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Showcase Engineering and Environmental Science

A Feasibility Study On 3D Printed Biopsy Needles: Pronged Tips And INternal Features Affect On Tissue Yield

A Feasibility Study On 3D Printed Biopsy Needles: Pronged Tips And INternal Features Affect On Tissue Yield

Primary Author: Anika VanDeen

Faculty Sponsor: Roland Chen

 

Primary College/Unit: Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture

Category: Engineering and Environmental Science

Campus: Pullman

 

Abstract:

 

Principal Topic

Cancer is an ever-prevalent disease accounting for a large portion of medical services. With an aging world population, it is imperative to have efficient and non-invasive diagnostics. Biopsy methods such as core needle biopsy (CNB) and fine needle aspiration (FNA) are some of the most common practices used to garner an accurate diagnosis.

Methods

This study explores the feasibility of using 3D printing to fabricate biopsy needles with advanced designs that cannot be manufactured using traditional methods. We focus on enhancing the needle tip geometry as well as the addition of an internal feature to help improve tissue yield amounts. Four needle designs were tested, two with a bevel shaped tip, and two with a five-pronged tip, both with and without the internal feature.

 

Results/Implications

Average total yield for the beveled needle with no feature (n=10), was 3.217 mg (s=0.9104), and for the beveled needle with feature, five-pronged needle without feature, and the five-pronged needle with feature (n=22), measured 8.31 mg (s=3.07 mg), 16.16 mg (s=12.21), and 26.34 mg (s=12.94), respectively. There is a statistical difference in yield tissue amounts between the five-prong needle with and without feature (p=0.01). The pronged-tip design with the internal feature is shown to have a significant effect on tissue sampling efficiency. The 3D printed needles do create higher insertion force than that of the stainless-steel needles. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using 3D printing to fabricate biopsy needles with enhanced tissue sampling efficiency.

 

Optimizing the Production of Stem-cell-based Cartilage for Arthritis Treatment

Optimizing the Production of Stem-cell-based Cartilage for Arthritis Treatment

Primary Author: Olivia Reynolds

Faculty Sponsor: Bernard Van Wie

 

Primary College/Unit: Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture

Category: Engineering and Environmental Science

Campus: Pullman

 

Abstract:

 

Principle topic

Osteoarthritis (OA), the degradation of articular cartilage tissue which lines joints, affects 30 million adults in the United States. There are few effective treatment options for OA; however, stem-cell-based therapy is a promising emerging treatment as stem cells can form new healthy cartilage. The use of chemical growth factors and anti-inflammatory compounds, as well as the co-culture of stem cells with native cartilage cells can enhance cartilage formation and promote the production of critical structural proteins such as glycosaminoglycans (GAG) and collagen. However, the optimum combination of these factors is unknown. Thus, this work investigated the combined roles of the growth factor dexamethasone, the anti-inflammatory compound alpha-tocopherol, and the ratio of stem cells to cartilage cells in an effort to determine an optimum combination and improve the quality of engineered cartilage tissue.

 

Method

In this work, dexamethasone concentration, alpha-tocopherol concentration, and stem cell percentage were varied using a Box-Behnken fractional factorial design scheme. Following 21 days of cell culture, total collagen, GAG, and DNA were measured for each experimental group to quantify the amount of cartilage-specific proteins produced. Data were analyzed to determine the culture conditions which resulted in the maximum quantity of collagen and GAG as these proteins indicate cartilage formation.

 

Results/implications

The results of this study showed that the highest protein production occurred at low stem cell percentages, low to moderate anti-inflammatory concentrations, and moderate growth factor concentration. These results may be used to improve the production of cartilage for applications in OA treatment.

 

Enhancing Mass Transfer of Nutraceuticals to Inflamed Cartilage Cells through Perfusion

Enhancing Mass Transfer of Nutraceuticals to Inflamed Cartilage Cells through Perfusion

Primary Author: Haneen Abusharkh

Faculty Sponsor: Bernard Van Wie

 

Primary College/Unit: Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture

Category: Engineering and Environmental Science

Campus: Pullman

 

Abstract:

Articular cartilage is a connective tissue that lacks blood vessels or sensory neurons. The lack of vascularity presents cartilage with diffusion-limited nutrient and oxygen supply and minimal intrinsic ability to regenerate after injury, leading to Osteoarthritis (OA). The aneural nature of cartilage makes injury difficult to diagnose due to lack of pain and therefore OA intervention has a tendency to be delayed. OA is the most common joint disease in the U.S. and was traditionally defined solely as the degradation of cartilage and was not considered an inflammatory disease. However, several recent studies have proven the presence of inflammatory markers, including interleukins, in the serum of OA joints. These findings have transformed how researches define and develop treatments for OA.

Nutraceuticals are food components that have medicinal benefits in addition to their nutritional value. They reduce inflammation by blocking the expression of interleukin-1 and scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) and free radicals by their anti-oxidative characteristics.

In this study, inflammation was induced in bovine cartilage cells by the addition of interleukin-1β. Then, cells were cultured in two groups, a static micromass, and a perfusion bioreactor group. Both groups were supplied with a nutraceutical containing growth medium. We hypothesized that perfusion enhances the mass transfer of nutraceuticals to the grown cartilage tissue and reverses the inflammatory symptoms. Our results suggest that inflammation was reduced in the bioreactor samples, reflected by higher production of proteins indicative of healthy cartilage, collagen, and glycosaminoglycan, by more than 16-fold in comparison to static micromass cultures.

 

Biomechanical comparison between barefoot and running shoe conditions during running movements executed by flat feet patients

Biomechanical comparison between barefoot and running shoe conditions during running movements executed by flat feet patients

Primary author: Hamidreza Barnamehei

Primary college/unit: College of Veterinary Medicine
Category: Engineering and Environmental Science
Campus: Pullman

Abstract:

The goal of the current study was to compare the barefoot and running shoe conditions during running executed by flat feet patients. Based on the assumption that running with shoes represents an excellent condition for improvement.
Sixteen flat feet subject (23.2 ± 1.1 years; 68 ± 7.5 kg; 169 ± 7 cm) participated. Motion data were collected, and biomechanical parameters were determined by dynamics equations. Statistical analysis t-test was used to evaluated differences between and shoe conditions barefoot or shod (p < 0.05).
It was found that the range of motion increased in the shoe running (27.01°) compared to the barefoot running (24.15°, p <0.05). Differences between barefoot and shoe conditions were significant at the knee during late stance and swing phase; at the ankle early stance, mid-stance and swing phase just in the sagittal plane. Significant differences were also found at the ankle moments during early stance and knee moment during early stance in the sagittal plane. Although, we found significant differences in the sagittal plane between the knee and ankle joints. Therefore, these results show these differences affect the delay in knee extension and ankle plantarflexion during late stance.
The current study presents that running shoes do not change foot movements as much as conventional shoes and consequently should be recommended not only for flat feet patients but for healthy people in general. Therefore, the findings of the current study are helpful to flat feet patients to finding the effects of running shoe and barefoot conditions on running.