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The Honors Thesis involved the use of vertically-aligned, piezoelectric nanowire sensor arrays configured by Dr. Henry A. Sodano and Dr. Aneesh Koka from the University of Florida, in order to acquire acceleration data. Originally, the project was focused on interfacing and calibrating the barium titanate (BaTio3) sensors to measure wall

The Honors Thesis involved the use of vertically-aligned, piezoelectric nanowire sensor arrays configured by Dr. Henry A. Sodano and Dr. Aneesh Koka from the University of Florida, in order to acquire acceleration data. Originally, the project was focused on interfacing and calibrating the barium titanate (BaTio3) sensors to measure wall shear stress, a fluid dynamic characteristic. In order to gain an understanding of these novel piezoelectric sensors, the experiments performed by Sodano and Koka were to be investigated, replicated, and results reproduced. After initial trial phases, signals failed to be consistently measured from the sensors and the project's emphasis was re-defined. The outlined goals were 1) to re-design the initial system used for signal acquisition, 2) test the improved signal acquisition system, 3) successfully measure output signals from the BaTiO3 nanowire sensors, and 4) determine the cause for inconsistent signal measurements from the piezoelectric nanawire sensors. Following a detailed review of the previous experimental procedures and the initial signal acquisition system, an improved acquisition system was designed and its expected behavior was tested and verified. Despite the introduction of the improved acquisition system, voltage outputs were unable to be measured as a function of shaker table acceleration. It was impossible to verify the effect of the improved signal acquisition system on the measured BaTiO3 nanowire sensor output. Based on an analysis of data collected using a commercial 3-axis acceleromoeter, it is hypothesized that the BaTiO3 nanowire sensors were broken after the first experimental trial due to an excessively applied force from an external source (i.e. shaker table, improper handling during experimentation, and/or improper handling during transportation).
ContributorsThomas, Jonah (Author) / Frakes, David (Thesis director) / LaBelle, Jeffrey (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2014-05
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Description
The purpose of this project was to examine the viability of protein biomarkers in pre-symptomatic detection of lung cancer. Regular screening has been shown to vastly improve patient survival outcome. Lung cancer currently has the highest occurrence and mortality of all cancers and so a means of screening would be

The purpose of this project was to examine the viability of protein biomarkers in pre-symptomatic detection of lung cancer. Regular screening has been shown to vastly improve patient survival outcome. Lung cancer currently has the highest occurrence and mortality of all cancers and so a means of screening would be highly beneficial. In this research, the biomarker neuron-specific enolase (Enolase-2, eno2), a marker of small-cell lung cancer, was detected at varying concentrations using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in order to develop a mathematical model of predicting protein expression based on a measured impedance value at a determined optimum frequency. The extent of protein expression would indicate the possibility of the patient having small-cell lung cancer. The optimum frequency was found to be 459 Hz, and the mathematical model to determine eno2 concentration based on impedance was found to be y = 40.246x + 719.5 with an R2 value of 0.82237. These results suggest that this approach could provide an option for the development of small-cell lung cancer screening utilizing electrochemical technology.
ContributorsEvans, William Ian (Author) / LaBelle, Jeffrey (Thesis director) / Spano, Mark (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor)
Created2014-05
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Description
Determining the characteristics of an object during a grasping task requires a combination of mechanoreceptors in the muscles and fingertips. The width of a person's finger aperture during the grasp may affect the accuracy of how that person determines hardness, as well. These experiments aim to investigate how an individual

Determining the characteristics of an object during a grasping task requires a combination of mechanoreceptors in the muscles and fingertips. The width of a person's finger aperture during the grasp may affect the accuracy of how that person determines hardness, as well. These experiments aim to investigate how an individual perceives hardness amongst a gradient of varying hardness levels. The trend in the responses is assumed to follow a general psychometric function. This will provide information about subjects' abilities to differentiate between two largely different objects, and their tendencies towards guess-chances upon the presentation of two similar objects. After obtaining this data, it is then important to additionally test varying finger apertures in an object-grasping task. This will allow an insight into the effect of aperture on the obtained psychometric function, thus ultimately providing information about tactile and haptic feedback for further application in neuroprosthetic devices. Three separate experiments were performed in order to test the effect of finger aperture on object hardness differentiation. The first experiment tested a one-finger pressing motion among a hardness gradient of ballistic gelatin cubes. Subjects were asked to compare the hardness of one cube to another, which produced the S-curve that accurately portrayed the psychometric function. The second experiment utilized the Phantom haptic device in a similar setup, using the precision grip grasping motion, instead. This showed a more linear curve; the percentage reported harder increased as the hardness of the second presented cube increased, which was attributed to both the experimental setup limitations and the scale of the general hardness gradient. The third experiment then progressed to test the effect of three finger apertures in the same experimental setup. By providing three separate testing scenarios in the precision grip task, the experiment demonstrated that the level of finger aperture has no significant effect on an individual's ability to perceive hardness.
ContributorsMaestas, Gabrielle Elise (Author) / Helms Tillery, Stephen (Thesis director) / Tanner, Justin (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor)
Created2015-05
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Description
Skin and muscle receptors in the leg and foot provide able-bodied humans with force and position information that is crucial for balance and movement control. In lower-limb amputees however, this vital information is either missing or incomplete. Amputees typically compensate for the loss of sensory information by relying on haptic

