The influence of uncemented femoral stem length and design on its primary stability: a finite element analysis

One of the crucial factors for short- and long-term clinical success of total hip arthroplasty cementless implants is primary stability. Indeed, motion at the bone–implant interface above 40 μm leads to partial bone ingrowth, while motion exceeding 150 μm completely inhibits bone ingrowth. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of two cementless femoral stem designs with different lengths on the primary stability. A finite element model of a composite Sawbones^® fourth generation, implanted with five lengths of the straight prosthesis design and four lengths of the curved prosthesis design, was loaded with hip joint and abductor forces representing two physiological activities: fast walking and stair climbing. We found that reducing the straight stem length from 146 to 54 mm increased the average micromotion from 17 to 52 μm during fast walking, while the peak value increased from 42 to 104 μm. With the curved stem, reducing length from 105 to 54 mm increased the average micromotion from 10 to 29 μm, while the peak value increased from 37 to 101 μm. Similar findings are obtained for stair climbing for both stems. Although the present study showed that femoral stem length as well as stem design directly influences its primary stability, for the two femoral stems tested, length could be reduced substantially without compromising the primary stability. With the aim of minimising surgical invasiveness, newer femoral stem design and currently well performing stems might be used with a reduced length without compromising primary stability and hence, long-term survivorship.     

Design of a resilient ring for middle ear’s chamber stapes prosthesis

Abstract

This paper presents the process of designing a new elastic element replacing a membrane in the chamber stapes prosthesis (ChSP). The results of the study are volume displacement characteristics obtained for the prosthesis and physiological stapes. Simulation tests on a 3D CAD model have confirmed that a properly designed ring can stimulate perilymph with the same or greater efficacy as the physiological stapes footplate placed on the elastic annular ligament. The ChSP with a new elastic element creates a good chance of improving hearing in patients suffering from otosclerosis.     

Finite element analysis of peri-implant bone volume affected by stresses around Morse taper implants: effects of implant positioning to the bone crest

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the distribution and magnitude of stresses through the bone tissue surrounding Morse taper dental implants at different positioning relative to the bone crest. Materials and Methods: A mandibular bone model was obtained from a computed tomography scan. A three-dimensional (3D) model of Morse taper implant-abutment systems placed at the bone crest (equicrestal) and 2?mm bellow the bone crest (subcrestal) were assessed by finite element analysis (FEA). FEA was carried out on axial and oblique (45°) loading at 150 N relatively to the central axis of the implant. The von Mises stresses were analysed considering magnitude and volume of affected peri-implant bone. Results: On vertical loading, maximum von Mises stresses were recorded at 6-7?MPa for trabecular bone while values ranging from 73 up to 118?MPa were recorded for cortical bone. On oblique loading at the equiquestral or subcrestal positioning, the maximum von Mises stresses ranged from 15 to 21?MPa for trabecular bone while values at 150?MPa were recorded for the cortical bone. On vertical loading, >99.9vol.% cortical bone volume was subjected to a maximum of 2?MPa while von Mises stress values at 15?MPa were recorded for trabecular bone. On oblique loading, >99.9vol.% trabecular bone volume was subjected to maximum stress values at 5?MPa, while von Mises stress values at 35?MPa were recorded for >99.4vol.% cortical bone. Conclusions: Bone volume-based stress analysis revealed that most of the bone volume (>99% by vol) was subjected to significantly lower stress values around Morse taper implants placed at equicrestal or subcrestal positioning. Such analysis is commentary to the ordinary biomechanical assessment of dental implants concerning the stress distribution through peri-implant sites.     

Geometrical optimisation of a biochip microchannel fluidic separator

This article reports on the geometric optimisation of a T-shaped biochip microchannel fluidic separator aiming to maximise the separation efficiency of plasma from blood through the improvement of the unbalanced separation performance among different channel bifurcations. For this purpose, an algebraic analysis is firstly implemented to identify the key parameters affecting fluid separation. A numerical optimisation is then carried out to search the key parameters for improved separation performance of the biochip. Three parameters, the interval length between bifurcations, the main channel length from the outlet to the bifurcation region and the side channel geometry, are identified as the key characteristic sizes and defined as optimisation variables. A balanced flow rate ratio between the main and side channels, which is an indication of separation effectiveness, is defined as the objective. It is found that the degradation of the separation performance is caused by the unbalanced channel resistance ratio between the main and side channel routes from bifurcations to outlets. The effects of the three key parameters can be summarised as follows: (a) shortening the interval length between bifurcations moderately reduces the differences in the flow rate ratios; (b) extending the length of the main channel from the main outlet is effective for achieving a uniformity of flow rate ratio but ineffective in changing the velocity difference of the side channels and (c) decreasing the lengths of side channels from upstream to downstream is effective for both obtaining a uniform flow rate ratio and reducing the differences in the flow velocities between the side branch channels. An optimisation process combining the three parameters is suggested as this integration approach leads to fast convergent process and also offers flexible design options for satisfying different requirements.     

