Filtering by
- All Subjects: Hydrogels
- Creators: Harrington Bioengineering Program
- Member of: Theses and Dissertations
- Resource Type: Text
This work details the process of designing and implementing an embedded system
utilized to take measurements from a water cooler and post that data onto a publicly accessible web server. It embraces the Web 4.0, Internet of Things, mindset of making everyday appliances web accessible. The project was designed to satisfy the needs of a local faculty member who wished to know the water levels available in his office water cooler, potentially saving him the disappointment of discovering an empty container.
This project utilizes an Arduino microprocessor, an ESP 8266 Wi-Fi module, and a variety of sensors to detect water levels in filtered water unit located on the fourth floor of the the Brickyard Building, BYENG, at Arizona State University. This implementation will not interfere with the system already set in place to store and transfer water. The level of accuracy in water levels is expected to give the ability to discern +/- 1.5 liters of water. This system will send will send information to a created web service from which anyone with internet capabilities can gain access. The interface will display current water levels and attempt to predict at what time the water levels will be depleted. In the short term, this information will be useful for individuals on the floor to discern when they are able to extract water from the system. Overtime, the information this system gathers will map the drinking trends of the floor and can allow for a scheduling of water delivery that is more consistent with the demand of those working on the floor.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI), a neurological condition that negatively affects neural capabilities, occurs when a blunt trauma impacts the head. Following the initial injury that immediately impacts neural cell function and survival, a series of secondary injury events lead to substantial sustained inflammation for weeks to years post-injury. To develop TBI treatments that may stimulate regenerative processes, a novel drug delivery system that efficiently delivers the appropriate drug/payload to injured tissue is crucial. Hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogels are attractive when developing a biomaterial for tissue reparation and regeneration. HA is a natural polymer with physicochemical properties that can be tuned to match the properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the many tissues including the central nervous system (CNS). Here, the project objective was to develop a HA hydrogel system for local delivery of a biological payload; this objective was completed by employing a composite system with two parts. The first part is an injectable, shear-thinning bulk hydrogel, and the second is microgels for loading biological payloads. The bulk hydrogel was composed of cyclodextrin modified HA (Cd-HA) and adamantane modified HA (Ad-HA) that give rise to guest-host interactions that facilitate physical crosslinking. The microgel, composed of norbornene-HA (Nor-HA) and sulfated-HA, crosslink via chemical crosslinks upon activation of a UV photoinitiator. The sulfated-HA microgels facilitate loading of biological payloads by mimicking heparin binding sites via the conjugated sulfated group. Neuregulin I, an epidermal growth factor with neuroprotective properties, is one such protein with a heparin binding domain that may be retained in the sulfated-HA microgels. Specifically, the project focused on mechanical testing of this composite microgel/hydrogel system and also developing protein affinity assays.
This study synthesizes information found from extensive research and provides a review of the most optimal techniques for developing an alternative to systemic antibiotics. The final deliverable is a report detailing the significant findings and discussing the ways that this solution may be developed further and implemented in a clinical setting. The solution is a hydrogel bandage designed to deliver antibiotics directly to the wound site, while also offering protection and enhanced wound healing. The target population is patients suffering from skin conditions in an outpatient setting. The antibiotics of interest for this solution are clindamycin, doxycycline, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (co-trimoxazole), as they offer excellent treatment against gram-positive bacteria and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. However, other broad-spectrum antibiotics could potentially be incorporated to protect against gram-negative bacteria. The design features a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel that has shown many properties that are beneficial to biomedical applications, including biocompatibility, flexibility, high drug-loading capacity, high absorption of wound exudate, increased promotion of wound healing, and more. Preliminary mathematical models of the hydrogel’s drug delivery behaviors are also included. Due to the scope and timeframe of this project, the majority of findings herein are based on research of prior literature instead of development of the novel device. Future directions would include further research and development of the mechanisms behind the device, creation of a physical prototype, experimental testing, and statistical analyses to verify device specifications and capabilities.