Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Steminism: Analyzing Factors That Improve Retention Of Women In Stem, Kira Carter, Jane Kelley, Jason Vasser-Elong, Rc Patterson

Dissertations

Our co-authored research ‘Steminism: Analyzing Factors That Improve Retention for Women as STEM Majors’ analyzed factors that contributed to the retention of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs at Missouri University of Science & Technology (Missouri S&T). Women make up half of the US population, and while careers in (STEM) are an integral part of the US economy, women are underrepresented in these career fields. The purpose of our dissertation is to address the underrepresentation of women in STEM majors. Our methodology included homogeneous sampling to collect qualitative data. More specifically, we consulted with academic advisors and …

Effect Of Foot Additional Mass On The Clinical Angles Of Knee Extension Exercise, Dumitru I. Caruntu, Alfirio Trejo, Eric Rodriguez, Camila T. Alvarez B

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

This study investigates the effect of foot additional mass on the abduction and internal rotation knee angles during knee extension exercise. Three subjects (two male and one female) performed four sets of ten repetitions of the knee extension exercise for the right leg. For the first set, the subject performed the exercise with no additional weight. For each set after, weight was added around the subject’s right foot and the subject was allowed a rest period before beginning the next set. The weights for sets 1, 2, 3, and 4 were 0.00kg (no additional weight) ,0.82kg, 1.64kg, and 2.27kg respectively. …

Left Ventricle Function And Post-Transcriptional Events With Exercise Training In Pigs, Stephanie L. Samani, Shayne C. Barlow, Lisa A. Freeburg, Traci L. Jones, Marlee Poole, Mark A. Sarzynski Facsm, Michael R. Zile, Tarek Shazly, Francis G. Spinale

Faculty Publications

Background

Standardized exercise protocols have been shown to improve overall cardiovascular fitness, but direct effects on left ventricular (LV) function, particularly diastolic function and relation to post-transcriptional molecular pathways (microRNAs (miRs)) are poorly understood. This project tested the central hypothesis that adaptive LV remodeling resulting from a large animal exercise training protocol, would be directly associated with specific miRs responsible for regulating pathways relevant to LV myocardial stiffness and geometry.

Methods and results

Pigs (n = 9; 25 Kg) underwent a 4 week exercise training protocol (10 degrees elevation, 2.5 mph, 10 min, 5 days/week) whereby LV chamber stiffness (KC) …

Low Shear In Short-Term Impacts Endothelial Cell Traction And Alignment In Long-Term, Mohanish K. Chandurkar, Nikhil Mittal, Shaina P. Royer-Weeden, Steven D. Lehmann, Yeonwoo Rho, Sangyoon J. Han

Michigan Tech Publications

Within the vascular system, endothelial cells (ECs) are exposed to fluid shear stress (FSS), a mechanical force exerted by blood flow that is critical for regulating cellular tension and maintaining vascular homeostasis. The way ECs react to FSS varies significantly; while high, laminar FSS supports vasodilation and suppresses inflammation, low or disturbed FSS can lead to endothelial dysfunction and increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Yet, the adaptation of ECs to dynamically varying FSS remains poorly understood. This study focuses on the dynamic responses of ECs to brief periods of low FSS, examining its impact on endothelial traction—a measure of …

Low Shear In Short-Term Impacts Endothelial Cell Traction And Alignment In Long-Term, Mohanish Chandurkar, Nikhil Mittal, Shaina P. Royer-Weeden, Steven D. Lehmann, Yeonwoo Rho, Sangyoon J. Han

Michigan Tech Publications

Within the vascular system, endothelial cells (ECs) are exposed to fluid shear stress (FSS), a mechanical force exerted by blood flow that is critical for regulating cellular tension and maintaining vascular homeostasis. The way ECs react to FSS varies significantly; while high, laminar FSS supports vasodilation and suppresses inflammation, low or disturbed FSS can lead to endothelial dysfunction and increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Yet, the adaptation of ECs to dynamically varying FSS remains poorly understood. This study focuses on the dynamic responses of ECs to brief periods of low FSS, examining its impact on endothelial traction-a measure of …

Two-Scale Data-Driven Design For Heat Manipulation, Daicong Da, Wei Chen

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Data-driven methods have gained increasing attention in computational mechanics and design. This study investigates a two-scale data-driven design for thermal metamaterials with various functionalities. To address the complexity of multiscale design, the design variables are chosen as the components of the homogenized thermal conductivity matrix originating from the lower scale unit cells. Multiple macroscopic functionalities including thermal cloak, thermal concentrator, thermal rotator/inverter, and their combinations, are achieved using the developed approach. Sensitivity analysis is performed to determine the effect of each design variable on the desired functionalities, which is then incorporated into topology optimization. Geometric extraction demonstrates an excellent matching …

