Digital Commons Network^™

High-Speed, Three-Dimensional Quantification Of Ladybug (Hippodamia Convergens) Flapping Wing Kinematics During Takeoff, Ryan B. George, Dr. Scott L. Thomson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Ladybug wing and body kinematics during takeoff is explored using high-speed stereoscopic imaging. Recordings of the specimens during flight are acquired at a rate of 3000 frames per second. A direct linear transformation algorithm is performed using custom implementation in Matlab to quantify positions of selected locations on the body, forewings (elytra), and hindwings. Design and setup of instrumentation and analysis procedures are explained. Flapping frequency is reported. Significant motion of the elytra and other findings are presented and their applications are discussed.

Analysis Of A Compliant Centrifugal Clutch Using Computeraided Engineering Tools, James D. Baker, Dr. Larry L. Howell

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Contemporary engineering has received the benefits of computer-aided engineering (CAE) tools that automate and simplify the design of mechanical systems. However, such tools do not provide direct support for the specific field of compliant mechanisms, whose behavior can require difficult techniques for design and synthesis. Compliant mechanisms utilize flexible segments instead of joints, to achieve their motion. It was proposed that two CAE tools, namely Pro/ENGINEER and ADAMS/View, along with a method for analyzing compliant mechanisms known as the pseudo-rigid-body model, could greatly reduce the time and effort required to generate accurate results in the analysis of a compliant centrifugal …

Few-View Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (Spect) Reconstruction Based On A Blurred Piecewise Constant Object Model, Paul Arthur Wolf, Jakob S. Jørgensen, Taly Gilat Schmidt, Emil Y. Sidky

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

A sparsity-exploiting algorithm intended for few-view single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) reconstruction is proposed and characterized. The algorithm models the object as piecewise constant subject to a blurring operation. To validate that the algorithm closely approximates the true object in the noiseless case, projection data were generated from an object assuming this model and using the system matrix. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to provide more realistic data of a phantom with varying smoothness across the field of view and a cardiac phantom. Reconstructions were performed across a sweep of two primary design parameters. The results demonstrate that the …

The Mechanics Of Intracranial Loading During Blast And Blunt Impacts: Experimental And Numerical Studies, Veera Selvan Kuppuswamy

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

Head injuries in an explosion occur as a result of a sudden pressure changes (e.g. shock-blast) in the atmosphere (primary injury), high velocity impacts of debris (secondary injury) and people being thrown against the solid objects (tertiary injury) in the field. In this thesis, experimental and numerical approaches are used to delineate the intracranial loading mechanics of both primary (blast) and tertiary injuries (blunt).

The blast induced head injuries are simulated using a fluid-filled cylinder. This simplified model represents the head-brain complex and the model is subjected to a blast with the Friedlander waveform type of loading. We measured the …

Engineering Poly(Ethylene Glycol) Materials To Promote Cardiogenesis, Amanda Walker Smith

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Heart failure is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and the current costs of treatment put a significant economic burden on our societies. After an infarction, fibrotic tissue begins to form as part of the heart failure cascade. Current options to slow this process include a wide range of pharmaceutical agents, and ultimately the patient may require a heart transplant. Innovative treatment approaches are needed to bring down costs and improve quality of life. The possibility of regenerating or replacing damaged tissue with healthy cardiomyocytes is generating considerable excitement, but there are still many obstacles to overcome. First, …

Generating High Purity Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Cell Populations For Transplantation Following Spinal Cord Injury, Dylan A. Mccreedy

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Embryonic stem cells hold great potential for cell replacement strategies in the central nervous system. Pre-differentiation into various neural cell types can help generate tissue-specific cell populations that can replace cells and tissue lost due to do injury or disease. A small number of undifferentiated pluripotent stem cells persist in most transplant populations even after pre-differentiation. Given the right environment, i.e. biomaterial scaffolds, these cells can lead to tumor formation thereby eliminating any potential therapeutic benefit. This dissertation focused on the development of high purity embryonic stem cell-derived cell populations devoid of pluripotent stem cells for transplantation into the central …

Biofuel From Microalgae – A Review On The Current Status And Future Trends, Rajee Olaganathan, May Zaw Htet, Lim Yan Ling, Sek Hui Yun

Publications

The constant reliance on fossil fuel energy resources is unsustainable, due to both depleting world reserves and increasing green house gas emissions associated with their use and thus there are dynamic research at the global level envisioned at developing alternative renewable and potentially carbon neutral solid, liquid and gaseous biofuels as alternative energy resources. The contemporary knowledge and technology predictions have proved that among the third generation biofuels especially those derived from microalgae are considered the best reasonable alternative energy resource compared to undeniable drawbacks of first and second generation biofuels. Moreover, its efficiency to sequester carbon from the atmosphere …

