Other Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

Impact Of Collateral Enlargement On Smooth Muscle Phenotype, Alexander Jerome Bynum

Master's Theses

Peripheral Artery Disease is a very serious disease characterized by an arterial occlusion due to atherosclerotic plaques. In response to an arterial occlusion, arteriogenesis occurs, causing smooth muscle cells to transition from a contractile to synthetic state. Also following an arterial occlusion, functional impairment was seen in the collateral circuit. An immunofluorescence protocol was developed in order to assess the impact of collateral enlargement (arteriogenesis) on smooth muscle phenotype at various time points. Smooth muscle α-actin was used to mark all smooth muscle cells, Ki-67 was used to label proliferating smooth muscle cells, and a fluorescent nuclear stain was used …

Effect Of Size Reduction Parameters In Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Process, Brian Breneman

Biomedical Engineering

Within pharmaceutical manufacturing, size reduction is one of the most extensively used and vital unit operations. Size reduction in tablet production is achieved primarily through milling procedures, which allows for attaining product uniformity, optimizing product solubility, and improving bioavailability. Additionally, powders with a narrow range of size distribution can obviate problems in downstream processing as pertains to blending, compression, and coating as well as improve drug performance¹. The purpose this study was to characterize the effect of various size reduction parameters as a result of the pharmaceutical milling process on a lactose wet granulation formulation and chemically active …

Glucose Biosensor Using Electrospun Mn2o3-Ag Nanofibers, Shan Huang

Master's Theses

The highly porous Mn₂O₃-Ag nanofibers were fabricated by a facile two-step procedure (electrospinning and calcination) and then employed as the immobilization matrix for glucose oxidase (GOD) to construct an amperometric glucose biosensor. A notable enhancement of direct electron transfer between GOD and the electrode is observed at the Mn₂O₃-Ag-GOD modified electrode with a fast electron transfer rate constant. The biosensor also shows fast response to glucose, high sensitivity (40.60 μA×mM^-1×cm^-2), low detection limit (1.73 µM at S/N=3), low K_m,app value and excellent selectivity. These results indicate that …

In-Vivo Ct Dosimetry During Virtual Colonoscopy, Jonathon W. Mueller

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Virtual colonoscopy (VC) is a minimally invasive means for identifying colorectal polyps and colorectal lesions by insufflating a patient’s bowel, applying contrast agent via rectal catheter, and performing multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) scans. The technique is recommended for colonic health screening by the American Cancer Society but not funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) partially because of potential risks from radiation exposure. To date, no in‐vivo organ dose measurements have been performed for MDCT scans; thus, the accuracy of any current dose estimates is currently unknown.

In this study, two TLDs were affixed to the inner …

Zein Nanospheres For Gene Delivery, Mary C. Regier

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Particulates incorporating DNA provide for protection and sustained release of DNA, and thus are promising candidates for DNA delivery systems. Among the routes of administration for gene delivery, the oral route is perhaps the most appealing as it is associated with patient comfort and compliance and allows for targeting to intestinal targets for therapeutic and vaccination applications. With the goal of realizing the potential of an oral DNA delivery system, zein, a hydrophobic protein from corn that is biocompatible and degraded enzymatically, was investigated. This thesis describes the formulation of zein nanospheres encapsulating DNA by a coacervation technique and their …

Ischemia Impairs Vasodilation In Skeletal Muscle Resistance Artery, Kyle Remington Struthers

Master's Theses

Functional vasodilation in arterioles is impaired with chronic ischemia. We sought to examine the impact of chronic ischemia and age on skeletal muscle resistance artery function. To examine the impact of chronic ischemia, the femoral artery was resected from young (2-3mo) and adult (6-7mo) mice and the profunda femoris artery diameter was measured at rest and following gracilis muscle contraction 14 days later using intravital microscopy. Functional vasodilation was significantly impaired in ischemic mice (14.4±4.6% vs. 137.8±14.3%, p<0.0001 n=8) and non-ischemic adult mice (103.0±9.4% vs. 137.8±14.3%, p=0.05 n=10). In order to analyze the cellular mechanisms of the impairment, a protocol was developed to apply pharmacological agents to the experimental preparation while maintaining tissue homeostasis. Endothelial and smooth muscle dependent vasodilation were impaired with ischemia, 39.6 ± 13.6% vs. 80.5 ± 11.4% and 43.0 ± 11.7% vs. 85.1 ± 10.5%, respectively. From this data, it can be supported that smooth muscle dysfunction is the reason for the observed impairment in arterial vasodilation.

