Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment Commons^™

Utilizing Machine Learning Techniques For Computer-Aided Covid-19 Screening Based On Clinical Data, Honglun Xu, Andrews T. Anum, Michael Pokojovy, Sreenath Chalil Madathil, Yuxin Wen, Md Fashiar Rahman, Tzu-Liang (Bill) Tseng, Scott Moen, Eric Walser

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of rapid clinical decision-making to facilitate the efficient usage of healthcare resources. Over the past decade, machine learning (ML) has caused a tectonic shift in healthcare, empowering data-driven prediction and decision-making. Recent research demonstrates how ML was used to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper puts forth new computer-aided COVID-19 disease screening techniques using six classes of ML algorithms (including penalized logistic regression, random forest, artificial neural networks, and support vector machines) and evaluates their performance when applied to a real-world clinical dataset containing patients’ demographic information and vital indices (such as …

Wearable Biosensors For Continuous Monitoring Of Chronic Kidney Disease: Materials, Biofluids, And Digital Health Integration, Anupamaa Sivasubramanian, Shankara Narayanan, Gymama Slaughter

Center for Bioelectronics Publications

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive and irreversible disorder affecting over 850 million individuals globally and is associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and healthcare burden. Conventional diagnostic approaches rely on intermittent laboratory measurements, including serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and urinary albumin, which provide limited temporal resolution and fail to capture dynamic physiological changes. Recent advances in wearable biosensing technologies offer new opportunities for continuous, non-invasive monitoring of biochemical and physiological markers relevant to renal function. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of wearable biosensors for CKD monitoring, focusing on sensing mechanisms (electrochemical, optical, and field-effect transistor), …

Ai-Assisted Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy For Cardiovascular Diagnostics: From Plasmonic Materials To Clinical Translation, Anju Joshi, Gymama Slaughter

Center for Bioelectronics Publications

Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has emerged as a powerful analytical technique, offering molecular fingerprint specificity and ultrasensitive detection of cardiac biomarkers. Recent advances in plasmonic nanostructures, surface functionalization strategies, and flexible sensing platforms have significantly improved the analytical performance of SERS-based biosensors. In parallel, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning has enabled robust interpretation of complex spectral datasets, facilitating automated biomarker classification and improved diagnostic accuracy in heterogeneous biological environments. Despite these advances, the field remains fragmented, with limited integration between nanomaterial design, biomarker selection, and data-driven analysis, and persistent challenges related to reproducibility, standardization, and clinical validation. …

Modulation Of Prussian Blue Redox Signaling By Molecular Imprinting For Reagent-Free Electrochemical Detection Of Emtricitabine, Abdellatif Ait Lahcen, Gymama Slaughter

Center for Bioelectronics Publications

Reagent-free electrochemical sensors offer significant benefits for rapid, affordable point-of-care drug testing. In this study, we introduce a novel, reagent-free electrochemical sensor based on a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) specifically designed for the selective detection of Emtricitabine (FTC), a common antiretroviral used in HIV therapy. The sensor uses laser-induced graphene (LIG) electrodes, renowned for their high conductivity and porosity, ideal for electrochemical sensing. To enable reagent-free operation, the LIG surface was electrochemically coated with Prussian Blue, serving as a redox-active layer. Next, an MIP-PPy film was electropolymerized onto the Prussian Blue surface in the presence of FTC as a template, …

Gender, And Socioeconomic Status In School-Based Speech-Language Pathology Decision-Making For Adolescents With Traumatic Brain Injury: A Critically Appraised Topic, Geneva Renee Toledo

Selected Full-Text Master Theses 2021-

Purpose: Adolescents are at greater risk for traumatic brain injury (TBI), and TBI-related symptoms may contribute to disciplinary actions that increase their risk of entering the school-toconfinement pipeline. Given the disproportionate representation of racially marginalized male adolescents within this pipeline, this critically appraised topic (CAT) examined how race, gender, and socioeconomic status may influence school-based speech-language pathology (SLP) services and clinical decision-making following TBI. Method: A structured search of five electronic databases was conducted to identify studies examining speech-language pathologists’ (SLPs’) clinical decision-making and management of adolescents with TBI in relation to race, gender, and socioeconomic status. Relevant studies were …

Brief Pulses Of High-Level Fluid Shear Stress Enhance Metastatic Potential And Rapidly Alter The Metabolism Of Cancer Cells, Amanda N. Pope, Devon L. Moose, Guy O. Hudson, Hank R. Weresh, Marion R. Dykstra, Aabha Y. Joshi, Patrick Breheny, Eric B. Taylor, Michael D. Henry

