Anelastic relaxation due to hydrogen in Ti-35Nb-7Zr-5Ta alloy

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Diffusion of Interstitial Elements in Ti Alloys used as Biomaterials

Titanium alloys are excellent implant materials for orthopedic applications due to their desirable properties, such as good corrosion resistance, low elasticity modulus, and excellent biocompatibility. The presence of interstitial elements (such as oxygen and nitrogen) causes strong changes in the material's mechanical properties, mainly in its elastic properties. Study of the interaction among interstitial elements present in metals began with Snoek's postulate, that a stress-induced ordering of interstitials gives rise to a peak in the mechanical relaxation (internal friction) spectra. In the mechanical relaxation spectra, each species of interstitial solute atom gives rise to a distinct Snoek's peak, whose temperature and position depend on the measurement frequency. This effect is very interesting because its peculiar parameters are directly related to the diffusion coefficient (D) for the interstitial solute. This paper presents a study of diffusion of heavy interstitial elements in Ti-35Nb-7Zr-5Ta alloys using mechanical spectroscopy. Pre-exponential factors and activation energies are calculated for oxygen and nitrogen in theses alloys.

Oxygen Diffusion in Ti-20Mo Alloys, used as Biomaterial, Measured by Mechanical Spectroscopy

Titanium alloys are favorable implant materials for orthopedic applications, due to their desirable properties such as good corrosion resistance, low elasticity modulus, and excellent biocornpatibility. The research on titanium alloys is concentrated in the beta type, as the Ti-20Mo alloys and the addition of interstitial elements in these metals cause changes in their mechanical properties. The mechanical spectroscopy measurements have been frequently used in order to verify the behavior of these interstitials atoms in metallic alloys. This paper presents the study of oxygen diffusion in Ti-20Mo alloys using mechanical spectroscopy measurements. A thermally activated relaxation structure was observed in the sample after oxygen doping. It was associated with the interstitial diffusion of oxygen atoms in a solid solution in the alloy. The diffusion coefficient for the oxygen diffusion in the alloy was obtained by the frequency dependence of the peak temperature and by using a simple mathematical treatment of the relaxation structure and the Arrhenius law.

Production of a low young modulus titanium alloy by powder metallurgy

Titanium alloys have several advantages over ferrous and non-ferrous metallic materials, such as high strengthto-weight ratio and excellent corrosion resistance. A blended elemental titanium powder metallurgy process has been developed to offer low cost commercial products. The process employs hydride-dehydride (HDH) powders as raw material. In this work, results of the Ti-35Nb alloy sintering are presented. This alloy due to its lower modulus of elasticity and high biocompatibility is a promising candidate for aerospace and medical use. Samples were produced by mixing of initial metallic powders followed by uniaxial and cold isostatic pressing with subsequent densification by isochronal sintering between 900 up to 1600 °C, in vacuum. Sintering behavior was studied by means of microscopy and density. Sintered samples were characterized for phase composition, microstructure and microhardness by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and Vickers indentation, respectively. Samples sintered at high temperatures display a fine plate-like alpha structure and intergranular beta. A few remaining pores are still found and density above 90% for specimens sintered in temperatures over 1500 °C is reached.

Preparation and Characterization of Ti-15Mo Alloy used as Biomaterial

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Efeito tardio e imediato da sutura em tendão extrassinovial íntegro: estudo biomecânico em ratos

OBJETIVO: O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar o efeito, nas propriedades mecânicas, do arranjo de reparo com material de sutura, no tendão calcâneo de rato, na ausência de processo de cicatrização. MÉTODO: Foram utilizados 12 ratos machos da linhagem Wistar. Os animais foram submetidos à colocação de ponto de sutura tipo Kessler modificado no tendão calcâneo. Os sacrifícios foram realizados nos períodos imediato e com seis semanas de pós-operatório. As propriedades mecânicas estudadas foram: carga máxima, tensão na carga máxima e módulo de elasticidade. O tendão contralateral foi usado como controle. RESULTADOS: A análise estatística indicou que, em relação aos períodos estudados, os valores das propriedades mecânicas não apresentaram diferenças significativas. em relação ao controle, isto é, tendão contralateral sem sutura, os resultados demonstram que, com seis semanas de pós-operatório, houve queda dos valores do módulo de elasticidade, enquanto a carga máxima e a tensão na carga máxima não apresentaram variações significativas. CONCLUSÃO: A colocação de material de sutura em tendão extrassinovial não lesado provocou queda do módulo de elasticidade, porém não interferiu na carga máxima e na tensão na carga máxima após seis semanas de pós-operatório.

