Fatigue Performance of Medical Ti6Al4V Alloy after Mechanical Surface Treatments

Mechanical surface treatments have a long history in traditional engineering disciplines, such as the automotive or aerospace industries. Today, they are widely applied to metal components to increase the mechanical performance of these. However, their application in the medical field is rather rare. The present study aims to compare the potential of relevant mechanical surface treatments on the high cycle fatigue (R = 0.1 for a maximum of 10 million cycles) performance of a Ti6Al4V standard alloy for orthopedic, spinal, dental and trauma surgical implants: shot peening, deep rolling, ultrasonic shot peening and laser shock peening. Hour-glass shaped Ti6Al4V specimens were treated and analyzed with regard to the material’s microstructure, microhardness, residual stress depth profiles and the mechanical behavior during fatigue testing. All treatments introduced substantial compressive residual stresses and exhibited considerable potential for increasing fatigue performance from 10% to 17.2% after laser shock peening compared to non-treated samples. It is assumed that final mechanical surface treatments may also increase fretting wear resistance in the modular connection of total hip and knee replacements.     

Transverse stresses and modes of failure in tree branches and other beams

The longitudinal stresses in beams subjected to bending also set up transverse stresses within them; they compress the cross section when the beam''s curvature is being increased and stretch it when its curvature is being reduced. Analysis shows that transverse stresses rise to a maximum at the neutral axis and increase with both the bending moment applied and the curvature of the beam. These stresses can qualitatively explain the fracture behaviour of tree branches. Curved ‘hazard beams’ that are being straightened split down the middle because of the low transverse tensile strength of wood. By contrast, straight branches of light wood buckle when they are bent because of its low transverse compressive strength. Branches of denser wood break, but the low transverse tensile strength diverts the crack longitudinally when the fracture has only run half-way across the beam, to produce their characteristic ‘greenstick fracture’. The bones of young mammals and uniaxially reinforced composite beams may also be prone to greenstick fracture because of their lower transverse tensile strength.     

Short Stop provides an essential link between F-actin and microtubules during axon extension

Coordination of F-actin and microtubule dynamics is important for cellular motility and morphogenesis, but little is known about underlying mechanisms. short stop (shot) encodes an evolutionarily conserved, neuronally expressed family of rod-like proteins required for sensory and motor axon extension in Drosophila melanogaster. We identify Shot isoforms that contain N-terminal F-actin and C-terminal microtubule-binding domains, and that crosslink F-actin and microtubules in cultured cells. The F-actin- and microtubule-binding domains of Shot are required in the same molecule for axon extension, though the length of the connecting rod domain can be dramatically reduced without affecting activity. Shot therefore functions as a cytoskeletal crosslinker in axon extension, rather than mediating independent interactions with F-actin and microtubules. A Ca(2+)-binding motif located adjacent to the microtubule-binding domain is also required for axon extension, suggesting that intracellular Ca(2+) release may regulate Shot activity. These results suggest that Shot coordinates regulated interactions between F-actin and microtubules that are crucial for neuronal morphogenesis.     

Comparative surface examinations of morse taper junctions of the MRP-Titan stem shot peened with glass beads]

INTRODUCTION: Shot peening is widely used for surface treatment of hip implants. Shot peening with steel balls followed by a cleaning process with glass beads is used for introduction of negative stress in the production of morse taper junctions of the MRP-Titan stem. An increasing number of publications in maxillofacial surgery and orthopaedic surgery show that there is a significant contamination of Alumina or glass blasted surfaces. Latest research suggested an association between contaminant particles with early loosening of endoprostheses (third body wear). The aim of this study is to evaluate the amount and the effects of surface contamination with glass particles on morse taper junctions of implants and explants of the MRP-Titan stem. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The surface of morse taper junctions of the MRP-Titan stem (5 original-package implants and explants each) are analysed for glass particle contamination. A field emission scanning electron microscopy (LEO 1525) is used for the detection of the glass-particles on the implant surface with a backscattered electron detector. The relative surface area covered by particles was calculated by means of an image analyzing software (analySIS, Soft Imaging System GmbH). RESULTS: The surface of the implants showed a considerable contamination with glass particles with a mean of 6.67 +/- 0.82% compared to 2.06 +/- 0.74% on the surface of the explants. The difference was statistically significant (p<0.0001). DISCUSSION: The results of this study show that there is a relative high percentage of contamination with glass particles on shot peened morse taper junctions of the MRP-Titan stem. This contamination is significantly lower on the surface of the explants. With respect to third body wear and osteolysis in total hip arthroplasty further studies are necessary to minimize contamination while maintaining adequate surface quality.     

