Engineering Commons^™

Preliminary In Vivo Studies Of A New Injectable Bone Substitute, F. Millot, G. Grimandi, P. Weiss, G. Daculsi

Cells and Materials

Calcium-phosphate materials have been increasingly employed in orthopedic and dental applications in recent years and are now being developed for use in noninvasive surgery or as carriers for drug delivery systems. We developed an injectable bone substitute (IBS) for percutaneous orthopedic surgery which uses a biphasic calcium-phosphate (BCP) mixture composed of hydroxyapatite (60%) and ß-tricalcium phosphate (40%), together with a polymer (hydroxy-propyl-methyl-cellulose, HPMC) as a carrier. The best BCP/polymer ratio was determined to achieve the highest mineral phase in the composite and provide the rheological properties required for injectable material.

The in vivo biocompatibility and biofunctionality of IBS were …

Mechanical Properties Of Dendritic Pd-Cu-Ga Dental Alloys, Efstratios Papazoglou, Qiang Wu, William A. Brantley, John C. Mitchell, Glyn Meyrick

Cells and Materials

Three Pd-Cu-Ga dental alloys with very similar nominal compositions and dendritic as-cast microstructures were selected for study: Option (Ney Dental) and Spartan (Williams/lvoclar) contain a small amount of boron, while Spartan Plus (Williams/Ivoclar) is boron-free. Bars of each alloy were tested in tension for the as-cast and simulated porcelain-firing conditions, and values of mechanical properties were measured. Fracture surfaces and microstructures of axially sectioned and etched fracture specimens were observed with the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Except for the elastic modulus, significant differences were typically found in alloy properties. Heat treatment eliminated the dendritic microstructure, decreased strength and increased ductility. …

X-Ray Diffraction And Scanning Electron Microscopy Analyses Of A Gallium-Based Dental Restorative Alloy, Randa E. Shaker, William A. Brantley, Qiang Wu, John C. Mitchell

Cells and Materials

Specimens of a gallium-based dental alloy were prepared with different condensation techniques, with and without the removal of a surface layer, and after aging for 2 hours at 50°, 100° and 150°C. X-ray diffraction at times ranging from 10 minutes to 1 day showed the development of the four matrix phases (ß-Sn, CuGa₂, Ga₂₈Ag₇₂, and In₄Ag₉) during the setting reaction. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) examination of specimens loaded to failure revealed brittle fracture, with greater porosity for hand-condensed specimens, and provided insight into crack propagation processes. Aging increased …

Formation Of Cement Lines, But Not Laminae Limitantes, Requires Contact Of Differentiating Osteogenic Cells To Solid Surfaces, M. M. Hosseini, A. Shiga, J. E. Davies

Cells and Materials

We designed in vitro experiments to address the hypothesis that cement lines and laminae limitantes are structurally distinct as a result of cell contact, or absence of cell contact, during their elaboration. We subcultured young adult primary rat bone marrow cells in well inserts with polycarbonate membranes of 0.45 µm pore size, which allowed protein but not cell passage. The cells, extracellular matrix, lower side of the membrane and the surface of the polystyrene culture well were examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The cells elaborated a bone-like matrix on top of the membrane. In such cultures the …

Effects Of Casting Conditions And Annealing On Microstructures And Vickers Hardness Of Dendritic Pd-Cu-Ga Dental Alloys, William A. Brantley, Qiang Wu, Zhuo Cai, Stanley G. Vermilyea, John C. Mitchell, Michael C. Comerford

Cells and Materials

Three Pd-Cu-Ga alloys with as-cast dendritic microstructures and very similar compositions, two containing less than 1 wt% boron and the third boron-free, were cast with normal bench-cooling or rapid-quenching into water. Quenched specimens were also heat treated at temperatures of 1000°, 1200°, 1500° and 1800°F that span the firing cycles for dental porcelain. Similar values of Vickers hardness were observed for all three alloys, suggesting little effect from boron on yield strength. The hardness was relatively insensitive to the experimental conditions, except for heat treatment at 1500° and 1800°F where significant softening occurred with transformation of the microstructure to Pd …

Behavior Of Melanoma Cells In Cell And Organ Cultures: Use Of Biomaterials To Activate Cells, J. L. Duval, N. Faucheux, R. Warocquier-Clérout, M. D. Nagel

Cells and Materials

It is well known that cell behaviors such as adhesion, proliferation and various synthesis are initiated from transmembrane signals. This study uses biomaterials as primary messengers of the cell activation pathways, and we have analyzed the effects of two biomaterials on highly metastatic tumor cells. B16F10 melanoma cells formed heterogeneous populations whose size varied with cell differentiation. In long-term organ cultures grown comparatively on AN 69 and Cuprophan (a biomembrane known to activate cells), we found that Cuprophan increased both adhesion and proliferation of small melanin-rich cells which represented differentiated melanocyte&. In dissociated cell cultures, the rate of early cell …

