Museoesineitä Itä-Karjalasta : Väinö Tuomaalan jatkosodan aikana keräämä esinekokoelma ja sen syntyhistoria

Jatkosodan aikana kerättiin Suomen valtaamalta alueelta Itä-Karjalasta tuhansittain museoesineitä Suomen museoihin. Kansallismuseon kokoelmiin kerättiin esineitä lähinnä suomenheimoisilta mutta myös isovenäläisiltä. Tämän tutkimuksen kohteena on lähes 400:n esineen kokoelma, joka toimitettiin Kansallismuseoon vuosina 1941 1944 ja merkittiin kansallisuudeltaan venäläiseksi. Näistä venäläisistä esineistä suurimman osan keräsi alikersanttina palvellut Väinö Tuomaala. Tutkimukseni tarkastelee Väinö Tuomaalan kokoelmaa ja etsii syitä siihen, miksi kokoelma on sellainen kuin se on, miksi se ja koko venäläisten esineiden kokoelma syntyi ja mitkä seikat vaikuttivat Tuomaalan esinevalintoihin. Tutkimuksen teoria rakentuu museologisen kirjallisuuden varaan. Tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan Väinö Tuomaalan kokoelman keräyskonteksteja. Keräyskonteksteihin kuuluvat kokoelman kerääjä, keräysajankohta ja -paikka sekä yhteenkuuluvat esineet, eli muut venäläiset esineet. Kerääjän tarkastelussa huomioidaan hänen henkilöhistoriansa ja etsitään mahdollisia keruuseen vaikuttaneita tekijöitä. Keräysajankohdan tarkastelussa huomio kiinnittyy keruuympäristöön, eli vallitseviin olosuhteisiin ja aatteelliseen ilmapiiriin, joiden vaikutuksen alaisena keruu suoritettiin. Primääriaineisto koostuu Kansallismuseon alaisen Kulttuurien museon yleisetnografisten esineiden kokoelmaan kuuluvista 198:sta Väinö Tuomaalan keräämästä esineestä verifikaatteineen, jotka ovat osa 393 esinettä käsittävästä venäläisestä kokoelmasta. Aineisto sisältää myös eri arkistojen materiaalia. Kansallisarkiston Sörnäisten toimipisteestä, entisestä sota-arkistota, löytyneitä sotapäiväkirjoja ja Tuomaalan kantakorttia on tutkimuksessa käytetty jatkosodan tapahtumien esittämiseen. Museoviraston hallinto-osaston arkiston kirjeet ja pöytäkirjat ovat antaneet tietoa kulttuurikeruun organisoinnista. Väinö Tuomaalan arkistokokoelma Seinäjoella sisältää Tuomaalan keräämää perinneaineistoa, hänen puheitaan, lehtikirjoituksiaan ja kirjeenvaihtoaan. Myös Evijärven kunnantalon kotiseutuarkistosta löytyneet kirjeet ovat valottaneet Tuomaalan jatkosodan aikaista keruutoimintaa. Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seuran arkistot ovat tarjonneet materiaalia jatkosodan aikaisesta kulttuurikeruusta. Koko venäläisten esineiden kokoelma syntyi sattumalta ja organisoimattoman toiminnan tuloksena, jossa aktiivisia toimijoita olivat yksittäiset kerääjät. Intohimoisesta suhtautumisesta kansatieteellistä keruuta kohtaan johtuen, Tuomaala olisi todenäköisesti kerännyt museoesineitä missä päin Itä-Karjalaa tahansa. Väinö Tuomaalan Itä-Karjalassa keräämä esinekokoelma oli luonnollinen jatke hänen kotiseudullaan aloittamalleen keräystoiminnalle. Tuomaalan jatkosodan aikana keräämä kokoelma on kerääjän mieltymysten mukainen yritys kerätä vanhaa itäkarjalaista, kansallista talonpoikaiskulttuuria. Tuomaala pyrki keräämään klassista kansatieteellistä aineistoa monipuolisesti kansankulttuurin eri elämänalueilta. Tuomaalan esinekeruussa näkyi vahvasti talonpoikaiskulttuurin ihannointi ja halu pelastaa osa siitä tuleville sukupolville. Yrityksen onnistumiseen vaikuttivat sodanajan olosuhteet sekä aatteellinen ilmapiiri. Esineiden saatavuudella oli merkittävä osa kokoelman muodostumiseen, samoin Tuomaalan käsityksillä heimokansoista, Suur-Suomesta ja venäläisistä. Keruuvalintoihin ja keruun jatkumiseen vaikuttivat myös Kansallismuseon henkilökunta ja työstä saatu tunnustus.

Magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography in brachial plexus birth injury

Brachial plexus birth injury (BPBI) is caused by stretching, tearing or avulsion of the C5-C8 or Th1 nerve roots during delivery. Foetal-maternal disproportion is the main reason for BPBI. The goal of this study was to find out the incidence of posterior subluxation of the humeral head during first year of life in BPBI and optimal timing of the ultrasonographic screening of the glenohumeral joint. The glenohumeral congruity and posterior subluxation of the humeral head associated to muscle atrophy were assessed and surgical treatment of the shoulder girdle as well as muscle changes in elbow flexion contracture were evaluated. The prospective, population based part of the study included all neonates born in Helsinki area during years 2003-2006. Patients with BPBI sent to the Hospital for Children and Adolescents because of decreased external rotation, internal rotation contracture or deformation of the glenohumeral joint as well as patients with elbow flexion contracture were also included in this prospective study. The incidence of BPBI was calculated to be 3.1/1000 newborns in Helsinki area. About 80% of the patients with BPBI recover totally during the follow-up within the first year of life. Permanent plexus injury at the age of one year was noted in 20% of the patients (0.64/1000 newborns). Muscle imbalance resulted in sonographically detected posterior subluxation in one third of the patients with permanent BPBI. If muscle imbalance and posterior subluxation are left untreated bony deformities will develop. All patients with internal rotation contracture of the glenohumeral joint presented muscle atrophy of the rotator cuff muscles. Especially subscapular and infraspinous muscles were affected. A correlation was found particularly between greatest thickness of subscapular muscle and subluxation of the humeral head, degree of glenoid retroversion, as well as amount of internal rotation contracture. Supinator muscle atrophy was evident among all the studied patients with elbow flexion contracture. Brachial muscle pathology seemed to be an important factor for elbow flexion contracture in BPBI. Residual dysfunction of the upper extremity may require operative treatment such as tendon lengthening, tendon transfers, relocation of the humeral head or osteotomy of the humerus. Relocation of the humeral head improved the glenohumeral congruency among patients under 5 years of age. Functional improvement without remodeling of the glenohumeral joint was achieved by other reconstructive procedures. In conclusion: Shoulder screening by US should be done to all patients with permanent BPBI at the age of 3 and 6 months. Especially atrophy of the subscapular muscle correlates with glenohumeral deformity and posterior subluxation of the humeral head, which has not been reported in previous studies. Permanent muscle changes are the main reason for diminished range of motion of the elbow and forearm. Relocation of the humeral head, when needed, should be performed under the age of 5 years.

Why Don't Students Talk? Causes of Foreign Language Communication Apprehension in English Classes: A Comparison of High Apprehensive and Low Apprehensive Upper Secondary Students.

OBJECTIVES. Oral foreign language skills are an integral part of one's social, academic and professional competence. This can be problematic for those suffering from foreign language communication apprehension (CA), or a fear of speaking a foreign language. CA manifests itself, for example, through feelings of anxiety and tension, physical arousal and avoidance of foreign language communication situations. According to scholars, foreign language CA may impede the language learning process significantly and have detrimental effects on one's language learning, academic achievement and career prospects. Drawing on upper secondary students' subjective experiences of communication situations in English as a foreign language, this study seeks, first, to describe, analyze and interpret why upper secondary students experience English language communication apprehension in English as a foreign language (EFL) classes. Second, this study seeks to analyse what the most anxiety-arousing oral production tasks in EFL classes are, and which features of different oral production tasks arouse English language communication apprehension and why. The ultimate objectives of the present study are to raise teachers' awareness of foreign language CA and its features, manifestations and impacts in foreign language classes as well as to suggest possible ways to minimize the anxiety-arousing features in foreign language classes. METHODS. The data was collected in two phases by means of six-part Likert-type questionnaires and theme interviews, and analysed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The questionnaire data was collected in spring 2008. The respondents were 122 first-year upper secondary students, 68 % of whom were girls and 31 % of whom were boys. The data was analysed by statistical methods using SPSS software. The theme interviews were conducted in spring 2009. The interviewees were 11 second-year upper secondary students aged 17 to 19, who were chosen by purposeful selection on the basis of their English language CA level measured in the questionnaires. Six interviewees were classified as high apprehensives and five as low apprehensives according to their score in the foreign language CA scale in the questionnaires. The interview data was coded and thematized using the technique of content analysis. The analysis and interpretation of the data drew on a comparison of the self-reports of the highly apprehensive and low apprehensive upper secondary students. RESULTS. The causes of English language CA in EFL classes as reported by the students were both internal and external in nature. The most notable causes were a low self-assessed English proficiency, a concern over errors, a concern over evaluation, and a concern over the impression made on others. Other causes related to a high English language CA were a lack of authentic oral practise in EFL classes, discouraging teachers and negative experiences of learning English, unrealistic internal demands for oral English performance, high external demands and expectations for oral English performance, the conversation partner's higher English proficiency, and the audience's large size and unfamiliarity. The most anxiety-arousing oral production tasks in EFL classes were presentations or speeches with or without notes in front of the class, acting in front of the class, pair debates with the class as audience, expressing thoughts and ideas to the class, presentations or speeches without notes while seated, group debates with the class as audience, and answering to the teacher's questions involuntarily. The main features affecting the anxiety-arousing potential of an oral production task were a high degree of attention, a large audience, a high degree of evaluation, little time for preparation, little linguistic support, and a long duration.

