The Problem: Biofilms are a community of bacteria that cause infections which are resistant to the immune system and antimicrobial treatments, posing a significant threat for patients with implantable and indwelling medical devices. Purpose: The purpose of this research is to effectively treat biofilms utilizing electric currents assisted by antibiotics. Method: Evaluated the impact of direct electric current with or without vancomycin against Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms. Results: (1) Electric current reduced the S. epidermidis biofilm and (2) increased the effectiveness of vancomycin. (3) Older biofilms had an increased resistance to vancomycin treatments. (4) Higher electric current intensities and (5) longer duration treatments were more effective against biofilms. Conclusion: Electric current increased the effectiveness of vancomycin against S. epidermidis biofilms.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of premenstrual edema (water retention) on measurements of percent body fat (%BF) in ovulating women during the menstrual cycle utilizing bioelectrical impedance. Specifically, this study was designed to investigate the difference between bioelectrical impedance measurements of %BF recorded during day 1 of menses, day 7, day -1 midcycle, midcycle, day 21, and days -3, -2, and -1 premenses. Determinations of impedance were made in 26 regularly menstruating women aged 20.23±0.74 yr using an electrical impedance analyzer with a four-electrode arrangement that induces a painless signal ( 800 !microamps at 50 kHz) into the body. Internal consistency reliability estimates made approximately 5 min apart during each test day ranged from R = .96-.99 for the impedance measurements of %BF, and the stability reliability correlation coefficients ever the eight observation days ranged from r = .92-.97 for the impedance measurements of %BF. The reliability analyses indicated that %BF esitimated from bioelectrical impedance was measured reliably. Specific days of the menstrual cycle did not significantly affect impedance measurements of %BF. Analysis of variance with repeated measures also indicated that day during the menstrual cycle did not significantly affect weight (Wt), %BF, resistance (Re), or total body water (TBW) measurements. However, urine osmolality (Osm) and basal body temperature (BBT) were significantly affected across days of the menstrual cycle (p < .01). A dramatic decline in Osm was noted at midcycle followed by a rise which peaked at day -3 premenses. After day -3 premenses, Osm rapidly declined at menses. The dramatic decline in Osm at midcycle may reflect changes in urine concentration due to actions of elevated estrogen associated with ovulation. BBT dropped prior to midcycle and then began to rise until day -3 of the next menses and then it dropped slightly. The drop prior -co midcycle may be also reflected by changes in the hormonal concentration of estrogen. The biphasic BBT response was considered to be presumptive evidence that ovulation had occurred. A 2 x 2 factorial analysis of variance with repeated measures demonstrated that there was a significant interaction between cycle length and activity level on measurements of Wt, %BF, and BBT (p < .05). As light activity subjects with average cycle lengths became moderately active, their %BF decreased from 26.51±0.63% to 21.11±0.50% followed by a dramatic increase to 29.40±0.62% as they became highly active. On the otherhand, as light activity subjects with above average cycle lengths became more and more active, their %BF dropped drastically from 35.11±1.44% to 18.72±0. 75%. The data support the hypothesis that bioelectrical impedance measurements of %BF recorded during the normal menstrual cycle are not significantly different. However, a larger population is required to validate the applicability of these results. / M.S.

The objective of the proposed research is to design an experimental setup to assess the ability of impedance measurements to characterize mouse embryonic stem cell (ESC) and embryoid body (EB) growth and differentiation. Existing quality assurance measurements used to stage the growth and differentiation of embryoid bodies are labor intensive and most often destructive to the cells, thus present methods are typically valid for a single time point. Bioimpedance measurements are non-invasive and non-destructive, presenting an alternative approach to this challenge. These measurements can be done continuously for real-time measurements on the changes in embryoid body growth and differentiation. A system capable of making bioimpedance measurements of ESC and EB suspensions was designed along with a biocompatible test device to hold the cells and Ag-AgCl electrodes. The system uses a lock-in amplifier to record the magnitude and phase changes of the ESC and EB suspensions when a 1 Vpp signal sweeping frequencies from 100 Hz to 100 kHz is applied. The system performance was validated with a test case of 1 mL of 0.1 M KCl. Then experiments with cell culture media, ESCs, and EBs were performed, with varying concentrations of cells and EBs. Experimental results for single ESC suspensions showed promise in detecting a difference in cell concentration between 2 million and 4 million cells in 0.5 mL of media. Results for four day old EBs were ambiguous, and we conclude that a different experimental set up is required due to EB settling during experimentation.

