No description available.

The cause and best treatment option for mechanical low back pain due to disc degeneration remains unsolved, despite `spinal fusion' being the gold standard of surgical treatment, post conservative care, for a very long time. However, the potential drawbacks of spinal fusion and the ongoing evolution in the understanding of normal and symptomatic spine biomechanics, biology and mechanobiology in conjunction with the advancements in material sciences, and tissue engineering has led to a change in the clinical perspective towards treatment methodologies for spinal disorders. Clinically, a gradual shift in philosophy is being observed from a `one size fits all', i.e. spinal fusion for all patients with symptomatic low back pain to a `customized approach', i.e. patient and indication specific treatment modalities for spine care. This philosophy has laid the ground for concepts of `motion preservation' and `dynamic stabilization', the former being an established treatment modality in orthopedics for a long time. The aim of the current study is to perform a comprehensive scientific investigation to understand, evaluate and establish the in vitro biomechanical characteristics and performance of indication specific treatment modalities incorporating the concept of Posterolateral Disc Arthroplasty and Posterior Dynamic Stabilization for the treatment of symptomatic mechanical back pain. The results of this comprehensive study may help the clinicians to make an informed decision while selecting and designing a treating modality for their patients. To this end, the current thesis was undertaken to study the biomechanics of indication specific treatment modalities like motion preservation and dynamic stabilization with a goal to guide clinical and product development decision making. Through the comprehensive biomechanical investigation conducted in the current thesis we were able to theoretically prove the importance of a customized approach towards the treatment of spine care. Also, the most important conclusion of the biomechanical investigation was the fact that Range of Motion results alone are not sufficient to draw significant conclusions. It is imperative that in depth analysis of the quality of motion through the determination of instantaneous center of rotation is extremely important. Previous studies have shown only a single center of rotation between the extremes of motion which is also insufficient as the end points do not determine the path taken to reach the endpoints. This in depth analysis is also important for biomedical engineers to design and develop physiologically viable implants that will mimic the performance of the physiologic spine. Clinical studies are extremely important as a next step towards validating this customized approach towards spine care.

This dissertation aims to investigate systems in which several optical and mechanical degrees of freedom are coupled through optomechanical interactions. Multimode optomechanics creates the prospect of integrated functional devices and it allows us to explore new types of optomechanical interactions which account for collective dynamics and optically mediated mechanical interactions. Owing to the development of fabrication techniques for micro- and nano-sized mechanical elements, macroscopic mechanical oscillators can be cooled to the deep quantum regime via optomechanical interaction. Based on the possibility to control the motion of mechanical oscillators at the quantum level, we design several schemes involving mechanical systems of macroscopic length and mass scales and we explore the nonlinear dynamics of mechanical oscillators. The first scheme includes a quantum cantilever coupled to a classical tuning fork via magnetic dipole-dipole interaction and also coupled to a single optical field mode via optomechanical interaction. We investigate the generation of nonclassical squeezed states in the quantum cantilever and their detection by transferring them to the optical field. The second scheme involves a quantum membrane coupled to two optical modes via optomechanical interaction. We explore dynamic stabilization of an unstable position of a quantum mechanical oscillator via modulation of the optical fields. We then develop a general formalism to fully describe cavity mediated mechanical interactions. We explore a rather general configuration in which multiple mechanical oscillators interact with a single cavity field mode. We specifically consider the situation in which the cavity dissipation is the dominant source of damping so that the cavity field follows the dynamics of the mechanical modes. In particular, we study two limiting regimes with specific applications: the weak-coupling regime and single-photon strong-coupling regime. In the weak-coupling regime, we build a protocol for quantum state transfer between mechanical modes. In the single-photon coupling regime, we investigate the nonlinear nature of the mechanical system which generates bistability and bifurcation in the classical analysis and we also explore how these features manifest themselves in interference, entanglement, and correlation in the quantum theory.