In Vitro Comparative Biocompatibility Testing Of Carbofilm Coated And Uncoated Polyetherimide For Cardiovascular Application, M. Bosetti, S. Mazzarelli, L. Nicolais, L. Ambrosio, M. Cannas

Cells and Materials

When blood contacts the surface of a material, several processes take place including the activation of coagulation and immune systems. The aim of this work is to study in vitro the biological reactions seen from the point of view of hemocompatibility and cytocompatibility of a new polymer suggested as an artificial surface for cardiovascular applications: Carbofilm® coated polyetherimide (C®PEI) in comparison to polyetherimide (PEI), the uncoated form. PEI and C®PEI showed no signs of acute cytotoxicity although following long term incubation with PEI cytotoxicity was somewhat increased; both materials supported good endothelial cell adhesion with a higher level of cell …

Quantifying The Surface Geometry Of Titanium Implant Material By Different Methods Of Analysis, Clara Pimienta, Rashad Tawashi

Cells and Materials

Biomaterial implant manufacturers have used rough surfaces to ensure better biocompatibility, less rejection and better adaptation of implants in the body. Proper characterization of biological interactions and biocompatibility of biomaterials requires a thorough understanding of surface complexity. Surface roughness has often been shown to be important in influencing biological reactions with the surface. Previous communications from our laboratory have described a dynamic active vision system (MVS camera) capable of measuring three-dimensional coordinates of titanium implant material surfaces. Fractal analysis, due to its straightforward relationship to texture, is used to characterize the degree of irregularity of a surface and is expressed …

Image Analysis And The Effect Of Molecular Orientation On Degrading Lactide Polymer Films, K. J. L. Burg, M. Laberge, D. L. Powers, S. W. Shalaby

Cells and Materials

Absorbable polylactide films were studied in order to observe the effect of orientation on the resulting hydrolytic degradation pattern. Two types of polylactide films with two levels of molecular orientation were studied, during a nine month exposure to a phosphate buffered solution at 37°C. The films were sectioned and quantified as to void area, birefringence area, and intensity of birefringence using a microscope and an image analysis software package. The results, obtained using an analysis of variance, showed that the orientation played a significant role in the degradation pattern of the polylactide films, either decreasing or causing no change in …

Biomimetic Habitats For Cells: Ordered Matrix Deposition And Differentiation In Gingival Fibroblasts Cultured On Hydroxyapatite Coated With A Collagen Analogue, Rajendra S. Bhatnagar, Jing Jing Qian, Anna Wedrychowska, Eric Dixon, Nancy Smith

Cells and Materials

In tissues, cells attach and migrate on collagen. Interaction with collagen modulates cell proliferation and differentiation. We propose that similar environments may be constructed by immobilizing collagen-derived cell-binding peptides in a three-dimensional (3-D) template. We identified a cell binding domain of type I collagen and showed that a 15-residue synthetic analogue (P-15) binds cells with high affinity. In the present study, we compared the behavior of human gingival fibroblasts (HGF) in culture on hydroxyapatite (HA) and on HA-P-15. HGF cultured on HA formed sparse monolayers with little order and deposited a scant matrix. HGF on HA-P-15 formed highly oriented 3-D …

Derivation Of Equations Of Motion For A Four Link Robotic Leg For A Walking Vehicle, Andrew B. Wright

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

A four degree of freedom leg for a walking robot has been modeled using Newton's method. Unlike robot manipulators, which have a fixed base, a leg model must include inertial forces due to base motion. These forces have been included in the formulation. These equations can be used for design, simulation, and control. The inverse kinematics for this leg are also presented. This allows the joint angles to be computed from a desired foot-hold position.

Review Of: Frank Pearce & Steve Tombs, Toxic Capitalism: Corporate Crime And The Chemical Industry (Dartmouth Publishing Co. 1998), Jonathan Gatmaitan

RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002)

Review of the Book: Frank Pearce & Steve Tombs, Toxic Capitalism: Corporate Crime and the Chemical Industry (Dartmouth Publishing Co. 1998). Conclusions, notes, introduction, preface ISBN 1-85521-950-6 [372 pp. Hardbound $72.00 Old Post Road, Brookfield, VT 05036.]

Bs News

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Exclusive Disjunctions In Indefinite And Maybe Information In Relational Databases, Taflan İ. Gündem

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Incorporating indefinite information into databases has been studied extensively. In this paper, we propose a structure called an E-table to represent maybe information and inclusive and exclusive disjunctions. We define the type of redundancies in E-tables and show how to eliminate them. Also we present an extended relational algebra to operate on E-tables. In this paper we expand the concepts and operations defined by Lin and Sunderraman [1] in order to accommodate exclusive disjunctions in relational databases.