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) face challenges to their survival, including mechanical and oxidative stresses that are different from cancer cells in solid primary and metastatic tumors. The impact of adaptations to the fluid microenvironment of the circulation on the outcome of the metastatic cascade is not well understood. Here, we find that cancer cells exposed to brief pulses of high-level fluid shear stress (FSS) exhibit enhanced invasiveness and anchorage-independent proliferation in vitro and enhanced metastatic colonization/tumor formation in vivo. Cancer cells exposed to FSS rapidly alter their metabolism in a manner that promotes survival by providing energy for cytoskeletal remodeling …

Localization And Functional Exploration Of Leiomodin-2'S C-Terminal Binding Sites, Mason D. Summers, Madison Little, Robert P. Young, Brayan Osegueda, Alan Palma Guillen, Garry E. Smith Jr., John R. Cart, Vitold E. Galkin, Alla S. Kostyukova

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

Striated muscle contraction occurs through interactions between overlapping myosin-based thick and actin-based thin filaments within the sarcomere. For effective contraction to occur, the length of the thin filament must be maintained to ensure sufficient overlap with the thick filament. The proteins leiomodin and tropomodulin compete for binding at the pointed ends of thin filaments to regulate their length, using their homologous N-terminal actin and tropomyosin binding sites. Leiomodin also contains a region called the C-terminal extension, absent in tropomodulin. In this region, the cardiac isoform (leiomodin-2) contains additional actin-binding sites that enable it to bind along the sides of thin …

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

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 …

A Chicken Model For Non-Invasive Diagnosis Of Infant Developmental Dysplasia Of The Hip (Ddh) Using Acoustic Transmission Measurements, Aliza Shah

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a condition characterized by abnormal development and stability of the hip joint. In a healthy infant, the femoral head (ball) fits securely within the acetabulum (socket of the pelvis), allowing for proper joint function. In DDH, the relationship is disrupted, ranging from mild acetabular dysplasia to partial (subluxation) or complete dislocation of the femoral head. This condition represents a range of structural abnormalities that develop during early growth. The integrity of the hip joint is essential for physical mobility, and disruption of this structure can lead to significant functional impairment. DDH may result …

Photobiomodulation Mitigates The Inhibitory Effects Of Pirfenidone On Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts And Their Pro-Tumorigenic Properties: A Cause For Concern, Nima Rastegar-Pouyani, Alireza Nasirpour, Fatemeh Javani Jouni, Hossein Vazini, Ahmad Moshaii

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) within the tumor microenvironment highly contribute to cancer progression and poor prognosis. Recent findings introduce pirfenidone, a medication for pulmonary fibrosis, as a promising repurposed candidate for inhibiting CAFs. Moreover, photobiomodulation (PBM), or low-level laser therapy, has surfaced as a potential modality against cancer; however, its impact on CAFs is not thoroughly comprehended. The present study scrutinized the effects of PBM, pirfenidone, and PBM+pirfenidone on CAFs, and their consequent impact on cancer cells using the CAF-conditioned media. After treating CAFs with PBM at wavelengths 660 and 980 nm with/without PFD and then culturing cancer cells in the …

Cervicovaginal Lavage Fluid Iron And Manganese Levels In Women With And Without Vaginitis, Barbara Kozma, David Ratonyi, Bence Kozma, Peter Takacs, Attila G. Sipos

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty Publications

Transition metals such as iron and manganese are critical for cellular metabolism, redox balance, and immune function, and they also influence host–pathogen interactions. Vaginitis is characterized by mucosal inflammation that may alter local trace-element homeostasis. We hypothesize that inflammatory conditions such as vaginitis may be associated with altered cervicovaginal iron and manganese levels. We performed a prospective, single-center cohort study at the University of Debrecen (Hungary) between April 2023 and April 2024, enrolling 80 women ≥ 18 years with vulvovaginal complaints. Participants were assessed at baseline and at weeks 4, 8, and 12 with clinical evaluation and cervicovaginal lavage (CVL) …

Use Of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation As An Assessment Of Corticospinal Excitability In Individuals With Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness, Elizabeth Cornforth

