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- Konferenzveröffentlichung (38)
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Schlagworte
- Finite-Elemente-Methode (7)
- Clusterion (5)
- Air purification (4)
- Einspielen <Werkstoff> (4)
- Hämoglobin (4)
- Limit analysis (4)
- Luftreiniger (4)
- Plasmacluster ion technology (4)
- Raumluft (4)
- Sonde (4)
- Eisschicht (3)
- Kohlenstofffaser (3)
- Lipopolysaccharide (3)
- Shakedown analysis (3)
- Technische Mechanik (3)
- lipopolysaccharides (3)
- Analytischer Zulaessigkeitsnachweis (2)
- Bruchmechanik (2)
- Einspiel-Analyse (2)
- Erythrozyt (2)
- FEM (2)
- Fibroblast (2)
- Pflanzenphysiologie (2)
- Pflanzenscanner (2)
- Shakedown (2)
- Stickstoffmonoxid (2)
- celldrum technology (2)
- nanostructured carbonized plant parts (2)
- nanostrukturierte carbonisierte Pflanzenteile (2)
- nitric oxide gas (2)
- plant scanner (2)
- ratchetting (2)
- shakedown (2)
- shakedown analysis (2)
- Adsorption (1)
- Alternating plasticity (1)
- Analysis (1)
- Anastomose (1)
- Anastomosis (1)
- Arthosetherapie (1)
- Aufschlagversuch (1)
- Autofluoreszenzverfahren (1)
- Axialbelastung (1)
- Axially cracked pipe (1)
- Bacterial cellulose (1)
- Bakterien (1)
- Biomechanics (1)
- Biomechanik (1)
- Biomedizinische Technik (1)
- Bioreaktor (1)
- Blutzellenlagerung (1)
- Bone quality and biomechanics (1)
- Carbon sources (1)
- Cellulose nanostructure (1)
- Cement infiltration (1)
- Cost-effectiveness (1)
- Culture media (1)
- Dattel (1)
- Deformation (1)
- Dekontamination (1)
- Design-by-analysis (1)
- Druckbeanspruchung (1)
- Druckbehälter (1)
- Druckbelastung (1)
- Einspiel-Kriterium (1)
- Einspielen (1)
- Elastostatics (1)
- Elektrodynamik (1)
- Endothelzelle (1)
- Environmental impact (1)
- Epithel (1)
- Exact Ilyushin yield surface (1)
- Experiment (1)
- Fehlerstellen (1)
- Finite element method (1)
- First Order Reliabiblity Method (1)
- First-order reliability method (1)
- Fließgrenze (1)
- Fußball (1)
- Geriatric (1)
- Global and local collapse (1)
- Gonarthrose (1)
- Grenzwertberechnung (1)
- Harnleiter (1)
- Hemoglobin structure (1)
- Hip fractures (1)
- Hydrodynamik (1)
- Hydrogel (1)
- Hämoglobinstruktur (1)
- Kinematics (1)
- Kinetics (1)
- Kniegelenkarthrose (1)
- Knochen (1)
- Knochenbildung (1)
- Knochenchirugie (1)
- Knochendichte (1)
- Körpertemperatur (1)
- Lichtstreuungsbasierte Instrumente (1)
- MBST (1)
- Mechanics (1)
- Mechanische Beanspruchung (1)
- Medusomyces gisevi (1)
- Natriumhypochlorit (1)
- Organkultur (1)
- Osteoporose (1)
- Osteoporosis (1)
- PFM (1)
- Permeability (1)
- Permeabilität (1)
- Pflanzenstress (1)
- Plastizität (1)
- Pressure loaded crack-face (1)
- Prevention (1)
- Progressive plastic deformation (1)
- Prophylaxis (1)
- Proteine (1)
- Random variable (1)
- Ratcheting (1)
- Ratchetting (1)
- Red blood cell storage (1)
- Rohr (1)
- Rohrbruch (1)
- Schienbeinschoner (1)
- Schwammknochen (1)
- Sensitivity (1)
- Sepsis (1)
- Shakedown criterion (1)
- Skeletal muscle (1)
- Small Aral Sea (1)
- Stahl (1)
- Statics (1)
- Strukturanalyse (1)
- Temperaturabhängigkeit (1)
- Tendons (1)
- Tissue Engineering (1)
- Traglastanalyse (1)
- Ultrasound (1)
- Vertebroplastie (1)
- Vertebroplasty (1)
- Viscous flow (1)
- Viskose Strömung (1)
- Viskosität (1)
- Wasserbrücke (1)
- Wasserstoffperoxid (1)
- Wolff's Law (1)
- Wolffsches Gesetz (1)
- Wundheilung (1)
- Zug-Druck Belastung (1)
- activated nanostructured carbon (1)
- aktivierte nanostrukturierte Kohlenstofffaser (1)
- alternierend Verformbarkeit (1)
- arthrosis therapy (1)
- autofluorescence-based detection system (1)
- bone density (1)
- bone structure (1)
- burst pressure (1)
- burst tests (1)
- cancellous bone (1)
- carbonized rice husk (1)
- contractile tension (1)
- cytosolic water diffusion (1)
- date palm tree (1)
- design-by-analysis (1)
- ecological structure (1)