Fibrous Finite Element Modeling Of The Optic Nerve Head Region, Mohammad R. Islam, Fengting Ji, Manik Bansal, Yi Hua, Ian A. Sigal

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

The optic nerve head (ONH) region at the posterior pole of the eye is supported by a fibrous structure of collagen fiber bundles. Discerning how the fibrous structure determines the region biomechanics is crucial to understand normal physiology, and the roles of biomechanics on vision loss. The fiber bundles within the ONH structure exhibit complex three-dimensional (3D) organization and continuity across the various tissue components. Computational models of the ONH, however, usually represent collagen fibers in a homogenized fashion without accounting for their continuity across tissues, fibers interacting with each other and other fiber-specific effects in a fibrous structure. We …

Research On An Improved Cotton Cleaner Unit, Muzaffar Djurayev, Sherqul Hakimov, Ilhom Abbazov, Rashid Kaldybaev

Technical science and innovation

This article analyzes the results of changes to the working parts of a cotton cleaning unit from small and large impurities. It is known that the UXK installation uses continuous cleaning technology, that is, the cotton entering the purifier is cleaned in all its cleaning sections and then transferred to another process. In these sections, pieces of cotton wool from the separated waste are regenerated in a separate drum. Existing purifier suppliers use a manually operated mechanical system to monitor its performance. These factors do not make it possible to control the cleaning process when the quality indicators of cotton …

Polymerizing Actin Regulates Myosin-Independent Mechanosensing By Modulating Actin Elasticity And Flow Fluctuation, Nikhil Mittal, Etienne Michels, Kathleen Pakenas, Shaina P. Royer-Weeden, Sangyoon J. Han

Michigan Tech Publications

The stiffness of the extracellular matrix induces differential tension within integrin-based adhesions. However, it has been unclear if the stiffness-dependent differential tension is induced solely by myosin activity. Here, we report that in the absence of myosin contractility, 3T3 fibroblasts still transmit stiffness-dependent differential levels of traction. This myosin-independent differential traction is regulated by polymerizing actin assisted by actin nucleators Arp2/3 and formin where formin has stronger contribution than Arp2/3. Interestingly, we report a four-fold reduction in traction of cells when both Arp2/3 and myosin were inhibited, compared to cells with only myosin inhibition, while there was only a slight …

Myosin-Independent Stiffness Sensing By Fibroblasts Is Regulated By The Viscoelasticity Of Flowing Actin, Nikhil Mittal, Etienne B. Michels, Andrew E. Massey, Yunxiu Qiu, Shaina P. Royer-Weeden, Bryan R. Smith, Alexander X. Cartagena-Rivera, Sangyoon J. Han

Michigan Tech Publications

The stiffness of the extracellular matrix induces differential tension within integrin-based adhesions, triggering differential mechanoresponses. However, it has been unclear if the stiffness-dependent differential tension is induced solely by myosin activity. Here, we report that in the absence of myosin contractility, 3T3 fibroblasts still transmit stiffness-dependent differential levels of traction. This myosin-independent differential traction is regulated by polymerizing actin assisted by actin nucleators Arp2/3 and formin where formin has a stronger contribution than Arp2/3 to both traction and actin flow. Intriguingly, despite only slight changes in F-actin flow speed observed in cells with the combined inhibition of Arp2/3 and myosin …

Improvement Of Convective Drying Equipment, A Ponasenko, Jasur Safarov, Shaxnoza Sultanova

Technical science and innovation

Drying of agricultural raw materials is an energy-consuming but integral process. Therefore, increasing the efficiency of drying and improving the quality indicators of dried material at minimum material and energy costs is relevant for producers of agricultural products. By present time numerous researches on improvement of constructions and processes of work of dryers providing satisfactory parameters of energy saving have been carried out. In some scientific materials it is shown that the use of generative gas and straw as fuel allows to reduce energy costs for the drying process in the fluidised bed dryer by 10-30%, the quality of seeds …

Existing Methods For Monitoring Power Autotransformers, Nurali Berdiyorovich Pyrmatov, Dilafruz Rustamjon Qizi Abdullabekova

