Pressboard, a high density cellulose-based material used for insulation in high voltage power transformers, exhibits stress relaxation during compressive loading. Investigating the micro-mechanical mechanisms responsible for the relaxation can lead to modifications of the production process to control the behaviour of the material. This investigation can be done using Synchrotron X-ray micro Computed Tomography which provides sufficient temporal and spatial resolutions to capture the stress relaxation process. In the present thesis, a compression rig for in-situ mechanical loading during X-ray micro Computed Tomography was designed and constructed. Local tomography scans with sub-micrometre resolution were obtained at the TOMCAT beamline at the Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institut, Switzerland. Several fibre segmentation techniques are analysed, together with Optical Flow and Digital Volume Correlation (DVC), methods used for estimating displacement, strain and velocity vector fields. Suitability of the tested methods is evaluated, and it is found that segmentation of individual fibres in a cellulose material of such a high density is probably not possible using currently available segmentation techniques. The movements during relaxation are measurable at the used resolution, and can be estimated using Optical Flow. Further work into correction of image shift due to rig movement between scans, as well as image artefact reduction should allow for measurement and comparisons of displacement during relaxation as well as DVC-computed strain measurements during compression, recreating earlier results.

In the area of translational research, stent developers consult pathologists to obtain the best and most complete amount of data from implanted test devices in the most efficient manner. Through the use of micron-scale computed tomography along with post-fixation staining techniques in this study, full volumes of previously implanted stents have been analyzed in-situ in a non-destructive manner. The increased soft tissue contrast imparted by metal-containing stains allowed for a qualitative analysis of the vessel’s response to the implant with greater sensitivity and specificity while reducing beam-hardening artifact from stent struts. The developed staining techniques included iodine-potassium iodide, phosphomolybdic acid, and phosphotungstic acid, all of which bind to soft tissue and improve image quality through their ability to attenuate high energy X-rays. With these stains, the overall soft tissue contrast increased by up to 85 percent and contrast between medial and neointimal layers of the vessel increased by up to 22 percent. Beam hardening artifact was also reduced by up to 38 percent after staining. Acquiring data from the entirety of the stent and the surrounding tissue increased the quality of stent analysis in multiple ways. The three dimensional data enabled a comprehensive analysis of stent performance, lending information such as neointimal hyperplasia, percent stenosis, delineation of vessel wall layers, stent apposition, and stent fractures. By providing morphological data about stent deployment and host response, this method circumvents the need to make the more traditional histology slides for a morphometric analysis. These same data may also be applied to target regions of interest to ensure histology slides are cut from the optimal locations for a more in-depth analysis. The agents involved in such techniques are readily available in most pathology laboratories, are safe to work with, and allow for rapid processing of tissue. The ability to forego histology altogether or to highly focus what histology is performed on a vessel has the potential to hasten the development process of any coronary stent.

Pressboard, a high-density cellulose-based product, is used both as load bearing structures and dielectric insulation in oil-filled power transformers. During transformer operation, mechanical forces and vibrations are applied on the material. In particular, this investigation focuses on pressboard sheets placed between the turns of transformer windings, called the spacers, which during short circuit are subjected to high compressive forces of impulse nature. As a result of these forces, remaining deformations are created in the components. One step to reduce the negative consequences that come from the deformations is to understand how the fiber structure of the material changes by these forces, thus finding the week link. Understanding these changes could lead to future modification of the material to better withstand short circuits. To see the fiber structure and its changes in the material, pressboard has been investigated with a micro-CT at the Division of Applied Mechanics at Uppsala University. The scanned images have been reconstructed and analyzed in NRecon, CTAnalyser, and Matlab to investigate the density distribution changes and to identify the densification patterns. The study shows that pressboard initially has an inhomogeneous density distribution through the thickness and after mechanical indentations, the densification tends to begin in the more porous parts of the material. The project also included a prediction of the densification pattern, performed by finite element analysis (FEA) using a simplified material model. The results show that a material model with varying Young’s modulus through the thickness, based on a stiffness and porosity relationship, can produce similar densification patterns as in the experiments.

