Strength reliability and in vitro degradation of three-dimensional powder printed strontium-substituted magnesium phosphate scaffolds

Strontium ions (Sr2+) are known to prevent osteoporosis and also encourage bone formation. Such twin requirements have motivated researchers to develop Sr-substituted biomaterials for orthopaedic applications. The present study demonstrates a new concept of developing Sr-substituted Mg-3(PO4)(2) - based biodegradable scaffolds. In particular, this work reports the fabrication, mechanical properties with an emphasis on strength reliability as well as in vitro degradation of highly biodegradable strontium-incorporated magnesium phosphate cements. These implantable scaffolds were fabricated using three-dimensional powder printing, followed by high temperature sintering and/or chemical conversion, a technique adaptable to develop patient-specific implants. A moderate combination of strength properties of 36.7 MPa (compression), 242 MPa (bending) and 10.7 MPa (tension) were measured. A reasonably modest Weibull modulus of up to 8.8 was recorded after uniaxial compression or diametral tensile tests on 3D printed scaffolds. A comparison among scaffolds with varying compositions or among sintered or chemically hardened scaffolds reveals that the strength reliability is not compromised in Sr-substituted scaffolds compared to baseline Mg-3(PO4)(2). The micro-computed tomography analysis reveals the presence of highly interconnected porous architecture in three-dimension with lognormal pore size distribution having median in the range of 17.74-26.29 mu m for the investigated scaffolds. The results of extensive in vitro ion release study revealed passive degradation with a reduced Mg2+ release and slow but sustained release of Sr2+ from strontium-substituted magnesium phosphate scaffolds. Taken together, the present study unequivocally illustrates that the newly designed Sr-substituted magnesium phosphate scaffolds with good strength reliability could be used for biomedical applications requiring consistent Sr2+-release, while the scaffold degrades in physiological medium. Statement of significance The study investigates the additive manufacturing of scaffolds based on different strontium-substituted magnesium phosphate bone cements by means of three-dimensional powder printing technique (3DPP). Magnesium phosphates were chosen due to their higher biodegradability compared to calcium phosphates, which is due to both a higher solubility as well as the absence of phase changes (to low soluble hydroxyapatite) in vivo. Since strontium ions are known to promote bone formation by stimulating osteoblast growth, we aimed to establish such a highly degradable magnesium phosphate ceramic with an enhanced bioactivity for new bone ingrowth. After post-processing, mechanical strengths of up to 36.7 MPa (compression), 24.2 MPa (bending) and 10.7 MPa (tension) could be achieved. Simultaneously, the failure reliability of those bioceramic implant materials, measured by Weibull modulus calculations, were in the range of 4.3-8.8. Passive dissolution studies in vitro proved an ion release of Mg2+ and PO43- as well as Sr2+, which is fundamental for in vivo degradation and a bone growth promoting effect. In our opinion, this work broadens the range of bioceramic bone replacement materials suitable for additive manufacturing processing. The high biodegradability of MPC ceramics together with the anticipated promoting effect on osseointegration opens up the way for a patient-specific treatment with the prospect of a fast and complete healing of bone fractures. (C) 2015 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Detection and Characterization of Long-Pulse Low-Velocity Impact Damage in Plastic Bonded Explosives

Damage not only degrades the mechanical properties of explosives, but also influences the shock sensitivity, combustion and even detonation behavior of explosives. The study of impact damage is crucial in the vulnerability evaluation of explosives. A long-pulse low-velocity gas gun with a gas buffer was developed and used to induce impact damage in a hot pressed plastic bonded explosive. Various methods were used to detect and characterize the impact damage of the explosive. The microstructure was examined by use of polarized light microscopy. Fractal analysis of the micrographs was conducted by use of box counting method. The correlation between the fractal dimensions and microstructures was analyzed. Ultrasonic testing was conducted using a pulse through-transmission method to obtain the ultrasonic velocity and ultrasonic attenuation. Spectra analyses were carried out for recorded ultrasonic signals using fast Fourier transform. The correlations between the impact damage and ultrasonic parameters including ultrasonic velocities and attenuation coefficients were also analyzed. To quantitatively assess the impact induced explosive crystal fractures, particle size distribution analyses of explosive crystals were conducted by using a thorough etching technique, in which the explosives samples were soaked in a solution for enough time that the binder was totally removed. Impact induces a large extent of explosive crystal fractures and a large number of microcracks. The ultrasonic velocity decreases and attenuation coefficients increase with the presence of impact damage. Both ultrasonic parameters and fractal dimension can be used to quantitatively assess the impact damage of plastic bonded explosives.

