Biomechanics and Biotransport Commons^™

Biomechanical Analysis Of Concealed Pack Load Influences On Terrorist Gait Signatures Derived From Gröbner Basis Theory, Sean S. Kohles, Anum Barki, Kimberly D. Kendricks, Ronald F. Tuttle

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

This project examines kinematic gait parameters as forensic predictors of the influence associated with individuals carrying concealed weighted packs up to 20% of their body weight. An initial inverse dynamics approach combined with computational algebra provided lower limb joint angles during the stance phase of gait as measured from 12 human subjects during normal walking. The following paper describes the additional biomechanical analysis of the joint angle data to produce kinetic and kinematic parameters further characterizing human motion. Results include the rotational velocities and accelerations of the hip, knee, and ankle as well as inertial moments and kinetic energies produced …

Relationships Of Long-Term Bisphosphonate Treatment With Measures Of Bone Microarchitecture And Mechanical Competence, Jonathan Joseph Ward

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

Oral bisphosphonate drug therapy is a common and effective treatment for osteoporosis. Little is known about the long-term effects of bisphosphonates on bone quality. This study examined the structural and mechanical properties of trabecular bone following 0-16 years of bisphosphonate treatment. Fifty-three iliac crest bone samples of Caucasian women diagnosed with low turnover osteoporosis were identified from the Kentucky Bone Registry. Forty-five were treated with oral bisphosphonates for 1 to 16 years while eight were treatment naive. A section of trabecular bone was chosen from a micro-computed tomography (Scanco µCT 40) scan of each sample for a uniaxial linearly elastic …

Novel Computational Approaches Characterizing Knee Physiotherapy, Wangdo Kim, Antonio P. Veloso, Duarte Araújo, Sean S. Kohles

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

A knee joint’s longevity depends on the proper integration of structural components in an axial alignment. If just one of the components is abnormally off-axis, the biomechanical system fails, resulting in arthritis. The complexity of various failures in the knee joint has led orthopedic surgeons to select total knee replacement as a primary treatment. In many cases, this means sacrificing much of an otherwise normal joint. Here, we review novel computational approaches to describe knee physiotherapy by introducing a new dimension of foot loading to the knee axis alignment producing an improved functional status of the patient. New physiotherapeutic applications …

Design And Validation Of A Computational Model For Study Of Scapholunate Joint Kinematics, Edward J. Tremols

Theses and Dissertations

As computational power has increased, computational modeling has become a very promising tool to model the biomechanics of complex joint systems. Musculoskeletal computational models have become more complex when compared to original iterations which utilized a number of simplifications. This thesis utilized a three-dimensional computational model of the wrist joint structure to investigate scapholunate kinematics. The model accurately represented the bony anatomy of the wrist and hand and represented soft tissue structures such as ligaments, tendons, and other surrounding tissues. Creation of the model was done using commercially available computer-aided design and medical image processing software, and utilized the rigid …

Mechanical Properties Of Bone Due To Sost Expression: Nanoindentation Assessment Of Murine Femurs, Amir Rafie

Master's Theses

In the human genome, the SOST gene codes for a protein sclerostin. Sclerostin is an osteocyte-expressed negative regulator of bone formation. When the SOST gene is not coded, bone formation is reduced in individuals during skeletal maturation. This study utilizes nanoindentation methods to test for the mechanical properties of bones that both express and do not express the SOST gene. 100 transgenic murine femurs were obtained from Lawrence Livermore Labs in the form of 6 and 8 month SOST transgenic mice, 6 and 12 month SOST knockout mice, and wild type control littermates for each of the 4 age groups. …

Physiological Fluid Specific Agglomeration Patterns Diminish Gold Nanorod Photothermal Characteristics, Kristen K. Comfort, Jared W. Speltz, Bradley M. Stacy, Larry R. Dosser, Saber M. Hussain

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

Investigations into the use of gold nanorods (Au-NRs) for biological applications are growing exponentially due to their distinctive physicochemical properties, which make them advantageous over other nanomaterials. Au-NRs are particularly renowned for their plasmonic characteristics, which generate a robust photothermal response when stimulated with light at a wavelength matching their surface plasmon resonance. Numerous reports have explored this nanophotonic phenomenon for temperature driven therapies; however, to date there is a significant knowledge gap pertaining to the kinetic heating profile of Au-NRs within a controlled physiological setting. In the present study, the impact of environmental composition on Au-NR behavior and degree …

Data Workflow In Large Scale Simulations Of Blood Flow In Aneurysms, Paolo Di Achille, Jay D. Humphrey

Yale Day of Data

Aneurysms are responsibile for significant morbidity and mortality, and there is a need for an increased understanding of all the aspects of the natural history of these lesions. We are currently working to extend our analyses with the goal of creating models of aneurysmal progression that are able to predict rupture risk through the description of the evolving geometry, structure, properties, and loads.

