M.Tech. / The term „myofascial‟ is derived from the word „myo‟ meaning muscle and „fascia‟ meaning connective tissue. Myofascial pain syndrome is a regional pain syndrome characterized by the presence of myofascial trigger points (Mense and Simons, 2001). The most crucial component of myofascial pain is muscle shortening from contracture (or „spasm‟). In fact, myofascial pain does not exist without muscle shortening. Prolonged shortening not only causes pain in the muscle but also physically pulls on tendons, thereby straining them and distressing the bone and joints they insert into and act upon (Gunn, 2002). Trigger points are most often discussed in the setting of myofascial pain syndromes, in which widespread or regional muscular pain is associated with hyperalgesia, psychological disturbance and significant restriction of daily activities (Huguenin, 2004).

Dissertation presented in partial compliance with the requirements for a Masters Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Technikon Natal, 1998. / Very few studies of medial tibial stress syndrome type II address the treatment of the condition. There is a need to find a method of hastening the recovery of the condition. Therefore the objective of this study was to determine whether application of ultrasound therapy to medial tibial stress syndrome type Il would influence the recovcrv of this condition. / M

No description available.

A presentation is given of an acousto-ultrasonic system for the evaluation of composite materials. First, a brief statement will be made on the acousto-ultrasonic technique and its relative worth compared to other nondestructive testing techniques as applied to composite materials. The following two chapters describe the system instrumentation and system software, respectively. Next, comments are given regarding the implementation of the system for research on graphite/epoxy laminates, with additional remarks concerning efforts to evaluate aluminum/graphite tubes with the system. This includes physical descriptions of the composite systems. Subsequently, results are presented comparing parameters and forms of presentation which can be employed to relate results. Finally, conclusions are made on the application of the acousto-ultrasonic system to nondestructive testing of composite materials, with specific results on its application to graphite/epoxy plates. More specifically, comments are made on the variation of SWF factors with azimuthal angle on the graphite/epoxy plates, the identification of specific frequency peaks, and the relationships these may have to certain modes of vibration and material properties. For example, a low frequency mode was found to vary in a manner reminiscent of E_x and to show characteristics of an extensional Lamb wave. In general, results are presented and discussed in order to show how the system can be implemented to gain physical information on composite materials, such as the property of anisotropy. / Master of Science

This investigation was conducted to provide laboratory scale equipment that will facilitate an accurate study of the affect of ultrasonic energy on mass transfer in two-phase multiple-component liquid systems. A liquid-liquid extractor incorporating an ultrasonic generator and transducer was designed and constructed to the following specifications: (1) insonation frequency of 400 kilocycles per second, (2) insonation intensities equivalent to plate currents of 0 to 200 milliamperes, and (3) flow rate of solvent and feed through the reactor ranging approximately from one-half to 24 pounds per minute, in varying solvent-to-feed ratios. A special glass reactor, or contactor, was constructed from a standard, 60° pyrexx glass funnel and fitted with an acoustical window of 0.001-inch sheet nickel. Photographic studies were made of the two-phase mixing taking place inside the reactor in both the presence and absence of ultrasonic insonation. An all metal reactor, of the same general design as the glass reactor, was constructed for use with the extractor when investigations were to be made that would involve high pressures or sudden liquid surges through the reactor. An evaluation of the extractor was conducted employing the system moetons-water-1,1,2-trichloroethane. Stage efficiencies calculated for the individual tests, eleven in all, varied from 94.3 to 110.0 percent. An observed yellow color in the extract samples, probably due to dissolved impurities in the 1,1,2-trichloroethane, could have been responsible for the observation of refractive index readings that did not give true representation of the acetone concentration of the sample. Cavitation was observed in the reactor which the test system was undergoing ultrasonic insonation. The gross stirring effects resulting from cavitation in the liquids caused a mixing of the two phases that was more intense than that taking place in the reactor without insonation. / Master of Science

