144 research outputs found
Kunal Masania's Quick Files
No full textThe Quick Files feature was discontinued and it’s files were migrated into this Project on March 11, 2022. The file URL’s will still resolve properly, and the Quick Files logs are available in the Project’s Recent Activity
Kunal Masania's Quick Files
No full textThe Quick Files feature was discontinued and it’s files were migrated into this Project on March 11, 2022. The file URL’s will still resolve properly, and the Quick Files logs are available in the Project’s Recent Activity
Kunal Masania's Quick Files
No full textThe Quick Files feature was discontinued and it’s files were migrated into this Project on March 11, 2022. The file URL’s will still resolve properly, and the Quick Files logs are available in the Project’s Recent Activity
First person – Kunal Chopra
No full textFirst Person is a series of interviews with the first authors of a selection of papers published in Biology Open, helping early-career researchers promote themselves alongside their papers. Kunal Chopra is first author on ‘Zebrafish duox mutations provide a model for human congenital hypothyroidism’, published in BIO. Kunal is a PhD student in the lab of Enrique Amaya at the University of Manchester, investigating reactive oxygen species in wound healing and regeneration
Design of a coaxial direct ink writing process for printing hollow alginate hydrogels as fungal material vasculature
No full textLAUREA MAGISTRALEIl design sostenibile sta guadagnando terreno, con designer e scienziati che contribuiscono allo sviluppo di prodotti e tecnologie che supportano l’economia circolare. I materiali a base biologica, che hanno una bassa impronta di carbonio, sono attualmente i materiali preferiti, anche se spesso sono limitati ad applicazioni estetiche a causa dei loro vincoli strutturali e funzionali. Il micelio, uno stadio di crescita dei funghi, offre capacità intriganti come l’auto-guarigione e la segnalazione, ma, come la maggior parte della biomateria, è intrinsecamente debole. I compositi a base di micelio sono promettenti, ma richiedono un’indagine approfondita, che includa considerazioni come l’adesione ai componenti di rinforzo (tipicamente il legno), i metodi di registrazione del segnale e la longevità. Questa tesi esplora il potenziale del mantenimento della vitalità del micelio attraverso la vascolarizzazione artificiale, una tecnica mutuata dall’ingegneria tissutale, per sfruttare il suo pieno potenziale funzionale.
È stato condotto un elaborato studio di ricerca sui vari metodi di vascolarizzazione artificiale, considerando la loro applicabilità al micelio rispetto al tessuto umano. Sono state fatte delle considerazioni per selezionare il metodo e il materiale più adatto. Alla fine, il processo di scrittura a inchiostro diretto con un ugello personalizzato e l’alginato come bioinchiostro è emerso come la scelta preferita. Questo ugello specializzato consente la stampa simultanea di due inchiostri in modo coassiale, formando i canali vascolari, mentre l’alginato offre versatilità ed è ampiamente utilizzato in applicazioni simili. Alla fine di questo studio, è stato sviluppato un concetto per mostrare il potenziale aspetto dei compositi vascolarizzati a base di micelio, insieme ai metodi di fabbricazione proposti.
Nella fase sperimentale di questa tesi, una stampante 3D a deposizione fusa è stata modificata per estrudere due inchiostri idrogel attraverso un ugello coassiale. I test iniziali sono stati condotti per definire l’area di lavoro dell’inchiostro alginato e per avviare il processo di messa a punto del bioinchiostro. La stereolitografia ha dato buoni risultati nella produzione di un ugello coassiale preciso. È stata confermata la compatibilità tra l’alginato e il ceppo fungino scelto, il Ganoderma lucidum. Dopo aver affinato i parametri di stampa, sono stati stampati con successo canali con un diametro di 2,5 mm. Tuttavia, è stato osservato che l’attuale livello di porosità è insufficiente per la permeabilità ai nutrienti desiderata e che la sterilizzazione in autoclave del bioinchiostro influisce negativamente sulla stampabilità. Ciononostante, questi risultati iniziali costituiscono una base promettente per perfezionare ulteriormente il processo e ottenere infine una vascolarizzazione di successo del materiale miceliare.Sustainable design is gaining traction, with both designers and scientists contributing to the development of products and technologies that support a circular economy. Bio-based materials have a low carbon footprint and are currently the materials of choice, though they are often limited to aesthetic applications due to their structural and functional constraints. Mycelium, a fungal growth stage, offers intriguing capabilities such as self-healing and signaling, but like most biomatter, is ineherently weak. Mycelium-based composites show promise but require extensive investigation, including considerations like adhesion to reinforcing components (typically wood), signal recording methods, and longevity. This thesis explores the potential of maintaining mycelium viability through artificial vascularization—a technique borrowed from tissue engineering—to harness its full functional potential.