Recent studies on the behaviour of interference fit pins in composite plates

Composites are finding increasing application in many advanced engineering fields like aerospace, marine engineering, hightech sports equipment, etc., due to their high specific strength and/or specific stiffness values. The use of composite components in complex situations like airplane wing root or locations of concentrated load transfer is limited due to the lack of complete understanding of their behaviour in the region of joints. Joints are unavoidable in the design and manufacture of complex structures. Pin joints are one of the most commonly used methods of connection. In regions of high stresses like airplane wing root joints interference fit pins are used to increase its fatigue life and thereby increase the reliability of the whole structure. The present contribution is a study on the behaviour of the interference fit pin in a composite plate subjected to both pull and push type of loads. The interference fit pin exhibits partial contact/separation under the loads and the contact region is a non-linear function of the load magnitude. This non-linear behaviour is studied by adopting the inverse technique and some new results are presented in this paper.

Lubricated Tribology of a Eutectic Aluminium-Silicon Alloy in the Ultra-Mild Wear and Mild Wear Regimes for Long Sliding Times

Aluminium-silicon alloy, an important material used for the construction of internal combustion engines, exhibit pressure induced distinct regimes of wear and friction; ultra-mild and mild. In this work the alloy is slid lubricated against a spherical steel pin at contact pressures characteristic of the two test regimes, at a very low sliding velocity. In both cases, the friction is controlled at the initial stages of sliding by the abrasion of the steel pin by the protruding silicon particles of the disc. The generation of nascent steel chips helps to breakdown the additive in the oil by a cationic exchange that yields chemical products of benefits to the tribology. The friction is initially controlled by abrasion, but the chemical products gain increasing importance in controlling friction with sliding time. After long times, depending on contact pressure, the chemical products determine sliding friction exclusively. In this paper, a host of mechanical and spectroscopic techniques are used to identify and characterize mechanical damage and chemical changes. Although the basic dissipation mechanisms are the same in the two regimes, the matrix remains practically unworn in the low-pressure ultra-mild wear regime. In the higher pressure regime at long sliding times a small but finite wear rate prevails. Incipient plasticity in the subsurface controls the mechanism of wear.

Radio interference measurements on a ceramic disc insulator string with field reduction electrode

This paper presents a laboratory study of the discharge radio noise generated by ceramic insulator strings under normal conditions. In the course of study, a comparison on the performance of two types of insulator strings under two different conditions was studied namely (a) normal disc insulators in a string and (b) disc insulators integrated with a newly developed field reduction electrode fixed to the disc insulator at the pin junction. The results obtained during the study are discussed and presented.