- epithelization (1)
- finite element analysis (1)
- flaw (1)
- fortschreitende plastische Deformation (1)
- gonarthrosis (1)
- hemoglobin (1)
- hemoglobin dynamics (1)
- human dermal fibroblasts (1)
- hydrogel (1)
- kontraktile Spannung (1)
- light scattering analysis (1)
- limit and shakedown analysis (1)
- linear kinematic hardening (1)
- load limit (1)
- material shakedown (1)
- metagenomics (1)
- microbial diversity (1)
- nonlinear kinematic hardening (1)
- pipes (1)
- plant stress (1)
- plasma generated ions (1)
- probabilistic fracture mechanics (1)
- protein (1)
- rhAPC (1)
- second-order reliability method (1)
- shotgun sequencing (1)
- subglacial aquatic ecosystems (1)
- subsurface ice (1)
- subsurface ice research (1)
- subsurface probe (1)
- tension–torsion loading (1)
- vessels (1)
- water bridge phenomenon (1)
- wound healing (1)
- yield stress (1)
The carbonized rice husk (CRH) was evaluated for its wound healing activity in rats using excision models. In this study, the influences of CRH on wound healing in rat skin in vivo and cellular behavior of human dermal fibroblasts in vitro were investigated. The obtained results showed that the CRH treatment promoted wound epithelization in rats and exhibited moderate inhibition of cell proliferation in vitro. CRH with lanolin oil treated wounds were found to epithelize faster as compared to controls.
Microbial diversity studies regarding the aquatic communities that experienced or are experiencing environmental problems are essential for the comprehension of the remediation dynamics. In this pilot study, we present data on the phylogenetic and ecological structure of microorganisms from epipelagic water samples collected in the Small Aral Sea (SAS). The raw data were generated by massive parallel sequencing using the shotgun approach. As expected, most of the identified DNA sequences belonged to Terrabacteria and Actinobacteria (40% and 37% of the total reads, respectively). The occurrence of Deinococcus-Thermus, Armatimonadetes, Chloroflexi in the epipelagic SAS waters was less anticipated. Surprising was also the detection of sequences, which are characteristic for strict anaerobes—Ignavibacteria, hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria, and archaeal methanogenic species. We suppose that the observed very broad range of phylogenetic and ecological features displayed by the SAS reads demonstrates a more intensive mixing of water masses originating from diverse ecological niches of the Aral-Syr Darya River basin than presumed before.
Background
Hip fractures are a common and costly health problem, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality, as well as high costs for healthcare systems, especially for the elderly. Implementing surgical preventive strategies has the potential to improve the quality of life and reduce the burden on healthcare resources, particularly in the long term. However, there are currently limited guidelines for standardizing hip fracture prophylaxis practices.
Methods
This study used a cost-effectiveness analysis with a finite-state Markov model and cohort simulation to evaluate the primary and secondary surgical prevention of hip fractures in the elderly. Patients aged 60 to 90 years were simulated in two different models (A and B) to assess prevention at different levels. Model A assumed prophylaxis was performed during the fracture operation on the contralateral side, while Model B included individuals with high fracture risk factors. Costs were obtained from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and transition probabilities and health state utilities were derived from available literature. The baseline assumption was a 10% reduction in fracture risk after prophylaxis. A sensitivity analysis was also conducted to assess the reliability and variability of the results.