Realization of patient specific models of the blood circulation necessitates a complex computationally and data intensive procedure that starts from the collection of medical images in a clinical setting and encompasses several stages of data processing on …

Design Optimization Of An Above-Knee Prosthesis With Energy Regeneration, Taylor Barto, Holly Warner, Rick Rarick, Dan Simon

Undergraduate Research Posters 2013

Above-knee amputees who use a prosthetic leg typically have to compensate for its shortcomings with unnatural hip motions. This compensation eventually leads to adverse health issues such as arthritis. We propose an active prosthesis to improve performance. The motor in our prosthetic knee allows the patient to move his hip normally, thus reducing the possibility of ancillary health issues. To improve the efficiency of the prosthesis, we use the braking phase of the prosthesis to regenerate energy. By storing energy in a supercapacitor during braking, the prosthesis lasts longer between each charge than it would without regenerative braking. We are …

Towards A More Robust Lower Neck Compressive Injury Tolerance - An Approach Combining Multiple Test Methodologies, Daniel Toomey, King H. Yang, N Yoganadan, F A. Pintar, C A. Van Ee

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research Publications

Objective.The compressive tolerance of the cervical spine has traditionally been reported in terms of axial force at failure. Previous studies suggest that axial compressive force at failure is particularly sensitive to the alignment of the cervical vertebra and the end conditions of the test methodology used. The present study was designed to develop a methodology to combine the data of previous experiments into a diverse dataset utilizing multiple test methods to allow for the evaluation of the robustness of current and proposed eccentricity based injury criteria.

Methods. Data was combined from two studies composed of dynamic experiments including whole …

Why Is Ca3 More Vulnerable Than Ca1 In Experimental Models Of Controlled Cortical Impact-Induced Brain Injury?, Haojie Mao, Benjamin S. Elkin, Vinay V. Genthikatti, Barclay Morrison Iii, King H. Yang

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research Publications

One interesting finding of controlled cortical impact (CCI) experiments is that the CA3 region of the hippocampus, which is positioned further from the impact than the CA1 region, is reported as being more injured. The current literature has suggested a positive correlation between brain tissue stretch and neuronal cell loss. However, it is counterintuitive to assume that CA3 is stretched more during CCI injury. Recent mechanical studies of the brain have reported on a level of spatial heterogeneity not previously appreciated—the finding that CA1 was significantly stiffer than all other regions tested and that CA3 was one of the most …

Finite Element Models Of The Knee & Hip Joints: Using Opensim To Predict Muscle Forces, Kevin S. Jones, Spencer D. Wangerin, Jeffrey D. Pyle, Stephen M. Klisch, Scott J. Hazelwood

STAR Program Research Presentations

Quantitative data of stresses and strains in the cartilage of the knee and hip joints are required to design prostheses and can be used to give accurate advice to patients with cartilage damage as to which activities should be avoided. Instrumented hip implants can only give the overall resultant force in the joint, not the stresses and strains throughout the cartilage. Finite Element (FE) models of the Knee and Hip are being constructed in order to obtain the stresses and strains in articular (of the joint) cartilage. Muscle forces and joint contact forces are required as inputs to these FE …

Finite Element Analysis And Validation Of Hip Joints With The Main Types Of Femoroacetabular Impingement, Kevin Lucas Mitchell

Master's Theses

Current research suggests that femoroacetabular impingement can be a cause of osteoarthritis. Femoroacetabular impingement is a condition that can affect both the femur and the pelvis of an individual. Femoroacetabular impingement can cause damage to the hip joint and its surrounding tissues. The articular cartilage and the labrum are both affected by this condition. A cam impingement is where a bony protrusion develops at the femoral head/neck junction. A pincer impingement is where a bony protrusion develops at the acetabular rim. Often, patients are seen with a combination of both impingements. The main goal of this study was to computationally …

Interleukin Expression After Injury And The Effects Of Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist, Connie S. Chamberlain, Ellen M. Leiferman, Kayt E. Frisch, Stacey L. Brickson, William L. Murphy, Geoffrey S. Baer, Ray Vanderby

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Ligament healing follows a series of complex coordinated events involving various cell types, cytokines, as well as other factors, producing a mechanically inferior tissue more scar-like than native tissue. Macrophages provide an ongoing source of cytokines to modulate inflammatory cell adhesion and migration as well as fibroblast proliferation. Studying interleukins inherent to ligament healing during peak macrophage activation and angiogenesis may elucidate inflammatory mediators involved in subsequent scar formation. Herein, we used a rat healing model assayed after surgical transection of their medial collateral ligaments (MCLs). On days 3 and 7 post-injury, ligaments were collected and used for microarray analysis. …

