Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

Effect Of Temperature On Abrasion Erosion In Particle Based Concentrating Solar Powerplants, Nipun Goel, Tessa Mei-Lin Fong, John P. Shingledecker, Andrew Russell, Michael W. Keller, Siamack A. Shirazi, Todd Otanicar

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The use of solid particles as a heat transfer medium is being explored for concentrated solar power plants (CSP) to increase their efficiency by achieving operating temperature >700 °C. During operation, these hot particles are expected to move along the various components within the collector system, resulting in material degradation from a combination of high-temperature oxidation and erosion. In the present study, the performance of candidate materials was evaluated through a series of abrasion erosion experiments at room temperature as well as at 800 °C. Wear in metallic and refractory type materials was investigated using CarboBead® HSP 40/70 particles inside …

Evaluating Stem Course Re-Design Strategies In Light Of Covid-19, Ulises Juan Trujillo Garcia, Krishna Pakala, Samantha Schauer, Diana Bairaktarova, Bhaskar Chittoori

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The COVID-19 pandemic brought on unprecedented challenges to the teaching and learning communities that required faculty to make purposeful changes in their teaching approaches. Many faculty members had to shift rapidly from in-person to online mode of instruction. This study documents perceptions of STEM faculty who made the change to online teaching. It reports on what strategies faculty used to transition to remote/online teaching and how this change impacted student learning. The study results indicated that almost two-thirds of the faculty changed how they evaluated their students. Results also showed that the sudden change to remote learning negatively impacted student …

Centralized And Decentralized Optimal Control Of Variable Speed Heat Pumps, Ryan S. Montrose, John F. Gardner, Aykut C. Satici

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Utility service providers are often challenged with the synchronization of thermostatically controlled loads. Load synchronization, as a result of naturally occurring and demand-response events, has the potential to damage power distribution equipment. Because thermostatically controlled loads constitute most of the power consumed by the grid at any given time, the proper control of such devices can lead to significant energy savings and improved grid stability. The contribution of this paper is the development of an optimal control algorithm for commonly used variable speed heat pumps. By means of selective peer-to-peer communication, our control architecture allows for the regulation of home …

Lamin A/C Is Dispensable To Mechanical Repression Of Adipogenesis, Matthew Goelzer, Gunes Uzer

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) maintain the musculoskeletal system by differentiating into multiple lineages, including osteoblasts and adipocytes. Mechanical signals, including strain and low-intensity vibration (LIV), are important regulators of MSC differentiation via control exerted through the cell structure. Lamin A/C is a protein vital to the nuclear architecture that supports chromatin organization and differentiation and contributes to the mechanical integrity of the nucleus. We investigated whether lamin A/C and mechanoresponsiveness are functionally coupled during adipogenesis in MSCs. siRNA depletion of lamin A/C increased the nuclear area, height, and volume and decreased the circularity and stiffness. Lamin A/C depletion significantly decreased …

3d Printable And Computational Models Of The Bone Marrow Mechanical Environment, Alexander Regner

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Aged individuals and astronauts experience bone loss despite rigorous physical activity. Bone mechanoresponse is in part regulated by mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). We reported that daily low intensity vibration (LIV) restores MSC proliferation in senescence and simulated microgravity models, suggesting reduced mechanical signal delivery to MSCs likely contributes to declining bone mechanoresponse. To this end, we have developed a 3D bone marrow analog which controls trabecular geometry, marrow mechanics and external stimuli.

Finite element (FE) models of hydrogels, representing bone marrow, were generated using instantaneous compression (1000% strain/s, 20% strain) and relaxation experiments (100s) of both gelatin and hyaluronin-based hydrogels. …

Kinematic And Kinetic Changes After Total Hip Arthroplasty During Sit-To-Stand Transfers: Systematic Review, Junsig Wang, Safeer F. Siddicky, Michael P. Dohm, C. Lowry Barnes, Erin M. Mannen

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a common and effective surgical procedure that allows patients with hip osteoarthritis to restore functional ability and relieve pain. Sit-to-stand transfers are common demanding tasks during activities of daily living and are performed more than 50 times per day. The purpose of this systematic review is to obtain a comprehensive understanding of biomechanical changes during sit-to-stand transfers after THA.

