Legacy Theses
Permanent URI for this collection
University of Calgary masters and doctoral theses submitted in paper format prior to the electronic thesis and dissertation program.
University of Calgary graduate alumni can make their thesis publicly available in PRISM by contacting digitalservices@ucalgary.libanswers.com
The electronic theses and dissertations on this site are for the personal use of students, scholars and the public. Any commercial use, publication or lending of them in libraries is strictly prohibited.
Browse
Browsing Legacy Theses by Department "Biomedical Engineering"
Now showing 1 - 20 of 72
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item Open Access A coupled eulerian-langrangian mechanical model of the breast(2010) Kuhlmann, Martin; Ramirez-Serrano, Alejandro; Fear, Elise; Federico, SalvatoreItem Open Access A photogrammetric system for 3d reconstruction of a scoliotic torso(2008) Chang, Yu-Chuan; Habib, AymanItem Open Access ACL transection and electrical stimulation training of the quadriceps in the rabbit: effects on strength and osteoarthritis(2008) Szabo, Eva; Herzog, WalterItem Open Access An assessment of the potential for recovery of bone quality after osteoporotic bone loss(2011) Campbell, Graeme Michael; Boyd, StevenItem Open Access An integrated finite element modeling/cryomicroscopy investigation of osmotic environment and ice structure during freezing of tissues(2003) Liu, Zhihong; Wan, Richard G.; Muldrew, KenItem Open Access Better diagnoses of stroke and epilepsy with quantitative mr assessment(2011) Kosior, Robert Karl; Frayne, RichardItem Open Access Biomechanical assessment of CAD/CAM and hand-cast prostheses for transtibial amputees(2009) Thannhauser, Steven Victor; Ronsky, Janet L.Item Open Access Bioprocessing of human bone marrow mesecnchymal stem cells for the treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration(2012) Yuan, Yifan; Kallos, Michael S.; Sen, ArindomLower back pain is a major medical problem in North America. From the biological point of view, the degeneration of intervertebral disc may be the main cause for lower back pain. The current study focused on using stem cell to differentiation into large number of healthy intervertebral disc cells. Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMMSCs) were used. This project has been divided into two parts: I. hBM-MSCs expansion, 2. hBM-MSCs differentiation. Experiments were carried out manipulating culture medium components ( oxygen tension, calcium, serum, pH) and agitation to improve the expansion of hBM-MSCs in bioreactors. After 33 days of culture under the developed protocol, approximately I 03 fold increase over the inoculation density had been obtained in suspension bioreactor culture. The differentiation of MSCs to nucleus pulposus-like cells was performed by using multiple growth factor cocktails and notochordal conditioned medium. There was higher expression of genes and proteins specific for nucleus pulposus cells, after exposure of MSCs to conditioned medium over 21 days than in basal medium.Item Open Access Bone micro-architecture, estimated bone strength, and muscle strength in elite athletes: an hr-pqct study(2012) Schipilow, John David Shearer; Boyd, StevenAthletes participating in sports characterized by specific loading modalities have exhibited different levels of augmentation of bone properties; however, it remains unclear to what extent these loading environments affect bone micro-architecture and estimated bone strength. Furthermore, the relative role of impact forces versus muscle forces in determining bone properties remains unclear. The objective of this study was to examine the influence of impact loading on bone micro-architecture and estimated bone strength in elite athletes, and to investigate the relationship between these bone parameters and muscle strength in elite athletes. The results of this study suggest that impact loading is highly, positively associated with bone micro-architecture and estimated bone strength. Additionally, muscle strength and bone properties were positively associated, but these associations were often weak. This study has provided a unique analysis of the relation between impact loading, muscle strength, and bone micro-architecture and estimated bone strength.Item Open Access Cardiac impulse propagation in diabetic heart: response to oxidative stress and ischemia(2011) Rahnema Naserabad, Parisa; Nygren, Anders; Shimoni, YakhinItem Open Access Cardiovascular tissue remodeling at multiple length scales(2012) Bellini, Chiara; Di Martino, ElenaThe human body is a biological system composed of elements organized into levels of increasing complexity. A common rule seems to hold true across length scales, which relates the structure of biological systems with the function they perform. Stimuli of different origin may create imbalances in the structure-function