Technical science and innovation

autotransformers, methods, diagnostics, efficiency, monitoring.Particular attention is given to analyzing the gas composition of transformer oil, which is a sensitive indicator of various defects such as thermal breakdown and heating. In addition, methods based on the measurement of external magnetic field strength are discussed. This technique provides a unique opportunity to detect magnetic anomalies associated with possible defects in the structural components of the transformer. The article emphasizes that successful monitoring requires an integrated approach, combining different techniques. The authors analyze the advantages and limitations of each method and offer practical recommendations for integrating these methods into maintenance systems. In …

Mathematical Modeling Of Fruit Drying And System Analysis Of The Process (On The Example Of Persimmon), Gani Dadayev, Jasur Safarov, Shakhnoza Sultanova, Qobiljon Muxiddinov

Technical science and innovation

Vegetable raw materials, as an object of drying, are characterized by a large amount of water and a low content of dry substances. Vegetable raw materials have a capillary-porous structure. Food products contain both bound and free moisture at the same time. The removal of moisture from the material during drying depends on the total moisture content and the form of connection of moisture with the material. Adsorption and osmotic - bound moisture is retained at the interface of colloidal particles with the environment. Food products contain both bound and free moisture at the same time. The quantitative ratio between …

Capacitive Electrode Based Moisture Measurement Converter Errors And How To Eliminate Them, Hamdam Jabborov, Temurbek Rashidov

Technical science and innovation

The article discusses the errors associated with the moisture measuring transducer that is based on the cylindrical electrode, along with their sources and calculation formulas for error elimination. The initial capacitance of the capacitive electrode humidity converter is dependent on its geometric parameters, such as the radii of the electrodes and their length. Accurate calculation of these geometric parameters enables the reduction of regular measurement errors in the input and switching circuit of the moisture converter to a minimum value, resulting in a significant increase in the informativeness and accuracy of the output signal. Consequently, some sources of measurement errors …

Influence Of Foil Stamping Parameters On Image Quality, Khalima Abishevna Babakhanova, Mukhlisa Ergashevna Khasanova, Aziz Azimjonovich Soadatov, Nigora Junaydullaevna Sadriddinova

Technical science and innovation

The paper evaluates the influence of technological process parameters, namely die temperature and pressure force, on the quality of foil stamping, which is one of the types of finishing having a wide range of applications due to giving unique decorative and protective elements to printed products. When evaluating the influence of process parameters on the linearity and coverability of the image, it was found that the pressure force has less influence on the result than the temperature. According to the data of the study, it can be concluded that the maximum percentage of completeness of covering is achieved at a …

An Automated On-The-Go Unloading System Reduces Harvest Operator Stress Relative To Manual Operation, Travis A. Burgers, Kusha Kamarei, Mukund Vora, Matthew Horne

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

On-the-go unloading improves harvest operational efficiency, but it requires skilled labor because it is challenging and stressful to balance numerous concurrent tasks. Harvest automation reduces workload, stress, and fatigue. The objective of this study was to determine if using a commercially available, automated on-the-go unloading system (Raven Cart Automation TM , RCA, Raven Industries) would reduce operator stress com- pared to manual operation. Nine grain cart tractor operators and six combine operators participated in this study. Operators performed their typical harvest operation, except to alternate on-the-go unloading using RCA or operating manually. Skin conductance (elec- trodermal activity) was measured with …

Optimal Additive Fabrication Of Patient-Specific Bone Tissue Scaffolds Through Material Formulation, Computational Flow Simulation, And Material Deposition Monitoring, Ethan O’Malley

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The advancement of additive manufacturing technologies has opened new avenues for fabricating biocompatible and structurally functional bone tissue scaffolds, essential in treating osseous fractures, defects, and diseases. This research aims to develop mechanically strong, dimensionally precise, and patient-specific porous bone tissue scaffolds that provide both structural integrity and biological functionality. Through three interconnected studies, several key challenges in the fabrication of these structures using the PME additive manufacturing process are addressed. First, the influence of polysaccharide and hydroxyapatite concentrations on the compressive modulus of PME-printed porous scaffolds is investigated. By creating structures with varying hydroxyapatite and polysaccharide compositions, the study …

Numerical Design, Fabrication, And Characterization Of Porous Tissue Scaffolds For Bone Regeneration, Brandon Coburn

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

With the recent advancements within biomedical engineering of bone tissue scaffolds, there is still a need to develop mechanically robust and biocompatible with low immunogenicity for bone regeneration. Additionally, the evaluation of the fluid dynamics of the porous Triply Periodic Minimal Surfaces (TPMS) bone scaffold also shows the need for investigation due to the complex fluid interaction of hemodynamics that occurs with the scaffold internal and external domains. To aid in the development of treating bone fractures, defects, and diseases. Furthermore, with the induction of a wide variety of TPMS architecture that yields different topologies, the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) …

