The Jovanovic lab at Oregon State University (OSU) is developing iCore, a versatile blood processing platform which leverages microfluidic process intensification via increased mass transfer efficiency and decreased device footprint with the goal of creating a portable, wearable device. One application of iCore is for the treatment of hyperferremia resulting...
Our society today is heavily dependent on fossil fuels such as coal and oil. However, growing environmental concerns and future fossil fuel supplies have led to interests in alternative fuels. Dimethyl Ether (DME) is an inexpensive, clean-burning, non-toxic, and potentially renewable fuel, making it a suitable choice as an alternative...
An understanding of oppression and privilege would improve engineering climates and encourage individuals with marginalized identities to stay engaged in engineering spaces. Currently there are quantitative tools to assess cultural competencies, but none that measure understandings of power relationships. This project aims to create a qualitative assessment instrument to measure...
Ammonia oxidizing bacteria, including Nitrosomonas europaea, are inhibited by aromatic hydrocarbons which can be found in wastewater treatment plants. In recent studies, changes have been observed in N. europaea cell size upon exposure to benzene, but not toluene. Additionally, NE 1545, a gene proposed to be involved in fatty acid...
Sepsis, caused by bacterial release of endotoxin, is a serious blood infection that causes uncontrolled systemic immune response. In North America alone, sepsis kills between 220,000 and 380,000 people each year, more than prostate cancer, breast cancer, and HIV/AIDS combined. Sepsis treatment is complicated and often requires prolonged hospital stays,...
Monitoring the concentration of phenolic compounds is important for environmental regulation, health diagnostics, and bioenergy fermentation. Vanillin is a phenol compound used as a food flavoring that can cause allergies and inhibits biofuel production. The phenol m-cresol is a toxic compound that is regulated in the environment and in human...
There are at least fifteen types of upper extremity tendon transfer procedures for combined peripheral nerve injuries that involve re-routing a single donor muscle to multiple recipient tendons. As a result, force and movement across finger joints become coupled, resulting in limited grasping abilities. Quantification and modeling of the donor...
Neonatal jaundice secondary to hyperbilirubinemia occurs in 60% of all term newborns and nearly all preterm newborns in the US. Severe cases of this may lead to chronic encephalopathy, neurologic deficits, and, in some cases, death. Intensive blue light phototherapy involves irradiation of a patient with high intensity light and...
The consumption of alcohol has been shown to have effects on health that are both harmful and
therapeutic, depending on the amount that is consumed. Alcohol’s effects can be damaging to the body in excess but, in moderation, can act as a protectant against certain conditions. The two studies discussed...
Throughout a large portion of our planet, malaria has been nearly eradicated or reduced to levels that are highly manageable, and many countries possess the means to effectively treat the disease. However, many areas of the world, such as Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, are still heavily burdened by malaria....