An Inexpensive Method For Creating Paste To Be Used In Paper-Based Microfluidic Devices, Kirra Marie Sankey

Biomedical Engineering

Microfluidic devices are diagnostic tools that are small, portable, and inexpensive. This makes them ideally suited for resource-limited settings. To construct a 3D device, each layer of patterned paper is stacked using double-sided tape with holes corresponding to the pattern. It is necessary to have a paste to fill the holes in the tape and provide a medium for the fluid to wick through. The powder used to make the paste is very expensive and must be bought in bulk (an estimated $1121 - $1231), so it is not convenient for the Biomedical (BMED) department to use. This project was …

A Comparative Study Of Total Hemoglobin Measurement Technology: Noninvasive Pulse Co-Oximetry And Conventional Methods, Jared S. Ruckman

Master's Theses

Hemoglobin can be measured on a variety of devices using different principles of operation. Noninvasive pulse CO-oximetry represents the latest development in hemoglobin measuring technology. The technology uses principles similar to pulse oximetry to measure total hemoglobin, oxyhemoglobin, reduced oxyhemoglobin, carboxyhemoglobin and methemoglobin. Similar to the introduction of pulse oximetry to the medical field, pulse CO-oximetry has been met with skepticism. Since the technology is noninvasive and provides continuous monitoring in comparison to invasive and discrete techniques used in other methods, CO-oximetry purportedly provides an advantage in patient care. The purpose of this research is threefold: (a) to review the …

Mammary Epithelial Cell Growth On A Three-Dimensional Scaffold In An Operating Bioreactor, Melissa Marie Davalle

Master's Theses

Mammary epithelial cells are highly efficient secreting cells. With genetic engineering, the uses of these cells could be endless. Research is being conducted on these cells to determine their full potential to the biotech industry.

This paper investigates whether bovine epithelial mammary cells can survive in glutaraldehyde-treated gelatin tubes in an operating bioreactor. Many bioreactors were developed and tested to suit the needs of the cells. Procedures were created and carried out to ensure sterility of the bioreactors. Bovine mammary epithelial cells were implanted in the bioreactors and samples of their growth were taken over time.

The Effect Of Maternal Diet On Fetal Development, Catherine Wilcox

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Using mice as a model system, this study aimed to compare the effect of a high fat diet (HFD), high sugar diet (HSD) and a control diet (CD) on fetal growth and development at the time of birth (post-natal day 0 or PND 0), post-natal day 7 (PND 7) and post-natal day 14 (PND 14). Published literature has documented the effects of a negative in-utero environment on fetal development, but currently there is limited research regarding the continued effects on development after birth. Mouse pups were harvested and then imaged in 3-D using a high-resolution micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) system. Total …

A Study Of Osteocyte Apoptosis By Region And Quadrant In Murine Cortical Bone, Jessica Kristen Chan

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

A Study of Osteocyte Apoptosis by Region and Quadrant in Murine Cortical Bone

Jessica Kristen Chan

Osteocytes undergo apoptosis to spatially and temporally initiate bone remodeling.  This study investigates the distribution of apoptotic osteocytes within different quadrants and regions of cortical bone and compares the frequency of osteocyte apoptosis to regional factors associated with bone remodeling.  Specifically, the quantity of apoptosis was compared to levels of the bone morphagenic protein antagonists noggin and gremlin.  Samples of unloaded right tibial bone obtained from C57/Bl/6 mice underwent TUNEL staining for apoptotic osteocytes and were counterstained with methyl green to detect osteocyte …

Sar Map Of Gel Phantom In A 64mhz Mri Birdcage By Fiber-Optic Thermometry And Fdtd Simulation, Chirag Mukesh Patel

Master's Theses

As implantable medical devices are being used more often to treat medical problems for which pharmaceuticals don’t suffice, it is important to understand their interactions with commonly used medical modalities. The interactions between medical implants and Magnetic Resonance Imaging machines have proven to be a risk for patients with implants.

Implanted medical devices with elongated metallic components can create harmful levels of local heating in a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) environment [1]. The heating of a biological medium under MRI is monitored via the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR). SAR, defined as power absorbed per unit mass (W/kg), can be calculated …