Results
With a 10% fracture risk reduction, model A costs between $8,850 and $46,940 per quality-adjusted life-year ($/QALY). Additionally, it proved most cost-effective in the age range between 61 and 81 years. The sensitivity analysis established that a reduction of ≥ 2.8% is needed for prophylaxis to be definitely cost-effective. The cost-effectiveness at the secondary prevention level was most sensitive to the cost of the contralateral side’s prophylaxis, the patient’s age, and fracture treatment cost. For high-risk patients with no fracture history, the cost-effectiveness of a preventive strategy depends on their risk profile. In the baseline analysis, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio at the primary prevention level varied between $11,000/QALY and $74,000/QALY, which is below the defined willingness to pay threshold.
Conclusion
Due to the high cost of hip fracture treatment and its increased morbidity, surgical prophylaxis strategies have demonstrated that they can significantly relieve the healthcare system. Various key assumptions facilitated the modeling, allowing for adequate room for uncertainty. Further research is needed to evaluate health-state-associated risks.
One of interesting but not well known water properties is related to appearance of highly ordered structures in response to strong electrical field. In 1893 Sir William Armstrong placed a cotton thread between two wine glasses filled with chemically pure water. When high DC voltage was applied between the glasses, a connection consisting of water formed, producing a "water bridge"
Tests with palm tree leaves have just started yet and scan data are in the process to be analyzed. The final goal of future project for palm tree gender and species recognition will be to develop optical scanning technology to be applied to date palm tree leaves for in–situ screening purposes. Depending on the software used and the particular requirements of the users the technology potentially shall be able to identify palm tree diseases, palm tree gender, and species of young date palm trees by scanning leaves.
Recent analysis of scientific data from Cassini and earth-based observations gave evidence for a global ocean under a surrounding solid ice shell on Saturn's moon Enceladus. Images of Enceladus' South Pole showed several fissures in the ice shell with plumes constantly exhausting frozen water particles, building up the E-Ring, one of the outer rings of Saturn. In this southern region of Enceladus, the ice shell is considered to be as thin as 2 km, about an order of magnitude thinner than on the rest of the moon. Under the ice shell, there is a global ocean consisting of liquid water. Scientists are discussing different approaches the possibilities of taking samples of water, i.e. by melting through the ice using a melting probe. FH Aachen UAS developed a prototype of maneuverable melting probe which can navigate through the ice that has already been tested successfully in a terrestrial environment. This means no atmosphere and or ambient pressure, low ice temperatures of around 100 to 150K (near the South Pole) and a very low gravity of 0,114 m/s^2 or 1100 μg. Two of these influencing measures are about to be investigated at FH Aachen UAS in 2017, low ice temperature and low ambient pressure below the triple point of water. Low gravity cannot be easily simulated inside a large experiment chamber, though. Numerical simulations of the melting process at RWTH Aachen however are showing a gravity dependence of melting behavior. Considering this aspect, VIPER provides a link between large-scale experimental simulations at FH Aachen UAS and numerical simulations at RWTH Aachen. To analyze the melting process, about 90 seconds of experiment time in reduced gravity and low ambient pressure is provided by the REXUS rocket. In this time frame, the melting speed and contact force between ice and probes are measured, as well as heating power and a two-dimensional array of ice temperatures. Additionally, visual and infrared cameras are used to observe the melting process.
Cement augmentation is an emerging surgical procedure in which bone cement is used to infiltrate and reinforce osteoporotic vertebrae. Although this infiltration procedure has been widely applied, it is performed empirically and little is known about the flow characteristics of cement during the injection process. We present a theoretical and experimental approach to investigate the intertrabecular bone permeability during the infiltration procedure. The cement permeability was considered to be dependent on time, bone porosity, and cement viscosity in our analysis. In order to determine the time-dependent permeability, ten cancellous bone cores were harvested from osteoporotic vertebrae, infiltrated with acrylic cement at a constant flow rate, and the pressure drop across the cores during the infiltration was measured. The viscosity dependence of the permeability was determined based on published experimental data. The theoretical model for the permeability as a function of bone porosity and time was then fit to the testing data. Our findings suggest that the intertrabecular bone permeability depends strongly on time. For instance, the initial permeability (60.89 mm4/N.s) reduced to approximately 63% of its original value within 18 seconds. This study is the first to analyze cement flow through osteoporotic bone. The theoretical and experimental models provided in this paper are generic. Thus, they can be used to systematically study and optimize the infiltration process for clinical practice.