Methods: Relevant articles were selected through MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science. Articles were included if they met the following inclusion criteria: 1) participants underwent total hip arthroplasty without restriction on the arthroplasty design, …

Data-Driven Design Of Energy-Shaping Controllers For Swing-Up Control Of Underactuated Robots, Wankun Sirichotiyakul, Aykut C. Satici

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

We propose a novel data-driven procedure to train a neural network for the swing-up control of underactuated robotic systems. Our approach is inspired by several recent developments ranging from nonlinear control theory to machine learning. We embed a neural network indirectly into the equations of motion of the robotic manipulator as its control input. Using familiar results from passivity-based and energy-shaping control literature, this control function is determined by the appropriate gradients of a neural network, acting as an energy-like (Lyapunov) function. We encode the task of swinging-up robotic systems through the use of transverse coordinates and goal sets; which …

Low-Intensity Vibration Restores Nuclear Yap Levels And Acute Yap Nuclear Shuttling In Mesenchymal Stem Cells Subjected To Simulated Microgravity, Matthew Thompson, Kali Woods, Joshua Newberg, Julia Thom Oxford, Gunes Uzer

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Reducing the musculoskeletal deterioration that astronauts experience in microgravity requires countermeasures that can improve the effectiveness of otherwise rigorous and time-expensive exercise regimens in space. The ability of low-intensity vibrations (LIV) to activate force-responsive signaling pathways in cells suggests LIV as a potential countermeasure to improve cell responsiveness to subsequent mechanical challenge. Mechanoresponse of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), which maintain bone-making osteoblasts, is in part controlled by the “mechanotransducer” protein YAP (Yes-associated protein), which is shuttled into the nucleus in response to cyto-mechanical forces. Here, using YAP nuclear shuttling as a measurement outcome, we tested the effect of 72 h …

Annual Simulation Of Photovoltaic Retrofits Within Existing Parabolic Trough Concentrating Solar Powerplants, Nipun Goel, Hannah O'Hern, Matthew Orosz, Todd Otanicar

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Solar power for electricity production comes from either photovoltaics or concentrating solar power plants. The former has seen rapid growth and expansion due to the rapid fall in global prices, while the latter has seen moderate growth due to ability to cheaply store thermal energy for later use. Hybridization, or combining photovoltaics with concentrating solar power represents a potential way for lowering cost while enabling long term storage. Over 5 GW of capacity exist worldwide using parabolic trough style technology for concentrating solar power which presents a unique option for optimization in the form of a photovoltaic retrofit. While it …

Emerging Gene-Editing Modalities For Osteoarthritis, Alekya S. Tanikella, Makenna J. Hardy, Stephanie M. Frahs, Aidan G. Cormier, Kalin D. Gibbons, Clare K. Fitzpatrick, Julia Thom Oxford

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a pathological degenerative condition of the joints that is widely prevalent worldwide, resulting in significant pain, disability, and impaired quality of life. The diverse etiology and pathogenesis of OA can explain the paucity of viable preventive and disease-modifying strategies to counter it. Advances in genome-editing techniques may improve disease-modifying solutions by addressing inherited predisposing risk factors and the activity of inflammatory modulators. Recent progress on technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9 and cell-based genome-editing therapies targeting the genetic and epigenetic alternations in OA offer promising avenues for early diagnosis and the development of personalized therapies. The purpose of this …

Decellularization Of Porcine Cartilage Promotes Chondrogenic Differentiation Of Human Chondrocytes, Roxanne Nicole Stone

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Knee osteoarthritis (knee OA) is the most common type of osteoarthritis (OA) and accounts for 70% of arthritis-related hospital admissions and 23% of clinical visits. Major limitations in both the current non-surgical and surgical methods are that they only relieve pain and show no evidence for restoring natural tissue anatomy. Leaders in the field propose that a stem cell treatment approach holds promise for the regeneration of a greater proportion of hyaline-like tissue at the repair site. (Cross et al., 2014; Escobar Ivirico, Bhattacharjee, Kuyinu, Nair, & Laurencin, 2017; Helmick et al., 2008; Toh, Foldager, Pei, & Hui, 2014).