The speed of a chemical reaction is important in determining the efficiency of many industrial chemical reactions. In organic reactions particularly, when there is the possibility of several reactions going on simultaneously, that reaction which is fastest is the one that predominates and often affects the economics of the process. The object of this investigation was to determine the effect of ultrasonic irradiation on the specific reaction rate of the hydrolysis of an aqueous solution of ethyl acetate in the presence of hydrochloric acid as the catalyst. The commercially obtained ultrasonic generator was limited to four frequencies - namely, 400, 700, 1000, and 1500 kilocycles. Two thousand volts plate voltage could be applied to the quartz crystal plates provided the plate current did not exceed 360 milliamperes. A special pyrex glass reactor was designed and constructed in order that isothermal conditions could be maintained within the boundary of the reactor. The period of time the reaction mixture was subjected to ultrasonic irradiation was arbitrarily set at 10 minutes for a given power and frequency at 19 ± 0.1°C and 30 ± 0.1°C respectively. The tests were then repeated using a 20 minute period of irradiation. Individual mixtures were respectively irradiated at 0, 500, 1000, and 1500 volts plate voltage. The composition and volume of the mixture irradiated was 100 ml of 1.9904 N hydrochloric acid, 90 ml of distilled water free from carbon dioxide, and 10 ml of ethyl acetate making a total volume of 200 ml. The chemical reaction assumed for the investigation was CH₃COOC₂H₅ + H₂O + H⁺ ⇋ CH₃COOH + C₂H₅OH + H⁺ The course of the reaction was followed in such a way that the concentrations of the reacting substances were not disturbed. Samples of the mixture were drawn off at intervals and titrated with sodium hydroxide using phenolphthalein as the indicator. Calculations were based on the difference of the titration at any time t in minutes and the titration at the end of 24 hours. When the reaction was completed, this difference was a measure of the concentration of ethyl acetate remaining unchanged or unhydrolyzed at time t. Each molecule of ethyl acetate that hydrolyzed produced one molecule of acetic acid, and the increase in acidity was a direct measure of the amount of ethyl acetate that had reacted. The amount of hydrochloric acid remained unchanged throughout the experiment. The concentrations of ethyl acetate calculated from the differences between the titration values and the final titration were arranged in tabular form. A graph was drawn on semilogarithmic paper by plotting the concentration of ethyl acetate, c, against time, t, in minutes and the best straight line through the points. Using the equation, - log c_A (k / 2,303) t+ constant, the specific reaction rate, k, was calculated by multiplying the slope of the line by 2.303. The activation energy, E, was calculated from the values of k at 19 ± 0.1°C and 30 ± 0.1°C using the equation, E = [2.303 log₁₀ k₂/k x R x T₁ x T₂] / [T₂ - T₁] where k₁ = specific reaction rate at 19 ± 0.1°C k₂ = specific reaction rate at 30 ± 0.1°C R = Constant T₁ = Absolute temperature for 19 ± 0.1°C T₂ = Absolute temperature for 30 ± 0.1°C The results of this investigation showed that the specific reaction rates were increased by ultrasonic irradiation of 400, 700, 1000, 1500 kc in the order of five percent for 20 minutes irradiation over the rates for 10 minutes irradiation. / Ph. D.

A basic physical explanation, a model, and comments on NDE application of the acoustoultrasonic method for composite materials are presented. The basis of this work is a set of experiments where a sending and a receiving piezoelectric transducer were both oriented normal to the surface, at different points, on aluminum plates, various composite plates, and a tapered aluminum plate. Chapter one introduces the purpose and basic idea of the dissertation, while supporting its need. Also, general comments on the AU method are offered. The second chapter offers a literature review of areas pertinent to the dissertation, such as composite materials, wave propagation, ultrasonics, and the AU method. Special emphasis is given to theory which is used later on and past experimental results that are important to the physical understanding of the AU method. The third chapter describes the experimental set-up, procedure, and the ensuing analysis. In the fourth chapter, the experimental results are presented in both a quantitative and qualitative manner. Chapter five furnishes a physical understanding of experimental results based on elasticity solutions, Lamb wave theory, and through-the-thickness-transverse·resonance (TTTR). Computer results are presented for sake of comparison. The sixth chapter discusses modeling and applications of the AU method for composite materials and the seventh chapter states general conclusions. The unique offering of this work is the physical model of the AU method for composite materials, something which has been much needed and sorely lacking. This physical understanding is possible due to the extensive set of experimental measurements, also reported in this dissertation. / Ph. D.

Thesis (M.Tech.: Chiropractic)-Dept.of Chiropractic, Durban Institute of Technology, 2003 / Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome Type II (MTSS), otherwise known as shin splints, accounts for approximately 13% of injuries in American runners. Van Mechelen (1992) reported that 37-57% of recreational runners experience an injury over the course of a year, from which 54-75% of all injuries are caused by overuse. The American Medical Association defines shin splints as “pain and discomfort in the leg from repetitive activity on hard surfaces, or due to forceful, excessive use of foot flexors. The diagnosis should be limited to musculoskeletal inflammations excluding stress fractures and ischemic disorders.” (Thacker et al., 2002) Treatment protocols vary from biomechanical interventions (orthotics), to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and modalities such as ultrasound all with varying degrees of success (Noakes, 2001). Apart from therapeutic interventions it is the overriding symptom of pain, which patients are left with (Noakes, 2001). A therapeutic intervention called periosteal pecking has received increased interest with regards to symptomatic treatment of shin splints. Periosteal pecking is a form of *dry needling in which the tip of the needle contacts the periosteum (Raso,1997). The aim of this study is to establish the effect of periosteal pecking in the clinical setting with and against that of an established intervention, namely therapeutic ultrasound.

Thesis (M.Tech.: Chiropractic) - Dept. of Chiropractic, Durban Institute of Technology, 2003 1 v. (various pagings) / This study was a prospective, randomised, double blinded, placebo controlled, comparative clinical trial to establish the efficacy of therapeutic ultrasound and compare the effectiveness of the two waveforms of ultrasound in the treatment of myofascial pain syndrome.

No description available.