The importance of the availability of stored blood or blood cells, respectively, for urgent transfusion cannot be overestimated. Nowadays, blood storage becomes even more important since blood products are used for epidemiological studies, bio-technical research or banked for transfusion purposes. Thus blood samples must not only be processed, stored, and shipped to preserve their efficacy and safety, but also all parameters of storage must be recorded and reported for Quality Assurance. Therefore, blood banks and clinical research facilities are seeking more accurate, automated means for blood storage and blood processing.
As a deduction from these results, we can conclude that proteins mainly in vitro, denaturate totally at a temperature between 57°C -62°C, and they also affected by NO and different ions types. In which mainly, NO cause earlier protein denaturation, which means that, NO has a destabilizing effect on proteins, and also different ions will alter the protein denaturation in which, some ions will cause earlier protein denaturation while others not.
A 3D finite element model of the female pelvic floor for the reconstruction of urinary incontinence
(2014)
The ”IceMole“ is a novel maneuverable subsurface ice probe for clean in-situ analysis and sampling of subsurface ice and subglacial water/brine. It is developed and build at FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences’ Astronautical Laboratory. A first prototype was successfully tested on the Swiss Morteratsch glacier in 2010. Clean sampling is achieved with a hollow ice screw (as it is used in mountaineering) at the tip of the probe. Maneuverability is achieved with a differentially heated melting head. Funded by the German Space Agency (DLR), a consortium led by FH Aachen currently develops a much more advanced IceMole probe, which includes a sophisticated system for obstacle avoidance, target detection, and navigation in the ice. We intend to use this probe for taking clean samples of subglacial brine at the Blood Falls (McMurdo Dry Valleys, East Antarctica) for chemical and microbiological analysis. In our conference contribution, we 1) describe the IceMole design, 2) report the results of the field tests of the first prototype on the Morteratsch glacier, 3) discuss the probe’s potential for the clean in-situ analysis and sampling of subsurface ice and subglacial liquids, and 4) outline the way ahead in the development of this technology.
In this chapter, the key technologies and the instrumentation required for the subsurface exploration of ocean worlds are discussed. The focus is laid on Jupiter’s moon Europa and Saturn’s moon Enceladus because they have the highest potential for such missions in the near future. The exploration of their oceans requires landing on the surface, penetrating the thick ice shell with an ice-penetrating probe, and probably diving with an underwater vehicle through dozens of kilometers of water to the ocean floor, to have the chance to find life, if it exists. Technologically, such missions are extremely challenging. The required key technologies include power generation, communications, pressure resistance, radiation hardness, corrosion protection, navigation, miniaturization, autonomy, and sterilization and cleaning. Simpler mission concepts involve impactors and penetrators or – in the case of Enceladus – plume-fly-through missions.
We present the novel concept of a combined drilling and melting probe for subsurface ice research. This probe, named “IceMole”, is currently developed, built, and tested at the FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences’ Astronautical Laboratory. Here, we describe its first prototype design and report the results of its field tests on the Swiss Morteratsch glacier. Although the IceMole design is currently adapted to terrestrial glaciers and ice shields, it may later be modified for the subsurface in-situ investigation of extraterrestrial ice, e.g., on Mars, Europa, and Enceladus. If life exists on those bodies, it may be present in the ice (as life can also be found in the deep ice of Earth).