It …

A Computational Framework To Model Mesenchymal Stem Cell Nucleus Mechanics Using Confocal Microscopy, Zeke Kennedy

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The mechanical properties of the cell nucleus are emerging as a key component in genetic transcription. It has been shown that the stiffness of the nucleus in part regulates the transcription of genes in response to external mechanical stimuli. The stiffness has been shown to change as a result of both disease and changes to the external environment. While the mechanical structure of the nucleus can be visually documented using a confocal microscope, it is currently impossible to test the stiffness of the nucleus without a mechanical testing apparatus such as an atomic force microscope. This is problematic in that …

Revolutionizing The Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Curriculum, Shelby Ann Mcneilly, Krishna Pakala, Donald Plumlee

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

As the age of technological advancement and occupational opportunity continues to progress, companies must be constantly adjusting and transforming in order to accommodate industry demands. With these quickly developing requirements comes an expectation of employee experience and skill sets. For individuals seeking a career in mechanical engineering, moving forward with the tools necessary for success in this continuously evolving world begins with higher education. This paper is the first of a three-part series to report on the progress of Boise State University’s Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Department’s mission to implement a revolutionized curriculum in their academic program. This paper will …

Faculty Perspectives On The Impact Of Virtual Office Hours In Engineering Courses, Brooke-Lynn Caprice Andrade, Krishna Pakala, Diana Bairaktarova, Douglas Hagemeier, Harish Subbaraman

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Instructor-student interaction is an important element of a course design, but office hours can be challenging to attend based on students’ commitments. They have time and space limitations that prevent students from getting the help they need and often garner poor attendance. Virtual office hours can address issues related to low attendance and provide a low stakes environment where unhindered learning can happen. Virtual office hours are flexible, yield productive interactions, and all enrolled students can participate. This study reports on three engineering instructors’ perspectives on the efficacy of virtual office hours compared to the traditional face-to-face interactions with the …

Heating Performance Analysis For Short-Term Energy Monitoring And Prediction Using Multi-Family Residential Energy Consumption Data, Sukjoon Oh, Chul Kim, Joonghyeok Heo, Sung Lok Do, Kee Han Kim

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Many smart apartments and renovated residential buildings have installed Smart Meters (SMs), which collect interval data to accelerate more efficient energy management in multi-family residential buildings. SMs are widely used for electricity, but many utility companies have been working on systems for natural gas and water monitoring to be included in SMs. In this study, we analyze heating energy use data obtained from SMs for short-term monitoring and annual predictions using change-point models for the coefficient checking method. It was found that 9-month periods were required to search the best short-term heating energy monitoring periods when non-weather-related and weather-related heating …

Simulation Of Cu Precipitation In Fe-Cu Dilute Alloys With Cluster Mobility, Senlin Cui, Mahmood Mamivand, Dane Morgan

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Cu-rich precipitates formation is associated with the precipitation hardening of Fe-Cu based steels and the embrittlement of reactor pressure vessel steels under neutron irradiation. The accurate modeling of the time evolution of Cu-rich precipitates is therefore of fundamental importance for the design of Fe-Cu based steels and the prediction of the irradiation induced shift of the ductile to brittle transition temperature of reactor pressure vessels. This work applies cluster dynamics with mobile Cu monomers and clusters to model Cu precipitation in dilute Fe-Cu alloys at several temperatures. Optimized model parameters can be used to simulate the mean radius, number density, …

Low Intensity Vibrations Restore Nuclear Yap Levels And Acute Yap Nuclear Shuttling In Mesenchymal Stem Cells Subjected To Simulated Microgravity, Matt Thompson

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The bone deterioration that astronauts experience in microgravity environments is known to occur in response to the lack of gravity-based tissue stress. Mechanical forces are crucial to maintain healthy bone mass by regulating the function of bone-making osteoblasts as well as the proliferation and differentiation of their progenitors, mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) which replenish osteoblastic cells. Regulation of proliferative function of MSCs in response to mechanical force is in part controlled by the “mechanotransducer” protein YAP (Yes-associated protein) which is shuttled into the nucleus in response to mechanical challenge to induce gene expression necessary for cell proliferation. Our group had …

Concentrating Photovoltaic Retrofit For Existing Parabolic Trough Solar Collectors: Design, Experiments, And Levelized Cost Of Electricity, Todd P. Otanicar, Rhetta Wingert, Matthew Orosz, Clay Mcpheeters