Thesis (M.S.) -- Mississippi State University. Department of Food Science, Nutrition, and Health Promotion. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Esta tese apresenta uma revisão relativa às questões cognitivas de processamento de informações envolvidas na aprendizagem motora, para consolidar pesquisa empírica a esse respeito. Baseado em fontes bibliográficas, apresenta-se o contexto histórico da cultura educacional brasileira da pesquisa em movimento humano. Propõe-se metodologia de observação e quantificação de sinais bioelétricos-fisiológicos para identificação de aspectos relacionados a diferentes etapas da aprendizagem humana no âmbito da cognição e da motricidade. Descreve-se experimento dados originais para a área das Ciências do Movimento Humano, em que se monitora – com EEG e EMG – quantifica e interpreta a alteração de sinais de base em relação a modificações ocorridas durante vários momentos da aquisição da memória motora - aprendizagem - relativa à prática deliberada de partitura musical por violonista. Os dados reforçaram as hipóteses já comprovadas na literatura quanto ao maior esforço do sistema nervoso relacionada à exposição do violonista a uma tarefa específica e sua prática deliberada pelo sistema musculoesquelético, não servindo para generalizações, apenas como validação do desenho experimental e das análises estatísticas realizadas. O objetivo de monitorar, quantificar e descrever a dinâmica neural de freqüência eletrofisiológica durante o desenvolvimento de padrões musculoesqueléticos de coordenação e controle, foi alcançado. / This article presents a revision related to the cognitive questions of information processing involved in motor learning, to consolidate empirical research on the subject. The historical Brazilian educational background to culture of the human movement research is presented, based on bibliographical sources. Methodology of observation and quantification of bioelectrical physiological signals is proposed, which serves to identify the modifications occurred during the task-acquisition process. A experiment is described, along with data relevant for the Human Movement Sciences, in which the alteration of base signals in relation to various movements of the task are monitored, quantified and interpreted. The task consists of learning and performing a short musical excerpt by guitarists.

Esta tese apresenta uma revisão relativa às questões cognitivas de processamento de informações envolvidas na aprendizagem motora, para consolidar pesquisa empírica a esse respeito. Baseado em fontes bibliográficas, apresenta-se o contexto histórico da cultura educacional brasileira da pesquisa em movimento humano. Propõe-se metodologia de observação e quantificação de sinais bioelétricos-fisiológicos para identificação de aspectos relacionados a diferentes etapas da aprendizagem humana no âmbito da cognição e da motricidade. Descreve-se experimento dados originais para a área das Ciências do Movimento Humano, em que se monitora – com EEG e EMG – quantifica e interpreta a alteração de sinais de base em relação a modificações ocorridas durante vários momentos da aquisição da memória motora - aprendizagem - relativa à prática deliberada de partitura musical por violonista. Os dados reforçaram as hipóteses já comprovadas na literatura quanto ao maior esforço do sistema nervoso relacionada à exposição do violonista a uma tarefa específica e sua prática deliberada pelo sistema musculoesquelético, não servindo para generalizações, apenas como validação do desenho experimental e das análises estatísticas realizadas. O objetivo de monitorar, quantificar e descrever a dinâmica neural de freqüência eletrofisiológica durante o desenvolvimento de padrões musculoesqueléticos de coordenação e controle, foi alcançado. / This article presents a revision related to the cognitive questions of information processing involved in motor learning, to consolidate empirical research on the subject. The historical Brazilian educational background to culture of the human movement research is presented, based on bibliographical sources. Methodology of observation and quantification of bioelectrical physiological signals is proposed, which serves to identify the modifications occurred during the task-acquisition process. A experiment is described, along with data relevant for the Human Movement Sciences, in which the alteration of base signals in relation to various movements of the task are monitored, quantified and interpreted. The task consists of learning and performing a short musical excerpt by guitarists.

