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Full-Text Articles in Bioelectrical and Neuroengineering

Comparative Analysis Of Takagi-Sugeno And Mamdani Fuzzy Inference Architectures With Anfis-Based Automated Rule Generation For Eeg-Based Cognitive State Monitoring, Amina Radončić, Mehrija Hasičić, Jasmin Kevrić Sep 2026

Comparative Analysis Of Takagi-Sugeno And Mamdani Fuzzy Inference Architectures With Anfis-Based Automated Rule Generation For Eeg-Based Cognitive State Monitoring, Amina Radončić, Mehrija Hasičić, Jasmin Kevrić

Communications of the IIMA

Fuzzy inference systems have demonstrated considerable promise for EEG-based cognitive state monitoring in neurodegenerative conditions. However, two design decisions significantly influence system performance and clinical applicability: the choice of inference architecture (Takagi-Sugeno vs Mamdani) and the method of rule and membership function generation (manual expert-driven vs data-driven automated). This paper presents a comparative analysis of both dimensions in the context of an EEG-based Alzheimer’s disease monitoring system operating on the ds004504 OpenNeuro dataset (88 subjects: 36 AD, 23 FTD, 29 HC). A Takagi-Sugeno system, implemented as a hybrid FSM-Fuzzy architecture, is compared against a Mamdani equivalent across four axes: inference …


Vergence Task-Based Neural Pathways With Binocularly Normal Vision And Comorbid Persistent Post-Concussive Symptoms -Convergence Insufficiency, Ayushi Sangoi May 2026

Vergence Task-Based Neural Pathways With Binocularly Normal Vision And Comorbid Persistent Post-Concussive Symptoms -Convergence Insufficiency, Ayushi Sangoi

Dissertations

Binocular dysfunctions are more prevalent in the persistent post-concussive symptoms (PPCS) population than in the general population. The most prevalent binocular disorder is convergence insufficiency (CI), affecting 3-17% of the general population and up to 10 times as many people with PPCS. CI makes it difficult to fuse or maintain fusion on targets at near, and its symptoms include double or blurry vision and headaches when performing close-range tasks such as reading, which can exacerbate PPCS symptoms. Given controversy over the subjectivity and effectiveness of diagnostic tools and symptom surveys for both PPCS and CI, understanding why CI has high …


Transcranial Ac Modulation Of Cerebellar Nuclear Activity In Awake Animals, Nuran Kavakli May 2026

Transcranial Ac Modulation Of Cerebellar Nuclear Activity In Awake Animals, Nuran Kavakli

Dissertations

Entrainment of cerebellar nuclear (CN) cells via cerebellar transcranial alternating current stimulation (ctACS) has been reported in animals under ketamine/xylazine anesthesia. Our main objective was to demonstrate modulation of CN activity in unanesthetized, freely moving animals using ctACS. Multi-channel carbon-fiber electrodes were implanted into the interpositus nucleus for recording multi-unit (MU) activity, and thin-film electrodes were implanted subcutaneously over the posterior cerebellum for stimulation. A frequency-domain-based metric was developed to quantify modulation from MU signals. The results demonstrated modulation in a wide range of frequencies (4 Hz-300 Hz) as in anesthetized animals. In contrast, the amplitude of the peak in …


Brain-Based Mechanisms Of Behavioral Impairment In Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (Fasd): The Neuroimaging Biomarkers Of Inhibitory Control, Zinia Pervin May 2026

Brain-Based Mechanisms Of Behavioral Impairment In Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (Fasd): The Neuroimaging Biomarkers Of Inhibitory Control, Zinia Pervin

Biomedical Engineering ETDs

The developing brain is highly susceptible to alcohol-induced toxicity, often resulting in long-term deficits in executive function and behavioral regulation. Inhibitory control impairments are among the most prominent deficits observed in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). This study investigated the neural mechanisms of inhibitory dysfunction using a multimodal MEG–DTI approach in 67 children aged 6–8 years (34 with FASD, 33 controls) who performed a Go/No-Go task. Source-level MEG analyses revealed reduced stimulus-locked cortical activation in the anterior cingulate cortex and significant group-by-hemisphere interactions in the superior parietal cortex and cuneus. Time–frequency analyses showed diminished response-locked beta power in the sensory-motor …