Osteoporosis is a bone degenerative disease characterized by reduced bone mass, quality and strength, along with changes in microarchitecture and increased incidence of fracture. The significant economic and social costs associated with osteoporotic fractures of the hip and spine have resulted in extensive research efforts directed towards developing an improved understanding of this disease, along with the relationships between osteoporotic bone degradation and fracture risk assessment. The current study investigates the failure behaviour of rat vertebral bodies collected from normal and osteoporotic donors based on the ovariectomized rat model (SHAM and OVX study groups, respectively), along with an additional control group intended to simulate postmenopausal patients with estrogen repletion (OVX+E study group). Simultaneous uniaxial compression testing and X-ray Micro-Computed Tomography (XμCT) were used to visualize and describe the failure behaviour of prepared vertebral body samples during mechanical testing, while providing standard measures of mechanical properties and bone geometry. In tandem with the incremental loading protocol required for simultaneous mechanical testing and XμCT imaging, a continuous loading protocol was also included. Three distinct failure behaviours were observed without bias in the three different study groups and two loading protocols. The primary and secondary failure modes involved fracture initiation in the direct vicinity of vascular apertures present in the dorsal surface of the cortical shell, with failure progression through the sample towards the ventral surface of the cortical shell (primary) or the cranial endplate (secondary). The tertiary failure mode involved localized rupture of the cranial endplate, likely resulting from end-effect related stress-concentrations. Diminished trabecular bone geometry (reduced BV/TV and Tb.N, along with increased Tb.Sp) was accompanied by reduced mechanical properties (reduced ultimate force and ultimate strength) in the OVX study group when compared with the SHAM and OVX+E study groups. Linear regression analyses revealed a shift in the determinants of failure initiation between the SHAM/OVX+E study groups and the OVX study group. In the SHAM and OVX+E study groups, ultimate force was best predicted by indices describing the vascular apertures present in the dorsal cortical shell. In the OVX study group, ultimate force was best predicted by indices describing trabecular bone geometry. / Thesis (Master, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2013-11-21 19:07:38.661

OBJECTIF : L’intégrité vasculaire est une pierre angulaire de la viabilité des organes solides, notamment en cas de transplantation. L’objectif de ce travail est de décrire les modifications du réseau vasculaire du cortex rénal dues à une séquence d’ischémie-reperfusion (IR) induite dans un modèle préclinique porcin d’autotransplantation rénale. MATÉRIELS ET MÉTHODES : Nous avions mis en place une technique d’analyse de la microvascularisation corticale rénale après acquisition microscanner et traitement des images de reins de porc perfusés avec un polymère de silicone radio-opaque.RÉSULTATS : L’ischémie-reperfusion rénale induit une diminution corticale du volume du segment vasculaire associée à une raréfaction des microvaisseaux inférieurs à 30 µm en particulier dans la corticale interne. Dans le cortex, une augmentation de la connectivité caractérisée par une augmentation des bifurcations et une diminution du facteur d’arborescence a été observée. L’hypercholestérolémie associée à l’ischémie-reperfusion entraine une raréfaction microvasculaire dans la corticale moyenne. Trois mois post-autotransplantation, l’augmentation de la durée de conservation des greffons induit une augmentation significative de l’épaisseur de la zone corticale, un effondrement du pourcentage de microvaisseaux. CONCLUSION : Trois mois après autotransplantation rénale, l’ischémie-reperfusion induit une raréfaction des microvaisseaux de la corticale interne. Nos résultats suggéreraient que l’altération de la fonction rénale chez des greffons pourrait être liée à une hypoxie chronique et une fibrose induite par une raréfaction microvasculaire proportionnelle à la durée de la conservation. / Purpose:Vascular integrity is a cornerstone of organ viability, particularly in cases of transplantation. The aim of this study is to describe the modifications of renal cortex vascular network due to an ischemia-reperfusion sequence in a preclinical pig kidney autotransplantation model.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Porcine kidneys were perfused with a radio-opaque silicone polymer and the cortex studied by X-ray micro-computed tomography. RESULTS: Renal ischemia-reperfusion led to decreased vascular segment volume associated with the rarefaction of vessels less than 30 µm diameter, particularly in the inner cortex. Vessels showed higher connectivity throughout the cortex. The decrease in microvasculature correlated with a deterioration of renal function, proteinuria, and tubular dysfunction, and was associated with the development of fibrous tissue. The hypercholesterolemia associated with ischemia-reperfusion promoted concomitant microvascular rarefaction for small vascular segments particularly in the middle cortex. At M3, the hypothermic preservation for 48 H of grafts compared to 24 H induced a significant increase in the cortical area thickness, associated with a drastic decrease of microvessels. CONCLUSION: Three months after renal autotransplantation, ischemia reperfusion induces a rarefaction of microvessels of the internal cortex. The hypercholesterolemia leads to a renal microvascular rarefaction which accentuates vascular remodeling due to ischemia reperfusion. Our results suggest that long preservation duration impacting the renal function in grafts could be associated with chronic hypoxia and fibrosis related to microvascular rarefaction.

