB1 gene in in vitro models of triple-negative breast cancer. The studies outlined in this work demonstrate that autocrine TGF-β1 maintains a baseline level of mesenchymal marker expression. It also functions to desensitize …

Levofloxacin Incorporated Extracellular Matrix Nanoparticles For Pulmonary Cystic Fibrosis Infections, Raahi Patel

Theses and Dissertations

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a progressive genetic disorder that affects around 40,000 people in the United States. CF is characterized by a mutation in the CFTR protein that causes dysregulated ion transport across epithelial cells, producing viscous mucus in the lung that increases bacterial invasion, causing persistent infections and subsequent inflammation. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus are two of the most common infections in CF patients that are resistant to antibiotics. One antibiotic approved to treat these infections is levofloxacin (LVX) that functions to inhibit bacterial replication, but can be further developed into tailorable particles. Nanoparticles are an emerging inhaled …

The Effects Of Various Nanoplastics On The Inflammatory Response In Primary Alveolar Epithelial Cells, Eunice J. Pak

Theses and Dissertations

As plastic pollution begins to multiply in the environment and the workplace, gradual degradation of these plastics creates an unseen threat to biological health: nanoplastics. These nanoplastics are common in day-to-day life, and have been found in various internal organs of the human body. The biological and health effects of these nanoplastics are still widely unknown, and only recently has research focused on the impacts of these particles on human health at the cellular level.

In this thesis, poly(methyl methacrylate) and three forms of polystyrene (carboxyl-modified, amine-modified, and neutral surface charge) have been tested on submerged primary C57BL/6 mouse alveolar …

The Effect Of 17Β Estradiol On Local Production Of Active Vitamin D3 Metabolites In Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Tillat Batool

Theses and Dissertations

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) has garnered attention as a sex-hormone-dependent cancer with notable responsiveness to 17β-estradiol (E₂), in which it’s tumorigenesis can be mediated through estrogen receptors (ER). The ESR1 gene encodes for the classical full-length ERα66, as well as splice variants ERα36 and ERα46. Previous studies have shown that an active vitamin D₃metabolite, 24R,25(OH)₂D_3. has pro-tumorigenic or anti-tumorigenic responses in LSCC cells with different ER profiles, and that the tumor cells have the capability of localized production of vitamin D metabolites at the cellular level when treated with 25(OH)D₃-d6 …