Metabolic Reprogramming Following Mitochondrial Transfer Between Idh2-Mutant Chondrosarcoma Cells And A Normal B-Cell Line, Caleb Wyckoff, Christopher Osgood, Ellen Jing, Michael Stacey Jan 2026

Metabolic Reprogramming Following Mitochondrial Transfer Between Idh2-Mutant Chondrosarcoma Cells And A Normal B-Cell Line, Caleb Wyckoff, Christopher Osgood, Ellen Jing, Michael Stacey

Bioelectrics Publications

Background/Objectives: Chondrosarcoma, glioblastoma, acute myeloid leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and cholangiocarcinoma cancers all contain mutations in the gene isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (IDH2). The mutant IDH2 enzyme metabolizes alpha-ketoglutarate (αKG) into the potent oncometabolite D-2-hydroxyglutarate (D2HG) in the mitochondria of these cancers, leading to altered cellular metabolism. Emerging evidence suggests that mitochondrial transfer between cancer and recipient cells represents an important form of intercellular communication that may influence cellular metabolism. The presence of intercellular TNTs between IDH2-mutant chondrosarcoma cells motivated an investigation into mitochondria-associated physiological changes occurring during an intercellular exchange with immune cells. A mitochondrial transfer is a two-way …


Combination Therapy With Hsp90 Inhibitors And Nanopulse Stimulation Synergistically Impedes Hepatocellular Carcinoma And Breast Cancer Growth In Mice, Christiana Dimitropoulou, Gagan Thangjam, Brittany P. Lassiter, Teresa Hooker, Ruben M. L. Colunga Biancatelli, John D. Catravas, Stephen J. Beebe Jan 2026

Combination Therapy With Hsp90 Inhibitors And Nanopulse Stimulation Synergistically Impedes Hepatocellular Carcinoma And Breast Cancer Growth In Mice, Christiana Dimitropoulou, Gagan Thangjam, Brittany P. Lassiter, Teresa Hooker, Ruben M. L. Colunga Biancatelli, John D. Catravas, Stephen J. Beebe

Bioelectrics Publications

Nanopulse Stimulation (NPS) represents a promising and innovative therapeutic approach to cancer. Heat shock protein 90 Inhibitors (HI), on the other hand, are currently under investigation in multi-drug chemotherapy trials for various types of malignancies. Here we present results of a combination therapy employing two HSP90 inhibitors (AUY-922 or 17-AAG) and NPS to ablate cancer growth. We firstly tested the inhibitors alone or in combination with NPS in vitro in N1S1 cells, and then into two models of orthotopic Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) and 4T1-Luc breast cancer. NPS + HI reduced tumor growth more than the sum of HI and NPS …


Nanosecond Electric Pulses As A Novel In Situ Vaccination Strategy For Cancer Treatment: Mechanisms, Challenges And Prospects, Siqi Guo Jan 2026

Nanosecond Electric Pulses As A Novel In Situ Vaccination Strategy For Cancer Treatment: Mechanisms, Challenges And Prospects, Siqi Guo

Bioelectrics Publications

Nanosecond electric pulses (nsEPs) are an emerging pulsed-power technology with unique bioelectric characteristics distinct from conventional long-pulse electroporation. As a tunable physical modality, nsEPs can modulate intracellular structures, membrane dynamics, and signaling pathways. Increasing evidence supports nsEPs as a promising non-thermal tumor ablation approach due to their high spatial precision, preservation of critical tissue structures, and minimal adverse effects. One of the most significant discoveries associated with nsEP tumor ablation is the induction of potent systemic antitumor immunity, particularly in situ vaccination (ISV) effects and, in some cases, abscopal effects against distant untreated tumors. Substantial evidence demonstrates that nsEPs can …


Flexible Cu Nanostructured Laser-Induced Graphene Electrodes For Highly Sensitive And Non-Invasive Lactate Detection In Saliva, Anju Joshi, Gymama Slaughter Jan 2026

Flexible Cu Nanostructured Laser-Induced Graphene Electrodes For Highly Sensitive And Non-Invasive Lactate Detection In Saliva, Anju Joshi, Gymama Slaughter

