Biomechanical Engineering Commons^™

The Design And Evaluation Of A Subacromial Implant In Restoring Normal Glenohumeral Joint Stability In The Presence Of A Massive Irreparable Rotator Cuff Tear, Cole T. Fleet

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Massive irreparable rotator cuff tears are a common cause of pain and disability. Several different treatment options are available for this pathology; however, these treatments have been associated with poor clinical outcomes when used to treat younger (<65 years), more active patients. The purpose of this thesis was to design and evaluate a subacromial implant in its ability to restore normal glenohumeral stability and range of motion. The implant was created as a modular device, which captured different implant thicknesses (5mm and 8mm) and constraints (high and low) within its design. In-vitro testing compared the ability of these implants to restore normal shoulder biomechanics. The results indicated the 5mm high constraint implant to be the most effective in restoring normal joint position. Furthermore, range of motion increased when the implant was paired with a tuberoplasty procedure. These results suggest this implant may be advantageous in treating younger patients.

Numerical Modeling Of Vocal Control And Patient-Specific Surgical Planning Of Type 1 Thyroplasty, Mohammadreza Movahhedi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to develop knowledge about the roles of intrinsic laryngeal muscles on voice control in both healthy and disordered conditions through comprehensive computational models. The phonation simulator was built by combining a three-dimensional high-fidelity MRI-based model of the larynx, active muscle mechanics, and fluid-structure-acoustic interaction model, which enabled the exploration of the underlayer mechanisms of the link between individual and/or group muscles contractions under both symmetric and asymmetric activations, vocal fold posture, vocal fold vibration, and voice outcomes during voice production.

The first part of this research extensively investigated the effects of cricothyroid and thyroarytenoid muscle activations on …

Effects Of Imu Sensor Location And Number On The Validity Of Vertical Acceleration Time-Series Data In Countermovement Jumping, Dianne Althouse

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Many devices are available for measuring the height of a CMJ. An inertial measurement unit (IMU) measures linear acceleration, orientation, and angular velocity. As an alternative to using IMU estimates of flight time, CMJ height could be estimated by integrating the IMU time-series signal for vertical acceleration to derive CMJ take-off velocity in order to track whole-body center of mass (WBCoM) movement, yet this approach would require valid IMU acceleration data. Thus, the purpose of this study was to quantify the effects of IMU sensor location and number on the validity of vertical acceleration estimation in CMJ. Thirty young adults …

Development Of A Reverse Engineered, Parameterized, And Structurally Validated Computational Model To Identify Design Parameters That Influence American Football Faceguard Performance, William Ferriell

All Dissertations

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) continues to have the greatest incidence among athletes participating in American football. The headgear design research community has focused on developing accurate computational and experimental analysis techniques to better assess the ability of headgear technology to attenuate impacts and protect athletes from TBI. Despite efforts to innovate the headgear system, minimal progress has been made to innovate the faceguard. Although the faceguard is not the primary component of the headgear system that contributes to impact attenuation, faceguard performance metrics, such as weight, structural stiffness, and visual field occlusions, have been linked to athlete safety. To improve …

Motion And Crosslinked Polyethylene Wear In Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty, Christopher Millward

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) has quickly grown to become the most commonly used shoulder arthroplasty design; however, reports have shown evidence of RTSA failures related to polyethylene wear and damage. Therefore, the present work investigated the wear of crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) in environments similar to that of an in vivo RTSA. Additionally, a computational model was developed based on a previous study of the shoulder motions obtained from a selection of typical patients with RTSA. This model quantified the amount of glenohumeral motion that an RTSA may be subjected to in vivo and provided an approximate value for …

Tunable Passive Shock And Vibration Isolators For Rotational Isolation, Chase B. Lemaire

LSU Master's Theses

Shock and vibration isolation are a critical need in helmets, which are widely used to protect athletes, workers, soldiers, and astronauts. Passive vibration isolation systems are a good option when mass and volume should be minimized and when the experienced loadings can be predicted. However, it is frequently challenging to find materials and structures which exhibit the optimal vibration and impact isolation properties for an application. As a case study illustrating a novel design paradigm for rotational shock absorption, a family of optimal solutions for the physical properties of American football helmets is presented. Lumped parameter Simulink models simulate a …

To Develop A Clinically Friendly Multi-Segment Kinematic And Kinetic Foot Model And Test It On Pre-/Post-Hto Patients With Medial Knee Osteoarthritis And Knee Varus, Songlin Zhu

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study aims to develop a clinically useful multi-segment foot model that will enable the analysis of foot kinematics and kinetics in an optical motion capture laboratory setting. This study will also test the new multi-segment foot model on patients with knee osteoarthritis and varus knee alignment that is corrected by high tibial osteotomy (HTO). The multi-segment foot model divides the foot into four functional segments: the hindfoot, midfoot, forefoot and hallux. An X-Z-Y-Cardan angle rotation convention was used to determine intersegmental dorsi/plantar flexion, inversion/eversion, and internal/external rotation. Joint moments, joint powers and medio-longitudinal arch (MLA) height/length ratio were also …