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Photovoltaics and concentrating solar thermal power are two ways for generating electricity from sunlight, albeit through different methods. Parabolic trough style powerplants represent 3.6 GW of electricity production, but many of these plants are aging and being replaced with photovoltaics. An alternative option that could be employed to leverage the sunk capital cost associated with the primary optics would be the design of a pure photovoltaic retrofit working within the existing plant architecture. Here, a secondary optical concentrator is designed to use the existing primary optics of a parabolic trough type solar thermal powerplant. The design is a v-shaped secondary …

Computational Approach To Correcting Joint Instability In Patients With Recurrent Patellar Dislocation, Oliver Alvarez, Robert N. Steensen, Paul J. Rullkoetter, Clare K. Fitzpatrick

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Patellar dislocation is a debilitating injury common in active adolescents and young adults. Conservative treatment after initial dislocation is often recommended, but almost half of these patients continue to suffer from recurrent dislocation. The objective of this study was to compare preoperative patellofemoral joint stability with stability after a series of simulated procedures, including restorative surgery to correct to pre-injury state, generic tibial tubercle osteotomy, patient-specific reconstructive surgery to correct anatomic abnormality, less invasive patient-specific surgery, and equivalent healthy controls. Three-dimensional, subject-specific finite element models of the patellofemoral joint were developed for 28 patients with recurrent patellar dislocation. A …

Review Of Living Learning Communities And Their Impact On First Year Engineering College Students, Samantha Schauer, Krishna Pakala, Kim M.B. Tucker

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Traditionally, first-year college students do not have a community of like-minded peers with whom they are able to learn. Adding to first-year engineering college students’ (FYECS) struggles is the fact that many students do not have a mentor in their related field and are unable to start building their professional repertoire, network, and/or practical skills. Living Learning Communities (LLC) can offer a platform for postsecondary institutions to increase recruitment, engagement, and sense of belonging for students who live in an LLC. LLCs have been described in the literature as themed living and learning communities where students take a common course(s), …

Fuzzy Controller Algorithm For Automated Hvac Control, M. Chae, K. Kang, D. Koo, S. Oh, Jae Youl Chun

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This research presents the design framework of the artificial intelligent algorithm for an automated building management system. The AI system uses wireless sensor data or IoT (Internet of Things) and user's feedback together. The wireless sensors collect data such as temperature (indoor and outdoor), humidity, light, user occupancy of the facility, and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) which is known as the source of the Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) or New Building Syndrome because VOC are often found in new buildings or old buildings with new interior improvement and they can be controlled and reduced by appropriate ventilation efforts. The collected …

A Mobile Learning Community In A Living Learning Community: Perceived Impact On Digital Fluency And Communication, Devshikha Bose, Krishna Pakala, Lana Grover

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Though mobile devices like smartphones, tablets, and tablet computers have an immense potential for improving student learning, there is little empirical research which reports ways in which students actually use these technologies for learning, especially in fields like Engineering. Based on a social-constructivist approach to learning, the purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate student perceptions regarding changes in mobile device based digital fluency and communication, after participation in a Living Learning Community (LLC) based Mobile Learning Community. This study contributes to existing literature in the field in that it reports student perceptions of how mobile devices can …

Controlling Strain Energy Density In 3d Cellular Collagen Constructs During Complex Loads, Katherine Hollar

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Mechanical stimulation applied to damaged soft tissues, such as ligament, can promote tissue remodeling to accelerate healing. To help identify treatments that encourage ligament healing, bioreactors have been designed to subject 3D cellularized constructs to various loading conditions in order to determine the mechanical mechanisms that trigger cell-mediated repair. An innovative approach is to use a bioreactor to apply controlled states of biaxial stress to study the effects of strain energy density and distortion energy on cell activity. Tissue distortion has been linked to changes in the structure and function of ligament, yet the specific impact of distortion energy on …

Effect Of Corrective Surgery On Lower Limb Mechanics In Patients With Crouch Gait, Adelle Milholland

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Crouch gait a progressively degrading gait deviation associated with the neurological disorder cerebral palsy. If left untreated it can lead to anterior knee pain and a loss of ambulation. At present there exists no agreed upon metric for determining the surgical procedures used to treat crouch gait and there is insufficient means to analytically compare the results of different procedures. The aims of this thesis work were to create a pipeline to transform a patient’s gait analysis data into a finite element model, develop a model of sufficient complexity to evaluate a range of outcomes by which to judge the …