Center for Bioelectronics Publications

A scalable and facile fabrication strategy is presented for developing a flexible, nanostructured, non-enzymatic electrochemical sensor for lactate detection based on copper-modified laser-induced graphene (CuNPs/LIG). A one-step electrodeposition process was employed to uniformly decorate the porous LIG framework with copper nanostructures, offering a cost-effective and reproducible approach for constructing enzyme-free sensing platforms. Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirmed dense Cu nanostructure loading and efficient interfacial integration across the conductive LIG surface. The resulting CuNPs/LIG electrode exhibited excellent electrocatalytic performance, achieving a sensitivity of 8.56 μA µM¹ cm² with a low detection limit of 42.65 …


Peculiarities Of Phosphatidylserine Externalization By Nano- And Microsecond Electric Pulses, Mantas Silkunas, Alayna Enos, Iurii Semenov, Giedre Silkuniene, Eleni Zivla, Olga N. Pakhomova, Andrei G. Pakhomov Jan 2026

Peculiarities Of Phosphatidylserine Externalization By Nano- And Microsecond Electric Pulses, Mantas Silkunas, Alayna Enos, Iurii Semenov, Giedre Silkuniene, Eleni Zivla, Olga N. Pakhomova, Andrei G. Pakhomov

Bioelectrics Publications

Phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization is a hallmark of apoptosis but can also be triggered within seconds by pulsed electric fields (PEFs). Whether PS reaches the outer leaflet by lateral migration through electropores or indirectly through Ca²+-dependent signaling and scramblase activation remains debated. We used total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy with Annexin V-Alexa Fluor 568 and/or bovine lactadherin-FITC to resolve PS externalization in HEK293 cells placed on an indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent electrode. PEF exposures produced discrete PS-positive puncta ("freckles") within ~ 10 s after a 20-µs pulse (1.2-2.5 kV/cm) or with a ~ 1-min delay after a …


Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields For Extracellular Vesicle Engineering: From Electro-Exocytosis To Cargo Modulation, Art Neal, Teresa Graham, Mohamadmahdi Samandari, Arash Ghorbannia, Anca Dobrian, Stephen J. Beebe, Ruben M. L. Colunga-Biancatelli Jan 2026

Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields For Extracellular Vesicle Engineering: From Electro-Exocytosis To Cargo Modulation, Art Neal, Teresa Graham, Mohamadmahdi Samandari, Arash Ghorbannia, Anca Dobrian, Stephen J. Beebe, Ruben M. L. Colunga-Biancatelli

Bioelectrics Publications

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), including small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) and medium/large extracellular vesicles (MVs), have emerged as promising therapeutic vectors and diagnostic biomarkers across various branches of biomedicine. However, the clinical translation of EV-based technologies remains constrained by persistent challenges in manufacturing: insufficient yield from primary cell sources, limited control over cargo composition, and the absence of scalable, standardized production platforms. Nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEF) represent an emerging biophysical approach that can address several of these limitations. Unlike conventional electroporation, which targets the plasma membrane using microsecond-to-millisecond pulses, nsPEF delivers ultrashort (1–300 ns), high-amplitude (10–300 kV/cm) pulses that penetrate intracellularly …


Beyond The Square Pulse: Waveform Shape, Eeg Correlates, And The Pursuit Of Natural Sensation In Tens, Jason Whitson Jan 2026

Beyond The Square Pulse: Waveform Shape, Eeg Correlates, And The Pursuit Of Natural Sensation In Tens, Jason Whitson

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study investigates the relationship between electrical stimulus characteristics of shape and charge on evoked sensations and electroencephalogram (EEG) data during multi-waveform transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) of the median nerve. Neuromodulation methods have traditionally had little control over the location and quality of their associated evoked sensation (e.g., electric, vibration, touch). This experiment utilized five unique stimulus waveforms during TENS stimulation. EEG data were collected concurrently to provide an introductory objective measure of the neural responses underlying these sensory changes. Eleven participants completed three tasks (thresholding, super-threshold stimulation, two-alternative forced choice) using a two-electrode TENS approach. Stimulus waveforms were …


Mechanisms Of Correlated Neuronal Activity In The Globus Pallidus, Hamza Albawaliz Nov 2025

Mechanisms Of Correlated Neuronal Activity In The Globus Pallidus, Hamza Albawaliz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the mechanisms of correlated neuronal activity in the globus pallidus externus (GPe), a key structure in the basal ganglia. Neuronal activity in the GPe is reportedly decorrelated in healthy subjects but can become highly correlated in Parkinson’s disease. However, high-density neuronal recordings in the GPe of healthy rats reveal a surprising degree of correlated activity. This raises the question of whether intrinsic properties or network connectivity alone can account for such patterns. To explore this, a computational model was developed in which GPe neurons are represented as coupled phase oscillators influenced by experimentally derived phase-response curves and …