In this work, the effects of carbon sources and culture media on the production and structural properties of bacterial cellulose (BC) synthesized by Medusomyces gisevii have been studied. The culture medium was composed of different initial concentrations of glucose or sucrose dissolved in 0.4% extract of plain green tea. Parameters of the culture media (titratable acidity, substrate conversion degree etc.) were monitored daily for 20 days of cultivation. The BC pellicles produced on different carbon sources were characterized in terms of biomass yield, crystallinity and morphology by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Our results showed that Medusomyces gisevii had higher BC yields in media with sugar concentrations close to 10 g L−1 after a 18–20 days incubation period. Glucose in general lead to a higher BC yield (173 g L−1) compared to sucrose (163.5 g L−1). The BC crystallinity degree and surface roughness were higher in the samples synthetized from sucrose. Obtained FE-SEM micrographs show that the BC pellicles synthesized in the sucrose media contained densely packed tangles of cellulose fibrils whereas the BC produced in the glucose media displayed rather linear geometry of the BC fibrils without noticeable aggregates.
A melting probe equipped with autofluorescence-based detection system combined with a light scattering unit, and, optionally, with a microarray chip would be ideally suited to probe icy environments like Europa’s ice layer as well as the polar ice layers of Earth and Mars for recent and extinct live.
Mechanical stimulation of the cells resulted in evident changes in the cell morphology, protein composition and gene expression. Microscopically, additional formation of stress fibers accompanied by cell re-arrangements in a monolayer was observed. Also, significant activation of p53 gene was revealed as compared to control. Interestingly, the use of CellTech membrane coating induced cell death after mechanical stress had been applied. Such an effect was not detected when fibronectin had been used as an adhesion substrate.
Recently, SHARP corporation has developed the world’s first “Plasma Cluster Ions (PCI)” air purification technology, which uses plasma discharge to generate cluster ions. The new plasma cluster device releases into the air positive and negative ions, which are harmless to humans and are able to decompose and deactivate airborne substances by chemical reactions. A lot of phenomenological tests of the PCI air purification technology on microbial cells have been conducted. And, in most cases, it has been shown that PCI demonstrate strongly pronounced killing effect. Although, the particular mechanisms of PCI action are still not evident. We studied variations in resistance to PCI among gram-positive airborne microorganisms, as well as some dose-dependent, spatial, cultural and biochemical properties of PCI action in respect of Staphylococcus spp, Enterococcus spp, Micrococcus spp.
Recently, the SHARP Corporation, Japan, has developed the world’s first "Plasma Cluster Ions (PCI)" air purification technology using plasma discharge to generate cluster ions. The new plasma cluster device releases positive and negative ions into the air, which are able to decompose and deactivate harmful airborne substances by chemical reactions. Because cluster ions consist of positive and negative ions that normally exist in the natural world, they are completely harmless and safe to humans. The amount of ozone generated by cluster ions is less than 0.01 ppm, which is significantly less than the 0.05-ppm standard for industrial operations and consumer electronics. This amount, thus, has no harming effects whatsoever on the human body. But particular properties and chemical processes in PCI treatment are still under study. It has been shown that PCI in most cases show strongly pronounced irreversible killing effects in respect of airborne microflora due to free-radical induced reactions and can be considered as a potent technology to disinfect both home, medical and industrial appliances.
Summary and Conclusions PCIs were clearly effective in terms of their antibacterial effects with the strains tested. This efficacy increased with the time the bacteries were exposed to PCIs. The bactericidal action has proved to be irreversible. PCIs were significantly less effective in shadowed areas. PCI exposure caused multiple protein damages as observed in SDS PAGE studies. There was no single but multiple molecular mechanism causing the bacterial death.
Recently, SHARP corporation has developed the world’s first "Plasma Cluster Ions® (PCI)" air purification technology, which uses plasma discharge to generate cluster ions. The new Plasma Cluster Device releases positive and negative ions into the air, which are harmless to humans and are able to decompose and deactivate airborne substances by chemical reactions. In the past, phenomenological tests on the efficacy of the PCI air purification technology on microbial cells have been conducted. In most cases, it has been shown that PCI demonstrated strongly pronounced killing effects on microorganisms. However, the particular mechanisms of PCI action still have to be uncovered.