There is a need for spinal implants that have nonlinear stiffness to provide stabilization if the spine loses stiffness through injury, degeneration, or surgery. There is also a need for spinal implants to be customizable for individual needs, and to be small enough to be unobtrusive once implanted. Past and ongoing work that defines the effects of degeneration on the torque rotation curve of a functional spinal unit (FSU) were used to produce a spinal implant which could meet these requirements. This thesis proposes contact-aided inserts to be used with the FlexSuRe™ spinal implant to create a nonlinear stiffness. Moreover, different inserts can be used to create customized behaviors. An analytical model is introduced for insert design, and the model is verified using a finite element model and tests of physical prototypes both on a tensile tester and cadaveric testing on an in-house spine tester. Testing showed the inserts are capable of creating a non-linear force-deflection curve and it was observed that the device provided increased stiffness to a spinal segment in flexion-extension and lateral-bending. This thesis further proposes that the FlexSuRe™ spinal implant can be reduced in size by joining LET joint geometries in series in a serpentine nature. An optimization procedure was performed on the new geometry and feasible designs were identified. Moreover, due to maintaining LET joint geometry, the contact-aided insert could be implemented in conjunction with this new device geometry.

The purpose of this research was to investigate the influence of applying an intrinsic decompressive pre-load to a particular dynamic stabilization device on the biomechanical response of the lumbar spine. The FlexSPAR, which supports this ability, was used as a test case. A finite element model of a full lumbar spine was developed and validated against experimental data, and tested in the primary modes of spinal motion. The model was used to compare five lumbar spine test cases: healthy, degenerate, implanted with a pre-loaded device, implanted with a device without a pre-load, and implanted with rigid fixators. Results indicated that a pre-loaded FlexSPAR led to improved disc height restoration and segmental biomechanics. Results also showed that a pre-loaded FlexSPAR led to less change in bone remodeling stimulus in comparison to the device without a pre-load and rigid fixators. This work shows that there is a potential to improve the performance of posterior dynamic stabilization devices by incorporating a pre-load in the device.

No description available.

No description available.

Neste trabalho, uma análise quantitativa e qualitativa para a estabilização dinâmica de um pêndulo invertido com uma força externa senoidal aplicada no ponto de suspensão é feita. Inicialmente, a perturbação externa é composta de um único cosseno, então uma generalização é feita, usando uma soma de N cossenos com diferentes amplitudes e frequências. Aproximações são testadas e o tempo durante o qual o pêndulo invertido permanece estável é explorado quando N é grande, a fim de recuperar o padrão do caso onde N = 1. O caso específico de oscilações periódicas e quase periódicas, quando N = 2, é analisado e diagramas de estabilidade considerando diferentes frequências e amplitudes são estudados. Depois, um ruído Gaussiano additivo é adicionado ao sistema para que a degradação dos diagramas de estabilidade gerados por variâncias diferentes possam ser estudados. Todos os pontos deste trabalho são corroborados por simulações, as quais integram numericamente as equações de movimento do sistema através do método de Runge-Kutta de quarta ordem. Os algoritmos e detalhes extras dos métodos de integração usados são explorados numa publicação deste trabalho, a qual está apresentada, nesta dissertação, como um apêndice. / In this work a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the dynamical stabilization of an inverted pendulum with a sinusoidal external perturbation applied at the suspension point is made. Initially, the external perturbation is composed of a single cosine, then a generalization is made using a sum of N cosines with different amplitudes and frequencies. Approximations are tested, and the time for which the inverted pendulum remains stable is explored when N is large, in order to recover the pattern of the case when N = 1. The specific case of periodic and almost periodic oscillations, when N = 2, is analysed and stability diagrams considering different frequencies and amplitudes are studied. Later, an additive Gaussian noise is added to the system so the degradation of the stability diagrams generated by different variances can be studied. All points of this work are corroborated by simulations, which numerically integrate the system’s equation of motion through a fourth order Runge-Kutta method. Algorithms and extra details on the integration methods used are explored in a publication of this work, which is presented in this thesis as an appendix.