A novel application of the principles of linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) to the fatigue behavior of tendon tissue

BACKGROUND: Experiments on the fatigue of tendons have shown that cyclic loading induces failure at stresses lower than the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of the tendons. The number of cycles to failure (Nf) has been shown to be dependent upon the magnitude of the applied cyclic stress. METHOD OF APPROACH: Utilizing data collected by Schechtman (1995), we demonstrate that the principles of Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFM) can be used to predict the fatigue behavior of tendons under cyclic loading for maximum stress levels that are higher than 10% of the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of the tendon (the experimental results at 10% UTS did not fit with our equations). CONCLUSIONS: LEFM and other FM approaches may prove to be very valuable in advancing our understanding of damage accumulation in soft connective tissues.     

Stresses on joints of Opuntia laevis: forces necessary for mechanical failure and role of lignified xylem cells as resistance components

Species of Opuntia exhibit a wide range of morphologies. Understanding these morphologies may require knowledge of the mechanical stresses on joints of stem segments and as well as the internal components in joints that withstand joint failure (separation of the terminal cladode from the sub-terminal cladode after weights were applied perpendicularly to the long axis). Results of stress testing terminal cladodes of Opuntia laevis provided the following conclusions: (1) amounts of applied stress for joint failure were not related to the amounts of stress on joints before stress testing; (2) breaking strength (failure stress) was accurately determined for joints from linear plots of M (bending moment) versus I/c (section modulus) [breaking stress for O. laevis was 2.77 kPa]; (3) bending moments at failure were twice as high for tensile portions than for compressive portions of joints; and (4) bending moments at failure were positively correlated with amounts of lignified xylem cells in joints [for each mm² of lignified xylem cells in joints there was an increase of 0.06 N m of bending moment]. These data support the overall hypothesis that bending stresses are the main stresses at joints of Opuntia laevis and that lignified xylem cells are the main components that resist joint failure. Moreover, since tensile portions have more lignified xylem cells than other stem portions, tensile portions can resist more applied stress.     

Bundles of Spider Silk,Braided into Sutures,Resist Basic Cyclic Tests: Potential Use for Flexor Tendon Repair

Repair success for injuries to the flexor tendon in the hand is often limited by the in vivo behaviour of the suture used for repair. Common problems associated with the choice of suture material include increased risk of infection, foreign body reactions, and inappropriate mechanical responses, particularly decreases in mechanical properties over time. Improved suture materials are therefore needed. As high-performance materials with excellent tensile strength, spider silk fibres are an extremely promising candidate for use in surgical sutures. However, the mechanical behaviour of sutures comprised of individual silk fibres braided together has not been thoroughly investigated. In the present study, we characterise the maximum tensile strength, stress, strain, elastic modulus, and fatigue response of silk sutures produced using different braiding methods to investigate the influence of braiding on the tensile properties of the sutures. The mechanical properties of conventional surgical sutures are also characterised to assess whether silk offers any advantages over conventional suture materials. The results demonstrate that braiding single spider silk fibres together produces strong sutures with excellent fatigue behaviour; the braided silk sutures exhibited tensile strengths comparable to those of conventional sutures and no loss of strength over 1000 fatigue cycles. In addition, the braiding technique had a significant influence on the tensile properties of the braided silk sutures. These results suggest that braided spider silk could be suitable for use as sutures in flexor tendon repair, providing similar tensile behaviour and improved fatigue properties compared with conventional suture materials.     

Training effect and fatigue in polypyrrole-based artificial muscles

Artificial muscles based on an electrochemomechanical strain (ECMS) in conducting polymers, namely polypyrrole (PPy) film, have been studied from viewpoints of training, fatigue and aging by repeat cycles under tensile loads. ECMS was approximately 2% in a saline solution, resulting from both insertion and exclusion of Na(+) with solvated water molecules as well in the film. Transient responses of ECMS and current induced by voltage stimuli were measured under tensile stresses up to 5 MPa to see the training effect, fatigue and aging of the film. At higher stresses the film showed larger creeping, which resulted from realignment or conformation change, slipping and breaking of polymer chains. After the experience of large stresses, the training effect in ECMS was appreciably observed as an increase of the strain. Without stress the conductivity of the film was stable (no fatigue) upon an electrochemical cycle; however, under high tensile stresses the conductivity decreased remarkably (fatigue and aging). It is to be noted that straightened polymer chains can be easily oxidized and degraded due to lower pi-electron energy. The conversion efficiency from electrical to mechanical energy in this system was found to be less than 0.03%.     

