Biomedical Commons^™

Microwave Dielectroscopy Of Breast Tissue Phantoms In The 5.8-40 Ghz Range, Binh Tran

Electrical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Based on the high contrast in dielectric properties between the low-water-contain sample and the high-water-content one, we can determine whether the tissue sample is cancerous or normal. In order to make the measurement repeatable and convenient, some phantom materials, which have the same dielectric properties of human tissues, have been prepared. These phantom tissues are made from gelatin, water with honey syrup and Sodium Chloride (NaCl). In this project, we are going to measure and compare the dielectric properties of different types of phantom tissues by using focused beam antennas. The purpose of this project is to perform a systematic …

Dna Comparison Chip: Circuit Design And Evaluation, Tushar Bajaj

Electrical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this project was to: First, design a microchip that is capable of comparing strings of DNA sequences. Second, evaluate the functioning of such a microchip and how it can implemented in various real world applications. Physically, this microchip will act as an attachment to any computer. The computer will send two strings of DNA sequences-one library string and one pattern string-and the chip will output the number of matches that exist between the two strings (at a given position of the pattern string with respect to the library string). The circuit design is based on a 600 …

Fluorescent Si Nanoparticle-Based Electrode For Sensing Biomedical Substances, Gang Wang, Siu-Tung Yau, Kevin Mantey, Munir H. Nayfeh

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

We have been studying the miniaturization of silicon crystals and the transition from the solid state to the atomistic state. We demonstrated the existence of “sweet spots” in cluster size in the range 1–3nm that have enhanced chemical, structural, and photo stability. The particles are produced by an electrochemical etching process as dispersion in liquid, and they are reconstituted in films, patterns, alloys, or spread on chips to produce super chips. Unlike bulk, these Si nanoparticle configurations have a spectacular ability to glow in distinct RGB colors. In this paper we describe an electrode sensor built by decorating metal or …

In Vivo Ultrasonic Attenuation Slope Estimates For Detecting Cervical Ripening In Rats: Preliminary Results, Timothy A. Bigelow, Barbara L. Mcfarlin, William D. O'Brien Jr., Michael L. Oelze

Timothy A. Bigelow

To effectively postpone preterm birth, cervical ripening needs to be detected and delayed. As the cervix ripens, the spacing between the collagen fibers increases and fills with water, hyaluronan, decorin, and enzymes suggesting that the ultrasonic attenuation of the cervix should decrease. The decrease in ultrasonic attenuation may be detectable, leading to an effective means of detecting cervical ripening. Herein, the traditional attenuation slope-estimation algorithm based on measuring the downshift in center frequency of the ultrasonic backscattered signal with propagation depth was modified and applied to the cervix of rats. The modified algorithm was verified using computer simulations and an …

Microfluidic Devices For Terahertz Spectroscopy Of Biomolecules, P. A. George, W. Hui, F. Rana, Benjamin G. Hawkins, A. E. Smith, B. J. Kirby

Faculty Publications

We demonstrate microfluidic devices for terahertz spectroscopy of biomolecules in aqueous solutions. The devices are fabricated out of a plastic material that is both mechanically rigid and optically transparent with near-zero dispersion in the terahertz frequency range. Using a low-power terahertz time-domain spectrometer, we experimentally measure the absorption spectra of the vibrational modes of bovine serum albumin from 0.5–2.5 THz and find good agreement with previously reported data obtained using large-volume solutions and a high-power free-electron laser. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of performing high sensitivity terahertz spectroscopy of biomolecules in aqueous solutions with detectable molecular quantities as small as …

Mems Transducer For Hearing Aid Device, Houwen Tang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A study of implantable middle ear MEMS piezoelectric transducer for hearing aids was developed. The physical vibration deflection at the tip of the transducer is simulated using finite element method. Further, a study of thermoelastic damping effect of four designed MEMS mirrors used as resonators is presented. An optical measurement system based on Mach-Zehnder interferometer is

Stereolithography Of Poly(Ethylene Glycol) Hydrogels With Application In Tissue Engineering As Peripheral Nerve Regeneration Scaffolds, Karina Arcaute

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In recent years, rapid prototyping (RP) technologies initially developed to create prototypes prior to production for the automotive, aerospace, and other industries, have found applications in tissue engineering (TE). Several different RP technologies are being used to fabricate biocompatible 3D structures with controlled micro- and macro-scale characteristics. The focus of this research was to explore the capabilities of the RP technology, stereolithography (SL), for creating complex, 3D scaffolds with applications in TE using a photocrosslinkable biopolymer, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). The primary objective was to create an implantable multi-lumen nerve guidance conduit (NGC) for the regeneration of peripheral nerves.

Studies of …

Assessment Of Human Muscle Fatigue From Surface Emg Signals Recorded During Isometric Voluntary Contractions By Using A Cosine Modulated Filter Bank, Cristhian Mauricio Potes

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Human muscle fatigue involves both a decrease in the frequency and increase in the amplitude of a surface electromyographic (EMG) signal. Muscle fatigue is also related to a decrease of the force impeding to reach the same initial level of the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). To determine muscle fatigue indices, a method is proposed by decomposing a surface EMG signal into 32-subbands. This decomposition was attained by using a cosine modulated filter bank. The

surface EMG signals analyzed during this research were recorded during isometric voluntary contractions. Both the instantaneous mean frequency (IMF) and the instantaneous amplitude (IA) are estimated …

An Efficient Algorithm For Biomarker Identification, Jiang Li, Rick Mckenzie, Lisa Cazares, Richard Drake, John Semmens

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Microfluidic Devices For Terahertz Spectroscopy Of Biomolecules, P. A. George, W. Hui, F. Rana, Benjamin G. Hawkins, A. E. Smith, B. J. Kirby

Benjamin G. Hawkins

We demonstrate microfluidic devices for terahertz spectroscopy of biomolecules in aqueous solutions. The devices are fabricated out of a plastic material that is both mechanically rigid and optically transparent with near-zero dispersion in the terahertz frequency range. Using a low-power terahertz time-domain spectrometer, we experimentally measure the absorption spectra of the vibrational modes of bovine serum albumin from 0.5–2.5 THz and find good agreement with previously reported data obtained using large-volume solutions and a high-power free-electron laser. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of performing high sensitivity terahertz spectroscopy of biomolecules in aqueous solutions with detectable molecular quantities as small as …