Development Of A Non-Faradaic Impedimetric Biosensor Based On Reduced Graphene Oxide For The Detection Of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (Bdnf), Mariana N. Martins Nov 2025

Development Of A Non-Faradaic Impedimetric Biosensor Based On Reduced Graphene Oxide For The Detection Of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (Bdnf), Mariana N. Martins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Neurological disorders affect millions of people worldwide. In the case of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the rising number of cases significantly increases global healthcare costs. Therefore, early detection of biomarkers at the onset of the disease is essential for early diagnosis. This study presents an electrochemical biosensor designed for the detection of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in human plasma, incorporating reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to enhance signal sensitivity. Dielectrophoresis (DEP) was employed to deposit rGO flakes on the electrode surface, improving conductivity and sensor performance. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to monitor changes in impedance associated with BDNF binding events, …


Impact Of Prior Exposures On Biomarkers Of Blast During Military Tactical Training, Zhaoyu Wang, Shengnan Sun, Alis Aksar Kranfli, Jeffrey Nemes, Molly J. Sullan, Andrew J. Hoisington, Lisa A. Brenner, Miciej Skotak, Christina R. Lavalle, Yongchao Ge, Walter Carr, Fatemah Haghighi May 2025

Impact Of Prior Exposures On Biomarkers Of Blast During Military Tactical Training, Zhaoyu Wang, Shengnan Sun, Alis Aksar Kranfli, Jeffrey Nemes, Molly J. Sullan, Andrew J. Hoisington, Lisa A. Brenner, Miciej Skotak, Christina R. Lavalle, Yongchao Ge, Walter Carr, Fatemah Haghighi

Faculty Publications

Blast injuries and subclinical effects are of significant concern among those Service Members (SMs) participating in military operations and tactical trainings. Studies of SMs repeatedly exposed during training find concussion-like symptomology with transient decrements in neurocognitive performance, and alterations in blood biomarkers. How prior mild TBI (mTBI) history interacts with low-level blast (LLB) exposure, however, remains unexplored, which we investigate in the present study, to identify interindividual biomarker changes from LLB exposures influenced by prior history of mTBI.


Novel Electrophysiological Biomarkers In Pediatric Drug Resistant Epilepsy And Genetic Epilepsy Syndromes, Sakar Rijal Jan 2025

Novel Electrophysiological Biomarkers In Pediatric Drug Resistant Epilepsy And Genetic Epilepsy Syndromes, Sakar Rijal

Bioengineering Dissertations - Archive

Pediatric epilepsies, particularly those that are drug-resistant or genetically driven, represent some of the most complex neurological disorders encountered in childhood. Central to their pathophysiology is a disruption in the delicate balance between cortical excitation and inhibition (E/I), often resulting from impaired GABAergic interneuron function. This imbalance manifests as aberrant network dynamics and altered neural oscillations, giving rise to seizures and long-term cognitive impairments. In this thesis, we developed a translational framework to identify electrophysiological biomarkers that (i) assess cortical E/I imbalance and (ii) map epileptogenic zones, with the aim of enhancing diagnosis, guiding surgical planning, and informing therapeutic monitoring …


Excitation And Polarization Of Isolated Neurons By High-Frequency Sine Waves For Temporal Interference Stimulation, Iurii Semenov, Vitalii Kim, Giedre Silkuniene, Andrei G. Pakhomov Jan 2025

Excitation And Polarization Of Isolated Neurons By High-Frequency Sine Waves For Temporal Interference Stimulation, Iurii Semenov, Vitalii Kim, Giedre Silkuniene, Andrei G. Pakhomov

Bioelectrics Publications

The capacity of temporal interference (TI) stimulation to target deep brain regions without affecting nearby surface electrodes remains uncertain. Using artifact-free optical recording, we compare excitation patterns and thresholds in hippocampal neurons stimulated by “pure” and amplitude-modulated sine waves, representing TI waveforms near electrodes and at the target, respectively. We show that pure 2- and 20-kHz sine waves induce repetitive firing at rates that increase up to 60–90 Hz with stronger electric fields. Beyond this limit, action potentials merge into sustained depolarization, resulting in an excitation block. Modulating the sine waves at 20 Hz aligns firing with amplitude “beats” and …