Skin and muscle receptors in the leg and foot provide able-bodied humans with force and position information that is crucial for balance and movement control. In lower-limb amputees however, this vital information is either missing or incomplete. Amputees typically compensate for the loss of sensory information by relying on haptic feedback from the stump-socket interface. Unfortunately, this is not an adequate substitute. Areas of the stump that directly interface with the socket are also prone to painful irritation, which further degrades haptic feedback. The lack of somatosensory feedback from prosthetic legs causes several problems for lower-limb amputees. Previous studies have established that the lack of adequate sensory feedback from prosthetic limbs contributes to poor balance and abnormal gait kinematics. These improper gait kinematics can, in turn, lead to the development of musculoskeletal diseases. Finally, the absence of sensory information has been shown to lead to steeper learning curves and increased rehabilitation times, which hampers amputees from recovering from the trauma. In this study, a novel haptic feedback system for lower-limb amputees was develped, and studies were performed to verify that information presented was sufficiently accurate and precise in comparison to a Bertec 4060-NC force plate. The prototype device consisted of a sensorized insole, a belt-mounted microcontroller, and a linear array of four vibrotactile motors worn on the thigh. The prototype worked by calculating the center of pressure in the anteroposterior plane, and applying a time-discrete vibrotactile stimulus based on the location of the center of pressure.
ContributorsKaplan, Gabriel Benjamin (Author) / Abbas, James (Thesis director) / McDaniel, Troy (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
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Description
With an increased demand for more enzyme-sensitive, bioresorbable and more biodegradable polymers, various studies of copolymers have been developed. Polymers are widely used in various applications of biomedical engineering such as in tissue engineering, drug delivery and wound healing. Depending on the conditions in which polymers are used, they are

With an increased demand for more enzyme-sensitive, bioresorbable and more biodegradable polymers, various studies of copolymers have been developed. Polymers are widely used in various applications of biomedical engineering such as in tissue engineering, drug delivery and wound healing. Depending on the conditions in which polymers are used, they are modified to accommodate a specific need. For instance, polymers used in drug delivery are more efficient if they are biodegradable. This ensures that the delivery system does not remain in the body after releasing the drug. It is therefore crucial that the polymer used in the drug system possess biodegradable properties. Such modification can be done in different ways including the use of peptides to make copolymers that will degrade in the presence of enzymes. In this work, we studied the effect of a polypeptide GAPGLL on the polymer NIPAAm and compare with the previously studied Poly(NIPAAm-co-GAPGLF). Both copolymers Poly(NIPAAm-co-GAPGLL) were first synthesized from Poly(NIPAAm-co-NASI) through nucleophilic substitution by the two peptides. The synthesis of these copolymers was confirmed by 1H NMR spectra and through cloud point measurement, the corresponding LCST was determined. Both copolymers were degraded by collagenase enzyme at 25 ° C and their 1H NMR spectra confirmed this process. Both copolymers were cleaved by collagenase, leading to an increase in solubility which yielded a higher LCST compared to before enzyme degradation. Future studies will focus on evaluating other peptides and also using other techniques such as Differential Scanning Microcalorimetry (DSC) to better observe the LCST behavior. Moreover, enzyme kinetics studies is also crucial to evaluate how fast the enzyme degrades each of the copolymers.
ContributorsUwiringiyimana, Mahoro Marie Chantal (Author) / Vernon, Brent (Thesis director) / Nikkhah, Mehdi (Committee member) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
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Description
Electroencephalogram (EEG) used simultaneously with video monitoring can record detailed patient physiology during a seizure to aid diagnosis. However, current patient monitoring systems typically require a patient to stay in view of a fixed camera limiting their freedom of movement. The goal of this project is to design an automatic

Electroencephalogram (EEG) used simultaneously with video monitoring can record detailed patient physiology during a seizure to aid diagnosis. However, current patient monitoring systems typically require a patient to stay in view of a fixed camera limiting their freedom of movement. The goal of this project is to design an automatic patient monitoring system with software to track patient movement in order to increase a patient's mobility. This report discusses the impact of an automatic patient monitoring system and the design steps used to create and test a functional prototype.
ContributorsBui, Robert Truong (Author) / Frakes, David (Thesis director) / Helms Tillery, Stephen (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Electrical Engineering Program (Contributor)
Created2014-05
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Description
Revision hip procedures represent a large financial burden on hospitals and the problem will continue to worsen as the baby boomer generation ages and life expectancy goes up. The future problem is a complex issue that bridges scientific and anecdotal evidence and must be solved. A review of the current

