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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Laparoscopic Devices And Methods Of Using, M. Susan Hallbeck, Jakeb Riggle, Adam De Laveaga, Jake Kaufman Dec 2014

Laparoscopic Devices And Methods Of Using, M. Susan Hallbeck, Jakeb Riggle, Adam De Laveaga, Jake Kaufman

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

A number of improvements to laparoscopic devices are described herein, primarily to improve the ergonomic functionality of the devices. For example, an articulating rod system is described, a gripping mechanism is described, and an end effector is described


Effects Of Operating Conditions On Removal Of Trace-Amount Testosterone By Nitrocellulose Filter Membrane, Ying Liang Dec 2014

Effects Of Operating Conditions On Removal Of Trace-Amount Testosterone By Nitrocellulose Filter Membrane, Ying Liang

Department of Environmental Engineering: Theses and Student Research

Hormone can be removed by membrane filtration via membrane interception, sorption and diffusion. However, the effects of operating conditions of membrane filtration on hormone removal have not been evaluated systematically. In this study, the removal of testosterone by nitrocellulose membranes under different operating conditions (e.g., initial testosterone concentrations, sample volumes, flow rates and membrane pore sizes) was investigated. 14C-labeled testosterone was used as a tracer to determine the removal of testosterone in the filtration process, and a hydrodynamic model was used to determine dispersion coefficient (D) associated with the operating conditions and radius of hormone molecule. Results indicate that …


Two-Dimensional Scalar Differential Equations For Transversely Varying Thickness Modes In Piezoelectric Plates And Applications In Acoustic Wave Resonator Sensors, Huijing He Dec 2014

Two-Dimensional Scalar Differential Equations For Transversely Varying Thickness Modes In Piezoelectric Plates And Applications In Acoustic Wave Resonator Sensors, Huijing He

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

Generalizations are made for three types of well-known and widely used twodimensional scalar differential equations in the literature describing transversely varying thickness modes in piezoelectric plate resonators. They are for singly-rotated quartz plates, doubly-rotated quartz plates, and plates of crystals of class 6mm with the c-axis along the plate thickness, respectively. The purpose of the generalizations is to include the effects of surface mechanical loads such as mass layers or fluids for resonator -based acoustic wave sensor applications. Surface acoustic impedance is introduced to take into account various surface loads in a general manner for time-harmonic motions. Both unelectroded and …


Modular And Cooperative Medical Devices And Related Systems And Methods, Shane M. Farritor, Mark Rentschler, Amy Lehman Nov 2014

Modular And Cooperative Medical Devices And Related Systems And Methods, Shane M. Farritor, Mark Rentschler, Amy Lehman

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

The various embodiments disclosed herein relate to modular medical devices, including various devices with detachable modular components and various devices with pivotally attached modular components. Additional embodiments relate to procedures in which various of the devices are used cooperatively. Certain embodiments of the medical devices are robotic in vivo devices.


Uv Laser-Assisted Diamond Deposition, Mengxiao Wang Nov 2014

Uv Laser-Assisted Diamond Deposition, Mengxiao Wang

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Diamond, due to its unique properties, has been studied for decades. Many diamond synthesis methods have been developed as well. As one of the synthesis methods, combustion flame chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is considered as the most flexible way. Combined with laser irradiation, laser-assisted combustion flame CVD can enhance the deposition process of diamond films. In this thesis work, efforts were made to explore the capability of a laser-assisted combustion flame CVD technique with krypton fluoride (KrF) excimer laser irradiation for improving diamond thin film quality and deposition rate. The research efforts mainly focus on following activities, including: 1) studying …


Passive Biaxial Mechanical Properties And In Vivo Axial Pre-Stretch Of The Diseased Human Femoropopliteal And Tibial Arteries, Alexey Kamenskiy, Iraklis I. Pipinos, Yuris A. Dzenis, Clay Lomneth, Syed A. Jaffar Kazmi, Nicholas Y. Phillips, Jason N. Mactaggart Mar 2014

Passive Biaxial Mechanical Properties And In Vivo Axial Pre-Stretch Of The Diseased Human Femoropopliteal And Tibial Arteries, Alexey Kamenskiy, Iraklis I. Pipinos, Yuris A. Dzenis, Clay Lomneth, Syed A. Jaffar Kazmi, Nicholas Y. Phillips, Jason N. Mactaggart

