752 research outputs found

    Clinical Pipette

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    The current technique of administering Botox with a syringe and plunger leaves room for user error and imprecision. The project team, in collaboration with UMass Medical School, has designed a handheld, automated syringe pump for clinical use. With such a device, injection technique is made more accurate, efficient, and safer for patients. The device was shown to dispense an average of 25.5 and 98 uL when programmed to administer 25 and 100 uL respectively. Our results confirm that our device falls within the 10 uL-accuracy minimum, showing its efficacy as an administration tool. The device was also able to inject into skin as exhibited through successful trials into 1% collagen hydrogels. Our team has set a series of future electronic and mechanical updates to improving our desig

    INKJET PRINTING: FACING CHALLENGES AND ITS NEW APPLICATIONS IN COATING INDUSTRY

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    This study is devoted to some of the most important issues for advancing inkjet printing for possible application in the coating industry with a focus on piezoelectric droplet on demand (DOD) inkjet technology. Current problems, as embodied in liquid filament breakup along with satellite droplet formation and reduction in droplet sizes, are discussed and then potential solutions identified. For satellite droplets, it is shown that liquid filament break-up behavior can be predicted by using a combination of two pi-numbers, including the Weber number, We and the Ohnesorge number, Oh, or the Reynolds number, Re, and the Weber number, We. All of these are dependent only on the ejected liquid properties and the velocity waveform at the print-head inlet. These new criteria are shown to have merit in comparison to currently used criteria for identifying filament physical features such as length and diameter that control the formation of subsequent droplets. In addition, this study performs scaling analyses for the design and operation of inkjet printing heads. Because droplet sizes from inkjet nozzles are typically on the order of nozzle dimensions, a numerical simulation is carried out to provide insight into how to reduce droplet sizes by employing a novel input waveform impressed on the print-head liquid inflow without changing the nozzle geometry. A regime map for characterizing the generation of small droplets based on We and a non-dimensional frequency, Ω is proposed and discussed. In an attempt to advance inkjet printing technology for coating purposes, a prototype was designed and then tested numerically. The numerical simulation successfully proved that the proposed prototype could be useful for coating purposes by repeatedly producing mono-dispersed droplets with controllable size and spacing. Finally, the influences of two independent piezoelectric characteristics - the maximum head displacement and corresponding frequency, was investigated to examine the quality of filament breakup quality and favorable piezoelectric displacements and frequencies were identified

    Towards rapid 3D direct manufacture of biomechanical microstructures

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    The field of stereolithography has developed rapidly over the last 20 years, and commercially available systems currently have sufficient resolution for use in microengineering applications. However, they have not as yet been fully exploited in this field. This thesis investigates the possible microengineering applications of microstereolithography systems, specifically in the areas of active microfluidic devices and microneedles. The fields of micropumps and microvalves, stereolithography and microneedles are reviewed, and a variety of test builds were fabricated using the EnvisionTEC Perfactory Mini Multi-Lens stereolithography system in order to define its capabilities. A number of microneedle geometries were considered. This number was narrowed down using finite element modelling, before another simulation was used to optimise these structures. 9 × 9 arrays of 400 μm tall, 300 μm base diameter microneedles were subjected to mechanical testing. Per needle failure forces of 0.263 and 0.243 N were recorded for the selected geometries, stepped cone and inverted trumpet. The 90 μm needle tips were subjected to between 30 and 32 MPa of pressure at their failure point - more than 10 times the required pressure to puncture average human skin. A range of monolithic micropumps were produced with integrated 4 mm diameter single-layer 70 μm-thick membranes used as the basis for a reciprocating displacement operating principle. The membranes were tested using an oscillating pneumatic actuation, and were found reliable (>1,000,000 cycles) up to 2.0 PSIG. Pneumatic single-membrane nozzle/diffuser rectified devices produced flow rates of up to 1,000 μl/min with backpressures of up to 375 Pa. Another device rectified using active membrane valves was found to self-prime, and produced backpressures of up to 4.9 kPa. These devices and structures show great promise for inclusion in complex, fully integrated and active microfluidic systems fabricated using microstereolithography alone, with implications for both cost of manufacture and lead time