Orientation dependence of the indentation impression morphology in a Mg alloy

The formation of anomalous indentations, with two opposite faces describing a pin-cushion effect and the other two faces normal, in long elongated grains of an extruded Mg-2Al-1Zn alloy is reported. Subsurface microstructural observations combined with Schmid factor calculations suggest that extension twinning accompanied by basal slip are the reasons for these. Johnson's expanding cavity model is invoked for further substantiation. (C) 2010 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hantavirus infection: Insights into entry, assembly and pathogenesis

Hantaviruses (family Bunyaviridae, genus Hantavirus) are enveloped viruses incorporating a segmented, negative-sense RNA genome. Each hantavirus is carried by its specific host, either a rodent or an insectivore (shrew), in which the infection is asymptomatic and persistent. In humans, hantaviruses cause Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Eurasia and Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) in the Americas. In Finland, Puumala virus (genus Hantavirus) is the causative agent of NE, a mild form of HFRS. The HFRS-type diseases are often associated with renal failure and proteinuria that might be mechanistically explained by infected kidney tubular cell degeneration in patients. Previously, it has been shown that non-pathogenic hantavirus, Tula virus (TULV), could cause programmed cell death, apoptosis, in cell cultures. This suggested that the infected kidney tubular degeneration could be caused directly by virus replication. In the first paper of this thesis the molecular mechanisms involved in TULV-induced apoptosis was further elucidated. A virus replication-dependent down-regulation of ERK1/2, concomitantly with the induced apoptosis, was identified. In addition, this phenomenon was not restricted to TULV or to non-pathogenic hantaviruses in general since also a pathogenic hantavirus, Seoul virus, could inhibit ERK1/2 activity. Hantaviruses consist of membrane-spanning glycoproteins Gn and Gc, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (L protein) and nucleocapsid protein N, which encapsidates the viral genome, and thus forms the ribonucleoprotein (RNP). Interaction between the cytoplasmic tails of viral glycoproteins and RNP is assumed to be the only means how viral genetic material is incorporated into infectious virions. In the second paper of this thesis, it was shown by immunoprecipitation that viral glycoproteins and RNP interact in the purified virions. It was further shown that peptides derived from the cytoplasmic tails (CTs) of both Gn and Gc could bind RNP and recombinant N protein. In the fourth paper the cytoplamic tail of Gn but not Gc was shown to interact with genomic RNA. This interaction was probably rather unspecific since binding of Gn-CT with unrelated RNA and even single-stranded DNA were also observed. However, since the RNP consists of both N protein and N protein-encapsidated genomic RNA, it is possible that the viral genome plays a role in packaging of RNPs into virions. On the other hand, the nucleic acid-binding activity of Gn may have importance in the synthesis of viral RNA. Binding sites of Gn-CT with N protein or nucleic acids were also determined by peptide arrays, and they were largely found to overlap. The Gn-CT of hantaviruses contain a conserved zinc finger (ZF) domain with an unknown function. Some viruses need ZFs in entry or post-entry steps of the viral life cycle. Cysteine residues are required for the folding of ZFs by coordinating zinc-ions, and alkylation of these residues can affect virus infectivity. In the third paper, it was shown that purified hantavirions could be inactivated by treatment with cysteine-alkylating reagents, especially N-ethyl maleimide. However, the effect could not be pin-pointed to the ZF of Gn-CT since also other viral proteins reacted with maleimides, and it was, therefore, impossible to exclude the possibility that other cysteines besides those that were essential in the formation of ZF are required for hantavirus infectivity.

Dry sliding wear of A356-Al-SiCp composites

Aluminium alloy (A356)-SiC composites containing 15 and 25 wt.% silicon carbide particles (average size 43 μm) were tested for sliding wear at different loads using a pin on disc machine. Composites exhibited better wear resistance compared with unreinforced alloy up to a pressure of 26 MPa. Scanning electron microscopy examination of worn surfaces and subsurfaces show that the presence of dispersed SiC particles help in reducing the propensity of material flow at the surface, at the same time leading to the formation of an iron-rich layer on the surface.

Omistajuus Maailmanpankin diskurssissa : muuttuvatko avun toimijoiden valtasuhteet? Tapaustutkimuksena avun uusi arkkitehtuuri ja yhteiskunnalliset voimasuhteet Mosambikissa