relationship and promote a growth and remodeling cascade to restore preferred form and function (homeostatic condition). Clinical relevance of remodeling studies stems from the interpretation of many diseases as the result of an adverse remodeling process. In this thesis different aspects of the remodeling process that occurs in the cardiovascular system will be analyzed at three levels of magnification: organ, tissue and microstructural components. The effect of atrial fibrillation on left atrium mechanics was investigated at the organ and tissue levels. Dynamic CT scans were used to generate a computational model of the porcine left atrium, which was not limited to the organ itself but also included fine anatomical features of the structures that guide and constraint its movement throughout the cardiac cycle, such as pericardium, pulmonary veins and mitral valve annulus. Computational results seem to suggest that a stress-mediated mechanism contributes to the onset and progression of atrial fibrillation. The regional mechanical behavior of tissues in the atria was assessed on excised specimens by means of planar biaxial tests, while polarized light microscopy was used to determine the dominant orientation of cardiomyocytes. Mechanical and microscopy measurements were then combined to fit constitutive relationships consistent with the microstructure. The development of atrial fibrillation was documented to promote stiffening of the mechanical response and thickening of the wall, both effects contributing to decrease tissue deformability. Finally, the contribution of microstructural constituents ( collagen fibers, elastic material and smooth muscle cells) in supporting the mechanical loads applied to the wall of large, conduit arteries was investigated. Pressure-diameter tests were performed on murine carotid arteries from wild-type and genetically-modified mice to record the tissue mechanical response. Histological assays were used to evaluate the relative abundance of constituents in the vascular wall. A structurally-motivated constitutive relationship was fitted to the mechanical data and fed to a numerical model, which was able to predict the redistribution of stresses among the main components of the arterial tissue in response to a perturbation of the external loads. The proposed model can be used to assess how the microstructural reorganization associated with the progression of specific diseases affects the mechanical loads supported by individual constituents.Item Open Access cell morphology and gap junction communication in the annulus fibrosus(2009) McMillian, Jana Leigh; Duncan, Neil A.Item Open Access Cervical spine manipulation and cervical artery dissections: a systematic review of the literature and experimental studies of a potential mechanism(2007) Wynd, Shari Elizabeth; Kawchuk, Greg; Tyberg, John V.Item Open Access Characterizing acute ischemic stroke evolution using magnetic resonance diffusion imaging(2008) Harris, Ashley D.; Frayne, RichardItem Open Access Clinical assessment of bone quality(2007) MacNeil, Joshua Allen Michael; Boyd, StevenItem Open Access Computational analysis of bone fluid flow(2009) Goulet, Grant Carr; Zernicke, Ronald F.; Martinuzzi, RobertItem Open Access Computed tomography protocol for measuring knee kinematics before and after total knee arthroplasty(2010) Ho, Karen Cherk Ting; Anglin, CarolynItem Open Access Computer-assisted patellar resurfacing system for total knee arthroplasty(2010) Fu, Chun Kit; Anglin, CarolynItem Open Access Design and assessment of blood glucose regulation for type I diabetes(2012) Lee, Kovid; Foley, MichaelItem Open Access Developing a novel biomimetic bioreactor for bone graft engineering with murine embryonic stem cells(2012) Lee, Poh Soo; Rancourt, Derrick; Krawetz, RomanFollowing blood, bone graft transplantation is the second most common tissue transplant. Although tissue engineering holds great potential to fulfill demands for better treatment outcomes, it remains technologically challenging to produce bone grafts with normal physiological properties. During skeletal development, endochondral ossification initiates long bone formation and fracture healing. In this study, I aimed to build an in-vitro biomimetic bioreactor to recapitulate physiological niches and processes essential for endochondral ossification to grow bone tissues with anatomical and mechanical properties similar to the native tissues. Here, I have built a prototype capable of generating a dynamic cultivation environment and producing an ivory-toned construct with a stiff texture. The engineered construct greatly resembles a hyaline cartilage model undergoing initial stages of endochondral ossification during skeletal development. In the future, a possible engineered vasculature system may be integrated into the existing bioreactor design to enhance further maturation of constructs to form compact bone.