At the author’s request, the abstract has been removed due to the confidential nature of the thesis. It will be added once the embargo period has passed.

Orb weavers intercept insects using non-hardening bioadhesive droplets, supported by two flagelliform fibers. Droplets contain an adhesive glycoprotein core and aqueous layer that confers hygroscopicity. The first study investigates the durability of these droplets to cycling, or repeatedly adhering, extending, and pulling off. Droplets of four species proved resilient, cycling 40 times. Cycling, coupled with droplet humidity responsiveness, qualifies them as smart materials. However, thread adhesion is complex, relying on an integrated performance of multiple droplets and the flagelliform fibers. As insects struggle, the flagelliform fibers bow and the droplets extend, forming a suspension bridge configuration whose biomechanics sum the adhesion of droplets and dissipate the energy of struggling insects. Given this performance, the second study predicts that the material properties of both thread components have evolved in a complementary way. Comparative phylogenetics of 14 study species revealed that their elastic moduli are correlated, with glycoproteins being six times more elastic than flagelliform fibers. Spider mass affects the amount of each material, but not their properties. Since glycoprotein performance changes with humidity, we hypothesized that orb weavers generate greater adhesion at their foraging humidity. After delimiting low and high humidity species groups (eight and six species, respectively), bridge force was determined as total contributing droplet adhesion at three humidities. Only three spiders generated greater adhesion outside of their foraging humidity. The distribution of force along a suspension bridge differed from a previously reported pattern. We also characterize the sheet configuration, which generates force similar to suspension bridges. / Master of Science / In nature, adhesives are used for a variety of functions. Many animals use adhesives use adhesives when climbing. Examples include toe pads of geckos, tarsal pads of ants, and tube feet of and sea urchins. Here, adhesion is repeatedly generated and released as the animal moves. However, some animals depend on permanent adhesives to anchor to surfaces. Marine mussels and barnacles, whose adult forms are sessile, use adhesives to resist the powerful action of waves and currents. Adhesion also plays a critical role in prey capture, where it prevents prey from escaping. The sticky droplets of a sundew plants and the adhesive capture threads of spider orb webs trap flies. Biologists and engineers study these bioadiehsives in search of inspiration and principles that will guide the development of new materials, including adhesives that function underwater, harden rapidly, or remaining pliable after adhering. This study investigated the material properties of capture threads spun by orb weaving spiders, which rely on non-hardening sticky droplets, supported by two protein fibers to capture insects. Inside each droplet is an adhesive core allows droplets to adhere to an insect and to extend as it struggles to escape. Surrounding this core is an aqueous layer that attracts atmospheric water, causing droplets to track changes in ambient humidity. A study of the cycling (or reusability) of four species' droplets repeatedly adhered a droplet to a surface and extending it to pull-off. These droplets were very resilient, cycling 40 times. Cycling, coupled with droplet humidity responsiveness, qualifies them as smart materials. However, prey capture is more complex, relying on the integration of multiple droplets and their supporting flagelliform fibers. As insects struggle, these fibers bow and the droplets extend, forming a suspension bridge configuration whose biomechanics sum the adhesion of droplets to resist an insect escape. The threads of 14 species were examined to test the hypothesis that material properties of both thread components have evolved in a complementary way to optimize adhesive performance. This revealed that the elasticities of the two capture thread components were correlated, with support fiber elasticity being greater. Capture threads generated the greatest adhesion at humidities during times that a spider feeds, although the distribution of this force across a suspension bridge showed different patterns among the species. The functional integration of a capture thread's components and its ability to respond to environmental humidity gives it exciting biomimicry potential.

No description available.