    Medical Robotics for use in MRI Guided Endoscopy

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    Interventional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a developing field that aims to provide intra-operative MRI to a clinician to guide diagnostic or therapeutic medical procedures. MRI provides excellent soft tissue contrast at sub-millimetre resolution in both 2D and 3D without the need for ionizing radiation. Images can be acquired in near real-time for guidance purposes. Operating in the MR environment brings challenges due to the high static magnetic field, switching magnetic field gradients and RF excitation pulses. In addition high field closed bore scanners have spatial constraints that severely limit access to the patient. This thesis presents a system for MRI-guided Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP). This includes a remote actuation system that enables an MRI-compatible endoscope to be controlled whilst the patient is inside the MRI scanner, overcoming the spatial and procedural constraints imposed by the closed scanner bore. The modular system utilises non-magnetic ultrasonic motors and is designed for image-guided user-in-the-loop control. A novel miniature MRI compatible clutch has been incorporated into the design to reduce the need for multiple parallel motors. The actuation system is MRI compatible does not degrade the MR images below acceptable levels. User testing showed that the actuation system requires some degree of training but enables completion of a simulated ERCP procedure with no loss of performance. This was demonstrated using a tailored ERCP simulator and kinematic assessment tool, which was validated with users from a range of skill levels to ensure that it provides an objective measurement of endoscopic skill. Methods of tracking the endoscope in real-time using the MRI scanner are explored and presented here. Use of the MRI-guided ERCP system was shown to improve the operator’s ability to position the endoscope in an experimental environment compared with a standard fluoroscopic-guided system.Open Acces

    Microneedles for Transdermal Biosensing: Current Picture and Future Direction

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    A novel trend is rapidly emerging in the use of microneedles, which are a miniaturized replica of hypodermic needles with length-scales of hundreds of micrometers, aimed at the transdermal biosensing of analytes of clinical interest, e.g., glucose, biomarkers, and others. Transdermal biosensing via microneedles offers remarkable opportunities for moving biosensing technol-ogies and biochips from research laboratories to real-fi eld applications, and envisages easy-to-use point-of-care microdevices with pain-free, minimally invasive, and minimal-training features that are very attractive for both devel-oped and emerging countries. In addition to this, microneedles for trans-dermal biosensing offer a unique possibility for the development of biochips provided with end-effectors for their interaction with the biological system under investigation. Direct and effi cient collection of the biological sample to be analyzed will then become feasible in situ at the same length-scale of the other biochip components by minimally trained personnel and in a minimally invasive fashion. This would eliminate the need for blood extraction using hypodermic needles and reduce, in turn, related problems, such as patient infections, sample contaminations, analysis artifacts, etc. The aim here is to provide a thorough and critical analysis of state-of-the-art developments in this novel research trend, and to bridge the gap between microneedles and biosensors

    Wireless capsule endoscope for targeted drug delivery

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    The diagnosis and treatment of pathologies of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract are performed routinely by gastroenterologists using endoscopes and colonoscopes, however the small intestinal tract is beyond the reach of these conventional systems. Attempts have been made to access the small intestines with wireless capsule endoscopes (WCE). These pill-sized cameras take pictures of the intestinal wall and then relay them back for evaluation. This practice enables the detection and diagnosis of pathologies of the GI tract such as Crohn's disease, small intestinal tumours such as lymphoma and small intestinal cancer. The problems with these systems are that they have limited diagnostic capabilities and they do not offer the ability to perform therapy to the affected areas leaving only the options of administering large quantities of drugs or surgical intervention. To address the issue of administering therapy in the small intestinal tract this thesis presents an active swallowable microrobotic platform which has novel functionality enabling the microrobot to treat pathologies through a targeted drug delivery system. This thesis first reviews the state-of-the-art in WCE through the evaluation of current and past literature. A review of current practises such as flexible sigmoidoscopy, virtual colonoscopy and wireless capsule endoscopy are presented. The following sections review the state-of-the-art in methods of resisting peristalsis, drug targeting systems and drug delivery. A review of actuators is presented, in the context of WCE, with a view to evaluate their acceptability in adding functionality to current WCEs. The thesis presents a novel biologically-inspired holding mechanism which overcomes the issue of resisting natural peristalsis in the GI tract. An analysis of the two components of peristaltic force, circumferential and longitudinal peristaltic contractions, are presented to ensure correct functionality of the holding mechanism. A detailed analysis of the motorised method employed to deploy the expanding mechanism is described and a 5:1 scale prototype is presented which characterises the gearbox and validates the holding mechanism. The functionality of WCE is further extended by the inclusion of a novel targeting mechanism capable of delivering a metered dose of medication to a target site of interest in the GI tract. A solution to the problem of positioning a needle within a 360 degree envelope, operating the needle and safely retracting the needle in the GI tract is discussed. A comprehensive analysis of the mechanism to manoeuvre the needle is presented and validation of the mechanism is demonstrated through the evaluation of scale prototypes. Finally a drug delivery system is presented which can expel a 1 ml dose of medication, stored onboard the capsule, into the subcutaneous tissue of the GI tract wall. An analysis of the force required to expel the medication in a set period of time is presented and the design and analysis of a variable pitch conical compression spring which will be used to deliver the medication is discussed. A thermo mechanical trigger mechanism is presented which will be employed to release the compressed conical spring. Experimental results using 1:1 scale prototype parts validate the performance of the mechanisms.Open Acces