Long-Term Simulation Of Stem Cell Mechanobiology, Manoochehr Rabiei

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Dissertations - Archive

An accurate representation of cellular mechanobiology necessitates the inclusion of subcellular elements characterized by minute masses and dimensions. These minute objects yield multiscale dynamic models with disproportionate terms, which require inordinate amounts of computational time to simulate. The computational requirements limit the time span of the simulation to time histories shorter than one second, even when employing supercomputers. This work presents a high-speed approach to simulating the mechanobiology of stem cells. The proposed approach separates the computational time from the size, and distribution, of masses of the subcellular elements, enabling the simulation of weeks-long cellular processes within hours on a …

Development And Application Of Guided Mode Resonance Biosensor Platforms For Highly Sensitive And Real-Time Cell Killing Assays, Seyedmohsen Vaziri

Electrical Engineering Dissertations - Archive

In this work, we developed and investigated the cancer cell killing efficacy of different instances using real-time high-sensitivity measurements facilitated by Guided-Mode Resonance (GMR) sensors. The GMR biosensor technology detects shifts in the spectral peak caused by changes in the refractive index of the surrounding medium, offering a label-free method for monitoring cellular events.

A549 cell line wild type and HER2 knockout (lung cancer cells) were exposed to different concentrations of Triton X-100 and ADC (Herceptin with αHFc-CL-DMDM). The GMR-based cell killing assay demonstrated exceptional sensitivity and specificity, with shifts in wavelength exhibiting a robust correlation with cell viability and …

Strategies To Mitigate Efflorescence In Walls Constructed Using Clays Bricks; A Review Article, Marwa Abdulkareem. Anber, Soran Abdulrahman Ahmad, Naros Rahman Mahmoud, Kawan Fuoad. Kayani, Mohammed Ali Abdulrehman

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

_{The construction of buildings, especially residential housing for communities, is a significant industry on a global scale. Masonry units such as bricks, blocks, and stones are often utilized materials. Bricks are highly regarded because to their widespread availability, cost-effectiveness, and excellent insulating capabilities. Nevertheless, the presence of efflorescence presents a difficulty in the construction of brick walls. Efflorescence refers to the process in which salts move to the outer layer of the brick, resulting in the formation of white deposits and negatively impacting its visual appeal. Efflorescence is caused by various circumstances, such as the existence of salts in bricks, …}

The Importance Of Cryptography In Cloud Computing, Saja Alaam Talib

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

Cloud computing has grown as a widely accepted concept simultaneously, as the alarms for the security of data and information. This paper seeks to establish the comprehensive roles of cryptography in tackling these issues in the Cloud environment. The study begins with the historical background of cryptography and then moves on to analyze trends in information technology before discussing on the challenges to security in cloud computing. The goal of its publication is to highlight the importance of using cryptographic technologies for the protection of information confidentiality, its integrity and compliance. The combination of literature review and the case study …

Development Of A Two-Finger Haptic Robotic Hand With Novel Stiffness Detection And Impedance Control, Vahid Mohammadi, Ramin Shahbad, Mojtaba Hosseini, Mohammad Hossein Gholampour, Saeed Shiry Ghidary, Farshid Najafi, Ahad Behboodi

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Haptic hands and grippers, designed to enable skillful object manipulation, are pivotal for high-precision interaction with environments. These technologies are particularly vital in fields such as minimally invasive surgery, where they enhance surgical accuracy and tactile feedback: in the development of advanced prosthetic limbs, offering users improved functionality and a more natural sense of touch, and within industrial automation and manufacturing, they contribute to more efficient, safe, and flexible production processes. This paper presents the development of a two-finger robotic hand that employs simple yet precise strategies to manipulate objects without damaging or dropping them. Our innovative approach fused force-sensitive …

Insights Into The Characterization And Degradation Of Electrospun Polycaprolactone Scaffolds For Tissue Engineering Applications, Caleb B. Wells

Theses and Dissertations

Electrospun polymeric biodegradable scaffolds are essential in tissue engineering, particularly for Engineered Tissue Vascular Grafts (ETVGs), which promise advancements in treating coronary artery disease, peripheral arterial disease, congenital cardiovascular defects, and renal disease. These scaffolds present a solution to issues with autologous graft availability and durability. While large-diameter grafts in low-pressure environments have seen success, small-diameter grafts in high-flow scenarios remain challenging. Understanding polymeric scaffold degradation and behavior during incubation, especially under dynamic mechanical loading, is vital for clinical translation of small-caliber ETVGs.