Fast Segmentation And High-Quality Three-Dimensional Volume Mesh Creation From Medical Images For Diffuse Optical Tomography, Michael Jermyn, Hamid Ghadyani, Michael A. Mastanduno, Wes Turner, Scott C. Davis, Hamid Dehghani, Brian W. Pogue

Dartmouth Scholarship

Multimodal approaches that combine near-infrared (NIR) and conventional imaging modalities have been shown to improve optical parameter estimation dramatically and thus represent a prevailing trend in NIR imaging. These approaches typically involve applying anatomical templates from magnetic resonance imaging/computed tomography/ultrasound images to guide the recovery of optical parameters. However, merging these data sets using current technology requires multiple software packages, substantial expertise, significant time-commitment, and often results in unacceptably poor mesh quality for optical image reconstruction, a reality that represents a significant roadblock for translational research of multimodal NIR imaging. This work addresses these challenges directly by introducing automated digital …

Development Of A Sense And Avoid System For Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Robert Andrew Klaus

Theses and Dissertations

Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) represent the future of modern aviation. Over the past 10 years their use abroad by the military has become commonplace for surveillance and combat. Unfortunately, their use at home has been far more restrictive. Due to safety and regulatory concerns, UAS are prohibited from flying in the National Airspace System without special authorization from the FAA. One main reason for this is the lack of an on-board pilot to "see and avoid" other air traffic and thereby maintain the safety of the skies. Development of a comparable capability, known as "Sense and Avoid" (SAA), has therefore …

The Design And Development Of A Perceptual-Based Haptic Display Device, Sohaib Akhter

Theses and Dissertations

Graphical information presented as pictures, graphs, maps, and the like are an important media for relaying knowledge and are a fundamental means of education rarely experienced by people who are blind or have a severe visual impairment. This thesis presents the design, development and testing of a multiple finger, haptic matrix dynamic display device capable of relaying graphical information through simulated textures. The design is based on user perception studies that determined which hand constraints provided the best tradeoff between simplicity of design, accuracy and time to answer. The best design was one that incorporated multiple fingers in close proximity …

Measurement And Description Of Dynamics Required For In Vivo Surgical Robotics Via Kinematic Methods, Jacob G. Greenburg

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

With the goal of improved recovery times and reduced trauma to the patient there has been a substantial shift in the medical community’s demand for minimally invasive surgical (MIS) techniques. With the standardization of MIS becoming more commonplace in the medical field there are still many improvements that are desired. Traditional, manual methods of these surgeries require multiple incisions on the abdomen for the tools and instruments to be inserted. The more recent demand has been to localize the incisions into what is being referred to as a Laparoendoscopic Single-Site (LESS) surgery. Furthermore, the manual instruments that are commonly used …

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

Faculty Publications - Biomedical, Mechanical, and Civil Engineering

Ligament and tendon repair involves a complex series of coordinated events orchestrated by various cell types, cytokines and other factors. The repair process extends months to years and results in scar tissue mechanically inferior to native tissue. This is in clear contrast to tissue "regeneration" which would recapitulate the native tissue. Numerous approaches to stimulate a regenerative scenario have been attempted, including tissue-engineering, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, ultrasonic, or electrical stimulation, but none have resulted in complete regeneration. In pursuit of a more regenerative outcome, it is important to understand the fundamentals of the normal healing process. Previous work from our lab …

Moving Domain Computational Fluid Dynamics To Interface With An Embryonic Model Of Cardiac Morphogenesis, Juhyun Lee, Mahdi Esmaily Moghadam, Ethan Kung, Hung Cao, Tyler Beebe, Yury Miller, Beth L. Roman, Ching-Ling Lien, Neil C. Chi, Alison L. Marsden, Tzung K. Hsiai

Publications

Peristaltic contraction of the embryonic heart tube produces time- and spatial-varying wall shear stress (WSS) and pressure gradients (∇P) across the atrioventricular (AV) canal. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are a genetically tractable system to investigate cardiac morphogenesis. The use of Tg(fli1a:EGFP)y1 transgenic embryos allowed for delineation and two-dimensional reconstruction of the endocardium. This time-varying wall motion was then prescribed in a two-dimensional moving domain computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model, providing new insights into spatial and temporal variations in WSS and ∇P during cardiac development. The CFD simulations were validated with particle image …

Measurement Of Emissions From A Passenger Truck Fueled With Biodiesel From Different Feedstocks, Natchanok Pala-En, Melanie L. Sattler, Brian Dennis, Victoria Chen, Rachel L. Muncrief

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications - Archive

Biodiesel has generated increased interest recently as an alternative to petroleum-derived diesel. Due to its high oxygen content, biodiesel typically burns more completely than petroleum diesel, and thus has lower emissions of hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter (PM). However, biodiesel may increase or decrease nitrogen oxide (NOx) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, depending on biodiesel feedstock, engine type, and test cycle. The purpose of this study was to compare emissions from 20% blends of biodiesel made from 4 feedstocks (soybean oil, canola oil, waste cooking oil, and animal fat) with emissions from ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD). …

Scitech Book News Reviews, Susan Fingerman

Sci-Tech News

No abstract provided.