Scour around important foundation elements for bridges and other coastal infrastructure is the leading cause of failure and instability of those structures. Traditional scour mitigation methods, such as the placement of riprap, the use of collars or slots, embedding foundations deeper, or a combination thereof can be costly, require long-term maintenance, and can potentially have detrimental environmental effects downstream. These difficulties with traditional methods are potentially alleviated with the implementation of self-sustaining bivalve (e.g., mussel, oyster, scallop) farms that could act as mats of interconnected living barriers, protecting the seabed from scour. The mats would help to attract larval settlement by making the substrate a more suitable habitat, contributing to the sustainability of the bivalve farms. Colonies of bivalves are already being used as living shorelines for retreatment mitigation, embankment stabilization, and supporting habitat for other marine life. These applications are accomplished, in part, by bivalves' strong attachment capabilities from the bioadhesives they secrete that act as a strong underwater glue, adhering their shells to granular substrate. Some species of mussels have been shown to withstand water flow velocities greater than 6 m/s without detaching. For reference, riprap with a median grain size of about 655 mm has been shown to require a flow velocity of at least 1.7 m/s for incipient motion of the boulder-sized riprap. In addition to the contiguous living bivalve mat offering scour protection, the whole or fragmented shells (i.e., shell hash) that are left behind from dead bivalves are hypothesized to reduce erosion potential. Shell hash-laden sediments should be able to better withstand shearing, thereby increasing the critical shear stress required to erode material, compared to sediment without shell hash. Habitat suitability for bivalve colonies is also an important consideration to evaluate what surface enhancements may be needed for a site to be selected for implementation of bivalve scour mats. Bed surfaces that consist of unconsolidated fine-grained sediment are unlikely to be able to support bivalve species as the organisms could sink into the sediment, not allowing solid anchoring points. In contrast, harder substrates typically found in granular sediments offer much more suitable habitats. Along with testing the influence of shell hash and bioadhesive on sediment behavior, this thesis aims to establish a methodology to evaluate whether a section of seafloor can support bivalves or enhancement materials (e.g., shell, shale, or slag fragments) without them sinking, thereby depriving them of oxygen. Together, the examining of geotechnical aspects of bivalve habitat enhancement through seabed soil alteration and the influence of shell hash and bioadhesives on sediment shear behavior are part of a novel multidisciplinary approach toward this proposed bioengineered scour solution. Consequently, the research objectives explored in this thesis are as follows: (1) characterize morphology of existing bivalve colonies through acoustic and direct field measurements; (2) evaluate the spatial variation of the sediment shear strength in terms of proximity to bivalve colonies; (3) expand the domain of confining pressures and shell hash weight fractions used in sediment strength testing; (4) quantify the changes in shear strength and erodibility from laboratory tests on sampled material with and without the presence of bioadhesives, as well as shell fragments mixed in with the sediment; and, (5) develop a methodology ranking system for the suitability of a surficial sediments to support seeding material to improve benthic life habitat substrates. Three exploratory field surveys were conducted where colonies of oysters and other benthic life were present: in the Piankatank River in Virginia, in the Northwest Arm of the Sydney Harbour in Nova Scotia, Canada, and at the Rachel Carson Reserve in North Carolina. Field sampling techniques included Ponar grab samples, hand-dug samples, X-ray rectangular prism cores, and cylindrical push cores, which were all pivotal to understanding sediment composition, size and shape of particle distributions, as well as in-situ depth profiles of shells. Remote sensing and intrusive instrumentation included a rotary scanning sonar, acoustic Doppler current profilers, CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth) probes, underwater cameras, a portable free-fall penetrometer, and in-situ jet erosion testing which helped to characterize the morphology of the bivalve colonies and the spatial variability of sediment strength. Subsequent laboratory experiments included grain size distribution analyses, vacuum triaxial tests to measure changes in shear strength with and without shell hash, and miniature vane and pocket erodometer tests on bioadhesive-treated sediments. The results showed: (1) a significant increase in the standard deviation of the backscatter intensity where the oyster reef was located; (2) the in-situ sediment shear strength increased slightly closer to the oyster reef at the Piankatank River site; (3) samples with a higher oyster density exhibited less uniform particle size distributions; (4) the presence of less than approximately 4% (by weight) of shell fragments increased the secant friction angle by approximately 6° relative to samples with no shell fragments; and, (5) the harbor bed of the Northwest Arm of the Sydney Harbour is a suitable stiffness for enhancement with shell hash over