Diese Studie beschäftigte sich mit der Dämpfungswirkung von Schienbeinschonern, wie sie beim Fußball zum Einsatz kommen. Sie wurde mit Hilfe eines Pendelhammers durchgeführt, der verschiedene Aufschlagkräfte auf die Schoner ermöglichte. Dabei wurde deutlich, dass Schienbeinschoner die beste Wirkung bei Maximalkräften unterhalb von 5kN erreichen können, dass bei größerer Belastung allerdings Verbesserungsbedarf besteht. Hierfür konnte, u.a. durch den Einsatz neuer Materialien, ein guter Ansatzpunkt im „adäquaten Zusammenspiel von Schale und Polsterung“ der Schoner gefunden werden. Die Untersuchung hat weiterhin gezeigt, dass zumindest teilweise eine deutliche Verbesserung der Dämpfungswirkung der Schienbeinschoner in den letzten Jahren erreicht werden konnte.
Electromechanical model of hiPSC-derived ventricular cardiomyocytes cocultured with fibroblasts
(2018)
The CellDrum provides an experimental setup to study the mechanical effects of fibroblasts co-cultured with hiPSC-derived ventricular cardiomyocytes. Multi-scale computational models based on the Finite Element Method are developed. Coupled electrical cardiomyocyte-fibroblast models (cell level) are embedded into reaction-diffusion equations (tissue level) which compute the propagation of the action potential in the cardiac tissue. Electromechanical coupling is realised by an excitation-contraction model (cell level) and the active stress arising during contraction is added to the passive stress in the force balance, which determines the tissue displacement (tissue level). Tissue parameters in the model can be identified experimentally to the specific sample.
An optimization method is developed to describe the mechanical behaviour of the human cancellous bone. The method is based on a mixture theory. A careful observation of the behaviour of the bone material leads to the hypothesis that the bone density is controlled by the principal stress trajectories (Wolff’s law). The basic idea of the developed method is the coupling of a scalar value via an eigenvalue problem to the principal stress trajectories. On the one hand this theory will permit a prediction of the reaction of the biological bone structure after the implantation of a prosthesis, on the other hand it may be useful in engineering optimization problems. An analytical example shows its efficiency.
Originalausgabe: Orthopädische Praxis Jg. 47. 2011 H. 11; S. 536-543. Mit freundlicher Genehmigung des Verlags Zusammenfassung: Auf der Basis von Patientenabfragen mittels Fragebogen zum Schmerzempfinden und zur Einschränkung bei Aktivitäten des alltäglichen Lebens wird die Langzeitwirkung der MBST® KernspinResonanz-Therapie bei Gonarthrose untersucht. An der Studie nahmen 39 Patienten teil, bei denen die Therapie bis zu vier Jahre zurückliegt. Neben einer Gesamtbetrachtung wird der Erfolg auch in Abhängigkeit von Alter, Geschlecht und sportlicher Aktivität analysiert. Insgesamt weist die Studie auf eine anhaltende Verbesserung des Gesundheitszustands mit zum Teil deutlicher Schmerzlinderung auch noch nach vier Jahren hin, jedoch mit einer leichten Schmerzzunahme gegen Ende des Untersuchungszeitraums von vier Jahren. Eine tendenziell positivere Wirkung bei Frauen, älteren Menschen oder auch sportlich nicht-aktiven Patienten lässt auf eine mögliche Beeinflussung des Erfolgs der Therapie durch (Über-)Belastung im Alltag schließen. Ein zusätzlich positiver Effekt der Therapie auf die Knochendichte ist ebenfalls denkbar, dies bleibt jedoch offen.
The sorption of LPS toxic shock by nanoparticles on base of carbonized vegetable raw materials
(2008)
Immobilization of lactobacillus on high temperature carbonizated vegetable raw material (rice husk, grape stones) increases their physiological activity and the quantity of the antibacterial metabolits, that consequently lead to increase of the antagonistic activity of lactobacillus. It is implies that the use of the nanosorbents for the attachment of the probiotical microorganisms are highly perspective for decision the important problems, such as the probiotical preparations delivery to the right address and their attachment to intestines mucosa with the following detoxication of gastro-intestinal tract and the normalization of it’s microecology. Besides that, thus, the received carbonizated nanoparticles have peculiar properties – ability to sorption of LPS toxical shock and, hence, to the detoxication of LPS.