Vascular Reactivity Of Immature Arterialized Capillaries, Sara Hellstrom

Biomedical Engineering

Peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) is a globally prevalent cardiovascular disease in which atherosclerotic plaques narrow arterial lumen diameters and restrict blood flow to down stream tissues. The impact of these occlusions can be mitigated by collateral vessels that connect parallel arterial branches and act as natural bypasses to maintain perfusion. Some patients with PAOD may not have robust collateral networks to accommodate ischemic tissues in the event of an occlusion and, therefore, may be more susceptible to hypoxia and tissue necrosis. In animal models that lack collateral arterioles, capillaries can arterialize and form functional collaterals; however, in the early …

2013 Tsu Undergraduate Research Program, David Owerbach

Office of Research Institutional Research and Scholarship

No abstract provided.

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 …

Smarter Neat Nets, Ryan Swords Dehaven

Master's Theses

This paper discusses a modification to improve usability and functionality of a ge- netic neural net algorithm called NEAT (NeuroEvolution of Augmenting Topolo- gies). The modification aims to accomplish its goal by automatically changing parameters used by the algorithm with little input from a user. The advan- tage of the modification is to reduce the guesswork needed to setup a successful experiment with NEAT that produces a usable Artificial Intelligence (AI). The modified algorithm is tested against the unmodified NEAT with several different setups and the results are discussed. The algorithm shows strengths in some areas but can increase the …

Occlusion-Aware Multi-View Reconstruction Of Articulated Objects For Manipulation, Xiaoxia Huang

All Dissertations

The goal of this research is to develop algorithms using multiple views to automatically recover complete 3D models of articulated objects in unstructured environments and thereby enable a robotic system to facilitate further manipulation of those objects. First, an algorithm called Procrustes-Lo-RANSAC (PLR) is presented. Structure-from-motion techniques are used to capture 3D point cloud models of an articulated object in two different configurations. Procrustes analysis, combined with a locally optimized RANSAC sampling strategy, facilitates a straightforward geometric approach to recovering the joint axes, as well as classifying them automatically as either revolute or prismatic. The algorithm does not require prior …

Implantable Biosensors For Physiologic Status Monitoring During Hemorrhage, Christian Kotanen

All Dissertations

Trauma diagnostics and management are major aims of research for implantable amperometric enzyme biosensor technology. Biosensors are capable of monitoring metabolic variables in a minimally invasive manner and have great potential to augment current wireless vital sign monitoring technologies in order to make a more robust physiologic status monitoring platform. The dual responsive Electrochemical Cell-on-a-Chip Microdisc Electrode Array (ECC MDEA 5037) is a recently developed electrochemical transducer for use in a wireless, implantable biosensor system for the continuous measurement of interstitial glucose and lactate. Hyperglycemia arising from insulin resistance and hyperlactatemia arising from anaerobic metabolism both occur following trauma and …

Improved Deinkability Of Lep (Liquid Electrophotography) Digital Prints, Zheng Wei

Masters Theses

Digital printing plays a very important role in the life of modern society. With the development of digital printing technologies, and the increasing market share of digital printing, the amount of digital prints in waste paper is rapidly increasing. Under “green” manufacturing and environmental sustainability, deinking of digital print inks is an urgent problem that needs to be solved. Indigo is a typical series of HP (Hewlett-Packard) digital presses that use a liquid ink named ElectroInk (Liquid Electrophotography or LEP). The particle size of HP ElectroInk is very small, 1-2 microns, which is smaller than dry toners. But, during flotation, …

Decentralized Collision Avoidance, Jayasri K. Janardanan

School of Computing: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Autonomous Robots must carry out their tasks as independently as possible and each robot may be assigned different tasks at different locations. As these tasks are being performed, the robots have to navigate correctly such that the assigned tasks are completed efficiently, while also avoiding each other and other obstacles. To accomplish effective navigation, we must ensure that the robots are calibrated to avoid colliding with any kind of object on its path. Each robot has to sense the obstacles on its path and take necessary corrective measure to avoid those obstacles. In a situation with multiple robots, robots may …