The Effect Of Implant Conformity On Muscle Force Requirements In The Implanted Knee, Grace Mcconnochie

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Implant geometry is a significant factor in determining knee stability and patient satisfaction following total knee replacement (TKR). Ineffective muscle recruitment, impaired joint functionality and increased implant wear are consequences of an unstable knee replacement. Current knee laxity evaluation techniques are limited in their ability to account for the muscular response to knee instability. This study utilizes a subject specific lower-body musculoskeletal finite element (FE) model with dynamic muscle loading to evaluate implant laxity during activities of daily living. The effect of varying implant conformity on the muscle forces required to maintain a target kinematic profile during simulated laxity testing …

Development Of A Statistical Shape-Function Model Of The Implanted Knee For Real-Time Prediction Of Joint Mechanics, Kalin Gibbons

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Outcomes of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are dependent on surgical technique, patient variability, and implant design. Non-optimal design or alignment choices may result in undesirable contact mechanics and joint kinematics, including poor joint alignment, instability, and reduced range of motion. Implant design and surgical alignment are modifiable factors with potential to improve patient outcomes, and there is a need for robust implant designs that can accommodate patient variability. Our objective was to develop a statistical shape-function model (SFM) of a posterior stabilized implant knee to instantaneously predict output mechanics in an efficient manner. Finite element methods were combined with Latin …

Happy Hours Are A Godsend, Krishna Pakala, Diana Bairaktarova, Samantha Schauer

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Office hours that happen in a virtual environment are called virtual office hours. This type of student-faculty interaction can be easily hosted from a faculty computer/mobile device/tablet. With an invitation, students can login to the online session and join their instructor and peers in a virtual space. Using mobile technologies, students can join virtual office hours from a variety of locations including a library, outdoors, on a commute ride home, while caring for children, eating dinner, and even while grocery shopping. Virtual office hours allow for more flexibility of student-faculty interaction. They are an alternative to traditional office hours. This …

Work In Progress: First-Year Engineering College Students: Value Created From Participating In A Living/Learning Community, Krishna Pakala, Kim M.B. Tucker, Samantha Schauer

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This Work in Progress paper examines how to capture the perceived value obtained from firstyear engineering college students (FYECS) from participating in the Engineering and Innovation Residential College (EIRC), a living learning community (LLC). People are social by nature and thrive through collaborating and living with others who share similar passions; however, oftentimes FYECS do not have a community of like-minded peers where support, innovation, discourse, and collaboration can take place. Adding to FYECS struggles is the fact that many do not have a mentor in their related field and are unable to start building their professional repertoire, network, technical …

Review Of Educational Technology: Closing The Gap Between Modern Technology And The College Engineering Classroom, David Pinkerton, Krishna Pakala

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper aggregates information from past and current studies regarding the implementation of technology in engineering classrooms and identifies the most promising ideas, technologies, and techniques. This paper provides insight into best practices for implementing technologies to improve the education of engineering students. This paper provides recommendations to adopt non-traditional teaching methods. Educational tools and techniques are evaluated on the basis of: Adoption and Assimilation, Access, Community, Intellectual Presence, Student Perception, and Development of Social and Professional Skills. Best practices are highlighted with descriptions of the technologies and techniques that were found most promising.

Recovery Of Stem Cell Proliferation By Low Intensity Vibration Under Simulated Microgravity Requires Linc Complex, H. Touchstone, R. Bryd, S. Loisate, M. Thompson, X. Pu, R. Beard, J. T. Oxford, G. Uzer

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) rely on their ability to integrate physical and spatial signals at load bearing sites to replace and renew musculoskeletal tissues. Designed to mimic unloading experienced during spaceflight, preclinical unloading and simulated microgravity models show that alteration of gravitational loading limits proliferative activity of stem cells. Emerging evidence indicates that this loss of proliferation may be linked to loss of cellular cytoskeleton and contractility. Low intensity vibration (LIV) is an exercise mimetic that promotes proliferation and differentiation of MSCs by enhancing cell structure. Here, we asked whether application of LIV could restore the reduced proliferative capacity seen …