This research focuses on characterizing the mechanical and microstructural properties of electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds and their …

Muscle Activation And Coordinated Movements Of Infant Rolling, Danielle N. Siegel, Safeer F. Siddicky, Wyatt D. Davis, Erin M. Mannen

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Rolling is a critical step of infant development, encouraging muscle coordination and enabling independent exploration. Understanding muscle activity during infant rolling movements on a flat surface is necessary to more fully characterize how the rolling milestone is achieved. The purpose of this study was to determine infants’ muscle activation throughout roll initiation for six previously established coordinated movements. Thirty-eight healthy infants (age: 6.5 ± 0.7 months; 23M/15F) were enrolled in this IRB-approved in-vivo biomechanics study. Surface electromyography sensors recorded muscle utilization from the erector spinae, abdominal muscles, quadriceps, and hamstrings while infants rolled. Each rolling movement was categorized as one …

Instantaneous Generation Of Subject-Specific Finite Element Models Of The Hip Capsule, Ahilan Anantha-Krishnan, Casey A. Myers, Clare K. Fitzpatrick, Chadd W. Clary

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Subject-specific hip capsule models could offer insights into impingement and dislocation risk when coupled with computer-aided surgery, but model calibration is time-consuming using traditional techniques. This study developed a framework for instantaneously generating subject-specific finite element (FE) capsule representations from regression models trained with a probabilistic approach. A validated FE model of the implanted hip capsule was evaluated probabilistically to generate a training dataset relating capsule geometry and material properties to hip laxity. Multivariate regression models were trained using 90% of trials to predict capsule properties based on hip laxity and attachment site information. The regression models were validated using …

Tympanostomy Tube Efficiency Study, Reem Ghumrawi, Kristi Weir

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The ventilation of the middle ear, crucial for maintaining optimal ear health, is often impeded by factors such as swelling, inflammation, and mucus in the eustachian tubes, particularly during upper respiratory infections or allergies. This issue, prevalent in children due to their narrow and horizontal eustachian tubes, prompts the insertion of tympanostomy tubes by ENT surgeons to establish an alternative airway for pressure equalization and fluid drainage. Despite the common belief in the effectiveness of these tubes, there is a notable dearth of research validating their optimal functionality. This study aims to address this gap by systematically comparing the efficiency …

The Impact Of Modern Buildings On Traditional Urban Environments And Urban Identity, Ann S. Ibrahim

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

Contemporary cities face significant challenges in integrating modern buildings into traditional urban environments while preserving urban identity. This study focuses on the relationship between modern architecture and urban heritage. The research problem revolves around how modern buildings affect urban identity in traditional areas, and whether they can interact positively with the urban context without distorting its traditional character.

The study aims to analyze this impact by examining a range of global examples using architectural indicators such as visual integration, spatial integration, material harmony, urban scale, accessibility, and environmental impact. A three-point scale (weak, partial, excellent) was applied to assess each …

Adaptation Of A Commercially Available Galvanic Skin Response Sensor To Measure Respiration Across The Chest For Heart Rate Variability Monitoring, Breno C. Dobal

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a naturally occurring cardiovascular phenomenon referring to the changing timing between consecutive heartbeats. The connection between HRV and overall cardiovascular health and autonomic nervous system function has been well established through prior research and well documented in existing literature. The existing studies, however, included shorter HRV subject recording session, using traditional HRV monitoring methods that do not typically combine electrocardiogram (ECG), seismocardiogram (SCG) and galvanic skin response (GSR) respiration monitoring. The inclusion of longer HRV subject recording may allow for further insight on the possible effects of given observable biological phenomenon on HRV.

The current …

Economic Profitability Of Sustainable Buildings Industry, Mohanad Ibrahim Altuma, Hanadi Abdulridha Lateef, Ayad Abdulkhaleq Al-Yousuf

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

The increasing global awareness of the Earth's deteriorating condition and the unpredictable effects of climate change has given rise to worldwide phenomena that impact several elements like the economy, agricultural security, water availability, and energy supplies. Buildings contribute significantly to the generation of greenhouse gases, as well as the disposal of pollutants and energy consumption. Therefore, they play a crucial role in addressing environmental issues.

Although sustainable buildings are widely acknowledged as a potential advancement, professionals in the property market still believe that the upfront costs of creating sustainable buildings are significantly higher than those of conventional buildings. This view …