The Influence Of Flow Mechanotransduction On Endothelial Cells In The Lymphatic Valve Sinus, Joshua Daniel Hall

Doctoral Dissertations

Fluid flow in the cardiovascular and lymphatic systems influences the phenotype of endothelial cells that line the interior to the vessel via mechanotransduction. Geometric features in a vessel such as curvature, bifurcation, and valves promote heterogeneous fluid flow profiles, inducing a heterogeneous endothelial phenotype within a vessel region. Certain flow conditions are associated with vascular dysfunction, and diseases such as atherosclerosis preferentially develop in areas of flow disturbance. Lymphatic vessels are highly analogous to blood vessels, although lymphatic flow characteristics and its effect on lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) via mechanotransduction have been comparatively less examined. The most significant geometric features …

Estimation Of Joint Moments During Turning Maneuvers In Alpine Skiing Using A Three Dimensional Musculoskeletal Skier Model And A Forward Dynamics Optimization Framework, Dieter Heinrich, Antonie J. Van Den Bogert, Werner Nachbauer

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

In alpine skiing, estimation of the joint moments acting onto the skier is essential to quantify the loading of the skier during turning maneuvers. In the present study, a novel forward dynamics optimization framework is presented to estimate the joint moments acting onto the skier incorporating a three dimensional musculoskeletal model (53 kinematic degrees of freedom, 94 muscles). Kinematic data of a professional skier performing a turning maneuver were captured and used as input data to the optimization framework. In the optimization framework, the musculoskeletal model of the skier was applied to track the experimental data of a skier and …

Design Improvement Of Transcatheter Aortic Valves For Aortic Stenosis Patients, Samantha K. Shoun, Ali N. Azadani

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

Aortic valve disease is a common condition in patients above 60 years of age and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Aortic valve stenosis is characterized by the narrowing of the aortic valve, which can be quite debilitating. This disease is treated with transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), which is a rapidly expanding alternative to open-heart surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Although TAVR is a less invasive than SAVR, long-term durability of the transcatheter aortic valves could be the Achilles heel of the procedure. Thus, the main objective of this research was to improve the design of transcatheter aortic …

Developing New Crutch Tip Design For Overall Increased Stability And Improved Movement On Different Terrains, Lauren Skinner

Honors Theses

Crutches are a mobility assistive device that are often used in various situations, such as post- surgical rehabilitation and recovery after injury. The current crutch tip design that is used on today’s crutches are often unstable and do not provide quality movement on different terrains, such as snow, ice, mud, and wet surfaces. These problems would be solved with a new tip design that could be attached to existing crutches or manufactured with the crutch itself. The team’s solution to this problem is a crutch tip with modular parts. The tip would attach to the shaft of the crutch like …

Efficient Energy Harvesting With Applications In Vibration And Implantable Biosensors, Mohammad Atmeh

Mechanical Engineering Theses

The world has stepped into the fourth industrial revolution in many ways such as using the internet of things (IoT) in various applications, and removing the rechargeable power sources seeking for batteryless systems. Since energy is widely abundant around us and it is going to waste, numerous of recent studies have been conducted to propose sustainable solutions to harvest the free ambient power from the surrounding and convert it into electricity. Heat energy, kinetic energy, and radio waves are examples of these potentially harvestable energy sources. Mechanical vibrations represent one of the most plentiful forms of kinetic energy that can …

Radiomic Features To Predict Overall Survival Time For Patients With Glioblastoma Brain Tumors Based On Machine Learning And Deep Learning Methods, Lina Chato

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Machine Learning (ML) methods including Deep Learning (DL) Methods have been employed in the medical field to improve diagnosis process and patient’s prognosis outcomes. Glioblastoma multiforme is an extremely aggressive Glioma brain tumor that has a poor survival rate. Understanding the behavior of the Glioblastoma brain tumor is still uncertain and some factors are still unrecognized. In fact, the tumor behavior is important to decide a proper treatment plan and to improve a patient’s health. The aim of this dissertation is to develop a Computer-Aided-Diagnosis system (CADiag) based on ML/DL methods to automatically estimate the Overall Survival Time (OST) for …

Development And Application Of 3d Kinematic Methodologies For Biomechanical Modelling In Adaptive Sports And Rehabilitation, Anne Marie Severyn