An elaborate research study was done into the various methods of articial vascularisation, considering their applicability to mycelium in contrast to human tissue. Considerations were made in selecting the most suitable method and material. Ultimately, a direct ink writing process with a custom nozzle and alginate as a bioink emerged as the preferred choice. This specialized nozzle enables the simultaneous printing of two inks in a coaxial manner, forming the vascular channels, while alginate offers versatility and is widely used in similar applications. At the end of this study, a concept was developed to showcase the the potential appearance of vascularized mycelium-based composites, along with proposed fabrication methods.
In the experimental phase of this thesis, a fused deposition modelling 3D-printer was modified to extrude two hydrogel inks via a coaxial nozzle. Initial tests were conducted to define the working area of the alginate ink and to initiate the tuning process for the bioink. Stereolithography proved successful in manufacturing a precise coaxial nozzle. Compatibility between alginate and the chosen fungal strain, Ganoderma lucidum, was confirmed. After refining the printing parameters, channels with a diameter of 2.5 mm were successfully printed. However, it was observed that the current porosity level is insufficient for the desired nutrient permeability, and autoclaving the bioink for sterilization negatively affects printability. Nonetheless, these initial achievements serve as a promising foundation for further refining the process and ultimately achieving successful vascularization of mycelium material
Watershed modeling using HEC-RAS, HEC-HMS, and GIS models: a case study of the Wreck Pond Brook Watershed in Monmouth County, New Jersey
No full textManaging stormwater on a watershed basis is considered the best strategy to address flooding. A watershed model should provide temporal and spatial distribution of runoff response for a given storm. GIS applicability in watershed modeling is increasing due to the availability of spatial information, fast processors and interfaces such as ArcHydro, HEC-GeoHMS, and HEC-GeoRAS linking hydrologic and hydraulic models to the ArcGIS environment.
Soil Conservation Service methods are used widely in hydrologic models. Several parameters inherent to these empirical methods are average values derived from various watershed conditions. These average values overestimate peak flows for flat, low-lying coastal terrains. The design of flood control structures based on these flow values allow more post-development discharge, make the system more hydraulically efficient, increase project costs, and cause flooding for areas downstream. In this study, Wreck Pond Brook Watershed (WPBW), a coastal New Jersey area was used for sensitivity studies of the initial abstraction ratio and peak rate factor. The HEC-HMS modeling results indicated use of a lower peak rate factor (e.g. 284) and 5% initial abstraction ratio provided better characterization of stream response. These updated parameters provide new technical information for improving stormwater management in coastal areas.
An important limitation in hydraulic modeling is the economic constraint on cross-section spacing for surveying channels and floodplains. Applying GIS techniques in hydraulic modeling eliminated this constraint. Floodplain analysis was done using ArcGIS, HEC-GeoRAS and HEC-RAS. Detailed elevation data (LIDAR information from Monmouth County) was incorporated into the HEC-RAS using GIS models. This innovation was important for improving model efficiency. The modeled floodplain demonstrated close agreement to the observed floodplain for the October 2005 storm and showed greater accuracy compared to the FEMA floodplain for the 100-year storm. This study validated use of LIDAR elevation data in floodplain analysis for the second-order streams in coastal NJ.
Finally, an approach was demonstrated using modeled floodplain and HEC-HMS for flood control analysis. This study presents an innovative watershed modeling approach using GIS models while addressing the limitations of traditional hydrologic and hydraulic methods using WPBW as an example.Ph.D.Includes bibliographical references (p. 259-263)by Kunal P. Pate
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