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Full-Text Articles in Engineering
Collapsible Silicone Tubes: An In Vitro Model For Tracheal Traction, Kevin D. Garman
Collapsible Silicone Tubes: An In Vitro Model For Tracheal Traction, Kevin D. Garman
Master's Theses (2009 -)
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by recurrent episodes of airway collapse and airflow limitation during sleep. Fragmented sleep and reductions in blood oxygen saturation lead to several comorbidities, including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and cerebrovascular disease. Longitudinal forces (tracheal traction) acting on the soft tissues surrounding the upper airway have been proposed to play a significant role in stabilizing the airway and preventing collapse. However, the relative contribution of longitudinal forces as compared to other factors that affect airway stability (airway geometry, tissue properties, muscle activity) remains unclear. This in-vitro study aimed to investigate to what extent longitudinal forces can …
Mechanical Characterization Of Carbon Fiber And Thermoplastic Ankle Foot Orthoses, Amanda Wach
Mechanical Characterization Of Carbon Fiber And Thermoplastic Ankle Foot Orthoses, Amanda Wach
Master's Theses (2009 -)
The needs of an increasingly young and active orthotic patient population has led to advancements in ankle foot orthosis (AFO) design and materials to enable higher function. The Intrepid Dynamic Exoskeletal Orthosis (IDEO) is a custom energy-storing carbon fiber AFO that has demonstrated improved clinical function, allowing patients to return to high-intensity activities such as sports and military service. An improved understanding of AFO mechanical function will aid prescription and fitting, as well as assist in design modifications for different patient populations. This study investigated the mechanical properties of AFOs, specifically structural stiffness, rotational motion, and strut deflection, to discern …
Quantification Of Local Hemodynamic Alterations Caused By Virtual Implantation Of Three Commercially-Available Stents For The Treatment Of Aortic Coarctation, Sung Kwon
Master's Theses (2009 -)
Patients with coarctation of the aorta (CoA) are prone to morbidity including atherosclerotic plaque that has been shown to correlate with altered wall shear stress (WSS) in the descending thoracic aorta (dAo). We created the first patient-specific computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of a CoA patient treated by Palmaz stenting, and compared resulting WSS distributions to those from virtual implantation of the NumedCP and GenesisXD stents also commonly used for CoA. CFD models were created from magnetic resonance, fluoroscopy and blood pressure (BP) data. Simulations incorporated vessel deformation, downstream vascular resistance and compliance to match measured data and generate blood …