Screw

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Distribution within Medical Sciences

Kinds of Screw

  • gold screw
  • pedicle screw

  • Terms modified by Screw

  • screw configuration
  • screw element
  • screw extruder
  • screw extrusion
  • screw geometry
  • screw loosening
  • screw speed

  • Selected Abstracts


    Chaotic volumetric transports in a single-screw extrusion process

    POLYMER ENGINEERING & SCIENCE, Issue 4 2003
    W. R. Hwang
    Volumetric material transports across distinct regions in the Chaos Screw (CS) system were described in terms of the volume-preserving lobe dynamics. Kinematic properties of a spatially periodic Poincaré map were studied first with the volume- and orientation-preserving two-dimensional map, in order to provide mathematical frame works for analyses of manifold structures. The perturbed hyperbolic fixed point and the associated stable and unstable manifolds were obtained numerically. These manifolds form homoclinic tangles, and they divide the cross-sectional area into three distinct regions: left, right, and outer. Six volumetric flow rates between the three regions were described in terms of the associated lobe dynamics. As the perturbation strength increases, representative flow rates between these regions were found to increase linearly as long as the fraction of no-barrier zone is small. [source]


    Biomechanical comparison of a novel multilevel hex-head pedicle screw design with a conventional head design

    JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH, Issue 8 2007
    Qi Liu
    Abstract The objective of the study was to determine the biomechanical effect during insertion of multilevel hex-head design pedicle screws compared to a conventional screw-head design. Eighteen lumbar vertebrae and thoracic vertebrae from human cadavers were instrumented with a novel, multilevel hexagonal head pedicle screw on one side and a conventional head pedicle screw on the contralateral side. Screws were inserted at a constant rate and insertion and removal torques were recorded. A further 14 lumbar and thoracic vertebrae were used to test alterability of screw direction and operational effort required. Electromagnetic sensors recorded the change in angular direction for both screw and screwdriver. The force applied through the insertion screwdriver required to produce the directional change was also recorded. No significant differences were found between the two screw types for insertion or removal torque in either lumbar or thoracic vertebrae. Multilevel hex-head screws had significantly greater directional alterability than conventional head screws in both lumbar and thoracic specimens. Multilevel hex-head screws also required less force applied through the screwdriver than conventional screws to alter direction of screw insertion in both lumbar and thoracic specimens. The multilevel hex-head design did not affect the insertion or removal torque in comparison to a conventional head design. © 2007 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 25:1115,1120, 2007 [source]


    Effect of cortical thickness and cancellous bone density on the holding strength of internal fixator screws

    JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH, Issue 6 2004
    J. Seebeck
    Abstract Internal fixators are a new class of implants designed to preserve the periosteal blood supply of the bone. In contrast to conventional plate fixation in which the screws have spherical heads and are loaded mainly by axial pullout forces, screws in internal fixators are "locked" within the plate and therefore subjected to axial as well as bending loads. In this study the ultimate loads of screws of a commercially available internal fixator system were tested in a pullout (n = 72) and cantilever bending mode (n = 72) in metaphyseal and diaphyseal regions of four pairs of human tibiae with different bone qualities. Cortical thickness and cancellous bone density were determined at the screw insertion sites. Stepwise multiple linear regression revealed that cortical thickness and cancellous density can explain 93% and 98% of the variance of the ultimate load of the screws in an axial pullout and cantilever bending mode. Screws in internal fixators are better suited to transmit shear forces and thereby make better use of the strength potential of bone than screws used in conventional plate fixation: this is especially advantageous when bone strength is reduced, e.g. due to osteoporosis. © 2004 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. [source]


    Mechanical Behavior and Failure Analysis of Prosthetic Retaining Screws after Long-term Use In Vivo.