The LSP test for determining oscillation resistance of spinal implants]

QUESTION: New spinal implants need to be tested for primary stability in vitro under standardized laboratory conditions. To ensure the reliability of the test procedures, quality assurance standards in accordance with ISO 9000 were introduced to standardize testing including experimental set ups, loading and test frequency. These standards, however, require a relatively long time to implement. METHOD: The LSP test was used to compare various surface treatments by different shot peening processes applied to spinal rods for dorsal spine implant systems. 6 rods made of two different cp-Titanium materials (Ti-2 and Ti-4) were tested. Dynamic tests were performed with the MTS 810 mono-axial servo-hydraulic test equipment. Beginning with a load of 200 N the rods were subjected to tensile and compressive loads, which were increased in steps of 100 N after every 50.000 cycles until rod failure. RESULTS: Results were available after one to two weeks. The best results (LSP 167 million) were achieved with Ti-4 rods shot peened with steel balls and glass beads. In comparison, the lowest LSP value of 81 million was found with Ti-2 rods shot peened with glass beads only. CONCLUSION: This high speed testing method has reduced the development time from two years to 6 months.     

Throwing performance after resistance training and detraining

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of short-term resistance training and detraining on shot put throwing performance. Eleven young healthy subjects with basic shot put skills participated in 14 weeks of resistance training, which was followed by 4 weeks of detraining. Shot put performance in four field tests was measured before (T1) and after (T2) resistance training and after detraining (T3). At the same time points, one repetition maximum (1RM) was measured in squat, bench press, and leg press. Fat-free mass (FFM) was determined with dual x-ray absorptiometry and muscle biopsies obtained from vastus lateralis for the determination of fiber type composition and cross-sectional area (CSA). 1RM strength increased 22-34% (p < 0.01) at T2 and decreased 4-5% (not significantly different) at T3. Shot put performance increased 6-12% (p < 0.05) after training and remained unaltered after detraining. FFM increased at T2 (p < 0.05) but remained unchanged between T2 and T3. Muscle fiber CSA increased 12-18% (p < 0.05) at T2. Type I muscle fiber CSA was not altered after detraining, but type IIa and IIx fiber CSA was reduced 10-12% (p < 0.05). The percentage of type IIx muscle fibers was reduced after training (T1 = 18.7 +/- 4, T2 = 10.4 +/- 1; p < 0.05), and it was increased at T3 compared with T2 (T3 = 13.7 +/- 1; p < 0.05). These results suggest that shot put performance remains unaltered after 4 weeks of complete detraining in moderately resistance-trained subjects. This might be linked to the concomitant reduction of muscle fiber CSA and increase in the percentage of type IIx muscle fibers.     

Pericardial heterograft valves: An assessment of leaflet stresses and their implications for heart valve design

Bovine pericardium, stabilized with glutaraldehyde, is used widely in the construction of heart valve substitutes, but the design and construction of valve substitutes from this material are empirically based. Collagenous tissue can support tension, but experimental evidence indicates that flexure-induced compressive stresses can lead to fatigue failure. This study uses experimental results obtained from cyclic uniaxial load tests to predict the type and magnitude of operational stresses which occur in pericardial heterograft leaflets. Both Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio varied with uniaxial loading in pericardium, chemically modified free of tension. Leaflet stresses were analysed by using effective incremental representations of these parameters. In leaflets with unrestricted rotation at the point of attachment to the stent, the mid-plane tensions always exceeded the bending stresses, and no zones of leaflet compression were predicted. In contrast, with totally restricted leaflet rotation induced by clamping (possibly between a male and female frame) the bending stresses were greater than the mid-plane tensions at the hinge line and significant compressive stresses were predicted at this site. If elastic boundary conditions were introduced at the stent (possibly by wrapping the stent in pericardium) then the compressive stresses were reduced as the degree of elasticity was increased. Glutaraldehyde fixation of the pericardium under load produced a stiffer material; higher compressive stresses at the stent and significant increases in total stress were predicted for this tissue. The application of elevated pressure loading also increased the compressive and total stresses in the leaflet. Finally, it was shown that bicuspid leaflets were likely to experience higher stresses than tricuspid leaflets. This simple stress analysis should help valve designers of pericardial heterografts to identify those conditions which lead to tissue compression, high total stress, and ultimately material fatigue.     