Samanaikaisesti, kun tämän päivän kehitysdiskurssissa painotetaan omistajuutta ja kumppanuutta, monien mielestä avunantajien asema suhteessa avunsaajiin on jopa vahvistunut entisestään. Jos vahvistuneen avunsaajan omistajuuden ajatellaan tarkoittavan vallan siirtoa avunantajilta avunsaajille, vaikuttaisi diskurssin ja käytännön välillä olevan ristiriita. Työssäni yritän selvittää eri tekijät ja historiallisen taustan, joiden seurauksena liberaali käsitteistö, etenkin omistajuus, on noussut Maailmanpankin diskurssiin. Tätä kautta pyrin selvittämään, mitä omistajuus tarkoittaa Maailmanpankille, ja millaisiin valta-asetelmiin uusi diskurssi johtaa. Työni tapaustutkimuksessa pohdin omistajuuskysymyksiä tämän päivän Mosambikissa: edesauttaako nykyinen liberaali kehitysdiskurssi vallansiirtoa Mosambikin kontekstissa a) avunantajilta avunsaajamaalle b) perimmäiselle edunsaajalle, eli kansalle. Tutkimukseni on luonteeltaan laadullinen. Historiallisen lähestymistavan kautta pyrin selvittämään taustaa ja syitä Maailmanpankin diskurssin muutokseen, ja sitä kautta selvittämään nykyään vallitsevia avunantajien ja avunsaajien välisiä valtasuhteita. Tähän käytän lähteinäni ensimmäisessä osiossa Maailmanpankin omia julkaisuja ja toisessa osiossa muita kirjallisia lähteitä. Mosambikin tapaustutkimukseni lähdeaineisto koostuu paikallisten järjestöjen ja tutkimusinstituuttien edustajille tekemistäni avoimista teemahaastatteluista sekä muista kirjallisista, Mosambikin avun kontekstia käsittelevistä lähteistä. Omistajuuskäsite Maailmanpankin diskurssissa on laajentunut huomattavasti: kun alussa omistajuudella tarkoitettiin lähinnä sitoutumista, niin nykyään se tulisi ymmärtää pyrkimyksenä lisätä avunsaajamaiden hallintaa kehitysprosesseissa, mikä puolestaan lisäisi huomattavasti avunsaajamaiden päätösvaltaa avunkäytön suhteen. Toisessa osiossa kuitenkin osoitan, että vaikka Maailmanpankki antaa omistajuusdiskurssin myötä ymmärtää, että aloitteen kehitysinterventiosta on tultava avunsaajamaalta itseltään, niin todellisuudessa asetelma on erilainen. Maailmanpankin ja muiden avunantajien keinot vaikuttaa ovat muuttuneet, mutta vaikutus on pysynyt yhä vahvana. Omistajuus- ja kumppanuusdiskurssi toimii merkittävässä asemassa nykyisessä avun kontekstissa, jossa avunantajat vaikuttavat avunsaajamaihin sisältä päin: vallankäytön mekanismit ovat enemmän piilossa. Näin ollen aloite tulee yhä vieläkin avunantajilta, ja omistajuus tarkoittaa lähinnä avunsaajamaan sitoutumista ohjelmiin. Kansalaisyhteiskunta puolestaan on otettu mukaan tukemaan avunantajien agendaa ja varmistamaan kannatus muutoksilie myös yhteiskunnan sisältä päin. Mosambikin tapaustutkimuksessa huomiot ovat jokseenkin samankaltaisia. Omistajuusdiskurssin myötä avunantajat vaikuttavat mahdollisesti yhä tehokkaammin Mosambikin hallituksen sisällä, etenkin avun käyttöön liittyvissä kysymyksissä. Mosambikin hallitus ei kuitenkaan vaikuta edes haluavan vahvempaa omistajuutta, koska nykyinen toteutettava malli palvelee sen etuja loistavasti: antamalla periksi tietyillä alueilla avunantajille hallitus vahvistaa asemiansa muiden kotimaisten toimijoiden edessä. Avunantajilla voi tahtoessaan olla tärkeä rooli avunsaajamaiden sisäisiin valtasuhteisiin vaikuttamisessa. Mosambikin esimerkin perusteella vaikuttaa kuitenkin siltä, että merkittävää muutosta kansan ja hallituksen välisissä valtasuhteissa ei ole tapahtunut.