On The Global Stabilization Of Nonlinear Systems Via Switching Manifolds, Stephen P. Banks, Meti̇n U. Salamci, M. Kemal Özgören

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

The global stabilization of nonlinear systems is investigated by using switching surfaces. The nonlinear system is forced to a lower order switching manifold, which is designed to be stable by construction. Thus, the stability of the reduced-order system is guaranteed and parameter selection for the switching surface is avoided. The method is extended to a class of uncertain nonlinear systems and exemplified with some fictitious dynamic models.

A Simple Formula Obtained Using Tabu Search Algorithm For The Radiation Efficiency Of A Resonant Rectangular Microstrip Antenna, Dervi̇ş Karaboğa, Keri̇m Güney

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

A new simple formula for the radiation efficiency of a resonant rectangular microstrip patch antenna is presented. The formula is obtained by using a tabu search algorithm, which is a quite new optimization technique based on the principles of intelligent problem solving. The formula is valid for substrates with relative permittivities between 1 and 12.8 and for the complete range of thicknesses normally used. The results obtained by using this new simple formula are in conformity with those reported elsewhere. The formula can also be used in the calculation of the radiation efficiency of dipoles.

Effects Of Parasitic Elements On Oscillation Frequency Of Ota-C Sinusoidal Oscillators, Ari̇f Nacaroğlu, Ergun Erçelebi̇

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

An oscillator circuit which incorporates Operational Transconductance Amplifiers is presented. The circuit is designed using three OTAs and two grounded capacitors. The frequency of oscillation is tunable over a wide frequency range. The effects of the parasitic elements on the oscillation frequency and the oscillation condition are studied. The theoretical results are compared with the experimental results for a practical oscillator circuit.

Differentiating Type Of Muscle Movement Via Ar Modeling And Neural Network Classification, Beki̇r Karlik

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

The aim of this study is to classify electromyogram (EMG) signals for controlling multifunction proshetic devices. An artificial neural network (ANN) implementation was used for this purpose. Autoregressive (AR) parameters of $a_1, a_2, a_3, a_4$ and their signal power obtained from different arm muscle motions were applied to the input of ANN, which is a multilayer perceptron. At the output layer, for 5000 iterations, six movements were distinguished at a high accuracy of 97.6%.

Turbulent Burning Model For Premixed Gaseous Mixtures, E Mushi

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

A turbulent burning model for premixed gaseous mixtures has been successfully developed. The model assumes instant burning of vortex Tubes of the order of Kolmogorov scale followed by burning of larger eddies of the order of Taylor micro scale. These eddies burn ar a rate dependent On the stretch rate. The influence of turbulence on the burning rate is introduced in the form of probability density function which gives the probability that a given mixture under turbulence will undergo burning rather than being quenched. The model has been validated againsi experiments involving turbulent explosions in a fan stirred bomb. Model …

New Technologies For Thermal Disposal Of Sewage Sludge, T Ogada

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

The traditional methods for the disposal of sewage sludge are landfilling, recycling as fertilisers in agricultural lands, dumping into sea and incineration. In thc recent past, Sludge incineration has been rapidly gaining ground duc to environmental constraints facing the Other methods. However, the cost of pollution control during sewage sludge incineration is currently very high due to the expensive flue gas treatment facility required. Futhermore, large quantity Of ash is produced which is highly contaminated with heavy metals and must be disposed off in special landfilling sites in order to avoid ground water pollution. To reduce the cost Of pollution …

A Comparison Of Three Numerical Methods Of Solutions Of Equations Describing Unsteady Gas Flow At Pipe Boundaries In Reciprocating Compressor Systems, M Mkumbwa

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

A number of finite difference schemes are available to study pressure fluctuation effects in unsteady pipe flows. This paper presents a comparison Of the predictions made by three such schemes of unsteadyjlow effects in a number of reciprocating compressor pipe-work systems. The finite difference schemes considered were;- a first order scheme known as the method Of characteristics, two second order schemes which were the Leapfrog method and MacCormacVs method. A reciprocating compressor simulation computer program was coupled with equations describing the cylinder thermodynamic processes with the pipe flow equations for steady non-homentropicflow. The comparison presented takes into account both the …

Estimating The Usle - Soil Erodibility Factor In Developing Tropical Countries:A Case Study In Tanzania, Metthew Mulengeral