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Surgical and interventional therapies for atherosclerotic lesions of the infrainguinal arteries are notorious for high rates of failure. Frequently, this leads to expensive reinterventions, return of disabling symptoms, or limb loss. Interaction between the artery and repair material likely plays an important role in reconstruction failure, but data describing the mechanical properties and functional characteristics of human femoropopliteal and tibial arteries are currently not available. Diseased superficial femoral (SFA, n=10), popliteal (PA, n=8), and tibial arteries (TA, n=3) from 10 patients with critical limb ischemia were tested to determine passive mechanical properties using planar biaxial extension. All …


Methods, Systems, And Devices For Surgical Access And Inserton, Tom Frederick, Shane Farritor, Jack Mondry, Eric Markvicka, Dmitry Oleynikov, Jacob Greenburg Feb 2014

Methods, Systems, And Devices For Surgical Access And Inserton, Tom Frederick, Shane Farritor, Jack Mondry, Eric Markvicka, Dmitry Oleynikov, Jacob Greenburg

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

The various embodiments herein relate to systems, devices, and/or methods relating to Surgical procedures, and more specifically for accessing an insufflated cavity of a patient and/or positioning Surgical systems or devices into the cavity.


Systemand Method For Controlling Motion Of Spacecrafts, Piyush Grover, Christian Andersson Feb 2014

Systemand Method For Controlling Motion Of Spacecrafts, Piyush Grover, Christian Andersson

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

A motion of an object is controlled from a geostationary transit orbit (GTO) of an earth to an orbit of a moon. A first trajectory of the motion of the object is determined from an intermediate orbit of an earth to a neighborhood of a stable manifold of a first Lagrange point (L1). A second trajectory of the motion of the object is determined from the GTO to the intermediate orbit. A third trajectory of the motion of the object is determined from the neighborhood to the stable manifold to an L1 orbit, and a fourth trajectory of the motion …


Arising Applications Of Ferroelectric Materials In Photovoltaic Devices, Yongbo Yuan, Zhengguo Xiao, Bin Yang, Jinsong Huang Jan 2014

Arising Applications Of Ferroelectric Materials In Photovoltaic Devices, Yongbo Yuan, Zhengguo Xiao, Bin Yang, Jinsong Huang

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

The ferroelectric-photovoltaic (FE-PV) device, in which a homogeneous ferroelectric material is used as a light absorbing layer, has been investigated during the past several decades with numerous ferroelectric oxides. The FE-PV effect is distinctly different from the typical photovoltaic (PV) effect in semiconductor p–n junctions in that the polarization electric field is the driving force for the photocurrent in FE-PV devices. In addition, the anomalous photovoltaic effect, in which the voltage output along the polarization direction can be significantly larger than the bandgap of the ferroelectric materials, has been frequently observed in FE-PV devices. However, a big challenge faced by …


Altered Mechanobiology Of Schlemm’S Canal Endothelial Cells In Glaucoma, Darryl R. Overby, Enhua H. Zhou, Rocio Vargas-Pinto, Ryan M. Pedrigi, Rudolf Fuchshofer, Sietse T. Braakman, Ritika Gupta, Kristin M. Perkumas, Joesph M. Sherwood, Amir Vahabikashi, Quynh Dang, Jae Hun Kim, C. Ross Ethier, W. Daniel Stamer, Jeffrey J. Fredberg, Mark Johnson Jan 2014

Altered Mechanobiology Of Schlemm’S Canal Endothelial Cells In Glaucoma, Darryl R. Overby, Enhua H. Zhou, Rocio Vargas-Pinto, Ryan M. Pedrigi, Rudolf Fuchshofer, Sietse T. Braakman, Ritika Gupta, Kristin M. Perkumas, Joesph M. Sherwood, Amir Vahabikashi, Quynh Dang, Jae Hun Kim, C. Ross Ethier, W. Daniel Stamer, Jeffrey J. Fredberg, Mark Johnson

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Increased flow resistance is responsible for the elevated intraocular pressure characteristic of glaucoma, but the cause of this resistance increase is not known. We tested the hypothesis that altered biomechanical behavior of Schlemm’s canal (SC) cells contributes to this dysfunction. We used atomic force microscopy, optical magnetic twisting cytometry, and a unique cell perfusion apparatus to examine cultured endothelial cells isolated from the inner wall of SC of healthy and glaucomatous human eyes. Here we establish the existence of a reduced tendency for pore formation in the glaucomatous SC cell—likely accounting for increased outflow resistance—that positively correlates with elevated subcortical …