Experimental Investigation and Numerical Simulation on the Effect of Fissure Water Pressure in Vertical Sliding Surface

This paper studies the effect of fissure water pressure in different fractures on the critical angle of landslide by laboratory investigation and numerical simulation in order to understand the mechanisms of fissure water pressure on landslide stability. Laboratory observations show that the effect of fissure water pressure on the critical angle of landslide is little when the distance between water-holding fracture and slope toe is three times greater than the depth of fissure water. These experimental results are also simulated by a three-dimensional face-to-face contact discrete element method. This method has included the fissure water pressure and can accurately calculate the critical angle of jointed slope when fissure water pressure in vertical sliding surface exists. Numerical results are in good agreement with experimental observations. It is revealed that the location of water-holding structural surface is important to landslide stability. The ratio of the distance between water-holding fissure and slope toe to the depth of fissure water is a key parameter to justify the effect of fissure water pressure on the critical angle of landslide.

Weak Zone Related Seismic Cycles in Progressive Failure Leading to Collapse in Brittle Crust

Until quite recently our understanding of the basic mechanical process responsible for earthquakes and faulting was not well known. It can be argued that this was partly a consequence of the complex nature of fracture in crust and in part because evidence of brittle phenomena in the natural laboratory of the earth is often obliterated or obscured by other geological processes. While it is well understood that the spatial and temporal complexity of earthquakes and the fault structures emerge from geometrical and material built-in heterogeneities, one important open question is how the shearing becomes localized into a band of intense fractures. Here the authors address these questions through a numerical approach of a tectonic plate by considering rockmass heterogeneity both in microscopic scale and in mesoscopic scale. Numerical simulations of the progressive failure leading to collapse under long-range slow driving forces in the far-field show earthquake-like rupture behavior. $En Echelon$ crack-arrays are reproduced in the numerical simulation. It is demonstrated that the underlying fracturing induced acoustic emissions (or seismic events) display self-organized criticality------from disorder to order. The seismic cycles and the geometric structures of the fracture faces, which are found greatly depending on the material heterogeneity (especially on the macroscopic scale), agree with that observed experimentally in real brittle materials. It is concluded that in order to predict a main shock, one must have extremely detailed knowledge on very minor features of the earth's crust far from the place where the earthquake originated. If correct, the model proposed here seemingly provides an explanation as to why earthquakes to date are not predicted so successfully. The reason is not that the authors do not understand earthquake mechanisms very well but that they still know little about our earth's crust.

On failure modes and strength characterization of brittle disordered materials under uniaxial compression and tension

With a newly developed Material Failure Process Analysis code (MFPA(2D)), influence of hetero geneity on fracture processes and strength characterization of brittle disorder materials such as rock or concrete is numerically studied under uniaxial compression and tension conditions. It is found th at, due to the heterogeneity of the disordered material, relatively more diffused micro-fractures appear in the early stage of loading. Different from homogeneous materials such as glass, macro-crack nucleation starts well before the peak stress is reached and the crack propagation and coalescence can be traced, which can be taken as a precursory to predict the macro-fracture of the material. The presence of residual strength in the post-peak region and the resemblance in the stress-strain curves between tension and compression are significant results and are found to be dependent on the heterogeneity of the specimens. Examples showing the tentative applications of MFPA(2D) in modeling failure of composite materials and rock or civil engineering problem are also given in this paper.

