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Optimization of a Novel Nipam-Based Thermoresponsive Copolymer for Intramuscular Injection as a Myoblast Delivery Vehicle to Combat Peripheral Artery Occlusive Disease
Get PDFThere is a need for a minimally invasive delivery method to enable cell therapies to combat peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAOD) in end stage patients. Myoblasts show promise as a cell mediated therapy but warrant an improved delivery method to increase cell retention in the region of interest because of their adherent nature, relative to previously used BM-MNC’s that are non-adherent. Contemporary issues with achieving successful cell therapies of vasculature can be mainly characterized by the lack of clinical translation from promising animal studies and absence of cell delivery scaffolding. Naturally, polymers have been widely experimented with as grafts to both culture and implant cells into tissue with recognizable success due to their analogous physical properties, such as stiffness, hydrophilicity, & surface energy, that mimic tissue conditions. Polymers having similar mechanical properties to anatomical structures are conducive to cell integration & retention, making polymers an effective biomaterial choice as a cell delivery vehicle. This thesis will evaluate the application of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) based copolymers as a biomaterial scaffold for myoblast delivery, as it is one of the most widely used biocompatible polymers with thermoreversible properties that is non-toxic and has manipulatable mechanical properties. We hypothesized that fluctuations in polymer construct stiffness, surface energy, and water retention affect myoblast proliferation & viability within the cell delivery vehicle. After measuring the physical properties and cellular proliferation in for each polymer composition, the goal of this thesis was to establish a statistical model to characterize the effect of polymer material properties on myoblast behavior and create a predictive model to optimize further iterations of NIPAM-based copolymers for cell delivery
Coil Quick (RV Sewer Hose Compressor) Device
Get PDFThe purpose of this design project is to design, build, and test an RV sewer hose compactor device that can be used by the project sponsor and marketed to other RV owners. The goal of the RV sewer hose compactor device is to mechanically compress an RV sewer hose from its fully extended length to its fully compressed and storable state. Since a prototype device has already been developed, this project will aim to improve the prototype design to make it smaller, quicker, quieter, and more durable. Additionally, we improved the device to make it more user friendly and have better performance. The project introduction, research, and objectives included in this document define the requirements of this project and the approach taken to fulfill them. The concept design section illustrates the process taken to refine and select a final design and presents the chosen design direction. There is a final design section which describes the structural prototype design. The manufacturing section outlines how we built the structural prototype. The design verification section illustrates our testing of the structural prototype
Techniques Against Language Barriers: A Company Case Study
Get PDFThe United States construction industry employed approximately 10.8 million people in 2020. Of these 10.8 million, an estimated 3.3 million, or 30%, were Hispanic workers. On construction job sites, workers are exposed to numerous safety risks, including falls, struck-by incidents, and electrocution. Unfortunately, some Hispanics or workers with limited English language skills encounter language barriers which cause additional safety concerns. Language barriers impact their communication and comprehension abilities and, consequently, their safety. For example, workers who do not speak English do not benefit from safety training conducted purely in English; they also cannot read operation manuals for machinery and equipment that are written only in English. Communicating with supervisors who don’t speak Spanish about hazards on the job site also becomes difficult. As a result, Hispanics in construction suffer greater workplace injuries and deaths than other groups. This paper presents techniques currently being used by a construction company to reduce the negative safety impacts of language barriers. An interview was held with a company representative, discussing the main themes of this project: (1) language barrier issues encountered on job sites; (2) techniques implemented to combat language barriers; and (3) effectiveness of implemented techniques. Three techniques were presented, including (1) having translators in safety meetings; (2) conducting smaller meetings with groups in their native language; and (3) providing English language training. These techniques can be used as a guide for other companies to consider when developing inclusive safety plans
Mediterranean-Style Diet and Exercise Improve Parameters for Management and Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Get PDFType 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic condition recognized as the inability to maintain glucose homeostasis, typically presenting with insulin resistance and systemic inflammation. With the prevalence of T2DM and major risk factors such as prediabetes and obesity increasing each year, there is a crucial need to identify strategies for the management and prevention of this condition. Addressing lifestyle-related risk factors through consumption of a well-balanced, nutritious diet and maintaining regular moderate- to high-intensity physical activity may provide a strategy for improving glycemic control, improving metrics of body composition, and decreasing the inflammatory response associated with metabolic dysregulation. Twenty-two overweight to obese adults with a medical diagnosis of T2DM, indicators of prediabetes, or who were metabolically healthy participated in Cal Poly’s Nutrition and Exercise in Type 2 Diabetes (CPNET) study. The study protocol included adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet, daily consumption of a high-quality whey protein supplement, and adherence to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans for 16 weeks. Body composition data, via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and fasting blood samples were collected at baseline and following the intervention. Due to restrictions associated with the global COVID-19 pandemic, only 13 participants were able to return for the second data collection following the 16-week intervention. The prediabetic and T2DM groups exhibited reductions in fasting plasma glucose to that of normal and prediabetic levels, respectively, while the T2DM group also showed improvement in hemoglobin A1c to the prediabetic level. Additionally, the metabolically healthy, overweight group demonstrated significant improvements in adiposity, while the obese prediabetic and T2DM groups showed non-significant improvements in all measured metrics of body composition. No changes were observed in inflammatory biomarkers. Thus, our results suggest that adherence to a well-balanced nutritious diet and regular physical activity may improve parameters of glycemic control and provide benefits to body composition that help manage and prevent the development of T2DM
Rotating Backing Brush
Get PDFIn the final steps of GAF’s shingle production process, small asphalt particles called fines are applied. Some fines adhere well to the shingle sheet, while others temporarily stick only to fall off the sheet further down the manufacturing line. As a result, the shingle plant floor is covered in fines that have fallen due to vibrations and gravity. The technicians and engineers at GAF want a cleaner working environment and to potentially reuse the loose fines. We are a senior project team that solved this problem by designing a system to remove and collect loose fines. In this document, the Senior Project Report, we fully describe our design process, final design, and results.