Extraction Of Antioxidants From Animal Blood And Its Potential Application As A Pet Food Preservative, Chengyi Tu

All Theses

Nowadays, more and more people are having pets as members of their family. To the year of 2012, there are 78.2 million dogs and 86.4 million cats owned in the U.S according to the report of the Humane Society of the U.S. The pet food industry as a result has been prosperous, with an estimated market size of $21 billion in the year of 2013. However, there is a common problem for the industry - fat rancidification. Pet foods usually contain relatively high levels of fat, which, if not well protected, are prone to oxidation and generate unfavorable products including …

Comparison Of Methods To Evaluate Chitosan As An Antimicrobial Against Listeria Spp. Cultures, Scott Hartley

All Theses

The antimicrobial properties of a chitosan-coated vacuum-packaged pouch were tested against Listeria monocytogenes (LM) inoculated on frankfurters. A 1.5% chitosan solution was successfully coated onto a corona-treated poly/nylon based film and then heat-sealed to form a pouch. An initial 5 log CFU/mL population of LM was used to inoculate a frankfurter in the pouch, which was then vacuum-sealed and stored at 4¡ and 13¡ C for a period of 8 weeks, with bacteria enumeration performed on weekly intervals. An uncoated pouch was tested as a control. It was found that the chitosan-coated pouches did not exhibit any antimicrobial properties against …

The Development Of A Rapid Fiber-Based Immunoassay As A Point-Of-Care Or In-Home Diagnostic Test, Christopher Waddell

All Theses

Early diagnosis of conditions allows for physicians to treat patients earlier, and ultimately improve patient outcomes. Two conditions of particular interest for earlier and cheaper diagnosis are the influenza virus and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Antiviral treatment administered within the first 48 hours of influenza infection decreases symptom severity, risk of complications, and reduced healthcare costs. Early diagnosis of HIV can decrease the risk of transmission of the virus to HIV negative individuals and allow for earlier administration of highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART), improving patient quality of life and patient outcomes.
Currently, the 'gold standard' for detection of both …

Continuum Robotic Surface: Forward Kinematic Analysis And Implementation, Jessica Merino

All Theses

This thesis presents a new class of biologically inspired robots: continuum robotic surfaces. This work is fueled by the question: can the interaction between robot and environment be advanced with “programmable surfaces in space?” The novelty of continuum robotic surfaces lies in their ability to be actively controlled and reconfigured in what we believe is the current “missing dimension” in robot movements — two–dimensional space. We believe that such surfaces will lend themselves to more complex applications. However, to effectively deploy such surfaces for these complex applications, kinematic models will be necessary to plan and control desired configurations. The forward …

Biological Production Of Succinic Acid Using A Cull Peach Medium, Janani Krishnakumar

All Theses

Biological production of succinic acid from a cull peach based medium was studied using Escherichia coli AFP 184 in a dual-phase batch process including an aerobic growth phase and an anaerobic production phase. Experiments were performed to study the effects of corn steep liquor supplement and exogenous hydrogen supply. About one half of the sucrose in the medium was converted to fermentable sugars glucose and fructose during sterilization. The remaining sucrose was hydrolyzed with invertase. The viscosity of the medium was reduced from 350 cP to 50 cP to allow efficient oxygen transfer by a commercial enzyme product. In the …

Modeling Benefits Of Implementing Low Impact Development Practices Within Forecasted Growth Scenarios Of The Reedy River Watershed, Stephen Taylor

All Theses

For this research, a previously developed comprehensive watershed water quality model for the Reedy River as developed for South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a total maximum daily load (TMDL) assessment tool was used to assess the benefits of using low impact development (LID) designs in future growth of Greenville County, within the Reedy River watershed. The original intent of this model was to provide SCDHEC with a defensible model that could be used to prepare nutrient TMDLs for an area located at Boyd Millpond and the Reedy River …

Algae To Propellants: Biosynthesis Of 1,2-Propanediol From Algal Derived Sugars, Lauren Rachelle Merriman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Propylene glycol dinitrate (PGDN) is an important component used in the formulation of energetic materials. A renewable, environmentally-friendly and effective production technique for the production of 1,2-propanediol, an important precursor to PGDN, is desired. While fermentation of 1,2-propanediol has been achieved, it suffers from major limitations such as expensive feed sugars and relatively low yields. It is hypothesized that algae sugars could serve as a feedstock for the microbial synthesis of 1,2-propanediol, thereby reducing production costs and enhancing sustainability.

Algal biomass produced from an Algal Turf Scrubber® has proven to have significant potential as a source of fermentable materials. However, …