Revision hip procedures represent a large financial burden on hospitals and the problem will continue to worsen as the baby boomer generation ages and life expectancy goes up. The future problem is a complex issue that bridges scientific and anecdotal evidence and must be solved. A review of the current total hip arthroplasty procedure in regards to the physical properties of the materials used for hip prostheses is given. Revision procedures can be caused by infection or basic wear and tear from the stress that that implant is subjected to daily. Infections on these implants often present themselves as medical biofilms. The mechanisms of biofilm formation include a complex system of enzymes that work to initiate a phenotypic response based on an established quorum sensing within the colony of bacteria. Surgical methods to treat infection include irrigation and debridement as well as loading drug cement spacers with antimicrobial in hopes of delivering the antibiotic locally. Research is being done to better model the transport of drug through the tissue surrounding the implant, and will hopefully one day be available for use in individual patients.
ContributorsMcDermand, Matthew Paul (Author) / Caplan, Michael (Thesis director) / Vernon, Brent (Committee member) / McLemore, Ryan (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2013-05
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Description
A great deal of research has been done on communication barriers between patient and doctor, but due to the complexity of the relationship, little successful solutions have been suggested to bridge interdisciplinary communication between the two persons. This project explores a solution to aid both patient and doctor as they

A great deal of research has been done on communication barriers between patient and doctor, but due to the complexity of the relationship, little successful solutions have been suggested to bridge interdisciplinary communication between the two persons. This project explores a solution to aid both patient and doctor as they seek to communicate with each other regarding the patient's prognosis and treatment with a medical device. By creating a website, the information found therein can be accessed in the doctor's office by using a smartphone or tablet so that both patient and doctor can use it as a resource before, during, and after a doctor's visit. The website, Medical Devices 4 U (MD4U), gives background information on a large selection of medical devices, allows primary sources to share their information with potential consumers of the medical device, permits users to ask questions and comment on other user's comments, and gives a list of questions that a patient can ask a healthcare professional during a doctor's visit. In this report, the nature of doctor and patient communication is exposed and the steps taken to alleviate the communication barriers by way of creating a website are explained.
ContributorsHalls, Sarah Koy (Author) / Spano, Mark (Thesis director) / Garcia, Antonio (Committee member) / Brandon, Tedd (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor)
Created2013-05
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Description
Oxygen delivery is crucial for the development of healthy, functional tissue. Low tissue oxygenation, or hypoxia, is a characteristic that is common in many tumors. Hypoxia contributes to tumor malignancy and can reduce the success of chemotherapy and radiation treatment. There is a current need to noninvasively measure tumor oxygenation

Oxygen delivery is crucial for the development of healthy, functional tissue. Low tissue oxygenation, or hypoxia, is a characteristic that is common in many tumors. Hypoxia contributes to tumor malignancy and can reduce the success of chemotherapy and radiation treatment. There is a current need to noninvasively measure tumor oxygenation or pO2 in patients to determine a personalized treatment method. This project focuses on creating and characterizing nanoemulsions using a pO2 reporter molecule hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) and its longer chain variants as well as assessing their cytotoxicity. We also explored creating multi-modal (MRI/Fluorescence) nanoemulsions.
ContributorsGrucky, Marian Louise (Author) / Kodibagkar, Vikram (Thesis director) / Rege, Kaushal (Committee member) / Stabenfeldt, Sarah (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor)
Created2013-05
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Description
Science fiction has a unique ability to express, analyze, and critique concepts in a subtle way that emphasizes a point but is still entertaining to the audience. Because of science fiction's ability to do this it has long been a powerful way to ask questions that would normally not be

Science fiction has a unique ability to express, analyze, and critique concepts in a subtle way that emphasizes a point but is still entertaining to the audience. Because of science fiction's ability to do this it has long been a powerful way to ask questions that would normally not be addressed. As such, this paper provides an overview of the effects of biomedical technology in science fiction films. The discussions in this paper will analyze the different portrayals of the technology in the viewed cinematic pieces and the effects they have on the characters in the film. The discussion will begin with the films that have technology based in Genetic Engineering. This will then be followed by a discussion of the biomedical technology based in the fields of Endocrinology; Reanimation; Preservation; Prosthetics; Physical Metamorphosis; Super-Drugs and Super-Viruses; and Diagnostic, Surgical, and Monitoring Equipment. At the end of this paper movie summaries are provided to assist in clarifying plot details.
ContributorsGrzybowski, Amanda Ann (Author) / Foy, Joseph (Thesis director) / Facinelli, Diane (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor)
Created2014-05