The Effect Of Liquid Conductivity On A Helium Plasma Jet And The Hydrogen Peroxide Production, Edwin A. Oshin, M. Ziaur Rahman, Chunqi Jiang Jan 2025

The Effect Of Liquid Conductivity On A Helium Plasma Jet And The Hydrogen Peroxide Production, Edwin A. Oshin, M. Ziaur Rahman, Chunqi Jiang

Bioelectrics Publications

Understanding plasma-liquid interactions and the impact of the electrical conductivity (σ) of liquid on plasma is important for plasma applications in water treatment and medicine. Ultrapure water, phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution, biological media, and sodium chloride (NaCl) solutions at various concentrations were used in this study to provide a broad range of conductivity values ranging from 0.055 μS cm−1 to 222 mS cm−1. A helium atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) impinging on liquid was generated in ambient air using a hollow-needle electrode that was powered by 200 ns, 7 kV pulses at a pulse repetition frequency of …


Development And Clinical Validation Of The Sensor-E Exoskeleton For Objective Hand Function Assessment In Stroke Rehabilitation, Madison Bates Jan 2025

Development And Clinical Validation Of The Sensor-E Exoskeleton For Objective Hand Function Assessment In Stroke Rehabilitation, Madison Bates

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

Hand function is often impaired following neurological trauma or in conditions such as stroke, limiting independence and the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs). Current clinical assessments rely heavily on subjective rating scales that lack the resolution to detect subtle changes in motor performance, which can limit access to rehabilitation. Recent advances in wearable technologies highlight the potential for hand-worn devices to provide objective, real-time measures of hand function. However, most systems focus solely on kinematics and rarely capture both movement and exerted force. Moreover, integration into rehabilitation frameworks and brain-computer interface (BCI) protocols remains limited. To address …


Cost-Effective Hierarchical Cobalt Nanostructured Laser-Induced Graphene For Enhanced Uric Acid Detection, Anju Joshi, Gymama Slaughter Jan 2025

Cost-Effective Hierarchical Cobalt Nanostructured Laser-Induced Graphene For Enhanced Uric Acid Detection, Anju Joshi, Gymama Slaughter

Center for Bioelectronics Publications

This study presents an innovative, cost-effective strategy to develop a flexible, enzyme-free biosensor for the sensitive detection of uric acid (UA). Utilizing electrochemically modified cobalt nanostructured on laser-induced graphene electrodes (CoNCs/LIG), this approach surpasses traditional noble metal-based electrocatalysts in sensitivity and affordability. The one-step electrochemical modification method is efficient and straightforward, enabling the uniform deposition of hierarchical flower-like cobalt nanostructures. These structures synergistically enhance the performance of the LIG, resulting in a broad detection range of 5 to 700 µM with a sensitivity of 6.75 µA µM cm and a low detection limit of 3.66 µM for UA. …


A Customized Large Single-Piece Bifrontal Implant For Post-Craniectomy Defect Reconstruction: A Case Study, Omid Ghaderzadeh, Ehsan Amirbeyk, Seyed Roholah Ghodsi, Zahra Namazi, Lobat Tayebi Jan 2025

A Customized Large Single-Piece Bifrontal Implant For Post-Craniectomy Defect Reconstruction: A Case Study, Omid Ghaderzadeh, Ehsan Amirbeyk, Seyed Roholah Ghodsi, Zahra Namazi, Lobat Tayebi

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Background: Large bifrontal defects pose unique reconstruction challenges due to their complex curvature and mechanical requirements. This case demonstrated how computer-aided design/manufacturing (CAD/CAM) enabled precise single-piece polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) implant fabrication, thereby overcoming traditional limitations. Case presentation: A 25-year-old male who had undergone bifrontal decompressive craniectomy suffered a severe traumatic brain injury. The autologous bone flap had been temporarily stored in a subcutaneous fat area of the abdomen for 3 months to preserve its viability. A secondary cranioplasty was then performed using titanium miniplates and self-tapping screws for final fixation. After 2 years, the patient developed empyema and a brain …


Development Of A Mediation Model Of Pain Cognition In Adult Patients With Sickle Cell Disease, Daniel M. Sop Jan 2025

Development Of A Mediation Model Of Pain Cognition In Adult Patients With Sickle Cell Disease, Daniel M. Sop

Theses and Dissertations

Pain is a hallmark of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), a genetic hemoglobinopathy characterized by chronic hemolytic anemia, vaso-occlusion, and organ damage. While acute vaso-occlusive crises (VOC) have been extensively studied, the mechanisms underlying chronic pain and its interplay with brain function remain unclear. This dissertation investigates the relationships between cerebral blood flow (CBF), fluid cognition, and pain sensitivity in adults with SCD, utilizing advanced imaging techniques and validated assessment tools.