about 23% of its area. Preliminary testing showed a subtle increase in the torsional shear resistance and a decrease in erodibility for bioadhesive-treated samples; however, further testing is needed for confidence to be achieved in the results due to bioadhesive supply issues. / Master of Science / Oysters and mussels are aquatic mollusks (i.e., bivalves) that are known to be able to withstand strong storm flows without detaching from rocks and other hard surfaces. Knowing this and the increasing need for environmental- and ecological-friendly solutions in engineering and construction further accelerated by climate change and sea level rise are the motivations for studying whether bivalves can be used in this capacity. Traditional methods to protect against bridge failures caused from individual piers that become unstable from sediment eroding away from their bases can be costly, require long-term maintenance efforts, and can potentially have detrimental environmental impacts. As an alternative to or supplement to traditional methods, bivalves could be laid down in mats near the base of piers to act as a protective interconnected layer, diverting strong water flows away from the otherwise exposed sediments susceptible to erosion while strengthening the seabed. Much is known and has been investigated on the biology of bivalves but understanding how these organisms influence the sediments near them has not been studied extensively from a geotechnical engineering perspective. Specifically, within geotechnical engineering, this study is focused primarily on the influence of oyster shell fractures, naturally found in the vicinity of bivalve colonies, and the organic glue that bivalves use to attach themselves to rocks on the engineering behavior of nearby sediments. Secondary to that main objective is to establish a methodology to evaluate whether a section of seafloor can support bivalves without them sinking, thereby suffocating them. In summary, this thesis investigates methods to evaluate whether the seafloor is suitable for supporting bivalves and if their presence changes the way sediments behave after various forces are applied. To accomplish these research goals, three exploratory field surveys were conducted for this thesis: in the Piankatank River in Virginia, in the Northwest Arm of the Sydney Harbour in Nova Scotia, Canada, and at the Rachel Carson Reserve in North Carolina where bivalves were present. Through field sediment sampling, underwater sonar imagery, penetrating probes, and subsequent geotechnical laboratory testing, shell-sediment interactions were characterized. The results showed: (1) an oyster reef in the Piankatank River could be observed in great detail with sonar imagery; (2) sediment strength increased slightly the closer to the oyster reef; samples with more oyster shells in them exhibited (3) a wider range of particle sizes and (4) an increase in sediment strength; and (5) less than a quarter of the harbor bed of the Northwest Arm of the Sydney Harbour is suitable for armoring the seafloor with pieces of shell, shale, and slag to support bivalve growth. Initial tests with the organic underwater glue from bivalves showed promising results with respect to improvements in sediment strength and decreased erodibility, however, further testing is needed as supply of the organic glue was limited.

No description available.

Nephropathic cystinosis is a rare autosomal recessive disease characterised by raised lysosomal levels of cystine in the cells of almost all organs. It is treated by regular oral and topical administration of the aminothiol, cysteamine(Cystagon™), which possesses an offensive taste and smell. The oral form frequently causes emesis,and should be administered every six hours to be maximally effective. The topical eye drop treatment requires hourly application to be most effective.In an attempt to reduce this frequency and improve the treatment, the preparation and evaluation of three alternative cysteamine containing formulations (suppositories, long-acting ophthalmic gels and an inhaler) was undertaken. The physiochemical properties, stability and release profiles of the active (cysteamine or phe conjugate) from the formulations were evaluated. The suppositories released cysteamine over a 20-40 minute period with a T75= 10-13minutes. They were most stable at 4°C. The analysis of the ophthalmic gels demonstrated that a weak gel network was formed at low shear stress, the bioadhesion of the gel was increased with inclusion of a cysteamine derivative (e.g.mean force of 0.067N compared to 0.107N with compound included) and eight-hour, first order release from the gel was observed. There was significant adhesion observed between the ophthalmic gels and bovine corneal tissue. The pulmonary microspheres were spherical and within the optimum size range for deep lung delivery (1-5μm). However, Andersen Cascade Impactor analysis revealed poor deep lung penetration. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that more development work was required to produce a useful pulmonary formulation of cysteamine, however, formulation of an ocular applicable gel or suppository was readily achievable. The suppository preparations may be particularly beneficial for the treatment of infants, whilst the ophthalmic gel preparations could be developed for daily or overnight use. With respect to pulmonary delivery, microspheres in the optimum size range were produced. However, deep lung targeting was prevented by static agglomeration, which requires further investigation.

