Experimental Evaluation of Strain Shielding in Distal Femur in Revision TKA

Theoretical concerns about the use of cemented and press-fit stems in revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA) include stress shielding with adverse effects on prosthesis fixation. Radiological studies have showed distal femoral bone resorption after revision TKA. The revision with use of stems can place abnormal stresses. These stresses can promote the effect of bone stress shielding and may contribute to bone loss. Experimental quantification of strain shielding in the distal synthetic femur following TKA is the main purpose of the present study. Three different constructs of TKA were assessed. The first construct included a stemless femoral component. The other two included a press-fit and a cemented femoral stem. Cortical bone strains were measured experimentally with tri-axial strain gauges in synthetic femurs before and after in-vitro knee surgery. The difference between principal strains of implanted and intact femur was calculated for each strain gauge position. This study indicates that the use of stems in distal femur changes the distribution and magnitude of bone strains. The press-fit stem provoked relevant bone area (stem length) subjected to strain shielding and also originated the highest reduction of strains in the distal region, which can potentially induce bone resorption. The stemless implanted femur produced minor bone strain changes relatively to the intact femur. The use of distal femur stems increases initial stability in the bone, but the observed reduction of strains in this region, relative to the intact femur, provokes strain shielding that can induce bone resorption and may compromise the long term implant stability.     

Simultaneous Determination of Carbamate and Organophosphorus Pesticides in Honeybees by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Summary The potential of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) has been studied for the simultaneous determination of sixteen carbamate and organophosphorus pesticides in honeybees using a traditional sample preparation protocol based on acetone extraction and dichloromethane partitioning. The performances of both atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) and electrospray (ES) interfaces were compared. APCI offered better sensitivity and specificity for a higher range of pesticides. Limits of quantification were from 0.01 to 0.17 mg kg^–1, at which recoveries obtained were between 64 and 93%, except for pirimicarb that was at 13%, with relative standard deviations ranging from 7 to 20%. Fenitrothion, fenoxycarb, methiocarb and phoxim were found in bees from Valencian Community beehives at concentrations between 0.03 and 3.75 mg kg^–1.     

Rigorous Generalization of Young's Law for Heterogeneous and Rough Substrates

We consider a SOS type model of interfaces on a substrate which is both heterogeneous and rough. We first show that, for appropriate values of the parameters, the differential wall tension that governs wetting on such a substrate satisfies a generalized law which combines both Cassie and Wenzel laws. Then in the case of an homogeneous substrate, we show that this differential wall tension satisfies either the Wenzel's law or the Cassie's law, according to the values of the parameters.     

Boundary blow-up for differential equations with indefinite weight

We obtain results of existence and multiplicity of solutions for the second-order equation x″+q(t)g(x)=0, with x(t) defined for all t∈]0,1[ and such that x(t)→+∞ as t→0⁺ and t→1⁻. We assume g having superlinear growth at infinity and q(t) possibly changing sign on [0,1].     

High order linear initial-value problems and Schauder bases

In this paper we approximate the solution of a linear initial-value problem, making use of a Schauder basis for certain Banach space associated with such a differential problem. In addition, we apply that results in order to calculate numerically the response from a structure modelled by a three degree-of-freedom mass–damper–spring system.     

A SAXS study of the nanostructural characteristics of TEOS-derived sonogels upon heat treatment up to 1100 °C

Xerogels obtained from the acid-catalyzed and ultrasound stimulated hydrolysis of TEOS were submitted to heat treatment at temperatures ranging from 60 to 1100 °C and studied by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The SAXS intensity as a function of the modulus of the scattering vector q was obtained in the range from q₀=0.19 to q_m=4.4 nm⁻¹. At 60 °C the xerogels exhibit an apparent surface fractal structure with a fractal dimension D_S∼2.5 in a length scale ranging from 1/q₁∼1 to 1/q_m∼0.22 nm. This structure becomes extremely rough at 120 °C (D_S∼3) and at 150 °C, it apparently converts to a mass fractal with a fractal dimension D∼2.4. This may mean an emptying of the pores with preservation of a share of the original mass fractal structure of the wet aged gel, for it had presented a mass fractal dimension D∼2.2. A well characterized porous structure formed by 2.0 nm mean size pores with smooth surface of about 380 m²/g is formed at 300 °C and remains stable until approximately 800 °C. At 900 °C the SAXS intensity vanishes indicating the disappearance of the pores in the probed length scale. The elimination of the nanopores occurs by a mechanism in which the number of pores diminishes keeping constant their mean size. The xerogels exhibit a foaming phenomenon above 900 °C and scatter following Porod's law as does a surface formed by a coarse structure.     

Solvent-dependent host–guest complexation of two homologous merocyanines by a water-soluble calix[8]arene: Spectroscopic analysis and structural calculations

The sulfonated calixarene I₈C₁₂ acts as a host for homologous merocyanines Mc1 and Mc2 in organic solvents, exhibiting neither selectivity towards the guest dyes nor solvent dependence of the complexation equilibria. In water, on the contrary, only the lower homologue, Mc1, is solubilized in the presence of the calixarene. A combination of UV–visible and fluorescence spectroscopic and photophysical analysis and MD structural simulation of the calixarene-dye complexes was employed to account for the observations, and suggests that a radical change in the complexation mode occurs upon moving from an organic to an aqueous environment.     

The effect of microwave annealing on the electrical characteristics of lanthanum doped bismuth titanate films obtained by the polymeric precursor method

Lanthanum doped bismuth titanate thin films (Bi_3.25La_0.75Ti₃O₁₂ - BLT) were produced by the polymeric precursor method and crystallized in a domestic microwave oven and in conventional furnace. Using platinum coated silicon substrates configuration, ferroelectric properties of the films were determined with remanent polarization P_r and a coercive field E_c of 3.9 μC/cm² and 70 kV/cm for the film annealed in the microwave oven and 20 μC/cm² and 52 kV/cm for the film annealed in conventional furnace, respectively. The films annealed in conventional furnace exhibited excellent retention-free characteristics at low infant periods indicating that BLT thin films can be a promise material for use in non-volatile memories. On the other hand, the pinning of domains wall causes a strong decay at low infant periods for the films annealed in the microwave furnace which makes undesireable the application for future FeRAMS memories.     

Should Epstein strip arrangement be changed?

The paper describes effect of texture on the anisotropy of magnetic properties and shows that an Epstein strip arrangement including strips cut in a direction 45° to the rolling direction gives property values that are closer to the average values than the traditional RD+TD arrangement.     

利用低能质子束产生高强度放射性束流

加拿大TRIUMF实验室利用¹¹C成功验证了一种产生高强度(～10⁸ions/s)放射性束流的方法. 该方法不同于普通在线同位素分离方法, 它利用了13MeV的低能强流质子束, 可以产生一系列核天体物理实验感兴趣的高强度放射性束流.