Arterial spin labeling (ASL) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) were employed to measure CBF and brain activity, respectively. Pain sensitivity was assessed using the Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire (PSQ), and …


Coldstartcpi: Induced-Fit Theory-Guided Dti Predictive Model With Improved Generalization Performance, Qichang Zhao, Haochen Zhao, Linyuan Gao, Kai Zheng, Yajie Li, Qiao Ling, Jing Tang, Yaohang Li, Jianxin Wang Jan 2025

Coldstartcpi: Induced-Fit Theory-Guided Dti Predictive Model With Improved Generalization Performance, Qichang Zhao, Haochen Zhao, Linyuan Gao, Kai Zheng, Yajie Li, Qiao Ling, Jing Tang, Yaohang Li, Jianxin Wang

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Predicting compound-protein interactions (CPIs) plays a crucial role in drug discovery. Traditional methods, based on the key-lock theory and rigid docking, often fail with novel compounds and proteins due to their inability to account for molecular flexibility and the high sparsity of CPI data. Here, we introduce ColdstartCPI, a framework inspired by induced-fit theory, which leverages unsupervised pre-training features and a Transformer module to learn both compound and protein characteristics. ColdstartCPI treats proteins and compounds as flexible molecules during inference, aligning with biological insights. It outperforms state-of-the-art sequence-based models, particularly for unseen compounds and proteins, and shows strong generalization capability …


Use Of Electrical Bone Growth Stimulators In High-Risk Patients Following Spinal Fusion, Soumya Malhotra, Khavir Sharieff Nov 2024

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

HCA-NSU MD Research Day

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


Resting-State Eeg Microstate Features For Major Depressive Disorder Classification, George M. V. Quinn Sep 2024

Resting-State Eeg Microstate Features For Major Depressive Disorder Classification, George M. V. Quinn

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Neuroimaging studies have revealed consistent abnormalities in functional connectivity within specific neural networks that may serve as biomarkers for major depressive disorder (MDD). It is important to find inexpensive, non-invasive techniques that target these biomarkers to make diagnosis easier and more objective. EEG microstates are quasi-stable potential topographies that are thought to reflect the quasi-stable network activity of the underlying neural generators. MDD has been shown to alter features of the four canonical EEG microstates (A, B, C, D) with some conflicting results. The most consistent network abnormalities in MDD are found in the anterior default mode network, and this …


Epidural Stimulation For Urogenital Dysfunction In The Spinal Cord Injured Rat., Natasha Lorraine Wilkins Aug 2024

Epidural Stimulation For Urogenital Dysfunction In The Spinal Cord Injured Rat., Natasha Lorraine Wilkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating, life changing event that greatly impacts quality of life. SCI can have body-wide, multi-system consequences including dysfunction within the urogenital system. Challenges with the urinary system include urinary incontinence, urine retention, and detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia all of which require maintenance through the regular use of catheters. Sexual dysfunction in men, who comprise nearly 80% of the SCI population, includes erectile dysfunction, anejaculation, retrograde ejaculation, poor expulsive force during ejaculation, and poor sperm quality. The treatment for sexual function in SCI men is focused more on fertility through the collection of sperm for insemination procedures …


Hand Movement Analysis For Surgical Suturing Skill Assessment, Amir Mehdi Shayan May 2024

Hand Movement Analysis For Surgical Suturing Skill Assessment, Amir Mehdi Shayan

All Theses

To enhance patient safety, surgical education is increasingly incorporating simulation for formative skills assessment and training. However, many standardized assessment tools rely on human raters for performance assessment, which is resource-intensive and subjective. Simulators that provide automated and objective metrics from sensor data can address this limitation. This thesis presents an instrumented bench suturing simulator, patterned after the Clock Face (CF) radial suturing model from the Fundamentals of Vascular Surgery (FVS), for automated and objective assessment of open suturing skills by particularly focusing on biomechanical analysis of hand movements. For this research, 97 participants (35 attending surgeons and fellows, 32 …