A ocorrência de fraturas em animais e, especialmente nas espécies de grande porte, geram preocupação quanto ao custo do tratamento e a ocorrência de sequelas, pois há a possibilidade de complicações pela carga excessiva que esses animais exercem sobre os membros. Dessa forma é importante a imobilização imediata do membro e de maneira adequada, e avaliar se há necessidade de se realizar cirurgia para estabilização da fratura. Em algumas fraturas pode haver falhas ósseas, principalmente em fraturas cominutivas com extensa lesão de tecidos adjacentes, o que dificulta e prolonga o tempo de consolidação. Por essas razões vem sendo estudado, há alguns anos, o uso de substitutos ósseos na forma de cimentos ou mantas ósseas para reparar esses defeitos. O estudo com biomateriais como substitutos ósseos tem tido grande evolução nos últimos anos, e aqueles à base de quitosana, hidroxiapatita e colágeno apresentam grande vantagem, pois a quitosana estimula a regeneração óssea, a hidroxiapatita confere a dureza que o material exige, e o colágeno fornece maleabilidade. O presente projeto teve por objetivo avaliar o reparo ósseo após implante de compósito à base de quitosana, hidroxiapatita e colágeno, em falhas ósseas de tíbias de ovinos induzidas experimentalmente. Foram utilizados os métodos de imagem por densitometria ótica radiográfica e microtomografia computadorizada 3D para avaliar o grau e o tempo de reparo ósseo, assim como a densidade mineral óssea durante a cicatrização. As falhas ósseas foram confeccionadas nas tíbias de ovelhas, em ambos os membros, onde foi implantado o biomaterial em um deles, e o membro contralateral mantido como controle. Posteriormente, os animais foram submetidos a exames radiográficos, quinzenalmente, até 90 dias de pós operatório. Após este período, os animais foram submetidos à eutanásia e fragmentos das tíbias foram colhidos para avaliação por microtomografia computadorizada 3D. Observou-se, pelos resultados qualitativos das imagens radiográficas e dos dados estatísticos, que houve absorção gradativa do biomaterial, e que não houve diferença estatística em relação à densidade mineral óssea entre os dois grupos estudados, embora a DMO tenha sido maior nos membros com o biomaterial. Este método mostrou-se prático e eficaz, além de ser uma técnica não invasiva. A microtomografia computadorizada 3D revelou importantes informações quanto à porosidade óssea e volume ósseo entre os dois grupos. As imagens em 3D mostraram detalhes do osso que não eram possíveis de visualizar por meio das radiografias. Dessa forma é uma técnica bastante eficaz e detalhada, mas é necessária padronização de todas as amostras para poder quantificar os valores adequadamente. O estudo estatístico não mostrou diferenças entre os grupos com biomaterial e controle para os parâmetros de volume ósseo, grau de porosidade e porcentagem de volume ósseo. Porém, pelas imagens em 3D observa-se nitidamente maior quantidade de poros nas amostras controle em relação às amostras com biomaterial. Conclui-se com este estudo que as técnicas de densitometria óssea por raios-X e µCT 3D são bastante eficazes para avaliar a cicatrização óssea em ovinos / The occurrence of fractures in animals and, especially, in large animals are conditions that generate concern about the cost of treatment and the occurrence of future complications because there is the possibility of complications due to excessive load that these animals receive in their limbs. Thus, it is important the limb immobilization immediately and appropriately and assess whether it is necessary to perform surgery to stabilize the fracture. In some kinds of fractures, it might have large bone defects, mainly in comminuted fractures with extensive damage to surrounding tissue, which makes it more difficult and prolongs the consolidation time. For these reasons, scientists have been studied the use of bone substitutes in the form of bone cements to repair these defects. The study of biomaterials as bone substitutes has had great progress in last years, and those based on chitosan, hydroxyapatite and collagen had great advantage because chitosan stimulates bone regeneration, hydroxyapatite confers the hardness that the material requires, and collagen provides flexibility to the material. This project aims to assess bone repair after deploying a composite of chitosan, collagen and hydroxyapatite in bone defects experimentally induced in sheep tibiae. For assessing the degree and the time of bone healing, it was used imaging techniques like radiographic bone densitometry and 3D micro-computed tomography. Bone defects were made in the sheep tibiae in both limbs where the biomaterial was deployed in one of them, and the control was the contralateral limb. After the surgeries, the animals were submitted to radiographic exams every two weeks until 90 days postoperatively. After this period, the animals were euthanized and harvested tibiae fragments for evaluation by 3D micro-computed tomography. Through the qualitative results of images and statistical data, it was observed, radiographically, that there was a gradual absorption of the biomaterial, and also that there was no statistical difference in relation to bone mineral density between the two groups. The method of determining the X-ray BMD proved to be practical and effective, and it is a noninvasive technique. 3D micro-computed tomography revealed important information about bone porosity and bone volume between the two groups. The 3D images showed bone details that were not possible to visualize through radiographs. Thus it is a highly effective and detailed technique, but it requires patterning of all the samples in order to quantify the amounts properly. Statistical analysis showed no differences between the groups for bone volume parameters, degree of porosity and percentage of bone volume. However in the 3D images, it can be observed clearly larger amount of pores in the control samples in comparison to those with biomaterial. It is concluded from this study that the techniques of bone densitometry X-ray and 3D µCT are very effective to evaluate bone healing in sheep. Bone mineral density was higher in limbs with biomaterial and there was a higher bone volume and lower degree of porosity in the samples with biomaterial compared to the control group