Determining the mechanical properties of hazel forks by testing their component parts

The ability to accurately predict the load-bearing capacity of tree forks would improve tree surveying and tree surgery techniques and assist with the biomechanical modelling of a tree’s structure. In this study, the bending strength of forks of hazel (Corylus avellana L.) was investigated by assessing the mechanical contributions from three component parts of each fork. Intact forks and ones in which either central or peripheral xylem lying under the branch bark ridge at the apex of the forks had been removed were subjected to tensile tests. The bending strength of these forks was compared with that of the arising branches by carrying out a three-point bending test on the smaller arising branches of the intact specimens. All forks failed in tension, splitting between the arising branches. By removing the centrally placed xylem, constituting approximately a fifth of the width of the fracture surface, the forks’ bending strength was reduced by around 32 %, while removing the outer four-fifths reduced the forks’ bending strength by 49 %. Intact forks had around 74 % of the maximum bending strength of the smaller arising branch. It is concluded that the tensile strength of the centrally placed xylem at the apex of a tree fork is a critical strengthening component. This helps to explain the weakness of forks with included bark, which lack this component. This study concludes that tree forks should not by default be considered flaws in a tree’s structure.     

Determination of the tensile strength of superficial passive implant materials]

The crack strength of passivating surface materials or passive layers on electroconductive substrates is determined by the electronic detection of redox reactions at the electrolyte/sample interface. A sudden increase in corrosion current under mechanical tensile loading or bending moments indicates generation or propagation of macro- and micro-cracks in the passivating layer, and exposure of the substrate. A subsequent decrease in the current indicates repassivation. Titanium oxide passivating layers generated by oxygen diffusion hardening (ODH) on titanium show crack formation at a tensile load on the substrate of more than 230 MPa. Repassivating sandwich layers of tantalum and tantalum oxide on steel substrates (AISI 31 6L) generate micro-cracks at more than 300 MPa. The crack formation of the oxide surface materials correlates with the onset of plastic deformation of the substrate.     

Fatigue and tensile properties of radicular dentin substrate

The purpose of this study was to compare the fatigue and tensile strengths of radicular dentin. Forty bovine lower central incisors were used, twenty teeth for the fatigue test and twenty teeth for the tensile test. Bovine teeth were each sectioned into coronal and radicular portions. Dentin slabs of 1mm thickness were prepared along the radicular tooth using a low-speed cutting machine and trimmed into dumbbell-shaped specimens. A dentin slab was harvested from each tooth. Subsequently, fatigue and tensile tests were performed in Hank's balanced saline solution at 37 °C. The staircase method was employed to determine fatigue strength and its standard deviation. Fracture surfaces were observed by scanning electron microscopy. Mean fatigue strength and tensile strength were 44.3±5.0 and 84.4±8.3 MPa, respectively. The fatigue strength of radicular dentin was significantly lower than the tensile strength. The fatigue strength of radicular dentin was only approximately one half of the tensile strength.     

The plakin Short Stop and the RhoA GTPase are required for E-cadherin-dependent apical surface remodeling during tracheal tube fusion

Cells in vascular and other tubular networks require apical polarity in order to contact each other properly and to form lumen. As tracheal branches join together in Drosophila melanogaster embryos, specialized cells at the junction form a new E-cadherin-based contact and assemble an associated track of F-actin and the plakin Short Stop (shot). In these fusion cells, the apical surface determinant Discs Lost (Dlt) is subsequently deposited and new lumen forms along the track. In shot mutant embryos, the fusion cells fail to remodel the initial E-cadherin contact, to make an associated F-actin structure and to form lumenal connections between tracheal branches. Shot binding to F-actin and microtubules is required to rescue these defects. This finding has led us to investigate whether other regulators of the F-actin cytoskeleton similarly affect apical cell surface remodeling and lumen formation. Expression of constitutively active RhoA in all tracheal cells mimics the shot phenotype and affects Shot localization in fusion cells. The dominant negative RhoA phenotype suggests that RhoA controls apical surface formation throughout the trachea. We therefore propose that in fusion cells, Shot may function downstream of RhoA to form E-cadherin-associated cytoskeletal structures that are necessary for apical determinant localization.     

