Biomedical engineering notes – Bioelectricity and bioelectromagnetism

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Program
Models and methods for analysis of membrane potentials. Cell membrane and transport phenomena through the membrane. Potential Balance. Action potential (AP). Ion channels, Voltage-clamp and extent of membrane conductance. Hodgkin-Huxley model (H-H). Run sub-threshold: Cable Equation. Run above-threshold: Propagation of the AP. Extracellular potential. Models of primary sources and volume conductors. Sources: monopole, dipole, single cell, single fiber, multiple source. Volume conductor: effect of inhomogeneities and the finished volume. Derived vector. Models of neuron networks and neurotic. The model H-H to dynamic models of single neuron models ‘integrate-and-fire’ (IF) and ‘spike-response’ (SR). Trains of pulses and neural information coding. Models of neurotic networks: structure and implementation. Methods of estimation of electric fields and electric potential distributions generated by/in biological tissues. Analytical approach: magnetic vector potential, calculating amid infinite and infinite seeds, of the reciprocity theorem applications. Numerical approach: finite difference methods FIT, FDTD low frequency. Estimation methods of electrical and magnetic fields generated by microwave biological tissues. Numerical approach: finite difference methods FIT, FDTD in the microwave range (RF). Dosimetry of RF electromagnetic fields in biological systems: the concept of SAR and calculation methods.
Electric and magnetic fields generated by biological tissues. Electrical stimulation of biological systems. Basic concepts on exogenous stimulation, electrical stimulation: basic concepts. Potential and limits, Clinical applications. Active implantable devices: pacemakers, defibrillators, cochlear implants, neural stimulators. Magnetic stimulation of the nervous system. Fundamental concepts. Potential and limits. Estimate of products fields. Control and focus of the field. Construction and technical problems of optimization of pacing devices.

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Biomedical engineering notes

Algae photobioreactors for CO2 absorption

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Studies to develop surfaces for carbon oxide absorption (CO2), are so common as strategy to diminish the atmospheric concentration of this polluctant. Since much time a solution in that way are titanium anodized surfaces (anatase), but the high material costs make it hard to widespread the technology. An innovative solution suggests to use unicellular green algae (Dunaliella parva and Dunaliella tertiolecta), which are organisms able to absorb CO2 and produce oxygen (O2) in the reaction. Studies (greenfuelonline.com) helped to develop phototropic panels (Air-Lift Bioreactor) in which, thanks to an optimized photobioreactor, algae work in acqueous environment and solar light exposition takes to the generation of oxygen, following the process of chlorofillian photosynthesis. Algae used for this kind of experiments show annual efficiency, when they could be recycled as biomass waste to produce biofuels. It’s possible to obtain a virtous cycle in the usage of this natural product, which should find numerous applications, such as: building, roofs, cars covering and surface nanotech treatments.

Algae photobioreators

Antimalarials: bioengineering for everyone

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Artemisinin, today considered the main antimalarial drug, could be produced at low cost by creating genetically modified yeast. Numerous research chasing the dream of making such microorganisms capable of producing acid artemisinic, precursor of the active ingredient of the drug. The greatest successes have been achieved during experiments conducted bioengineering at the University of California (source: Nature).

Malaria kills more than a million people a year, mostly children; the most affected areas are in Africa, regions such as sub-Saharan Africa that have limited availability of resources for prevention and cure. The drug now considered more effective especially against strains resistant to other therapies is that artemisinin is extracted from Artemisia annua, a plant known since ancient times for its medicinal properties. Being a rare plant, the drug which it is produced is very expensive. The solution could come from bioengineering: Researchers have genetically modified the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, inserting its DNA two genes of Artemisia annua. This makes the yeast capable of producing acid artemisinic, precursor of the active ingredient of the drug, obtainable at this point chemically synthesized by the acid. We will be able to make available this progress of bioengineering to all who need it in the world?

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