Neste trabalho, uma análise quantitativa e qualitativa para a estabilização dinâmica de um pêndulo invertido com uma força externa senoidal aplicada no ponto de suspensão é feita. Inicialmente, a perturbação externa é composta de um único cosseno, então uma generalização é feita, usando uma soma de N cossenos com diferentes amplitudes e frequências. Aproximações são testadas e o tempo durante o qual o pêndulo invertido permanece estável é explorado quando N é grande, a fim de recuperar o padrão do caso onde N = 1. O caso específico de oscilações periódicas e quase periódicas, quando N = 2, é analisado e diagramas de estabilidade considerando diferentes frequências e amplitudes são estudados. Depois, um ruído Gaussiano additivo é adicionado ao sistema para que a degradação dos diagramas de estabilidade gerados por variâncias diferentes possam ser estudados. Todos os pontos deste trabalho são corroborados por simulações, as quais integram numericamente as equações de movimento do sistema através do método de Runge-Kutta de quarta ordem. Os algoritmos e detalhes extras dos métodos de integração usados são explorados numa publicação deste trabalho, a qual está apresentada, nesta dissertação, como um apêndice. / In this work a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the dynamical stabilization of an inverted pendulum with a sinusoidal external perturbation applied at the suspension point is made. Initially, the external perturbation is composed of a single cosine, then a generalization is made using a sum of N cosines with different amplitudes and frequencies. Approximations are tested, and the time for which the inverted pendulum remains stable is explored when N is large, in order to recover the pattern of the case when N = 1. The specific case of periodic and almost periodic oscillations, when N = 2, is analysed and stability diagrams considering different frequencies and amplitudes are studied. Later, an additive Gaussian noise is added to the system so the degradation of the stability diagrams generated by different variances can be studied. All points of this work are corroborated by simulations, which numerically integrate the system’s equation of motion through a fourth order Runge-Kutta method. Algorithms and extra details on the integration methods used are explored in a publication of this work, which is presented in this thesis as an appendix.

Neste trabalho, uma análise quantitativa e qualitativa para a estabilização dinâmica de um pêndulo invertido com uma força externa senoidal aplicada no ponto de suspensão é feita. Inicialmente, a perturbação externa é composta de um único cosseno, então uma generalização é feita, usando uma soma de N cossenos com diferentes amplitudes e frequências. Aproximações são testadas e o tempo durante o qual o pêndulo invertido permanece estável é explorado quando N é grande, a fim de recuperar o padrão do caso onde N = 1. O caso específico de oscilações periódicas e quase periódicas, quando N = 2, é analisado e diagramas de estabilidade considerando diferentes frequências e amplitudes são estudados. Depois, um ruído Gaussiano additivo é adicionado ao sistema para que a degradação dos diagramas de estabilidade gerados por variâncias diferentes possam ser estudados. Todos os pontos deste trabalho são corroborados por simulações, as quais integram numericamente as equações de movimento do sistema através do método de Runge-Kutta de quarta ordem. Os algoritmos e detalhes extras dos métodos de integração usados são explorados numa publicação deste trabalho, a qual está apresentada, nesta dissertação, como um apêndice. / In this work a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the dynamical stabilization of an inverted pendulum with a sinusoidal external perturbation applied at the suspension point is made. Initially, the external perturbation is composed of a single cosine, then a generalization is made using a sum of N cosines with different amplitudes and frequencies. Approximations are tested, and the time for which the inverted pendulum remains stable is explored when N is large, in order to recover the pattern of the case when N = 1. The specific case of periodic and almost periodic oscillations, when N = 2, is analysed and stability diagrams considering different frequencies and amplitudes are studied. Later, an additive Gaussian noise is added to the system so the degradation of the stability diagrams generated by different variances can be studied. All points of this work are corroborated by simulations, which numerically integrate the system’s equation of motion through a fourth order Runge-Kutta method. Algorithms and extra details on the integration methods used are explored in a publication of this work, which is presented in this thesis as an appendix.