The F-actin-microtubule crosslinker Shot is a platform for Krasavietz-mediated translational regulation of midline axon repulsion

Axon extension and guidance require a coordinated assembly of F-actin and microtubules as well as regulated translation. The molecular basis of how the translation of mRNAs encoding guidance proteins could be closely tied to the pace of cytoskeletal assembly is poorly understood. Previous studies have shown that the F-actin-microtubule crosslinker Short stop (Shot) is required for motor and sensory axon extension in the Drosophila embryo. Here, we provide biochemical and genetic evidence that Shot functions with a novel translation inhibitor, Krasavietz (Kra, Exba), to steer longitudinally directed CNS axons away from the midline. Kra binds directly to the C-terminus of Shot, and this interaction is required for the activity of Shot to support midline axon repulsion. shot and kra mutations lead to weak robo-like phenotypes, and synergistically affect midline avoidance of CNS axons. We also show that shot and kra dominantly enhance the frequency of midline crossovers in embryos heterozygous for slit or robo, and that in kra mutant embryos, some Robo-positive axons ectopically cross the midline that normally expresses the repellent Slit. Finally, we demonstrate that Kra also interacts with the translation initiation factor eIF2beta and inhibits translation in vitro. Together, these data suggest that Kra-mediated translational regulation plays important roles in midline axon repulsion and that Shot functions as a direct physical link between translational regulation and cytoskeleton reorganization.     

Incompatible mechanical properties in compact bone

The covariation of a number of mechanical of properties, and some physical characteristics, of compact bones from a wide range of bones were examined. Young's modulus was well predicted by a combination of mineral content and porosity. Increasing Young's modulus was associated with: increasing stress at yield, increasing bending strength, and a somewhat higher resilience, tensile strength and fatigue strength. Contrarily, in the post-yield region a higher Young's modulus (and more clearly, a higher mineral content) was associated with: a reduced work to fracture in tension, a reduced impact strength and an increased notch sensitivity in impact. Increasing porosity is associated with deleterious effects in the pre-yield region, but has little effect in the post-yield region. Bone, like many other materials, is unable to have good qualities in both the pre- and post-yield regions. Since an increase in mineral or Young's modulus is more potent, that is deleterious, in the post-yield than it is advantageous in the pre-yield region, it is likely that mineral content will be selected to be slightly lower than would be the case if it were equally potent in both regions. As is usual in biology, different adaptive extremes are incompatible.     

Application of captive bolt to cattle stunning – a survey of stunner placement under practical conditions

In two cattle head deboning plants, a total of 8879 cattle skulls were investigated for number and precision of shots. Deviation from the ideal position on the forehead and the direction of the shot were measured, results were then attributed to three classes of precision. In all, 64.7% of the skulls in plant 1 and 65.3% in plant 2 were shot from the ideal position and in the ideal direction. A medium precision was observed in 31.3% and 31.5% of cases, 4.0% and 3.1%, respectively, of the skulls indicated a poor precision. In both plants, skulls with more than one shot hole were observed. Shot holes may indicate the precision of a shot, and thus the risk of suffering during the sensitive time of stunning. In addition to observations at the time of stunning, the observation of shot holes on skulls at random or in total after a day's slaughter can reflect the shooting precision.     

Customized mandibular reconstruction plates improve mechanical performance in a mandibular reconstruction model

The purpose of this paper was to analyze the biomechanical performance of customized mandibular reconstruction plates with optimized strength. The best locations for increasing bar widths were determined with a sensitivity analysis. Standard and customized plates were mounted on mandible models and mechanically tested. Maximum stress in the plate could be reduced from 573 to 393 MPa (?31%) by increasing bar widths. The median fatigue limit was significantly greater (p < 0.001) for customized plates (650 ± 27 N) than for standard plates (475 ± 27 N). Increasing bar widths at case-specific locations was an effective strategy for increasing plate fatigue performance.