O objetivo deste estudo clínico foi avaliar a eficácia clínica de um dispositivo polimérico celulósico carregado com sal anestésico, na prevenção da dor pré-procedimento operatório em odontologia, diminuindo ou eliminando o uso de agulhas gengivais em anestesias infiltrativas. Foram testados três dispositivos com propriedade bioadesiva para a liberação modificada de fármacos em contato com a mucosa oral, um contendo um núcleo central de prilocaína e lidocaína em iguais concentrações e um contendo somente lidocaína, a liberação dos princípios ativos se deu pelo processo de fast-dissolve, e o terceiro constituído somente pelo sistema bioadesivo, sem qualquer sal anestésico(controle negativo), em desenho pareado. Os dispositivos foram aplicados na região do fórnice do vestíbulo dos pré-molares superiores, após limpeza e secagem superficial da mucosa. Foram selecionados 21 voluntários de ambos os gêneros, normotipos, saudáveis, com faixa etária entre 18 e 30 anos, para um teste clínico randomizado, controlado, crossover e triplo-cego. O teste de sintomatologia pré e pós-aplicação foi realizado com o emprego da sonda computadorizada Florida Probe® System, (Florida Probe Corporation, Gainesville, FL, USA), aplicada no sentido perpendicular ao tecido mucoso, simulando o uso de agulha gengival e com pressão constante de 25 gramas, já calibrada pelo próprio sistema, foi aplicado também o teste térmico com o uso de Endo-Frost® Roeko para verificação da profundidade anestésica em nível pulpar. Para a mensuração da sintomatologia dolorosa presente/ausente foi utilizada escala visual analógica (EVA) e a versão em Língua Portuguesa do McGill Pain Questionnaire. Os indivíduos receberam instruções de como responder aos questionários para mensuração dos estímulos dolorosos, que foram computados imediatamente após a resposta. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram uma eficiência anestésica favorável para os dois dispositivos carregados com os sais onde não houve diferença estatística quanto ao efeito, porém na relação efeito versus tempo o dispositivo com os dois sais apresentou melhor resultado para o teste térmico. Conclui-se que ambos os dispositivos (B e C) apresentaram efeito anestésico tanto tópico quanto em profundidade pela diminuição da dor provocada pelos dois testes (mecânico/térmico) propostos. / The objective of this clinical study was to evaluate the efficacy of a cellulosic polymer dispositive loaded with anesthetic salt to prevent pain in dentistry pre-operative procedure, reducing or eliminating the use of gingival needles in infiltrative anesthesia. Three dispositives were tested with bioadhesive property for drugs delivery system in contact with the oral mucosa, containing prilocaine and lidocaine at same concentrations, and other containing just lidocaine with release of active elements through the process of fast-dissolve, and the other only the same bioadhesive system, without the active (negative control), paired study, which was applied in the region of the superior premolars, the mucosal surface after cleaning. Were selected 21 volunteers of both genders, normotype, healthy, aged between 18 and 30 years for a clinical trial, randomized, controlled, crossover and triple-blind. The test of symptoms before and after application was made using the electronic probe Florida Probe System® (Florida Probe Corporation, Gainesville, FL, USA), applied perpendicularly to the mucosal tissue, simulating the use of gingival needle a constant pressure of 25 grams, already calibrated by the system itself. Additional thermal testing will be proved employing Endo-Frost® tester. For the measurement of pain symptoms present / absent was used a visual analog scale (VAS) and the Portuguese language version of the McGill Pain Questionnaire adapted by Varolli and Pedrazzi (2006), using an appendix to the questionnaire (Group 9 table 1). Individuals have received instructions on how to answer the questionnaire for the measurement of painful stimuli, which would be counted immediately after the response. The results demonstrated a favorable anesthetic efficiency for both dispositive loaded with salts where there was no statistical difference in the effect, but for the relationship effect versus time the dispositive with two salts showed better results. It can be concluded that both devices (B and C) presented as both topical and depth anesthetic by decreasing the pain caused by the two mechanical/thermal proposed tests.