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Developing countries in the tropics are facing more soil erosion problems than the developed temperate countries. These developing countries have no accurate locally applicable equation(s) for predicting soil erosion or for planning and implementation of soil conservation measures. Furthermore, These countries do not have the necessary resources to develop the soil loss prediction equation(s). Existing empirical equations like the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) if modified to suit tropical conditions can be useful a tool in soil erosion control in the region for a foreseeable future. In this paper equations'for estimating the soil erodibility factor in the USLE for tropical …

Experimental Study Of Domestic Charcoal Stoves, Simbo Kimario

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

The demand of fuelwood for domestic cooking especially the charcoal fuel is increasing in the urban settlements due to the increase in population of low income class earners who are the main consumers Of this type of fuel. This paper is presenting rhe results Of experiments conducted on the popularly used domestic charcoal stoves in Tanzania. The results revealed some significant differences on stoves performances. The type of insulation materials and some design features incorporated into the combustion chambers of the stoves had positive impacts in relative charcoal fuel saving. About two tons of charcoal fuel could be saved by …

Oxygen Transfer In A Three-Phase Fluidised Bed Bioreactor With Novel Biomass Support When Used In Industrial Wastewater Treatment, S Manyele,

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

The effect of support mass and liquid height on the oxygen transfer in the three- phase fluidised bed were experi/nenta/ly investigated. Novel biomass support, rhe KMT*, with density of 850 kg/n/ and an equivalent size, dp 8.3 mm, has been used in this work. The oxygen transfer rate was expressed in terms of rhe volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient, kca. It has been found out that the* a values increased with increasing support mass up to a critical solids load of 4.0 kg, above which the kca decreased and that kca decreased with increasing liquid height. It has been recommended that …

Technical And Economic Comparison Of Performance Between Farmer And Government Managed Irrigation Schemes In Tanzania: A Case Study Of Kapunga Irrigation Project, D Chemka

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

This paper conwares the perforinance Of governnyent ro fanner-managed irrigation schemes at Kapunga Rice Project in Mbeya Region, south-west Tanzania. The results showed that the farmer-managed irrigation scheme (FMIS) performed better than the government-managed irrigation scheme (GMIS) in attaining good performance. Applicable indicators for farmer-managed irrigation scheme are as shown below with those of government-managed scheme indicated in brackets. Its overall irrigation efficiency was 61' percent (29 percent) average productivity was 3.2 ton/liG (2.2 ton/ha); economic profirability: internal rate of return was 3.2 percent (5 percent), benefit/cost ratio of 0.60 (0.14); while its financial profitability: internal rate of return was …

The Significance And Effects Of Oil Injection On The Performance Of Sliding Vane Compressors., M Mkumbwa

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

A computer model of a sliding vane air compressor was used to predict the behaviour of machines having different geometries operating at different conditions. The performance parameters which were calculated by the model were the free air delivery, power input and specific capacity which is defined as the free air delivery per unit of power input.The model also included the study of the effects of Oil injection on these mentioned compressor performance parameters. The paper describes the simulation model developed incorporating an analysis Of the effects of the oil injected into the compressor on lhe thermodynamic processes taking place in …

A Study On Ring Pack Lubrication In Internal Combustion Engine, I Mshoro

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Most efthe lubricating oil from Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) is lost through piston rings. Hence, in order to optimally reduce ICE oil consumption, a better insight into tribology of the ring pack is required. This can only be achieved by an inwroved characterization of the lubricant behaviour within the opelating environment of the engine. In The present ieork, an optical tcchnique using laser- induced fluorescence was employed to measure oil film thickness within the ring pack. The experiment was conducted on a Phaser 1000 Series engine, whereby optical access to the ring pack was achieved by a fused silica-window positioned …

Extracting Consistent Weight Ratio Matrices From Inconsistent Judgement Matrices., Christian Alphonce

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

The Analy,'ic Hierarchy Process (AHP) developed by Saaty Inore (han a decade ago has been widely applied in diverse decision making problenls ranging from socio-economic planning to engineering designs. One of the basic steps of this popular decision support tool is concerned with estimating a ratio scale of a set of entities from their inconsistent pairwise comparison judgement matrix. A number of estimation procedures for this purpose have been proposed. These include Saaty's eigenvector meihod, various geometric means methods, and methods using logarithmic least squares, least squares. and means Transformanons, amongst O,'hers. One Thing conunon to all these Inethods is …

Bs News

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

The Study On The Performance Of Mcfc Matrix Prepared By Flow Cast, Hua-Xin Lin, Bao-Lian Yi, Nai-Chao Li, Tian-Xi Qu, En-Jun Zhang, Lian-Yin Kong, Ying-Cai Chen

Journal of Electrochemistry

The matrix for MCFC were prepared by flow cast technique which gives reproducible and reliable results. Its mean pore radius is about 0.18 μm, and the porosity is about 65%. The performance of MCFC stacked with this type of matrix is 0.854 V at 200 mA/cm².