Measurement Of Hydrodynamic Force Generation By Swimming Dolphins Using Bubble Dpiv, Frank E. Fish, Paul Legac, Terrie M. Williams, Timothy Wei Jan 2014

Measurement Of Hydrodynamic Force Generation By Swimming Dolphins Using Bubble Dpiv, Frank E. Fish, Paul Legac, Terrie M. Williams, Timothy Wei

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Attempts to measure the propulsive forces produced by swimming dolphins have been limited. Previous uses of computational hydrodynamic models and gliding experiments have provided estimates of thrust production by dolphins, but these were indirect tests that relied on various assumptions. The thrust produced by two actively swimming bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) was directly measured using digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV). For dolphins swimming in a large outdoor pool, the DPIV method used illuminated microbubbles that were generated in a narrow sheet from a finely porous hose and a compressed air source. The movement of the bubbles was tracked …


Polymer Aggregation Correlated Transition From Schottky-Junction To Bulk Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells, Bin Yang, Zhengguo Xiao, Jinsong Huang Jan 2014

Polymer Aggregation Correlated Transition From Schottky-Junction To Bulk Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells, Bin Yang, Zhengguo Xiao, Jinsong Huang

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

The fullerene-based organic Schottky-junction solar cells have recently attracted intensive research interest because of their unique electrical performance, such as significant photocurrent generation from excitons created in fullerenes and large open-circuit voltage (VOC) output induced by high Schottky-barrier height between the anode and the fullerene acceptor. This manuscript reports another remarkably appealing advantage that the fullerene-based Schottky-junction solar cells are more stable than the bulk heterojunction counterparts. The better stability is likely due to mitigative polymer photo-oxidation and/or little morphological change of active film in the aged Schottky-junction devices. The transition from Schottky-junction to bulk heterojunction appears at …


Qualifying Composition Dependent P And N Self-Doping In Ch3Nh3Pbi3, Qi Wang, Yuchuan Shao, Haipeng Xie, Lu Lyu, Xiaoliang Liu, Yongli Gao, Jinsong Huang Jan 2014

Qualifying Composition Dependent P And N Self-Doping In Ch3Nh3Pbi3, Qi Wang, Yuchuan Shao, Haipeng Xie, Lu Lyu, Xiaoliang Liu, Yongli Gao, Jinsong Huang

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

We report the observation of self-doping in perovskite. CH3NH3PbI3 was found to be either n- or p-doped by changing the ratio of methylammonium halide (MAI) and lead iodine (PbI2) which are the two precursors for perovskite formation. MAI-rich and PbI2-rich perovskite films are p and n self-doped, respectively. Thermal annealing can convert the p-type perovskite to n-type by removing MAI. The carrier concentration varied as much as six orders of magnitude. A clear correlation between doping level and device performance was also observed.


Phase Transitions In Mechanically Milled Mn-Al-C Permanent Magnets, Michael J. Lucis, Timothy E. Prost, Xiujuan Jiang, Meiyu Wang, Jeffrey E. Shield Jan 2014

Phase Transitions In Mechanically Milled Mn-Al-C Permanent Magnets, Michael J. Lucis, Timothy E. Prost, Xiujuan Jiang, Meiyu Wang, Jeffrey E. Shield

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Mn-Al powders were prepared by rapid solidification followed by high-energy mechanical milling. The rapid solidification resulted in single-phase ε. The milling was performed in both the ε phase and the τ phase, with the τ-phase formation accomplished through a heat treatment at 500 °C for 10 min. For the ε-milled samples, the conversion of the ε to the τ phase was accomplished after milling via the same heat treatment. Mechanical milling induced a significant increase in coercivity in both cases, reaching 4.5 kOe and 4.1 kOe, respectively, followed by a decrease upon further milling. The increase in coercivity was the …


Equipment Fragility Due To Shock Response, Christopher Y. Tuan Jan 2014

Equipment Fragility Due To Shock Response, Christopher Y. Tuan

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Because of its simplicity, the shock response spectrum has become widely used as a means of describing the shock responses and fragilities of structures and equipment. This paper focuses on the drawbacks of using the shock response spectrum for defining equipment shock tolerance. A cantilever beam with a tip mass was used to model a hypothetical piece of equipment subjected to strong ground motion such as that caused by an explosion. The exact solution from a detailed modal analysis shows that multiple modes of response were excited. Contributions from higher modes can be more predominant than that from the fundamental …