Análise comparativa das propriedades mecânicas do ligamento da patela e do tendão calcâneo

Com a finalidade de se comparar as propriedades mecânicas do ligamento da patela e do tendão calcâneo foram realizados ensaios de tração em material obtido de 25 cadáveres humanos. A idade dos doadores foi 58 ± 14 anos (33-85), sendo 19 (76%) masculinos e 6 (24%) femininos, 23 brancos (92%) e dois negros (8%). Os materiais foram testados em seus 10 mm centrais, com velocidade de aplicação de carga de 30 mm/min. Foi obtida a área de secção dos corpos de prova para que fossem estudadas as propriedades estruturais e materiais. Foram estudadas as seguintes variáveis: carga máxima (N), tensão(MPa), módulo de elasticidade (MPa), energia (Nm), alongamento absoluto (mm) e específico (%), limite de proporcionalidade (N), além da tensão (MPa) e alongamentos neste ponto. A análise estatística revelou que ambos possuem carga máxima, limite de proporcionalidade e tensão semelhantes (p>0,05). Nas outras variáveis ocorreu diferença significativa (p<0,05) com o tendão calcâneo apresentando valores maiores para energia e alongamento. O módulo de elasticidade, significativamente maior no ligamento da patela (p<0,05), foi a variável que melhor caracterizou a diferença do comportamento mecânico dos dois materiais.

Food restriction induces in vivo ventricular dysfunction in spontaneously hypertensive rats without impairment of in vitro myocardial contractility

Cardiac structures, function, and myocardial contractility are affected by food restriction (FR). There are few experiments associating undernutrition with hypertension. The aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of FR on the cardiac response to hypertension in a genetic model of hypertension, the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). Five-month-old SHR were fed a control or a calorie-restricted diet for 90 days. Global left ventricle (LV) systolic function was evaluated in vivo by transthoracic echocardiogram and myocardial contractility and diastolic function were assessed in vitro in an isovolumetrically beating isolated heart (Langendorff preparation). FR reduced LV systolic function (control (mean ± SD): 58.9 ± 8.2; FR: 50.8 ± 4.8%, N = 14, P < 0.05). Myocardial contractility was preserved when assessed by the +dP/dt (control: 3493 ± 379; FR: 3555 ± 211 mmHg/s, P > 0.05), and developed pressure (in vitro) at diastolic pressure of zero (control: 152 ± 16; FR: 149 ± 15 mmHg, N = 9, P > 0.05) and 25 mmHg (control: 155 ± 9; FR: 150 ± 10 mmHg, N = 9, P > 0.05). FR also induced eccentric ventricular remodeling, and reduced myocardial elasticity (control: 10.9 ± 1.6; FR: 9.2 ± 0.9%, N = 9, P < 0.05) and LV compliance (control: 82.6 ± 16.5; FR: 68.2 ± 9.1%, N = 9, P < 0.05). We conclude that FR causes systolic ventricular dysfunction without in vitro change in myocardial contractility and diastolic dysfunction probably due to a reduction in myocardial elasticity.

Sistemas computacionais espaço-temporais para toma de decisão em questões ambientais relacionadas à indústria de petróleo e gás