In vivo measurement of surface skin strain during human gait to improve the design of rehabilitation devices

Abstract

When designing any rehabilitation, sportswear or exoskeleton device the mechanical behaviour of the body segment must be known, specifically the skin, because an excessive tissue strain may lead to ulceration and bedsores. To date, it is not known if the kinematic variability between subjects have an effect on the skin strain field, and therefore, in the design and manufacturing of rehabilitation products, such as orthoses. Several studies have analysed the skin deformation during human motion, nevertheless, the comparison between the skin strain field in different subjects during normal or pathological gait has not been reported yet. This work presents a comparison of skin strain analysis for different gait patterns to study the differences between people and, specifically, if it is possible to standardize the orthotic design between subjects with the same gait disorder. Moreover, the areas with relatively minimum strain during the ankle-foot motion are compared to improve the design of structural parts of rehabilitation devices. In this case, a validated 3D digital image correlation system has been used for this purpose combined with strain ellipse theory. The results demonstrate variations in the skin strain field between subjects with the same pathology and similarities between subjects with normal gait. However, more studies and experiments are necessaries to validate this hypothesis and also to test it between different gait pathologies.     

Joseph Rudinger memorial lecture: Discovery and applications of cyclotides

Cyclotides are plant‐derived peptides of approximately 30 amino acids that have the characteristic structural features of a head‐to‐tail cyclized backbone and a cystine knot arrangement of their three conserved disulfide bonds. This article gives a personal account of the discovery of cyclotides, their characterization and their applications, based on work carried out in my laboratory over the last 20 years. It describes some of the background to their discovery and focuses on how their unique structural features lead to exceptional stability. This stability and their amenability to chemical synthesis have made it possible to use cyclotides as templates in protein engineering and drug design applications. These applications complement the interest in cyclotides deriving from their unique structures and natural function as host defense molecules. Copyright © 2013 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

MODEL DEVELOPMENT AND PROCESS OPTIMIZATION FOR SOLVENT EXTRACTION OF POLYPHENOLS FROM RED GRAPES USING BOX–BEHNKEN DESIGN

The objective of the present study is to find out the optimum extraction conditions for extraction of polyphenols from red grapes using Box–Behnken design. Red grapes polyphenols were extracted using acid–ethanol solvent at various extraction temperature (40–60°C), extraction time (20–100 min) and different solid–liquid ratio (1:5–1:15 g:ml). The effect (main and interactive) of extraction conditions on total anthocyanin, phenolic and flavonoid content were studied using Box–Behnken design (three factors at three levels). The results showed that the contribution of the quadratic model was significant for all the responses. Second-order mathematical regression models were developed and were found to fit well with observed data. Derringer's desirability function methodology was performed to find out the optimal conditions based on both individual and combinations of all responses (extraction temperature: 57°C, time: 61 min, and solid–liquid ratio: 1:8.7 g:ml) were established. At this optimal condition, the anthocyanin yield, total phenolic and flavonoid content were 73.92 mg/100 g, 221.4 mg GAE/100 g, and 79.08 mg CE/100 g, respectively. A desirability value of 0.902 was achieved at this point.     

Optimization of Intracellular Product Release from Neisseria denitrificans Using Microfluidizer

Disruption of Neisseria denitrificans cells by microfluidizer was optimized using a factorial experiments design. The pH, pretreatment time, cell concentration, NaCl, ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and Triton X-100 concentrations showed significant impact on disruption process and the process was optimized using central composite design and response surface methodology (RSM). Investigation revealed optimum conditions: 90 min pretreatment at pH 9.0 containing 110 g L^?1 cells (dry cell weight), 50 mM NaCl, 10 mM EDTA, and 0.2% Triton X-100. At optimized conditions, the disruption rate increased twofold, up to 5.62 ± 0.27 × 10^?3 MPa^-a; meanwhile, yield of intracellular content was increased by 26%, with 1 g of cells resulting in 113.2 ± 8.2 mg proteins, 12.1 ± 0.7 mg nucleic acids, 21.0 ± 1.2 mg polysaccharides, 0.99 ± 0.08 kU glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), and 10,100 ± 110 kU restriction endonuclease NdeI endonuclease. Particle size distribution analysis revealed nearly twofold larger cell lysate particles with diameter of 120 nm. For optimal release of intracellular content, 9200 J/g of energy was needed (95% confidence), yielding 6900 J/g energy savings. Model equations generated from RSM on cell disruption of N. denitrificans were found adequate to determine significant factors and its interaction. The results showed that optimized combination of known pretreatment and disruption methods could considerably improve cell disruption efficiency.