{"title":"Rotavirus diarrhea – An analysis through epidemic modeling","authors":"O. Chaturvedi, E. Lungu, M. Jeffrey, S. Masupe","doi":"10.5430/JBEI.V4N2P21","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5430/JBEI.V4N2P21","url":null,"abstract":"Modelling an infectious disease like diarrhea improves the understanding of the transmission and helps in preventing it. Based on the pathogenesis, this research creates a continuous mathematical model for diarrhea (forming an SIRS system) caused by the virus rotavirus. Basic calculations including the basic reproduction number (R0) and disease-free state are successfully completed for the described system. Results show that if the basic reproduction number is kept below 1 (i.e. R0 < 1), there will be no epidemic. This mathematical model has been simulated using assumed values of parameters to test its fidelity. In order to establish the model in a functioning form, the Routh Hurwitz method has been used for the stability analysis. Model fidelity has been made stronger by conducting the sensitivity analysis and parameter estimation too. This model is very useful and has been integrated to form utilizable systems which function as a predictive system to assist in prevention of further infections of rotavirus causing diarrhea.","PeriodicalId":91528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomedical engineering and informatics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.5430/JBEI.V4N2P21","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43088756","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. Campigotto, Stephane Leahy, Ayan Choudhury, Guowei Zhao, Yongjun Lai
{"title":"A novel strain sensor using a microchannel embedded in PDMS","authors":"A. Campigotto, Stephane Leahy, Ayan Choudhury, Guowei Zhao, Yongjun Lai","doi":"10.5430/JBEI.V4N2P1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5430/JBEI.V4N2P1","url":null,"abstract":"A novel, inexpensive, and easy-to-use strain sensor using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was developed. The sensor consists of a microchannel that is partially filled with a coloured liquid and embedded in a piece of PDMS. A finite element model was developed to optimize the geometry of the microchannel to achieve higher sensitivity. The highest gauge factor that was measured experimentally was 41. The gauge factor was affected by the microchannel’s square cross-sectional area, the number of basic units in the microchannel, and the inlet and outlet configuration. As a case study, the developed strain sensors were used to measure the rotation angle of the wrist and finger joints.","PeriodicalId":91528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomedical engineering and informatics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.5430/JBEI.V4N2P1","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48211753","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}
M. Fitzpatrick, Brittany Perfetto, J. Hernandez, Satesh Bidiasee
{"title":"In people and pets in Grenada -- do owners practice alternative and traditional medicine on both people and pets?","authors":"M. Fitzpatrick, Brittany Perfetto, J. Hernandez, Satesh Bidiasee","doi":"10.5430/JBEI.V4N1P47","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5430/JBEI.V4N1P47","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction:Alternative and traditional medicine has been used in various cultures across the world for hundreds of years. Many regions of the world, including the Caribbean Islands, use traditional medicine practices such as charcoal for poisoning, seeds for deworming, salt for lesions, spices and herbs for inflammation, and engine oil for mange. In communities where biomedical resources are limited, alternative medicine is more cost effective and attainable for both people and their pets. Although conventional medical practices have a scientific basis, its options are often limited and such practices and treatments have physiological side effects that must be considered.Objective: The objective of this study is to identify whether people in Grenada practice traditional medicine, and if these practitioners are also implementing similar practices on their companion animals. It is hypothesized that many citizens of Grenada prefer the use of traditional medicine over conventional medicine for both themselves and their pets.Methods: In order to test this hypothesis, we conducted a cross sectional study using a questionnaire to collect data from pet owners and determine whether they practice traditional medicine – and if so, identify which specific practices were used and how they were being implemented (strictly on themselves, only on their pets, or both).Results: We found that many people use alternative medicine practices on themselves and both themselves and their pets, but few use them on just their pets.Conclusions: This study can offer us a more comprehensive understanding of alternative medicine, thereby allow us to engage pet owners in this area of healthcare. Veterinarians can be better informed of the alternative medical practices that their clients may be utilizing, which will allow them to educate the owners by offering their guidance and expertise in approaching traditional medical practices – and perhaps offer alternative medical solutions when appropriate. Furthermore, it will allow veterinarians to formulate more comprehensive patient histories in veterinary clinics around Grenada.","PeriodicalId":91528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomedical engineering and informatics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.5430/JBEI.V4N1P47","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46400197","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":"Efficacy of amelogenin-chitosan hydrogel in biomimetic repair of human enamel in pH-cycling systems.","authors":"Qichao Ruan, David Liberman, Rucha Bapat, Karthik Balakrishna Chandrababu, Jin-Ho Phark, Janet Moradian-Oldak","doi":"10.5430/jbei.v2n1p119","DOIUrl":"10.5430/jbei.v2n1p119","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Amelogenin-chitosan (CS-AMEL) hydrogel has shown great potential for the prevention, restoration, and treatment of defective enamel. As a step prior to clinical trials, this study aimed to examine the efficacy of CS-AMEL hydrogel in biomimetic repair of human enamel with erosive or caries-like lesions in pH-cycling systems. Two models for enamel defects, erosion and early caries, were addressed in this study. Two pH-cycling systems were designed to simulate the daily cariogenic challenge as well as the nocturnal pH conditions in the oral cavity. After pH cycling and treatment with CS-AMEL hydrogel, a synthetic layer composed of oriented apatite crystals was formed on the eroded enamel surface. CS-AMEL repaired the artificial incipient caries by re-growing oriented crystals and reducing the depth of the lesions by up to 70% in the pH-cycling systems. The results clearly demonstrate that the CS-AMEL hydrogel is effective at the restoration of erosive and carious lesions under pH-cycling conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":91528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomedical engineering and informatics","volume":"2 1","pages":"119-128"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4912123/pdf/nihms758639.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"34599567","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}