O objetivo deste estudo clínico foi avaliar a eficácia clínica de um dispositivo polimérico celulósico carregado com sal anestésico, na prevenção da dor pré-procedimento operatório em odontologia, diminuindo ou eliminando o uso de agulhas gengivais em anestesias infiltrativas. Foram testados três dispositivos com propriedade bioadesiva para a liberação modificada de fármacos em contato com a mucosa oral, um contendo um núcleo central de prilocaína e lidocaína em iguais concentrações e um contendo somente lidocaína, a liberação dos princípios ativos se deu pelo processo de fast-dissolve, e o terceiro constituído somente pelo sistema bioadesivo, sem qualquer sal anestésico(controle negativo), em desenho pareado. Os dispositivos foram aplicados na região do fórnice do vestíbulo dos pré-molares superiores, após limpeza e secagem superficial da mucosa. Foram selecionados 21 voluntários de ambos os gêneros, normotipos, saudáveis, com faixa etária entre 18 e 30 anos, para um teste clínico randomizado, controlado, crossover e triplo-cego. O teste de sintomatologia pré e pós-aplicação foi realizado com o emprego da sonda computadorizada Florida Probe® System, (Florida Probe Corporation, Gainesville, FL, USA), aplicada no sentido perpendicular ao tecido mucoso, simulando o uso de agulha gengival e com pressão constante de 25 gramas, já calibrada pelo próprio sistema, foi aplicado também o teste térmico com o uso de Endo-Frost® Roeko para verificação da profundidade anestésica em nível pulpar. Para a mensuração da sintomatologia dolorosa presente/ausente foi utilizada escala visual analógica (EVA) e a versão em Língua Portuguesa do McGill Pain Questionnaire. Os indivíduos receberam instruções de como responder aos questionários para mensuração dos estímulos dolorosos, que foram computados imediatamente após a resposta. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram uma eficiência anestésica favorável para os dois dispositivos carregados com os sais onde não houve diferença estatística quanto ao efeito, porém na relação efeito versus tempo o dispositivo com os dois sais apresentou melhor resultado para o teste térmico. Conclui-se que ambos os dispositivos (B e C) apresentaram efeito anestésico tanto tópico quanto em profundidade pela diminuição da dor provocada pelos dois testes (mecânico/térmico) propostos. / The objective of this clinical study was to evaluate the efficacy of a cellulosic polymer dispositive loaded with anesthetic salt to prevent pain in dentistry pre-operative procedure, reducing or eliminating the use of gingival needles in infiltrative anesthesia. Three dispositives were tested with bioadhesive property for drugs delivery system in contact with the oral mucosa, containing prilocaine and lidocaine at same concentrations, and other containing just lidocaine with release of active elements through the process of fast-dissolve, and the other only the same bioadhesive system, without the active (negative control), paired study, which was applied in the region of the superior premolars, the mucosal surface after cleaning. Were selected 21 volunteers of both genders, normotype, healthy, aged between 18 and 30 years for a clinical trial, randomized, controlled, crossover and triple-blind. The test of symptoms before and after application was made using the electronic probe Florida Probe System® (Florida Probe Corporation, Gainesville, FL, USA), applied perpendicularly to the mucosal tissue, simulating the use of gingival needle a constant pressure of 25 grams, already calibrated by the system itself. Additional thermal testing will be proved employing Endo-Frost® tester. For the measurement of pain symptoms present / absent was used a visual analog scale (VAS) and the Portuguese language version of the McGill Pain Questionnaire adapted by Varolli and Pedrazzi (2006), using an appendix to the questionnaire (Group 9 table 1). Individuals have received instructions on how to answer the questionnaire for the measurement of painful stimuli, which would be counted immediately after the response. The results demonstrated a favorable anesthetic efficiency for both dispositive loaded with salts where there was no statistical difference in the effect, but for the relationship effect versus time the dispositive with two salts showed better results. It can be concluded that both devices (B and C) presented as both topical and depth anesthetic by decreasing the pain caused by the two mechanical/thermal proposed tests.

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Auburn University, / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographic references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2006. / Title from title screen (site viewed June 11, 2007). PDF text: x, 168 p. : ill. ; 21.64 Mb. UMI publication number: AAT 3243741. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche formats.