Influence of Inclination Angle and Machining Direction on Friction and Transfer Layer Formation

In the present investigation, unidirectional grinding marks were created on a set of steel plates. Sliding experiments were then conducted with the prepared steel plates using Al-Mg alloy pins and an inclined pin-on-plate sliding tester. The goals of the experiments were to ascertain the influence of inclination angle and grinding mark direction on friction and transfer layer formation during sliding contact. The inclination angle of the plate was held at 0.2 deg, 0.6 deg, 1 deg, 1.4 deg, 1.8 deg, 2.2 deg, and 2.6 deg in the tests. The pins were slid both perpendicular and parallel to the grinding marks direction. The experiments were conducted under both dry and lubricated conditions on each plate in an ambient environment. Results showed that the coefficient of friction and the formation of transfer layer depend on the grinding marks direction and inclination angle of the hard surfaces. For a given inclination angle, under both dry and lubricated conditions, the coefficient of friction and transfer layer formation were found to be greater when the pins slid perpendicular to the unidirectional grinding marks than when the pins slid parallel to the grinding marks. In addition, a stick-slip phenomenon was observed under lubricated conditions at the highest inclination angle for sliding perpendicular to the grinding marks direction. This phenomenon could be attributed to the extent of plane strain conditions taking place at the asperity level during sliding. DOI: 10.1115/1.4002604]

Enhancement of Surface Flashover Performance of High Voltage Ceramic Disc Insulators

In this paper, an effort is made to study accurately the field distribution for various types of ceramic insulators used for high-voltage transmission. The surface charge simulation method (SCSM) is employed for the field computation. With the help of SCSM program, a Novel field reduction electrode is designed and developed to reduce the maximum field around the pin region. In order to experimentally analyze the performance of discs with field reduction electrode, special artificial pollution test facility was built and utilized. The experimental results show better surface flashover performance of ceramic insulators used in high-voltage transmission and distribution systems.

Role of Surface Texture, Roughness, and Hardness on Friction During Unidirectional Sliding

In the present investigation, experiments were conducted by unidirectional sliding of pins made of FCC metals (Pb, Al, and Cu) with significantly different hardness values against the steel plates of various surface textures and roughness using an inclined pin-on-plate sliding apparatus in ambient conditions under both the dry and lubricated conditions. For a given material pair, it was observed that transfer layer formation and the coefficient of friction along with its two components, namely adhesion and plowing, are controlled by the surface texture of the harder mating surfaces and are less dependent of surface roughness (R (a)) of the harder mating surfaces. The effect of surface texture on the friction was attributed to the variation of the plowing component of friction for different surfaces. It was also observed that the variation of plowing friction as a function of hardness depends on surface textures. More specifically, the plowing friction varies with hardness of the soft materials for a given type of surface texture and it is independent of hardness of soft materials for other type of surface texture. These variations could be attributed to the extent of plane strain conditions taking place at the asperity level during sliding. It was also observed that among the surface roughness parameters, the mean slope of the profile, Delta (a), correlated best with the friction. Furthermore, dimensionless quantifiable roughness parameters were formulated to describe the degree of plowing taking place at the asperity level.

Friction and wear behaviour of continuous fibre as cast Kevlar-phenolic resin composite

A compression moulded Kevlar-phenolic resin composite consisting of 30 wt% continuous fibres was slid against a steel disc such that the fibre axis was normal to the sliding plane. The sliding experiments were conducted in a normal pressure range of 0.47–4.27 MPa and at a sliding speed of 0.5 ms–1. The initial sliding interaction is abrasive. With further sliding, as patches of polymer transfer film develop on the polymer pin and counterface, the interaction becomes adhesive and steady-state friction is established. The wear resistance of the polymer was found to be related to the stability of this film.

A study of microstructure and wear behaviour of TiB2/Al metal matrix composites

The present paper deals with the study of microstructure and wear characteristics of TiB2 reinforced aluminium metal matrix composites (MMCs). Matrix alloys with 5, 10 and 15% of TiB2 were made using stir casting technique. Effect of sliding velocity on the wear behaviour and tribo-chemistry of the worn surfaces of both matrix and composites sliding against a EN24 steel disc has been investigated under dry conditions. A pin-on-disc wear testing machine was used to find the wear rate, in which EN24 steel disc was used as the counter face, loads of 10-60N in steps of 10N and speeds of 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 rpm were employed. The results showed that the wear rate was increased with an increase in load and sliding speed for both the materials. However, a lower wear rate was obtained for MMCs when compared to the matrix alloys. The wear transition from slight to severe was presented at the critical applied loads. The transition loads for the MMCs were much higher than that of the matrix alloy. The transition loads were increased with increase in TiB2 and the same was decreased with the increase of sliding speeds. The SEM and EDS analyses were undertaken to demonstrate the effect of TiB2 particles on the wear mechanism for each conditions.