The area between São Bento do Norte and Macau cities, located in the northern coast of the Rio Grande do Norte State is submitted to intense and constant processes of littoral and aeolian transport, causing erosion, alterations in the sediments balance and modifications in the shoreline. Beyond these natural factors, the human interference is huge in the surroundings, composed by sensitive places, due to the existence of the Guamaré Petroliferous Pole, RN, the greater terrestrial oil producing in Brazil, besides the activities of the salt companies and shrimp farms. This socioeconomic-environmental context justifies the elaboration of strategies of environmental monitoring of that coastal area. In the environmental monitoring of coastal strips, submitted to human impacts, the use of multi-sources and multitemporal data integrated through a Spatio- Temporal Database that allows the multiuser friendly access. The objective was to use the potential of the computational systems as important tools the managers of environmental monitoring. The stored data in the form of a virtual library aid in making decisions from the related results and presented in different formats. This procedure enlarges the use of the data in the preventive attendance, in the planning of future actions and in the definition of new lines of researches on the area, in a multiscale approach. Another activity of this Thesis consisted on the development of a computational system to automate the process to elaborate Oil-Spill Environmental Sensitivity Maps, based on the temporal variations that some coastal ecosystems present in the sensibility to the oil. The maps generated in this way, based on the methodology proposed by the Ministério do Meio Ambiente, supply more updated information about the behavior of the ecosystem, as a support to the operations in case of oil spill. Some parameters, such as the hydrodynamic data, the declivity of the beach face, types of resources in risk (environmental, economical, human or cultural) and use and occupation of the area are some of the essential basic information in the elaboration of the sensitivity maps, which suffer temporal alterations.In this way, the two computational systems developed are considered support systems to the decision, because they provide operational subsidies to the environmental monitoring of the coastal areas, considering the transformations in the behavior of coastal elements resulting from temporal changes related the human and/or natural interference of the environment

Autologous implant of bone marrow mononuclear cells as treatment of induced equine tendinitis

Superficial digital flexor tendonitis is an important cause of lameness in horses and its incidence ranges from 13% to 30%, depending on the horse's activity. This injury can occur in yearlings and compromise its carriers by reinjury or even impossibility to return to athletic life. In spite of the long period required for tendon repair, the scar tissue presents lack of elasticity and stiffness. As current treatment strategies produce only marginal results, there has been great interest in research of therapies that influence the quality or the speed of tendon repair. Stem cell therapy has shown promising results in degenerative diseases and cases of deficient healing processes. This study aims to evaluate the influence of autologous mesenchymal bone marrow stem cells in tendon healing, comparing treated and non-treated tendons. Superficial digital flexor tendonitis lesions were induced by collagenase infiltration in both forelimbs of 6 horses, followed by autologous implant in one of the forelimbs of each animal. The horses were evaluated using clinical, ultrasonographic, histopathologic, and immunohistochemical parameters. Tendon biopsies were performed at Day 48. Results found in the treatment group, such as high inflammatory cells infiltration, extracellular matrix synthesis, reduced amount of necrosis areas, small increase in cellular proliferation (KI-67/MIB-1), and low immunoreactivity to transforming growth factor P I, suggested the acceleration of tendon repair in this group. Further studies should be conducted in order to verify the influence of this treatment on later phases of tendon repair. Overall, after analysis of the results, we can conclude that cellular therapy with the mononuclear fraction of bone marrow has accelerated tendon repair at 48 days after treatment.

Long-term nano-mechanical properties of biomodified dentin-resin interface components

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Nanomechanical properties of biochemically modified dentin bonded interfaces

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effect of Superstructure Materials and Misfit on Stress Distribution in a Single Implant-Supported Prosthesis: A Finite Element Analysis

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Theoretical Models for Surface Forces and Adhesion and Their Measurement Using Atomic Force Microscopy

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Advancements in the knowledge of induced tooth movement: idiopathic osteosclerosis, cortical bone and orthodontic movement

Movimentar ortodonticamente os dentes por áreas densas do trabeculado ósseo e pelas corticais pode requerer uma redução na intensidade e/ou na concentração das forças aplicadas. em parte, as forças ortodônticas aplicadas são dissipadas e reduzidas pela deflexão óssea que ocorre pelo discreto grau de elasticidade do tecido ósseo em condições de normalidade. Nas áreas de trabeculado denso e nas corticais, essa deflexão deve ser irrisória ou inexistente. Se não houver uma redução na intensidade das forças nessas regiões citadas, toda a força incidirá sobre a estrutura do ligamento periodontal, aumentando o risco de morte dos cementoblastos, hialinização e reabsorções radiculares. Novos trabalhos poderiam avaliar a prevalência dessas consequências em casuísticas selecionadas para essa finalidade, que, assim, deixariam de ser observações aleatórias.