Toward Electrical Impedance Sensing Surgical Drill For Tissue Boundary Detection, Harshavardhan Devaraj Apr 2024

Toward Electrical Impedance Sensing Surgical Drill For Tissue Boundary Detection, Harshavardhan Devaraj

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Dental implantation is an increasingly common procedure used to treat missing teeth. However, surgical drilling to place the implant poses a high risk of injury to critical anatomy, such as inferior alveolar nerve injury or maxillary sinus perforation. A real-time surgical feedback system sensing proximity of these critical anatomy could reduce injury risks. This dissertation investigates the development of such a system that incorporates an electrical impedance sensor into the tip of a surgical drill.

A simulation framework based on finite element method (FEM) was developed to optimize the sensor as it approached a high impedance boundary. The accuracy of …


Interpatient Differences In Neural Recruitment Patterns During Pudendal Nerve Stimulation – A Computational Investigation, Amolak S. Jhand, Luis C. Ruiz, Nystha Baishya, Ehsan Mirzakhalili, Gaurang Shah, Priyanka Gupta, Tim M. Bruns, Scott F. Lempka Mar 2024

Interpatient Differences In Neural Recruitment Patterns During Pudendal Nerve Stimulation – A Computational Investigation, Amolak S. Jhand, Luis C. Ruiz, Nystha Baishya, Ehsan Mirzakhalili, Gaurang Shah, Priyanka Gupta, Tim M. Bruns, Scott F. Lempka

Medical Student Research Symposium

Bladder dysfunction impairs the quality of life for millions of individuals around the world. Common causes of bladder dysfunction include aging, trauma, and neurological disorders. Due to inadequacies in conventional treatments, neuromodulation therapies to address bladder dysfunction, such as sacral nerve stimulation, have emerged. However, patient needs still remain unmet. Pudendal nerve stimulation (PNS) has recently gained clinical interest as a promising treatment for bladder dysfunction. While PNS has been extensively investigated in preclinical settings, there is a gap in our understanding of the mechanisms of action and efficacy of PNS as limited studies of PNS have been performed on …


Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields Increase Antibiotic Susceptibility In Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, Alexandra E. Chittams-Miles, Areej Malik, Erin B. Purcell, Claudia Muratori Jan 2024

Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields Increase Antibiotic Susceptibility In Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, Alexandra E. Chittams-Miles, Areej Malik, Erin B. Purcell, Claudia Muratori

Bioelectrics Publications

Staphylococcus aureus is the leading cause of skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs). SSTIs caused by bacteria resistant to antimicrobials, such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), are increasing in incidence and have led to higher rates of hospitalization. In this study, we measured MRSA inactivation by nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEF), a promising new cell ablation technology. Our results show that treatment with 120 pulses of 600 ns duration (28 kV/cm, 1 Hz), caused modest inactivation, indicating cellular damage. We anticipated that the perturbation created by nsPEF could increase antibiotic efficacy if nsPEF were applied as a co-treatment. To test this …


Dihydroethidium-Derived Fluorescence In Electrically Stressed Cells Indicates Intracellular Microenvironment Modifications Independent Of Ros, Esin B. Sözer, Iurii Semenov, P. Thomas Vernier Jan 2024

Dihydroethidium-Derived Fluorescence In Electrically Stressed Cells Indicates Intracellular Microenvironment Modifications Independent Of Ros, Esin B. Sözer, Iurii Semenov, P. Thomas Vernier

Bioelectrics Publications

Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation is widely suggested as a trigger for biological consequences of electric field exposures, such as those in electroporation applications. ROS are linked with membrane barrier function degradation, genetic damage, and complex events like immunological cell death. Dihydroethidium (DHE) is commonly used to monitor ROS in cells. DHE is linked to intracellular ROS by a primary oxidation product, Ethidium (Eth+), that shows increased fluorescence upon binding to polynucleotides. We observed changes in DHE-derived fluorescence in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells post 300-ns electric pulse exposures, comparing them to tert-butyl-hydroperoxide (t-BHP) induced oxidative stress. …