    JOURNAL OF PROSTHODONTICS, Issue 3 2008
    Part 1: Characterization of Adhesive Wear, Structure of Retaining Screws
    Abstract Purpose: The general aim of this study and those presented in Parts 2,4 of this series was to characterize the structure, properties, wear, and fracture of prosthetic retaining screws in fixed detachable hybrid prostheses after long-term use in vivo. This part of the overall investigation addresses whether there are differences in thread wear between the screws closest to the fulcrum and those that are farthest from the fulcrum in fixed detachable hybrid prostheses. Materials and Methods: The total number of prosthetic retaining screws used in this study was 100 (10 new and 90 used). New screws (controls) from Nobel Biocare (NB) were divided into Group 1 (slotted) and Group 2 (hexed). Ninety used screws (in service 18,120 months) were retrieved from fixed detachable hybrid prostheses in 18 patients (5 screws from each patient, 60 from NB and 30 from Sterngold). The used screws were divided into 18 groups. Additionally, each group was subdivided into A and B categories. Category A contained the middle three prosthetic screws, which were considered the farthest screws from the fulcrum line. Category B contained the most posterior two screws, which were considered the screws closest to the fulcrum line. All 100 screws were subjected to thorough, nondestructive testing. Results: Light and scanning electron microscopic examination of all used screws for each group revealed surface deterioration of the active profile of the screw threads consistent with adhesive wear. The observed thread profile deterioration ranged from mild to severe. The wear was aggressive enough to cause galling, which led to thinning of the threads and, in severe cases, to knife-edges at thread crests. In ten groups, the most anterior three screws exhibited more wear than the most posterior two screws. In addition to thread wear, severe plastic deformation was detected on the bottom part of each screw for three groups, and a long external longitudinal crack was detected in one screw of Group 2. Conclusions: The findings of this study and those presented in Parts 2,4 demonstrate that different retaining screws from the same manufacturer and/or from different manufacturers have different geometrical design, microstructures, major alloy constituents, and microhardness, and that these differences influence their preload and fractured load values. In this part of the overall investigation, the occurrence of galling as a result of wear involving prosthetic retaining screws appears to be an inevitable and unavoidable consequence of long-term use in vivo in fixed detachable hybrid prostheses regardless of the intended/original preload value. The galling rate is greater on the middle three screws compared to the most posterior two screws in fixed detachable hybrid prostheses. The wear pattern is consistent with an adhesive wear mechanism; however, this study does not provide enough data to support a definitive analysis. [source]


    Mechanical Behavior and Failure Analysis of Prosthetic Retaining Screws after Long-Term Use In Vivo.

    JOURNAL OF PROSTHODONTICS, Issue 3 2008
    Microhardness Analysis, Part 2: Metallurgical
    Abstract Purpose: This study involved testing and analyzing multiple retrieved prosthetic retaining screws after long-term use in vivo to: (1) detect manufacturing defects that could affect in-service behavior; (2) characterize the microstructure and alloy composition; and (3) further characterize the wear mechanism of the screw threads. Materials and Methods: Two new (control) screws from Nobel Biocare (NB) and 18 used (in service 18,120 months) retaining screws [12 from NB and 6 from Sterngold (SG)] were: (1) metallographically examined by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to determine the microstructure; (2) analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) microanalysis to determine the qualitative and semiquantitative average alloy and individual phase compositions; and (3) tested for Vickers microhardness. Results: Examination of polished longitudinal sections of the screws using light microscopy revealed a significant defect in only one Group 4 screw. No significant defects in any other screws were observed. The defect was considered a "seam" originating as a "hot tear" during original casting solidification of the alloy. Additionally, the examination of longitudinal sections of the screws revealed a uniform homogeneous microstructure in some groups, while in other groups the sections exhibited rows of second phase particles. The screws for some groups demonstrated severe deformation of the lower threads and the bottom part of the screw leading to the formation of crevices and grooves. Some NB screws were comprised of Au-based alloy with Pt, Cu, and Ag as alloy elements, while others (Groups 4 and 19) were Pd-based with Ga, Cu, and Au alloy elements. The microstructure was homogeneous with fine or equiaxed grains for all groups except Group 4, which appeared inhomogeneous with anomalous grains. SG screws demonstrated a typical dendritic structure and were Au-based alloy with Cu and Ag alloy elements. There were differences in the microhardness of gold alloy screws from NB and SG as well as palladium alloy screws from NB. Conclusions: Significant differences within NB retaining screws and between NB and SG screws were found for microstructure, major alloy constituents, and microhardness. [source]


