{"title":"Thermo-Modulating Container for Protecting Point-of-Care Devices from Extreme Temperatures during Disaster Relief","authors":"C. Gamache, M. Rust, G. Kost","doi":"10.1109/NEBEC.2013.146","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/NEBEC.2013.146","url":null,"abstract":"When a crisis occurs, emergency medical responders must often operate outside of a hospital setting without basic resources such as electricity. As a result, they rely on point-of-care (POC) testing devices, which are designed to be portable for monitoring critical parameters such as blood gases and glucose levels. Unfortunately, POC devices often have narrow operating ranges, with typical temperature limits within ±10°C of room temperature. This presents significant challenges to the efficiency of the medical response effort since environmental temperatures can vary widely as a function of geography and seasonal weather patterns. To address this issue, a thermo-modulating container is being developed to protect POC devices from extreme temperatures during crisis care situations.","PeriodicalId":153112,"journal":{"name":"2013 39th Annual Northeast Bioengineering Conference","volume":"19 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114559830","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Shape Memory Scaffold with a Tunable Recovery Temperature for Filling Critical-Size Bone Defects","authors":"R. M. Baker, J. H. Henderson, P. Mather","doi":"10.1109/NEBEC.2013.159","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/NEBEC.2013.159","url":null,"abstract":"Traditionally, critical-size defects have been treated using autologous bone grafts which, while being effective, have limitations that include donor site scarcity, additional pain, and donor site morbidity. Synthetic scaffolds show promise as alternate graft materials, but current scaffolds have limitations associated with filling and conforming to the defect site. In this study, we aimed to synthesize a cytocompatible scaffold with shape memory functionality that could address limitations associated with filling and conforming to the defect site. To achieve this goal we employed a porogen-leaching technique to fabricate a shape memory poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) foam capable of expanding to fill space under physiological temperatures. Tuning of the recovery temperature to a physiological temperature was achieved by copolymerizing with a second, hydrophilic polymer, as well as by varying the deformation temperature. The scaffold showed excellent shape fixing and shape recovery, and the transition temperature was tuned to a physiological range. Preliminary cell studies showed qualitatively that cells remain viable and proliferate on the scaffold.","PeriodicalId":153112,"journal":{"name":"2013 39th Annual Northeast Bioengineering Conference","volume":"64 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116680405","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yejin Li, C. Dai, E. Clancy, A. Christie, P. Bonato, K. McGill
{"title":"Cross-Comparison between Two Multi-channel EMG Decomposition Algorithms Assessed with Experimental and Simulated Data","authors":"Yejin Li, C. Dai, E. Clancy, A. Christie, P. Bonato, K. McGill","doi":"10.1109/NEBEC.2013.72","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/NEBEC.2013.72","url":null,"abstract":"The reliability of automated electromyogram (EMG) decomposition algorithms is important in clinical and scientific studies. In this paper, we analyzed the performance of two multi-channel decomposition algorithms -- Montreal and Fuzzy Expert using both experimental and simulated data. Comparison data consisted of quadrifiler needle EMG from the tibialis anterior muscle of 12 subjects (young and elderly) at three contraction levels (10, 20 and 50% MVC), and matched simulation data. Performance was assessed via agreement between the two algorithms for experimental data and accuracy with respect to the known decomposition for simulated data. For the experimental data, median agreement between the Montreal and Fuzzy Expert algorithms at 10, 20 and 50% MVC was 95.7, 86.4 and 64.8%, respectively. For the simulation data, median accuracy was 99.8%, 100% and 95.9% for Montreal, and 100%, 98% and 93.5% for Fuzzy Expert at the different contraction levels.","PeriodicalId":153112,"journal":{"name":"2013 39th Annual Northeast Bioengineering Conference","volume":"2 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124187556","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"EMG Bandwidth used in Signal Whitening","authors":"Meera Dasog, Kishor Koirala, Pu Liu, E. Clancy","doi":"10.1109/NEBEC.2013.87","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/NEBEC.2013.87","url":null,"abstract":"It has been demonstrated that whitening the surface electromyogram (EMG) improves EMG amplitude (EMGσ) estimation. But, due to the wide bandwidth ranges often used when whitening, custom high-cost electrodes (bandwidth of ~2000 Hz) have been used. This paper investigates the effect of limiting the bandwidth for the whitened EMG data. The change in the average error of EMG to torque estimation was observed for 54 subjects over different whitening bandwidths ranging from 20-2000 Hz. We found that the average error remained the same for bandwidth limits between 600 Hz to 2000 Hz, suggesting that wider EMG electrodes were not helpful with this data set.","PeriodicalId":153112,"journal":{"name":"2013 39th Annual Northeast Bioengineering Conference","volume":"23 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127076077","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Bone Loss in the Forearm after Disuse: Response Variability and the Role of Systemic Factors","authors":"J. Spadaro","doi":"10.1109/NEBEC.2013.58","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/NEBEC.2013.58","url":null,"abstract":"Bone density loss in the forearm following cast immobilization was examined with time for 6 months after re-ambulation. Although there was a substantial bone loss, here was a substantial variability as well. This analysis examined the various levels of response as well as some systemic factors that may offer some insights.","PeriodicalId":153112,"journal":{"name":"2013 39th Annual Northeast Bioengineering Conference","volume":"10 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122297086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. Spiewak, Brittany Alphonse, Erik Walder, G. Comtois, E. Chabot, Ying Sun