All Dissertations

Biomechanical analysis is widely used to assess human movement sciences, specifically using three-dimensional motion capture modelling. There are unprecedented opportunities to increase quantitative knowledge of rehabilitation and recreation for disadvantaged population groups. Specifically, 3D models and movement profiles for human gait analysis were generated with emphasis on post-stroke patients, with direct model translation to analyze equivalent measurements while horseback riding in use of the alternative form of rehabilitation, equine assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) or hippotherapy (HPOT). Significant improvements in gait symmetry and velocity were found within an inpatient rehabilitation setting for patients following a stroke, and the developed movement …

Predicting The Progression Of Diabetes Mellitus Using Dynamic Plantar Pressure Parameters, Mathew Sunil Varre

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is one of the common complications of type-2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Changes in the intrinsic plantar tissue coupled with repetitive mechanical loads and loss of sensation may lead to foot related complications (skin break down, ulcerations, and amputations) in persons with neuropathy if left untreated. The purpose of this dissertation was to stratify individuals with pre-diabetes, diabetes with and without neuropathy using dynamic plantar pressure parameters during walking, using machine learning algorithms.Methods: Plantar pressure data was collected from one hundred participants during walking with pressure measuring insoles fixed between the feet and thin socks. Simultaneously high-definition …

Atomic Force Microscopy Based Dna Sensing And Manipulation, Matthew Shubert

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Sequencing DNA provides a positive impact for the biomedical community by understanding a wide variety of applications such as human genetics, disease, and pathogens. The reason the Arkansas Micro & Nano Systems lab is involved with research in DNA sequencing is due to the current, leading industry method. Nanopore sequencing was developed by Oxford Nanopore Technology in which its sequencing method separates double stranded DNA to electrically characterize individual nucleotides traveling through a charged nanopore. Unfortunately, nanopore sequencing uses biological materials that require a shelf life and drives high cost. Therefore, the Arkansas Micro & Nano Systems lab has developed …

Corrosion Assessment Of Biodegradable Metal Implants For Orthopedic Applications, Wendy B. Reynoso-Diaz

Honors Theses

Magnesium alloys are the most promising materials to be used as biodegradable implants mainly due to their superior biocompatibility and lower specific density compared to other biodegradable metals (i.e., zinc and iron-based alloys). This study is investigating the effect of two different manufacturing methods and purity levels on the corrosion rates of a novel Mg-Zn-Ca-Mn-based alloy. Experimental in vitro corrosion tests were conducted on the biocompatible Mg-Zn-Ca-Mn-based alloy fabricated using conventional casting and hot rolling with low and high purity levels. The experimental research conducted, assessed the corrosion rates of the following Mg-1.2Zn-0.5Ca-0.5Mn-based alloys: Hot Rolled High Purity, As-Cast High …

Finite Element Model Of The Pediatric Hip Joint During The Barlow Maneuver, Christina M. Zlock

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip is the dysplasia or dislocation of an unstable femoral head in the acetabulum of the pelvis. This is a result of an abnormal or underdeveloped growth of the acetabulum and triradiate cartilages and/or an out of place and uncentered femoral head in the acetabulum. This underdevelopment, if not diagnosed and treated at an early age, may lead to abnormal and pain and osteoarthritis later in life. A common step in diagnosis is to perform a physical examination of the hip, one method is the Barlow maneuver.

The aim of the project is to use healthy …

Design And Computational Validation Of A Shear Stress Bioreactor For Conditioning Vascular Tissue To Time-Varying Multidirectional Fluid Shear Stress, Rajeshwari Raja, Philippe Sucosky, Jason Shar

Symposium of Student Scholars

Design and Computational Validation of a Shear Stress Bioreactor for Conditioning Vascular Tissue to Time-Varying Multidirectional Fluid Shear Stress

Author: Rajeshwari Raja Mentor: Dr. Jason A. Shar Department of Mechanical Engineering Kennesaw State University 1100 South Marietta Pkwy SE, 30060

Altered biological environments and conditions, such as microgravity and pregnancy, can impact vascular blood flow and, in turn, generate fluid wall shear stress (WSS; frictional force generated on the tissue surface due to blood flow) abnormalities. These abnormalities are known to affect cardiovascular tissue biology and can be replicated experimentally using a cone-and-plate shear stress bioreactor. This device exposes tissue …

A Meshless Approach To Computational Pharmacokinetics, Anthony Matthew Khoury

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The meshless method is an incredibly powerful technique for solving a variety of problems with unparalleled accuracy and efficiency. The pharmacokinetic problem of transdermal drug delivery (TDDD) is one such topic and is of significant complexity. The locally collocated meshless method (LCMM) is developed in solution to this topic. First, the meshless method is formulated to model this transport phenomenon and is then validated against an analytical solution of a pharmacokinetic problem set, to demonstrate this accuracy and efficiency. The analytical solution provides a locus by which convergence behavior are evaluated, demonstrating the super convergence of the locally collocated meshless …