Esta tese apresenta uma revisão relativa às questões cognitivas de processamento de informações envolvidas na aprendizagem motora, para consolidar pesquisa empírica a esse respeito. Baseado em fontes bibliográficas, apresenta-se o contexto histórico da cultura educacional brasileira da pesquisa em movimento humano. Propõe-se metodologia de observação e quantificação de sinais bioelétricos-fisiológicos para identificação de aspectos relacionados a diferentes etapas da aprendizagem humana no âmbito da cognição e da motricidade. Descreve-se experimento dados originais para a área das Ciências do Movimento Humano, em que se monitora – com EEG e EMG – quantifica e interpreta a alteração de sinais de base em relação a modificações ocorridas durante vários momentos da aquisição da memória motora - aprendizagem - relativa à prática deliberada de partitura musical por violonista. Os dados reforçaram as hipóteses já comprovadas na literatura quanto ao maior esforço do sistema nervoso relacionada à exposição do violonista a uma tarefa específica e sua prática deliberada pelo sistema musculoesquelético, não servindo para generalizações, apenas como validação do desenho experimental e das análises estatísticas realizadas. O objetivo de monitorar, quantificar e descrever a dinâmica neural de freqüência eletrofisiológica durante o desenvolvimento de padrões musculoesqueléticos de coordenação e controle, foi alcançado. / This article presents a revision related to the cognitive questions of information processing involved in motor learning, to consolidate empirical research on the subject. The historical Brazilian educational background to culture of the human movement research is presented, based on bibliographical sources. Methodology of observation and quantification of bioelectrical physiological signals is proposed, which serves to identify the modifications occurred during the task-acquisition process. A experiment is described, along with data relevant for the Human Movement Sciences, in which the alteration of base signals in relation to various movements of the task are monitored, quantified and interpreted. The task consists of learning and performing a short musical excerpt by guitarists.

Title: Assessment of muscle imbalances in handball players Objectives: The main aim of this work was to evaluate the occurrence of muscle imbalances in the handball players of the first - league team of woman by means of the kinesiological analysis and segmental analysis from the BIA method. Methods: In modified kinesiological analysis, we focused on assessing posture and examining shortened muscles. To segmental analysis by the BIA method, we used the Tanita MC - 980 apparatus, where we first assessed the asymmetry in the distribution of muscle mass on individual body segments. Results: In 80 % of the total, the upper cross syndrome was recorded. Lower cross syndrome was found in 67 % of the players. The results of segmental muscle mass analysis using BIA showed a statistically insignificant difference (p > 0.05) in the distribution of muscle mass in the upper limbs (average difference of 0.05 kg) and a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) in the distribution of muscle mass at the lower of the limbs (average difference of 0.11 kg). The following significant correlations were found for the whole population (n = 15): m. Iliopsoas right and the amount of muscle mass (BIA) on right upper limb (r = 0.549), iliopsoas on the right and the amount of muscle mass (BIA) on left upper limb (r =...

Cardiac output, the volume of blood pumped by the heart over time, is a powerful clinical metric used by physicians to assess overall cardiac health and patient well-being. However, current cardiac output estimation methods are typically invasive, time-consuming, expensive, or some combination of all three. Patients that receive artificial cardiac pacemaker devices are particularly susceptible to cardiac dysfunction and often require long-term cardiac monitoring support. This thesis proposes a novel cardiac output monitoring solution which leverages an implantable intracardiac medical device. The principles of traditional impedance cardiography, an established cardiac output monitoring technique in practice for over fifty years, have been adapted to incorporate a leadless artificial cardiac pacemaker, an implantable medical device contained entirely within the heart. This novel method, colloquially referred to as Z-Cardio, monitors time-varying intracardiac impedance modulation to assess changes in cardiac output. In this study, technologies both old and new are synthesized to produce a novel and effective method of monitoring a critical metric of cardiac health.

Title: Body analysis of street hockey players in categories U15-U18 Objectives: The main object of this thesis is to determine body analysis of street hockey players playing Extra League in categories younger and older juniors using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Measured data should be compared amonit groups of players aged 15 a 16, 16 and 17, 17 and 18. Methods: In the thesis are used sometometric methods to gather antropometrical parameters and also the bioelectrical impedance analysis of the body structure using the device Tanita BC 418 MA to determine body structures of individual players. Results: We measured and compared selected parameters of body structures of street hockey players (n = 101) in age groups of 15, 16, 17 and 18 years. The differences in the amount of body fat, body fat percentage, free fat mass and bodily fluids amonit individual groups of street hockey players were monitored. Body fat percentage and free fat mass do not depends on age. Amount of body fat and free fat mass depends on age. Ice hockey players are taller and have more fat free mass. In comparison with the antropological research of the players in the same age from the year 2001 we discovered, that present-day players are, on average, 3,68 cm shorter, but they are, on average, 1,5 kg heavier, which is caused...