The absence of a general method for endotoxin removal from liquid interfaces gives an opportunity to find new methods and materials to overcome this gap. Activated nanostructured carbon is a promising material that showed good adsorption properties due to its vast pore network and high surface area. The aim of this study is to find the adsorption rates for a carboneous material produced at different temperatures, as well as to reveal possible differences between the performance of the material for each of the adsorbates used during the study (hemoglobin, serum albumin and lipopolysaccharide, LPS).
Plant physiology and plant stress: Plant physiology will be much more important for human mankind because of yield and cultivation limits of crops determined by their resistance to stress. To assess and counteract various stress factors it is necessary to conduct plant research to gain information and results on plant physiology.
Contractile behavior of the gastrocnemius medialis muscle during running in simulated hypogravity
(2021)
Vigorous exercise countermeasures in microgravity can largely attenuate muscular degeneration, albeit the extent of applied loading is key for the extent of muscle wasting. Running on the International Space Station is usually performed with maximum loads of 70% body weight (0.7 g). However, it has not been investigated how the reduced musculoskeletal loading affects muscle and series elastic element dynamics, and thereby force and power generation. Therefore, this study examined the effects of running on the vertical treadmill facility, a ground-based analog, at simulated 0.7 g on gastrocnemius medialis contractile behavior. The results reveal that fascicle−series elastic element behavior differs between simulated hypogravity and 1 g running. Whilst shorter peak series elastic element lengths at simulated 0.7 g appear to be the result of lower muscular and gravitational forces acting on it, increased fascicle lengths and decreased velocities could not be anticipated, but may inform the development of optimized running training in hypogravity. However, whether the alterations in contractile behavior precipitate musculoskeletal degeneration warrants further study.
The international partnership of space agencies has agreed to proceed forward to the Moon sustainably. Activities on the Lunar surface (0.16 g) will allow crewmembers to advance the exploration skills needed when expanding human presence to Mars (0.38 g). Whilst data from actual hypogravity activities are limited to the Apollo missions, simulation studies have indicated that ground reaction forces, mechanical work, muscle activation, and joint angles decrease with declining gravity level. However, these alterations in locomotion biomechanics do not necessarily scale to the gravity level, the reduction in gastrocnemius medialis activation even appears to level off around 0.2 g, while muscle activation pattern remains similar. Thus, it is difficult to predict whether gastrocnemius medialis contractile behavior during running on Moon will basically be the same as on Mars. Therefore, this study investigated lower limb joint kinematics and gastrocnemius medialis behavior during running at 1 g, simulated Martian gravity, and simulated Lunar gravity on the vertical treadmill facility. The results indicate that hypogravity-induced alterations in joint kinematics and contractile behavior still persist between simulated running on the Moon and Mars. This contrasts with the concept of a ceiling effect and should be carefully considered when evaluating exercise prescriptions and the transferability of locomotion practiced in Lunar gravity to Martian gravity.
The demand of replacements for inoperable organs exceeds the amount of available organ transplants. Therefore, tissue engineering developed as a multidisciplinary field of research for autologous in-vitro organs. Such three dimensional tissue constructs request the application of a bioreactor. The UREPLACE bioreactor is used to grow cells on tubular collagen scaffolds OPTIMAIX Sponge 1 with a maximal length of 7 cm, in order to culture in vitro an adequate ureter replacement. With a rotating unit, (urothelial) cells can be placed homogeneously on the inner scaffold surface. Furthermore, a stimulation is combined with this bioreactor resulting in an orientation of muscle cells. These culturing methods request a precise control of several parameters and actuators. A combination of a LabBox and the suitable software LabVision is used to set and conduct parameters like rotation angles, velocities, pressures and other important cell culture values. The bioreactor was tested waterproof successfully. Furthermore, the temperature controlling was adjusted to 37 °C and the CO2 - concentration regulated to 5 %. Additionally, the pH step responses of several substances showed a perfect functioning of the designed flow chamber. All used software was tested and remained stable for several days.
Limit loads can be calculated with the finite element method (FEM) for any component, defect geometry, and loading. FEM suggests that published long crack limit formulae for axial defects under-estimate the burst pressure for internal surface defects in thick pipes while limit loads are not conservative for deep cracks and for pressure loaded crack-faces. Very deep cracks have a residual strength, which is modelled by a global collapse load. These observations are combined to derive new analytical local and global collapse loads. The global collapse loads are close to FEM limit analyses for all crack dimensions.