After extensive research and consultation with GAF, we defined the scope of the project and set specifications for our design. With these specifications, we used ideation methods to generate several possible solutions, which were narrowed down to our final concept. The final design consists of a rotating brush that spins against the motion of the shingle sheet to remove the loose asphalt fines into a collection system which then captures the removed fines. After testing a variety of bristles, we narrowed our selection to brushes made of Nylon 6-6. The final three bristle types we compared were 0.028” crimped, 0.028” level, and 0.022” level. With our system parameters of 4.5” long bristles, brush speed of 450 rpm, and overlap of approximately 0.07 inches, we recommend 0.022” level to GAF, but note that our testing was insufficient to conclude that the 0.022” level was definitively better. Furthermore, results from our testing suggests that any of the three types may satisfy our specifications. Longevity, overlap, and brush speed are all additional parameters that we recommend testing further
Baby Soothing Device
Get PDFThis document is the official final design review for the Baby Soothing Device. This product is intended to help families sleep throughout the night by allowing a baby to be soothed back to sleep without constant and direct parental interaction. It is maintained by Mechanical Engineering students at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo for Dustin Yoder, the project sponsor. The purpose of this document is to present the design process from ideation to finished design in great enough detail that its manufacturing procedure may be replicated if desired. This document further explains all the research, testing, and benchmarks used to determine that our design meets our engineering specifications. Key components of this document include our Scope of Work, Preliminary Design Review, Critical Design Review, and Final Design Review. Furthermore, in the appendices, this document contains our Manufacturing Procedure, Bill of Materials, Project Budget, Source Code, Safety Review, User Manual, full Drawing Package and more
Design and Analysis of a Discrete, PCB-Level Low-Power, Microwave Cross-Coupled Differential Lc Voltage-Controlled Oscillator
Get PDFRadio Frequency (RF) and Microwave devices are typically implemented in Integrated Circuit (IC) form to minimize parasitics, increase precision and tolerances, and minimize size. Although IC fabrication for students and independent engineers is cost-prohibitive, an abundance of low-cost, easily accessible printed circuit board (PCB) and electronic component manufacturers allows affordable PCB fabrication.
While nearly all microwave voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) designs are IC-based, this study presents a discrete PCB-level cross-coupled, differential LC VCO to demonstrate this more affordable and accessible approach. This thesis presents a 65 mW, discrete component VCO PCB with industry-comparable RF performance. A phase noise of -103.7 dBc/Hz is simulated at a 100 kHz offset from a 4.05 GHz carrier. This VCO achieves a 532 MHz (13.25%) tuning bandwidth. A figure of merit, FOMP, [1] value of -177.7 dB (includes phase noise and power consumption) is calculated at 4.05 GHz. This surpasses the performance of an industry standard VCO (HMC430LPx, Analog Devices), -176.5 dB, and four other commercially available VCOs. Furthermore, this study presents novel discrete design implementations to minimize both power consumption and capacitive loading effects, while optimizing phase noise. Finally, this project serves as a reference for analyzing and implementing low-level, complex RF and Microwave circuits on a PCB accessible to all students and independent engineers
Automation of the Transition Identification Procedure for Trapping Rubidium Atoms in a Magneto-Optical Trap
Get PDFThe words “quantum computer” often conjure images of science fiction and unrealistic technology from an impossible future. Some may even believe that they aren’t real or are only theoretical. The truth is that quantum computers are real, tangible systems with real life uses and rooted in credible scientific research. Today, many groups of scientists collaborate on research into better ways of implementing and improving quantum computing techniques. This paper will be addressing the systems required and phenomena used to achieve neutral atom trapping for quantum computation. This thesis will outline the physical phenomena involved with the frequency tuning process for the laser diodes used to cool neutral atoms, and the systems used to engage these phenomena. The result of the work shown in this thesis is a Python based program for detecting signal peaks in the Doppler-broadened absorption spectrum of Rubidium vapor. This program allows users to detect energy level transitions in 85Rb and 87Rb based on the detected peaks within the absorption signal