Desde las fragmentaciones sociales hasta las vulnerabilidades individuales : perspectivas para la psicología del mañana

Resumen: Esta conferencia propone una puesta en perspectiva sociohistórica del simposio “Riesgos, desigualdades y fragmentaciones sociales vinculados al trabajo”. Eso recuerda primero que los fenómenos de fragmentación social y de vulnerabilidad adulta estuvieron, desde 1895, en el origen y la gestación de las principales corrientes de la psicología. Posteriormente se cambia a la lógica “fragmentación-vulnerabilidad” a través de los conceptos de precariedad y de vulnerabilidad psicológica. Finalmente se sugiere que, distinguiendo la fragilidad humana de la vulnerabilidad adulta, la psicología puede por un lado entender mejor la actual obsesión de prevención de los riesgos y por otra parte la oscilación adulta entre fragmentación “vulnerabilizante” y conciliación fatigante

Evaluation of the conventional surveying equipment applied to deformation analysis of heritage buildings. A case study: the bell tower of Santa María la Blanca church in Agoncillo (La Rioja, Spain)

Contributed to: "Measuring the Changes": 13th FIG International Symposium on Deformation Measurements and Analysis; 4th IAG Symposium on Geodesy for Geotechnical and Structural Enginering (Lisbon, Portugal, May 12-15, 2008).

Submarine landslides : selected studies in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone

Submarine Landslides: An Introduction 1 By RIo Lee, W.C. Schwab, and J.S. Booth U.S. Atlantic Continental Slope Landslides: Their Distribution, General Anributes, and Implications 14 By J.S. Booth, D.W. O'Leary, Peter Popenoe, and W.W. Danforth Submarine Mass Movement, a Formative Process of Passive Continental Margins: The Munson-Nygren Landslide Complex and the Southeast New England Landslide Complex 23 By D.W. O'Leary The Cape Fear Landslide: Slope Failure Associated with Salt Diapirism and Gas Hydrate Decomposition 40 By Peter Popenoe, E.A. Schmuck, and W.P. Dillon Ancient Crustal Fractures Control the Location and Size of Collapsed Blocks at the Blake Escarpment, East of Florida 54 By W.P. Dillon, J.S. Risch, K.M. Scanlon, P.C. Valentine, and Q.J. Huggett Tectonic and Stratigraphic Control on a Giant Submarine Slope Failure: Puerto Rico Insular Slope 60 By W.C. Schwab, W.W. Danforth, and K.M. Scanlon Slope Failure of Carbonate Sediment on the West Florida Slope 69 By D.C. Twichell, P.C. Valentine, and L.M. Parson Slope Failures in an Area of High Sedimentation Rate: Offshore Mississippi River Delta 79 By J.M. Coleman, D.B. Prior, L.E. Garrison, and H.J. Lee Salt Tectonics and Slope Failure in an Area of Salt Domes in the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico 92 By B.A. McGregor, R.G. Rothwell, N.H. Kenyon, and D.C. Twichell Slope Stability in Regions 01 Sea-Floor Gas Hydrate: Beaufort Sea Continental Slope 97 By R.E. Kayen and H.J. Lee Mass Movement Related to Large Submarine Canyons Along the Beringian Margin, Alaska 104 By P.R. Carlson, H.A. Karl, B.D. Edwards, J.V. Gardner, and R. Hall Comparison of Tectonic and Stratigraphic Control of Submarine Landslides on the Kodiak Upper Continental Slope, Alaska 117 By M.A. Hampton Submarine Landslides That Had a Significant Impact on Man and His Activities: Seward and Valdez, Alaska 123 By M.A. Hampton, R.W. Lemke, and H.W. Coulter Processes Controlling the Style of Mass Movement in Glaciomarine Sediment: Northeastern Gulf of Alaska 135 By W.C. Schwab and H.J. Lee Contents V VI Contents Liquefaction of Continental Shelf Sediment: The Northern California Earthquake of 1980 143 By M.E. Field A Submarine Landslide Associated with Shallow Sea-Floor Gas and Gas Hydrates off Northern California 151 By M.E. Field and J.H. Barber, Jr. Sur Submarine Landslide, a Deep-Water Sediment Slope Failure 158 By C.E. Gutmacher and W.R. Normark Seismically Induced Mudflow in Santa Barbara Basin, California 167 By B.D. Edwards, H.J. Lee, and M.E. Field Submarine Landslides in a Basin and Ridge Setting, Southern California 176 By M.E. Field and B.D. Edwards Giant Volcano-Related Landslides and the Development of the Hawaiian Islands 184 By W.R. Normark, J.G. Moore, and M.E. Torresan Submarine Slope Failures Initiated by Hurricane Iwa, Kahe Point, Oahu, Hawaii 197 By W.R. Normark, Pat Wilde, J.F. Campbell, T.E. Chase, and Bruce Tsutsui (PDF contains 210 pages)