    Three-dimensional viscous flow over rotating periodic structures

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING, Issue 5 2003
    Kyu-Tae Kim
    Abstract The three-dimensional Stokes flow in a periodic domain is examined in this study. The problem corresponds closely to the flow inside internal mixers, where the flow is driven by the movement of a rotating screw; the outer barrel remaining at rest. A hybrid spectral/finite-difference approach is proposed for the general expansion of the flow field and the solution of the expansion coefficients. The method is used to determine the flow field between the screw and barrel. The regions of elongation and shear are closely examined. These are the two mechanisms responsible for mixing. Besides its practical importance, the study also allows the assessment of the validity of the various assumptions usually adopted in mixing and lubrication problems. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Changes in the biochemical and functional properties of the extruded hard-to-cook cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp)

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 4 2010
    Karla A. Batista
    Summary Changes in the biochemical and functional properties of the hard-to-cook cowpea bean after treatment by the extrusion process are reported. The extrusion was carried out at 150 °C, with a compression ratio screw of 3:1, a 5-mm die, and a screw speed of 150 r.p.m. The extrusion caused the complete inactivation of the ,-amylase and lectin and it also reduced the trypsin inhibitor activity (38.2%) and phytic acid content (33.2%). The functional properties were also modified by the process, an increase of 2.5 times in the water absorption index and 3.1% in the water solubility were observed. The digestibility of the hard-to-cook flour of the cowpea bean was improved after the extrusion, with a 55.9% increase in protein digestibility and a 5.9% increase in starch digestibility. [source]


    Quantification of dynamic mixing performance of single screws of different configurations by visualization and image analysis

    ADVANCES IN POLYMER TECHNOLOGY, Issue 1 2009
    A. C.-Y.
    Abstract The visualization and image analysis techniques developed by the authors for the study of quantifying the dynamic quality of mixing of a single-screw extruder were employed to investigate the mixing performance of screws of different configurations. The mixing quality was quantified by calculating the variances of the light intensity of the bitmap files cropped from the films taken at the screw length of 15D and 17D of a 45-mm screw diameter single-screw extruder. Temperature and screw speed were the two variables studied. While temperature and back pressure were found to have little effect on the mixing quality, screw speed was demonstrated to be a major factor responsible for the mixing fluctuation observed during extrusion. In fact, screw speed and mixing fluctuation appeared to have a relationship that the higher the screw speed, the bigger the fluctuation (i.e., poorer quality of mixing). The experimental results also revealed that the secondary flight of a barrier screw might be essential to improve the quality of mixing. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 28:1,15, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.20142 [source]


    Effect of screw element type in degradation of polypropylene upon multiple extrusions

    ADVANCES IN POLYMER TECHNOLOGY, Issue 4 2002
    Sebastião V. Canevarolo
    Abstract The screw profile of a twin-screw extruder can be designed to contain kneading and conveying elements inducing different levels of degradation in the polymer melt. In this work, the level of degradation in polypropylene has been measured after multiple extrusions,for various screw profiles,using size exclusion chromatography and IR spectroscopy. The average molecular weight and the polydispersity have been reduced and the carbonyl and unsaturation indexes increase as the number of extrusions and the aggressivity of the screw profile increase. The kneading element with 90° caused the greater level of degradation. On the other hand, the addition of left-hand conveying elements reduces the level of degradation because of the extra volume of molten polymer held in the screw, reducing the viability of oxygen inside the barrel. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 21: 243,249, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.10028 [source]


    Effects of screw configurations on the grafting of maleic anhydride grafted low-density polyethylene in reactive extrusion

    JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 6 2008
    Hui Fang
    Abstract The effects of screw configurations, that is, the staggering angles and disc widths of the kneading blocks, on grafting reactive extrusion for maleic anhydride grafted low-density polyethylene were investigated in a corotating twin-screw extruder. Samples were collected from three positions along the screw and the die exit. The grafting degree (GD) of the specimens was evaluated by titration. It was found that the kneading block configurations had a significant influence on the grafting reactive extrusion. In addition, another three groups of extrusion experiments were performed to explore the intrinsic relationship between the GD, the degree of fill in the screw channel, the residence time distribution (RTD), and the mixing intensity in various screw configurations. The experimental results indicated that the location of the melting endpoint significantly affected the position at which the reaction began; the degree of fill, RTD, and mixing performance of the screw played important roles in the grafting reaction. The reverse kneading blocks with a narrow disc width, which had a high degree of fill and good mixing capacity, enhanced the increase in GD along the screw during the reactive extrusion. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008 [source]


    Enhancing the mechanical integrity of the implant,bone interface with BoneWelding® technology: Determination of quasi-static interfacial strength and fatigue resistance

    JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS RESEARCH, Issue 1 2006
    Stephen J. Ferguson
    Abstract The BoneWelding® technology is an innovative bonding method, which offers new alternatives in the treatment of fractures and other degenerative disorders of the musculoskeletal system. The BoneWelding process employs ultrasonic energy to liquefy a polymeric interface between orthopaedic implants and the host bone. Polymer penetrates the pores of the surrounding bone and, following a rapid solidification, forms a strong and uniform bond between implant and bone. Biomechanical testing was performed to determine the quasi-static push-out strength and fatigue performance of 3.5-mm-diameter polymeric dowels bonded to a bone surrogate material (Sawbones solid and cellular polyurethane foam) using the BoneWelding process. Fatigue tests were conducted over 100,000 cycles of 20,100 N loading. Mechanical test results were compared with those obtained with a comparably-sized, commercial metallic fracture fixation screw. Tests in surrogate bone material of varying density demonstrated significantly superior mechanical performance of the bonded dowels in comparison to conventional bone screws (p < 0.01), with holding strengths approaching 700 N. Even in extremely porous host material, the performance of the bonded dowels was equivalent to that of the bone screws. For both cellular and solid bone analog materials, failure always occurred within the bone analog material surrounding and distant to the implant; the infiltrated interface was stronger than the surrounding bone analog material. No significant decrease in interfacial strength was observed following conditioning in a physiological saline solution for a period of 1 month prior to testing. Ultrasonically inserted implants migrated, on average, less than 20 ,m over, and interfacial stiffness remained constant the full duration of fatigue testing. With further refinement, the BoneWelding technology may offer a quicker, simpler, and more effective method for achieving strong fixation and primary stability for fracture fixation or other orthopaedic and dental implant applications. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2006 [source]


    Challenges of antiangiogenic cancer therapy: trials and errors, and renewed hope

    JOURNAL OF CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR MEDICINE, Issue 3 2007
    Miguel Ángel Medina
    ,,Introduction ,,What can we learn from the previous failures? ,,Signs of hope ,,Another turn of the screw: a surrogate marker, at last ,,Future avenues for the vascular therapy of cancer Abstract Angiogenesis inhibition has been proposed as a general strategy to fight cancer. However, in spite of the promising preclinical results, a first generation of antiangiogenic compounds yielded poor results in clinical trials. Conceptual errors and mistakes in the design of trials and in the definition of clinical end-points could account for these negative results. In this context of discouraging results, a second generation of antiangiogenic therapies is showing positive results in phases II and III trials at the beginning of the twenty-first century. In fact, several combined treatments with conventional chemotherapy and antiangiogenic compounds have been recently approved. The discovery and pharmacological development of future generations of angiogenesis inhibitors will benefit from further advances in the understanding of the mechanisms involved in human angiogenesis. New styles of trials are necessary, to avoid missing potential therapeutic effects. Different clinical end-points, new surrogate biomarkers and methods of imaging will be helpful in this process. Real efficacy in clinical trials may come with the combined use of antiangiogenic agents with conventional chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and combinations of several antiangiogenic compounds with different mechanisms of action. Finally, the existing antiangiogenic strategies should include other approaches such as vascular targeting or angioprevention. [source]


    Submerged healing following surgical treatment of peri-implantitis: a case series

    JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PERIODONTOLOGY, Issue 8 2007
    Ann-Marie Roos-Jansåker
    Abstract Objectives: The aim was to study a regenerative surgical treatment modality for peri-implantitis employing submerged healing. Material and Methods: Twelve patients, having a minimum of one osseointegrated implant with peri-implantitis, with a progressive loss of 3 threads (1.8 mm) following the first year of healing were involved in the study. After surgical exposure of the defect, granulomatous tissue was removed and the implant surface was treated using 3% hydrogen peroxide. The bone defects were filled with a bone substitute (Algipore®), a resorbable membrane (Osseoquest®) was placed over the grafted defect and a cover screw was connected to the fixture. The implant was then covered by flaps and submerged healing was allowed for 6 months. After 6 months the abutment was re-connected to the supra-structure. Results: A 1-year follow-up demonstrated clinical and radiographic improvements. Probing depth was reduced by 4.2 mm and a mean defect fill of 2.3 mm was obtained. Conclusion: Treatment of peri-implant defects using a bone graft substitute combined with a resorbable membrane and submerged healing results in defect fill and clinical healthier situations. [source]


    The Nut in Screw Theory

    JOURNAL OF FIELD ROBOTICS (FORMERLY JOURNAL OF ROBOTIC SYSTEMS), Issue 8 2003
    Michael Griffis
    This study in projective geometry reveals that the principle of duality applies to the screw. Here, the screw is demonstrated to be an element of a projective three-dimensional space (P3), right alongside the line. Dual elements for the screw and line are also revealed (the nut and spline). Reciprocity is demonstrated for a pair of screws, and incidence is demonstrated for screw and its dual element. Reciprocity and incidence are invariant for projective transformations of P3, but only incidence is invariant for the more general linear transformations of screws. This latter transformation is analogous to a projective transformation of a projective five-dimensional space (P5), which is shown to induce a contact transformation of the original P3, where some points lying on a Kummer surface are directly mapped. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]


    PROPERTIES of CROSS-LINKED STARCH PRODUCED IN A SINGLE SCREW EXTRUDER WITH and WITHOUT A MIXING ELEMENT

    JOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESS ENGINEERING, Issue 1 2004
    M. SEKER
    ABSTRACT Starch was extruded with sodium hydroxide and sodium trimetaphosphate in order to cross-link it in a single-screw extruder with and without a mixing element at constant screw speed of 90 rpm in the first set of experiments and at similar mean residence time controlled by screw speed in the second set of experiments. For the screw without mixing element in the second set of experiments, screw speed was adjusted to give the similar residence time as the single-screw extruder with mixing element at 220 rpm. Phosphorus content and pasting curves of extrudates showed that starch was cross-linked during extrusion. Replacing the screw without mixing element by the screw with mixing [source]


    Percutaneous Mitral Valve Repair for Mitral Regurgitation

    JOURNAL OF INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue 1 2003
    PETER C. BLOCK M.D.
    Mitral regurgitation (MR) associated with, ischemic, and degenerative (prolapse) disease, contributes to left ventricular (LV) dysfunction due to remodeling, and LV dilation, resulting in worsening of MR. Mitral valve (MV) surgical repair has provided improvement in survival, LV function and symptoms, especially when performed early. Surgical repair is complex, due to diverse etiologies and has significant complications. The Society for Thoracic Surgery database shows that operative mortality for a 1st repair is 2% and for re-do repair is 4 times that. Cardiopulmonary bypass and cardiac arrest are required. The attendant morbidity prolongs hospitalization and recovery. Alfieri simplified mitral repair using an edge-to-edge technique which subsequently has been shown to be effective for multiple etiologies of MR. The MV leaflers are typically brought together by a central suture producing a double orifice MV without stenosis. Umana reported that MR decreased from grade 3.6 +/,0.5 to0.8 +/,0.4 (P < 0.0001)and LV ejection fraction increased from 33 +/,13% to 45 +/,11%(P = 0.0156). In 121 patients, Maisano reported freedom from re-operation of 95 +/,4.8% with up to 6 year follow-up. Oz developed a MV "grasper" that is directly placed via a left ventriculotomy and coapts both leaflets which are then fastened by a graduated spiral screw. An in-vitro model using explanted human valves showed significant reduction in MR and in canine studies, animals followed by serial echo had persistent MV coaptation. At 12 weeks the device was endothelialized. These promising results have paved the way for a percutaneous or minimally invasive off pump mitral repair. Evalve has developed catheter-based technology, which, by apposing the edges of a regurgitant MV, results in edge-to-edge repair. Release of the device is done after echo and fluoroscopic evaluation under normal loading conditions. If the desired effect is not produced the device can be repositioned or retrieved. Animal studies show excellent healing, with incorporation of the device into the leaflets at 6,10 weeks with persistent coaptation. Another percutaneous approach has been to utilize the proximity of the coronary sinus (CS) to the mitral annulus (MA). Placement of a self-compressing device in the CS along the region of the posterior MA has, in canine models, reduced MR and addresses the issues of MA dilation and its contribution to MR. Ongoing studies are underway for both techniques. (J Interven Cardiol 2003;16:93,96) [source]