{"title":"The Effect of Recording Methods on the Frequency Response of Breathing Sounds Measured with an Electronic Stethoscope","authors":"A. Spiewak, Brittany Alphonse, Erik Walder, G. Comtois, E. Chabot, Ying Sun","doi":"10.1109/NEBEC.2013.31","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/NEBEC.2013.31","url":null,"abstract":"The stethoscope has been used for almost two centuries mainly for listening to the lung and heart sounds. This study was conducted to characterize the frequency contents of the breathing sounds recorded with an electronic stethoscope under different conditions. These conditions included different levels of pressure applied to the probe and the use of a double-sided adhesive tape for interfacing. The goal of this study was to quantify the differences in frequency response and assess the attenuation of high and low frequencies caused by the probe-skin interface during testing. Various pressures were applied and quantified using a pressure-sensing handle developed in conjunction with this study. The signal was analyzed by using the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) implemented in MATLAB. The data showed significant differences in frequency response with varying recording methods. The result of this study is useful for controlling the recording method when the acoustic signal from the stethoscope is used in a quantitative way.","PeriodicalId":153112,"journal":{"name":"2013 39th Annual Northeast Bioengineering Conference","volume":"16 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129107630","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Julie C. Kohn, François Bordeleau, C. Reinhart-King
{"title":"Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Matrix-Degradation by Podosomes","authors":"Julie C. Kohn, François Bordeleau, C. Reinhart-King","doi":"10.1109/NEBEC.2013.151","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/NEBEC.2013.151","url":null,"abstract":"During plaque formation, vascular smooth muscle cells migrate from the medial layer into the intima. The exact mechanism by which vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) invade through the extracellular matrix into the intimal layer remains unclear. VSMCs have been shown to exhibit podosomes, sub-cellular structures known to release matrix metalloproteinases. Here, we investigated the formation and matrix degrading ability of podosomes in VSMCs before and after treatment with phorbol 12, 13-dibutyrate (PDBu), an activator of protein kinase C (PKC). Using a fluorescently-labeled gelatin substrate, we find that VSMC degrade matrix even in the absence of observable podosome formation. However, the extent of degradation is significantly increased when podosome formation is induced using PDBu. Our current work is expanding these studies to identify the physical triggers of podosome formation in the in vivo microenvironment.","PeriodicalId":153112,"journal":{"name":"2013 39th Annual Northeast Bioengineering Conference","volume":"39 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127613571","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Identifying a Structural Basis for Plexin A3 Homomeric Interactions","authors":"Rachael Barton, B. Berger, M. Iovine","doi":"10.1109/NEBEC.2013.100","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/NEBEC.2013.100","url":null,"abstract":"Plexins are large transmembrane receptors known to interact with neuropilin 2 co-receptors and semaphorin ligands to regulate neuronal development. These receptors and ligands have recently been implicated in assisting cancer metastasis. While it is understood that plexin signaling occurs via Ras GTPase-activating proteins (Ras GAPs) and semaphorin binding occurs extracellularly, little is understood about the role of the transmembrane (TM) and cytosolic juxtamembrane (CYTO) regions in signaling and oligomerization. In this study, we focus on plexin A3 (PlA3) and show that individual amino acids in the TM and CYTO regions influence homooligomerization and, subsequently, function. We propose a model for the PlA3 oligomerization interface and use site-directed mutagenesis and the AraTM method to identify the role of individual amino acids in the TM-CYTO region that influence this oligomerization. Bioluminescent resonance energy transfer was used to confirm the impact of select amino acids on oligomerization in a mammalian cell membrane with a truncated receptor.","PeriodicalId":153112,"journal":{"name":"2013 39th Annual Northeast Bioengineering Conference","volume":"8 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114206358","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
K. Breseman, Christopher L. Lee, B. Bloch, C. Jaffe
{"title":"Constructing 3D-Printable CAD Models of Prostates from MR Images","authors":"K. Breseman, Christopher L. Lee, B. Bloch, C. Jaffe","doi":"10.1109/NEBEC.2013.8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/NEBEC.2013.8","url":null,"abstract":"This paper describes the development of a procedure to generate patient-specific, three-dimensional (3D) solid models of prostates (and related anatomy) from magnetic resonance (MR) images. The 3D models are rendered in STL file format which can be physically printed or visualized on a holographic display system. An example is presented in which a 3D model is printed following this procedure.","PeriodicalId":153112,"journal":{"name":"2013 39th Annual Northeast Bioengineering Conference","volume":"6 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123038749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"In-Line Detection Technology for Acoustophoretic Blood/Lipid Separation","authors":"J. Woods, M. Rust, B. Lipkens","doi":"10.1109/NEBEC.2013.104","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/NEBEC.2013.104","url":null,"abstract":"Retransfusion of shed blood via cardiotomy suction during surgery causes complications due to the formation of lipid microemboli, which can lead to neurocognitive decline or disability. A system is being developed that uses acoustophoresis to separate lipids and red blood cells (RBCs) from a blood flow, thus allowing retransfusion of shed blood with reduced microemboli. In this work, an in-line detection technology is being developed to quantify the performance of the novel acoustophoretic blood/lipid separation system. The detection technology will use spectrophotometry to determine the concentration of RBCs and lipids trapped in the chamber, thus providing a measure of separation efficiency.","PeriodicalId":153112,"journal":{"name":"2013 39th Annual Northeast Bioengineering Conference","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130206373","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}