A Psicodinâmica do Reconhecimento no Trabalho de Informática de Terceirizados e Concursados da Câmara dos Deputados

A pesquisa analisou a psicodinâmica do reconhecimento no trabalho de informática da Câmara dos Deputados investigando a organização do trabalho, as contradições entre o trabalho prescrito e o trabalho real e as vivências de prazer e sofrimento dos concursados e terceirizados. O método utilizado foi da psicodinâmica do trabalho com apoio da análise de discurso. Os dados coletados foram classificados como: organização do trabalho; vivências de prazer e sofrimento; e reconhecimento. Após a investigação os resultados comprovaram a precarização e fragilidade sócio-econômica dos terceirizados, apesar da visibilidade e reconhecimento de suas tarefas e, por parte dos concursados, sobrecarga e características de narcisismo.

Análisis del mercado del rating de las emisiones de titulación en España (1993-2011)

[ES] La calificación crediticia externa es un elemento clave para el buen fin de las operaciones de titulización. No obstante, las agencias de calificación han sido objeto de una intensa controversia, cuestionándose su fiabilidad y objetividad. En este trabajo abundamos en esta cuestión, analizando la distribución de los ratings otorgados a las emisiones de bonos de titulización llevadas a cabo en España (1993-2011), uno de los países más activos en cuanto al volumen de emisiones, llegaron a ocupar el segundo puesto a nivel europeo y el tercero a nivel mundial. Aportamos evidencia sobre ciertas anomalías entre las que cabe destacar la estructura oligopolística del mercado del rating, la fragilidad desde una perspectiva histórica de las calificaciones otorgadas, y la existencia de patrones no homogéneos en la elección de la agencia de calificación, tanto si se tiene en cuenta la sociedad gestora, como el colateral de respaldo.

Proof of Concept of Impact Detection in Composites Using Fiber Bragg Grating Arrays

Impact detection in aeronautical structures allows predicting their future reliability and performance. An impact can produce microscopic fissures that could evolve into fractures or even the total collapse of the structure, so it is important to know the location and severity of each impact. For this purpose, optical fibers with Bragg gratings are used to analyze each impact and the vibrations generated by them. In this paper it is proven that optical fibers with Bragg gratings can be used to detect impacts, and also that a high-frequency interrogator is necessary to collect valuable information about the impacts. The use of two interrogators constitutes the main novelty of this paper.

Attenuation tomography. Modelling regional love waves: Imperial Valley to Pasadena

Abstract to Part I

The inverse problem of seismic wave attenuation is solved by an iterative back-projection method. The seismic wave quality factor, Q, can be estimated approximately by inverting the S-to-P amplitude ratios. Effects of various uncertain ties in the method are tested and the attenuation tomography is shown to be useful in solving for the spatial variations in attenuation structure and in estimating the effective seismic quality factor of attenuating anomalies.