Theses and Dissertations

Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) is a common, disabling, chronic vestibular disorder whereby individuals experience symptoms of non-vertiginous dizziness, unsteadiness, and sway or rocking that are present most hours of the day, most days of the week. Individuals with PPPD have been noted to have an increased burden of dizziness and reduced quality of life compared to other dizziness diagnoses. The cause of PPPD is not well understood which can lead to years of diagnostic testing, failed therapies, and poor symptom management. It is important to understand PPPD pathophysiology so that optimal treatment interventions can be developed for this disorder to …

Health Literacy/Numeracy-Related Factors Affecting Interpretation In Medical Laboratory Values, Rachel L. Childs

School of Medical Diagnostics & Translational Sciences Publications

Background

Health literacy and numeracy are broad terms that relate to a patient’s understanding of their health information. While there is a substantial amount of research on this topic in a general sense as well as in relation to how deficiencies in these skills impact patients’ understanding of laboratory results, little is known regarding the extent to which underlying factors, which are impacted by health literacy/numeracy, affect how patients interpret their results. This literature review attempts to shed light on the current literature on this more focused and narrow issue, including recommendations to address these barriers.

Content

To perform this …

Ensemble Learning For Predicting Periapical Lesions From Dental Radiographs, Fang-Yuan Liao, Ming-Jyun Jian, Abdullah Sarini, Yulianto Jesica, Yen-Kun Lin, Hsun-Yu Huang

Journal of Dental Sciences

Background/purpose: Diagnosing periapical cysts and granulomas using periapical radiographs is challenging due to subtle radiographic differences. This study aimed to develop a machine learning–based diagnostic framework to improve lesion classification through ensemble learning and dentin standardization.

Materials and methods: Five models—Support Vector Classifier (SVC), Nu-SVC, K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) and Decision Tree—were trained on 144 pre-treatment periapical radiographs (70 cysts and 74 granulomas). Dentin standardization normalized grayscale values to ensure feature consistency. A weighted soft voting strategy was employed to integrate predictions, with model weights derived from individual diagnostic performance. Model performance was evaluated via five-fold cross-validation. Statistical significance among models …

A Portable Potentiostat Integrated With A Pt/Zno/Lig Electrode For Non-Enzymatic Glucose Detection, Reagan Aviha, Gymama Slaughter

Center for Bioelectronics Publications

Continuous glucose monitoring is critical for effective diabetes management; however, conventional benchtop potentiostats are bulky, costly, and unsuitable for decentralized point-of-care (PoC) applications. To address these limitations, this work presents a miniaturized, low-cost electrochemical sensing platform integrating a non-enzymatic glucose sensor with a portable potentiostat. The sensing electrode is based on laser-induced graphene modified with zinc oxide and platinum nanostructures via electrodeposition to enable sensitive glucose detection under physiological conditions. A custom-designed portable potentiostat was developed to control electrode potentials and perform electrochemical measurements, and its performance was experimentally validated against a commercial Metrohm system. Glucose detection was evaluated using …

Pt/Zno-Decorated Laser-Induced Graphene For Nonenzymatic Glucose Monitoring Under Physiological Conditions, Reagan Aviha, Gymama Slaughter

Center for Bioelectronics Publications

Diabetes continues to impose significant global health and economic burdens, driving the demand for robust, enzyme-free glucose sensors capable of reliable operation under physiological conditions. Here, we report the development of a high-performance nonenzymatic glucose sensor based on laser-induced graphene (LIG) modified with zinc oxide (ZnO) and platinum (Pt) nanostructures. ZnO was electrodeposited onto LIG with modulation potential and deposition duration systematically optimized. The ZnO/LIG electrodes were characterized electrochemically using potassium ferricyanide and evaluated for glucose oxidation in phosphate-buffered solution. Subsequent electrodeposition of Pt under analogous optimized conditions yielded a ternary Pt/ZnO/LIG architecture with enhanced electrocatalytic activity. Sensor performance was …

Red Flags: Intraoperative Transfusion As A Predictor Of Anastomotic Failure, Alejandro De Leon Castro, Aj Schwartz, A Todd-Tharaday, A Collier, Ch Meyer, C Dente, Rn Smith, Jd Sciaretta, J Nguyen

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

Duodenal Switch Vs Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass: Comparison Of Outcomes And Cost With Medical Management, Rachel E. Burke, Christian M. Simon, Husain Abbas

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

Healing Times Of Mohs Defects Using Cellular, Acellular, And Matrix-Like Products Compared With Secondary Intention In A Single Patient, Benjamin R. Cooper, Anthony Concilla, Kathleen Ward, Taha Rasul, Arianne E. Chavez

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.