Biomechanical Strain As A Trigger For Pore Formation In Schlemm’S Canal Endothelial Cells, Sietse T. Braakman, Ryan M. Pedrigi, A. Thomas Read, James A. E. Smith, W. Daniel Stamer, C. Ross Ethier, Darryl R. Overby Jan 2014

Biomechanical Strain As A Trigger For Pore Formation In Schlemm’S Canal Endothelial Cells, Sietse T. Braakman, Ryan M. Pedrigi, A. Thomas Read, James A. E. Smith, W. Daniel Stamer, C. Ross Ethier, Darryl R. Overby

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

The bulk of aqueous humor passing through the conventional outflow pathway must cross the inner wall endothelium of Schlemm’s canal (SC), likely through micron-sized transendothelial pores. SC pore density is reduced in glaucoma, possibly contributing to obstructed aqueous humor outflow and elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). Little is known about the mechanisms of pore formation; however, pores are often observed near dome-like cellular outpouchings known as giant vacuoles (GVs) where significant biomechanical strain acts on SC cells. We hypothesize that biomechanical strain triggers pore formation in SC cells. To test this hypothesis, primary human SC cells were isolated from three non-glaucomatous …


Quality And Safety Of Minimally Invasive Surgery: Past, Present, And Future, Bernadette Mccrory, Chad A. Lagrange, M. S. Hallbeck Jan 2014

Quality And Safety Of Minimally Invasive Surgery: Past, Present, And Future, Bernadette Mccrory, Chad A. Lagrange, M. S. Hallbeck

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Adverse events because of medical errors are a leading cause of death in the United States (US) exceeding the mortality rates of motor vehicle accidents, breast cancer, and AIDS. Improvements can and should be made to reduce the rates of preventable surgical errors because they account for nearly half of all adverse events within hospitals. Although minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has proven patient benefits such as reduced postoperative pain and hospital stay, its operative environment imposes substantial physical and cognitive strain on the surgeon increasing the risk of error. To mitigate errors and protect patients, a multidisciplinary approach is needed …


Dynamic Fracture Analysis Of Polycarbonate By The Optical Method Of Caustics, Guiyun Gao, Zheng Li, Mehrdad Negahban Jan 2014

Dynamic Fracture Analysis Of Polycarbonate By The Optical Method Of Caustics, Guiyun Gao, Zheng Li, Mehrdad Negahban

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Glassy polycarbonate (PC) is a widely used engineering material in industries, since it has high strength and toughness as well as good transparency. However, these advantages of PC can be suppressed by physical aging, especially its dynamic fracture toughness. In addition, the material properties of PC can be changed dramatically after large plastic compressive deformation, and it can show obvious orthotropic behavior. Here, the combined effect of aging and plastic compressive deformation on dynamic facture of PC was investigated by the optical method of caustics. The dynamic reflective method of caustics for orthotropic materials was developed here to study the …


Introduction To Special Issue Of Journal Of Defense Modeling And Simulation: Novel Approaches To Defense And Military Modeling And Simulation, Scott D. Snyder, James M. Taylor Jr Jan 2014

Introduction To Special Issue Of Journal Of Defense Modeling And Simulation: Novel Approaches To Defense And Military Modeling And Simulation, Scott D. Snyder, James M. Taylor Jr

Peter Kiewit Institute: Faculty Publications

Developing solutions to complex problems in government and industry is a daunting task that often requires tremendous investment in time and resources to solve. Modeling and simulation (M&S) has incredible potential to streamline development and cut costs by conducting virtual experiments that give insight into performance under various test conditions. As many program managers in the federal acquisition process can attest, realistic testing of live equipment in an operational environment can be some of the most expensive parts of a development program. M&S can provide insight into mission success of yetto- bedesigned systems without the need to actually build and …


Simple Multi-Attribute Rating Technique For Renewable Energy Deployment Decisions (Smart Redd), James M. Taylor Jr, Betty Love Jan 2014

Simple Multi-Attribute Rating Technique For Renewable Energy Deployment Decisions (Smart Redd), James M. Taylor Jr, Betty Love

Peter Kiewit Institute: Faculty Publications

In the effort to provide electrical power service and the sustaining fuel required to run generators at forward-deployed bases in Afghanistan and Iraq over more than 10 years, the US military spent billions of dollars and a paid a heavy toll in terms of human casualties. The green energy linear program for optimizing deployments (GELPOD) proof-of-concept model showed that a linear program could be used to optimize combat deployment of energy generation systems to minimize cost and casualties. Results indicated that reduction in both cost and casualties for renewable energy sources was highly dependent on fuel cost and deployment length. …