Back-projection attenuation tomography is applied to two cases in southern California: Imperial Valley and the Coso-Indian Wells region. In the Coso-Indian Wells region, a highly attenuating body (S-wave quality factor (Q_β ≈ 30) coincides with a slow P-wave anomaly mapped by Walck and Clayton (1987). This coincidence suggests the presence of a magmatic or hydrothermal body 3 to 5 km deep in the Indian Wells region. In the Imperial Valley, slow P-wave travel-time anomalies and highly attenuating S-wave anomalies were found in the Brawley seismic zone at a depth of 8 to 12 km. The effective S-wave quality factor is very low (Q_β ≈ 20) and the P-wave velocity is 10% slower than the surrounding areas. These results suggest either magmatic or hydrothermal intrusions, or fractures at depth, possibly related to active shear in the Brawley seismic zone.

No-block inversion is a generalized tomographic method utilizing the continuous form of an inverse problem. The inverse problem of attenuation can be posed in a continuous form , and the no-block inversion technique is applied to the same data set used in the back-projection tomography. A relatively small data set with little redundancy enables us to apply both techniques to a similar degree of resolution. The results obtained by the two methods are very similar. By applying the two methods to the same data set, formal errors and resolution can be directly computed for the final model, and the objectivity of the final result can be enhanced.

Both methods of attenuation tomography are applied to a data set of local earthquakes in Kilauea, Hawaii, to solve for the attenuation structure under Kilauea and the East Rift Zone. The shallow Kilauea magma chamber, East Rift Zone and the Mauna Loa magma chamber are delineated as attenuating anomalies. Detailed inversion reveals shallow secondary magma reservoirs at Mauna Ulu and Puu Oo, the present sites of volcanic eruptions. The Hilina Fault zone is highly attenuating, dominating the attenuating anomalies at shallow depths. The magma conduit system along the summit and the East Rift Zone of Kilauea shows up as a continuous supply channel extending down to a depth of approximately 6 km. The Southwest Rift Zone, on the other hand, is not delineated by attenuating anomalies, except at a depth of 8-12 km, where an attenuating anomaly is imaged west of Puu Kou. The Ylauna Loa chamber is seated at a deeper level (about 6-10 km) than the Kilauea magma chamber. Resolution in the Mauna Loa area is not as good as in the Kilauea area, and there is a trade-off between the depth extent of the magma chamber imaged under Mauna Loa and the error that is due to poor ray coverage. Kilauea magma chamber, on the other hand, is well resolved, according to a resolution test done at the location of the magma chamber.

Abstract to Part II

Long period seismograms recorded at Pasadena of earthquakes occurring along a profile to Imperial Valley are studied in terms of source phenomena (e.g., source mechanisms and depths) versus path effects. Some of the events have known source parameters, determined by teleseismic or near-field studies, and are used as master events in a forward modeling exercise to derive the Green's functions (SH displacements at Pasadena that are due to a pure strike-slip or dip-slip mechanism) that describe the propagation effects along the profile. Both timing and waveforms of records are matched by synthetics calculated from 2-dimensional velocity models. The best 2-dimensional section begins at Imperial Valley with a thin crust containing the basin structure and thickens towards Pasadena. The detailed nature of the transition zone at the base of the crust controls the early arriving shorter periods (strong motions), while the edge of the basin controls the scattered longer period surface waves. From the waveform characteristics alone, shallow events in the basin are easily distinguished from deep events, and the amount of strike-slip versus dip-slip motion is also easily determined. Those events rupturing the sediments, such as the 1979 Imperial Valley earthquake, can be recognized easily by a late-arriving scattered Love wave that has been delayed by the very slow path across the shallow valley structure.