The Effects Of Variation In Collagen D-Spacing On Compact Bone Viscoelasticity: A Finite Element Analysis, Miguel A. Mendoza

Master's Theses

The D-spacing that is characteristic of collagen and its structural arrangement was previously thought to be a constant value. Much research is revealing that it is actually a distribution of values in biological tissues. Recent ovine experimentation has also shown that the D-spacing distribution is significantly altered following estrogen depletion. While ewes contain some major biological differences between their human counterparts, they are an economical and robust large animal model for postmenopausal osteoporosis. So, the exploration of the possible implications that D-spacing has on the mechanical properties of the whole bone utilizing animal models and computational methods is warranted. Six …

Design Of A Compliant Underactuated Robotic Finger With Coordinated Stiffness, Etienne Dessauw

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The concept of underactuation has been previously developed in the robotic field for grasping applications. For these anthropomorphic grippers, the minimization of the number of input signals, or in other words underactuation, is the most expected characteristic. This method has become very popular in recent decades. Indeed, by minimizing the number of input signals, it minimizes the complexity of the system’s control and at the same time avoids increased weight and cost. The inconvenience of such a technique is that the design of this type of system remains a difficult task if the behavior of the underactuated set of joints …

Computational Biomechanical Modeling Of The Human Knee During Kneeling, Tariq R. Abo-Alhol

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Total knee replacement benefits patients who suffer from severe knee pain or joint stiffness and other joint related illnesses that limit everyday activities. There has been an increase in the number of procedures performed each year and a need to evaluate the performance of these implants during specialized activities such as kneeling. Most computational studies lack insight into inter-patient variability and the results do not apply to large population. This study developed: (1) three-dimensional explicit finite element (FE) models to investigate natural and implanted knee joint kinematics and bone strain and (2) a platform to enable population-based evaluation by combining …

Subtalar Joint Instability: Diagnosis And Conservative Treatment, Julie Choisne

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Subtalar instability may be caused by various ligamentous injuries. Combined instability at the ankle and subtalar joint is not adequately diagnosed. Further, isolated subtalar instability is usually misdiagnosed which may lead to long term damage to the joint. Developing a non-invasive and clinically practical tool to diagnose subtalar joint instability would be an important asset. The ability of an ankle brace, a common treatment for hindfoot instability, to promote stability for the subtalar joint was not well established. The purposes of this study were to 1) assess the kinematics of the subtalar, ankle, and hindfoot in the presence of isolated …

Design And Development Of A Stair Ascension Assistive Device For Transfemoral Amputees, Casey Michael Barbarino

Master's Theses

Transfemoral amputees around the world experience increased difficulty in climbing stairs due to lack of muscle, balance, and other factors. The loss of a lower limb greatly diminishes the amount of natural force generation provided that is necessary to propel oneself up stairs. This study investigated possible solutions to the problem of stair ascension for transfemoral amputees by the means of designing and developing an externally attachable device to a prosthesis. The number of amputations from military service has greatly increased since 2008, which shows there is a clear need for assistive devices (Wenke, Krueger, & Ficke, 2012). With the …

Evaluation Of The Anterior Talofibular And Calcaneofibular Ligament In Relation To Supination Ankle Sprains, Peter Tran

Biomedical Engineering

Ankle injuries have always posed an issue to a number of athletes. Sports that involve running and jumping accumulate about 25% of injuries correlating to ankle sprains. In most ankle sprains the inversion (supination) of the ankle cause damage to lateral ligaments. The two most common lateral ligaments to experience damage are the anterior talofibular (ATFL) and calcaneofibular (CFL) ligaments. The methods of taping and ankle braces have allowed athletes to prevent recurring sprains from occurring. However, sprains can still occur even when one or both methods are applied. The purpose of each method is to restrict the range of …

Analysis Of Acetabular Cup Orientation Effects On Stress Shielding In Total Hip Replacements Using Finite Element Methods, Brogan Mcguire, Jennifer Gemkow, Brad Gausewitz, Alex Georges

Biomedical Engineering

Improper positioning of the acetabular cup has been shown to contribute to issues such as high wear rates and dislocations in total hip replacements. The differences in contact mechanics due to varying orientation of the acetabular cup may also significantly affect strain distribution in the femur. This study examined these effects of acetabular orientation changes and their contribution to stress shielding using finite element analysis. A solid model of a cementless total hip implant was obtained using 3D point scanning and implanted virtually into a femur solid model. The implanted femur model was imported into ABAQUS and loaded with a …