Previous studies have shown growth hormone and therapeutic low intensity pulsed ultrasound can enhance mandibular growth separately. The aim of this study is to evaluate the concomitant effect of both of these applications on mandibular growth in rat. Methods: 24 male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups, 6 in each. Groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 were designated as untreated control, recombinant rat growth hormone, Low Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound, and combination of both groups respectively. After 21 days of daily treatment on mandibular condylar, mandibles from euthanized rats are dissected, and scanned by MicroComputed Tomography to measure the mandibular bone volume, bone surface area, and condylar bone mineral density. Also Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction was performed on the extracted livers’ C-fos, C-jun, and IGF-1 genes expressions. Results: Groups 2, 3 and 4 showed significant (p<0.05) growth stimulation when compared to the untreated control group. However, there was no statistical significant difference between groups 2, 3 and 4 with regard to bone volume or surface area. Conversely, condylar bone mineral density for group 4 was significantly reduced than groups 1, 2, and 3. Rats’ weights were not significantly different among the treatment groups after the treatment was performed. Additionally, gene expression study showed that the expression of C-jun, in harvested livers for Group 4 was less than that of Group 2 showing fewer side effects. Conclusion: When growth hormone was applied to rats’ mandible together with therapeutic ultrasound, preferential increase in bone volume, and surface area occurred with the expense of condylar bone mineral density and with less potential side effects. / Pharmaceutical Science

Dual-phase (DP) sheet steels are a class of advanced high strength steels which boast a desirable combination of properties for the forming of automotive components, including: high strength, continuous yielding behaviour, and a high initial work hardening rate. The higher strength of DP steels relative to predecessors used to form automotive components allows for a reduction in part gauge, translating to the potential for reduced automobile weight, emissions, and fuel consumption. However, a form of premature failure during component forming known as `shear fracture' has become a prominent challenge to manufacturers' adoption of DP steels. Martensite particles in DP steel microstructures act as nucleation sites for the development of void damage during deformation, resulting in a deleterious effect upon formability and thought to contribute to the observed shear fractures. This dissertation contributes to the overall goal of offering guidance for the improvement of DP steel microstructures for more desirable fracture behaviour. Specifically, the role of non-ferritic phase/constituent (NFP) volume percent and spatial distribution in the accumulation of void damage in DP steels was investigated. Void damage accumulation in ten DP steel microstructural variants tested to failure under near plane-strain deformation was qualified and quantified in three dimensions using an X-ray micro-computed tomography technique. These results were correlated to the microstructural parameters of the variants, which clearly indicated the detrimental effects of NFP banding in DP steels. It was observed that DP microstructures with increased severity of NFP banding (generally aligned in the sheet rolling direction) incurred a reduced strain to failure. Often, microstructural variants with NFP bands aligned transverse to the major loading direction incurred a reduced strain to failure, accumulated a greater number of voids, and exhibited a larger void volume percent than a specimen with oppositely oriented NFP bands. Void damage spatial distribution was generally reflective of the spatial distribution of the most coarse NFP bands through the sheet thickness. In microstructural variants with NFP bands aligned transverse to the major loading direction, accumulated void damage was often observed to be highly elongated in the direction of NFP banding. / Thesis (Master, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2011-09-30 11:49:18.645

No description available.

Oral bisphosphonate drug therapy is a common and effective treatment for osteoporosis. Little is known about the long-term effects of bisphosphonates on bone quality. This study examined the structural and mechanical properties of trabecular bone following 0-16 years of bisphosphonate treatment. Fifty-three iliac crest bone samples of Caucasian women diagnosed with low turnover osteoporosis were identified from the Kentucky Bone Registry. Forty-five were treated with oral bisphosphonates for 1 to 16 years while eight were treatment naive. A section of trabecular bone was chosen from a micro-computed tomography (Scanco µCT 40) scan of each sample for a uniaxial linearly elastic compression simulation using finite element analysis (ANSYS 14.0). Morphometric parameters (BV/TV, SMI, Tb.Sp., etc.) were computed using µCT. Apparent modulus, effective modulus and estimated failure stress were calculated. Biomechanical and morphometric parameters improved with treatment duration, peaked around 7 years, and then declined independently of age. The findings suggest a limit to the benefits associated with bisphosphonate treatment and that extended continuous bisphosphonate treatment does not continue to improve bone quality. Bone quality, and subsequently bone strength, may eventually regress to a state poorer than at the onset of treatment. Treatment duration limited to less than 7 years is recommended.