    Diccionario interactivo ilustrado técnico bilingüe : herramientas, materiales y elementos para la construcción y afines

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    Diccionario producto de la colaboración de instructores de los programas de construcción, automatismos, refrigeración, motores y carpintería del Centro de Operación y Mantenimiento Minero del SENA, en el que se recopila alfabéticamente en idioma inglés y de forma visual los materiales y equipos utilizados comúnmente en construcción así como su definición y su traducción al español.Dictionary product of the collaboration of instructors of the programs of construction, automatisms, refrigeration, motors and carpentry of the Center of Operation and Mining Maintenance of the SENA, in which the materials and equipment commonly used in English are collected alphabetically in English language construction as well as its definition and its translation into Spanish.Aa-Bb--Cc-Dd--Ee-Ff--Gg-Hh--Ii-Jj--Kk-Ll--Mm-Nn--Oo-Pp--Qq-Rr--10.Ss-Tt-- Uu-Vv--Ww--Contrucction Program--Automation Program--Refrigeration Program--Automotive ProgramnaTítulo en portada “Diccionario interactivo técnico ilustrado bilingüe; materiales, herramientas y elementos para la construcción y afines”204 página

    Rapid Intradermal Delivery of Liquid Formulations Using a Hollow Microstructured Array

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    Purpose The purpose of this work is to demonstrate rapid intradermal delivery of up to 1.5 mL of formulation using a hollow microneedle delivery device designed for self-application. Methods 3M’s hollow Microstructured Transdermal System (hMTS) was applied to domestic swine to demonstrate delivery of a variety of formulations including small molecule salts and proteins. Blood samples were collected after delivery and analyzed via HPLC or ELISA to provide a PK profile for the delivered drug. Site evaluations were conducted post delivery to determine skin tolerability. Results Up to 1.5 mL of formulation was infused into swine at a max rate of approximately 0.25 mL/min. A red blotch, the size of the hMTS array, was observed immediately after patch removal, but had faded so as to be almost indistinguishable 10 min post-patch removal. One-mL deliveries of commercial formulations of naloxone hydrochloride and human growth hormone and a formulation of equine anti-tetanus toxin were completed in swine. With few notable differences, the resulting PK profiles were similar to those achieved following subcutaneous injection of these formulations. Conclusions 3M’s hMTS can provide rapid, intradermal delivery of 300–1,500 µL of liquid formulations of small molecules salts and proteins, compounds not typically compatible with passive transdermal delivery. KEY WORDS transdermal drug delivery. microneedles. intradermal. hollow microstructures. MT

    Reduced Exhaust Emissions Through Blending n-Butanol with Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel and Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene in Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition Combustion

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    Increasing restrictions on the emitted exhaust emissions in diesel engines are becoming a more challenging task than in previous years. An electronic common rail fuel injection system and a port fuel injection (PFI) system were developed for an experimental engine to research dual fuel combustion. The experimental research was conducted at 1500 rpm and 4, 5, and 6 bar indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP). n-Butanol was port fuel injected at a 60% by mass fraction coupled with direct injection (DI) of three fuels, including ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD RCCI), a 50-50 wt-% blend of ULSD and butanol (ULSD-Bu RCCI), and a 50-50 wt-% blend of Fischer Tropsch synthetic paraffinic kerosene and butanol (S8-Bu RCCI). Split DI events of high reactivity fuels were used to maintain constant combustion phasing. The fuel blends increased pressure rise rates and ringing intensity drastically compared to conventional diesel combustion (CDC) and ULSD RCCI. Both butanol fuel bends had lower ignition quality than ULSD, increasing the mass fraction at the first DI event, increasing heat release rates up to 30%. ULSD-Bu RCCI had the shortest ignition delay and combustion duration due to the low cetane number. NOx and soot were simultaneously reduced up to 90% with RCCI compared to CDC. Unburned hydrocarbons were increased for RCCI fuel blends. S8-Bu RCCI resulted in reductions in hydrocarbon emissions compared to ULSD-Bu RCCI. Results display large emission reductions of harmful pollutants, such as NOx and soot, with RCCI combustion and the potential of alternative fuels in diesel combustion
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