Investigation of nematode Eustrongylides larvae infections in mudfish Clarias gariepinus and C. anguillaris from Bida floodplain of Nigeria

This is the first report and record of the determination whether mudfish Clarias were infected with the larvae of the nematode Eustrongylides. Also, documented the assessment of the socio-economic perceptions of three groups of fisher folks on the economy of infected mudfish Clarias fishing activities. Fifty-six (67.5%) of 83 mudfish Clarias caught by artisanal fisher folks were examined for the presence of the larvae of the nematode Eustrongylides. All the 8 sampled fishing localities in Bida floodplain of Nigeria had a mean intensity and abundance of at least 3 and 1 worm per fish per site, respectively. Two hundred and one (96.2%) of 209 worms recovered were from the musculatures at different depths resulting in undulations on the skin surfaces as grub-like presentations. The three groups of fisher folks assessed encountered economic losses from nematode infected mudfish Clarias which attract much debates or rejections during marketing due to its aesthetically displeasing appearance, faster deterioration, higher fragility in smoked form coupled with poorer taste compared to the wholesome ones. Infected female mudfish Clarias had higher worm burden than the males, for each fishing locality

I. Impact spallation experiments: fracture patterns and spall velocities. II. Craters in carbonate rocks: an electron paramagnetic resonance analysis of shock damage

This work is divided into two independent papers.

PAPER 1.

Spall velocities were measured for nine experimental impacts into San Marcos gabbro targets. Impact velocities ranged from 1 to 6.5 km/sec. Projectiles were iron, aluminum, lead, and basalt of varying sizes. The projectile masses ranged from a 4 g lead bullet to a 0.04 g aluminum sphere. The velocities of fragments were measured from high-speed films taken of the events. The maximum spall velocity observed was 30 m/sec, or 0.56 percent of the 5.4 km/sec impact velocity. The measured velocities were compared to the spall velocities predicted by the spallation model of Melosh (1984). The compatibility between the spallation model for large planetary impacts and the results of these small scale experiments are considered in detail.

The targets were also bisected to observe the pattern of internal fractures. A series of fractures were observed, whose location coincided with the boundary between rock subjected to the peak shock compression and a theoretical "near surface zone" predicted by the spallation model. Thus, between this boundary and the free surface, the target material should receive reduced levels of compressive stress as compared to the more highly shocked region below.

PAPER 2.

Carbonate samples from the nuclear explosion crater, OAK, and a terrestrial impact crater, Meteor Crater, were analyzed for shock damage using electron para- magnetic resonance, EPR. The first series of samples for OAK Crater were obtained from six boreholes within the crater, and the second series were ejecta samples recovered from the crater floor. The degree of shock damage in the carbonate material was assessed by comparing the sample spectra to spectra of Solenhofen limestone, which had been shocked to known pressures.

The results of the OAK borehole analysis have identified a thin zone of highly shocked carbonate material underneath the crater floor. This zone has a maximum depth of approximately 200 ft below sea floor at the ground zero borehole and decreases in depth towards the crater rim. A layer of highly shocked material is also found on the surface in the vicinity of the reference bolehole, located outside the crater. This material could represent a fallout layer. The ejecta samples have experienced a range of shock pressures.

It was also demonstrated that the EPR technique is feasible for the study of terrestrial impact craters formed in carbonate bedrock. The results for the Meteor Crater analysis suggest a slight degree of shock damage present in the β member of the Kaibab Formation exposed in the crater walls.

A Study on iron-based amorphous alloys : alloy development, thermodynamics and soft magnetism

Metallic glass has since its debut been of great research interest due to its profound scientific significance. Magnetic metallic glasses are of special interest because of their promising technological applications. In this thesis, we introduced a novel series of Fe-based alloys and offer a holistic review of the physics and properties of these alloys. A systematic alloy development and optimization method was introduced, with experimental implementation on transition metal based alloying system. A deep understanding on the influencing factors of glass forming ability was brought up and discussed, based on classical nucleation theory. Experimental data of the new Fe-based amorphous alloys were interpreted to further analyze those influencing factors, including reduced glass transition temperature, fragility, and liquid-crystal interface free energy. Various treatments (fluxing, overheating, etc.) were discussed for their impacts on the alloying systems' thermodynamics and glass forming ability. Multiple experimental characterization methods were discussed to measure the alloys' soft magnetic properties. In addition to theoretical and experimental investigation, we also gave a detailed numerical analysis on the rapid-discharge-heating-and-forming platform. It is a novel experimental system which offers extremely fast heating rate for calorimetric characterization and alloy deformation.