Improved collapse loads of thick-walled, crack containing pipes and vessels are suggested. Very deep cracks have a residual strength which is better modelled by a global limit load. In all burst tests, the ductility of pressure vessel steels was sufficiently high whereby the burst pressure could be predicted by limit analysis with no need to apply fracture mechanics. The relative prognosis error increases however, for long and deep defects due to uncertainties of geometry and strength data.
This paper presents the direct route to Design by Analysis (DBA) of the new European pressure vessel standard in the language of limit and shakedown analysis (LISA). This approach leads to an optimization problem. Its solution with Finite Element Analysis is demonstrated for some examples from the DBA-Manual. One observation from the examples is, that the optimisation approach gives reliable and close lower bound solutions leading to simple and optimised design decision.
Structural design analyses are conducted with the aim of verifying the exclusion of ratchetting. To this end it is important to make a clear distinction between the shakedown range and the ratchetting range. The performed experiment comprised a hollow tension specimen which was subjected to alternating axial forces, superimposed with constant moments. First, a series of uniaxial tests has been carried out in order to calibrate a bounded kinematic hardening rule. The load parameters have been selected on the basis of previous shakedown analyses with the PERMAS code using a kinematic hardening material model. It is shown that this shakedown analysis gives reasonable agreement between the experimental and the numerical results. A linear and a nonlinear kinematic hardening model of two-surface plasticity are compared in material shakedown analysis.
In the new European standard for unfired pressure vessels, EN 13445-3, there are two approaches for carrying out a Design-by-Analysis that cover both the stress categorization method (Annex C) and the direct route method (Annex B) for a check against global plastic deformation and against progressive plastic deformation. This paper presents the direct route in the language of limit and shakedown analysis. This approach leads to an optimization problem. Its solution with Finite Element Analysis is demonstrated for mechanical and thermal actions. One observation from the examples is that the so-called 3f (3Sm) criterion fails to be a reliable check against progressive plastic deformation. Precise conditions are given, which greatly restrict the applicability of the 3f criterion.
In: Technical feasibility and reliability of passive safety systems for nuclear power plants. Proceedings of an Advisory Group Meeting held in Jülich, 21-24 November 1994. - Vienna , 1996. - Seite: 43 - 55 IAEA-TECDOC-920 Abstract: It is shown that the difficulty for probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) is the general problem of the high reliability of a small population. There is no way around the problem as yet. Therefore what PFM can contribute to the reliability of steel pressure boundaries is demonstrated with the example of a typical reactor pressure vessel and critically discussed. Although no method is distinguishable that could give exact failure probabilities, PFM has several additional chances. Upper limits for failure probability may be obtained together with trends for design and operating conditions. Further, PFM can identify the most sensitive parameters, improved control of which would increase reliability. Thus PFM should play a vital role in the analysis of steel pressure boundaries despite all shortcomings.
Extension fractures are typical for the deformation under low or no confining pressure. They can be explained by a phenomenological extension strain failure criterion. In the past, a simple empirical criterion for fracture initiation in brittle rock has been developed. In this article, it is shown that the simple extension strain criterion makes unrealistic strength predictions in biaxial compression and tension. To overcome this major limitation, a new extension strain criterion is proposed by adding a weighted principal shear component to the simple criterion. The shear weight is chosen, such that the enriched extension strain criterion represents the same failure surface as the Mohr–Coulomb (MC) criterion. Thus, the MC criterion has been derived as an extension strain criterion predicting extension failure modes, which are unexpected in the classical understanding of the failure of cohesive-frictional materials. In progressive damage of rock, the most likely fracture direction is orthogonal to the maximum extension strain leading to dilatancy. The enriched extension strain criterion is proposed as a threshold surface for crack initiation CI and crack damage CD and as a failure surface at peak stress CP. Different from compressive loading, tensile loading requires only a limited number of critical cracks to cause failure. Therefore, for tensile stresses, the failure criteria must be modified somehow, possibly by a cut-off corresponding to the CI stress. Examples show that the enriched extension strain criterion predicts much lower volumes of damaged rock mass compared to the simple extension strain criterion.