    A biomechanical effect of wide implant placement and offset placement of three implants in the posterior partially edentulous region

    JOURNAL OF ORAL REHABILITATION, Issue 1 2000
    Y. Sato
    To prevent loosening or fracture of screws retaining the prosthesis to the implants in the posterior partially edentulous region, the use of staggered buccal and lingual offset placement or wide implants is suggested. However, it is not known how this usage compensates for the torque produced by lateral occlusal forces. This study evaluated the effectiveness of offset placement of three implants and a wide implant placement at the most posterior site. Three-dimensional geometric analysis was used to calculate the tensile force applied to gold screws in clinical situations with buccal or lingual loading perpendicular to cuspal inclination (10 or 20°). Four variations of the placement of three implants (, 3·75 mm) are: (1) straight; (2) buccal offset of the second implant; (3) lingual offset of the second implant; (4) a wide implant (, 5 mm) placement at most posterior site. The offset placement did not always decrease tensile force at the gold screw, but wide implant placement and decrease in cuspal inclination did. [source]


    Biomechanical comparison of a novel multilevel hex-head pedicle screw design with a conventional head design

    JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH, Issue 8 2007
    Qi Liu
    Abstract The objective of the study was to determine the biomechanical effect during insertion of multilevel hex-head design pedicle screws compared to a conventional screw-head design. Eighteen lumbar vertebrae and thoracic vertebrae from human cadavers were instrumented with a novel, multilevel hexagonal head pedicle screw on one side and a conventional head pedicle screw on the contralateral side. Screws were inserted at a constant rate and insertion and removal torques were recorded. A further 14 lumbar and thoracic vertebrae were used to test alterability of screw direction and operational effort required. Electromagnetic sensors recorded the change in angular direction for both screw and screwdriver. The force applied through the insertion screwdriver required to produce the directional change was also recorded. No significant differences were found between the two screw types for insertion or removal torque in either lumbar or thoracic vertebrae. Multilevel hex-head screws had significantly greater directional alterability than conventional head screws in both lumbar and thoracic specimens. Multilevel hex-head screws also required less force applied through the screwdriver than conventional screws to alter direction of screw insertion in both lumbar and thoracic specimens. The multilevel hex-head design did not affect the insertion or removal torque in comparison to a conventional head design. © 2007 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 25:1115,1120, 2007 [source]


    Stress relaxation of bone significantly affects the pull-out behavior of pedicle screws

    JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH, Issue 6 2004
    Serkan Inceoglu
    Abstract The initial fixation strength of pedicle screws is commonly tested using a standard pull-out test with load applied at a constant rate. This method overlooks the cyclic nature of in situ loading responsible for clinical failure. This study was undertaken to determine the effects of stress relaxation properties at the bone,screw interface on screw fixation strength. Pedicle screws were inserted into calf lumbar vertebrae using a paired testing array. After embedding and mounting in a custom fixture, axial pull-out tests were performed at the rates of 1, 5, and 25 mm/min. For each vertebra, one screw was pulled at a continuous rate. The other screw was pulled at increments of 0.5 mm, at the same rate, with 1000 s pause between increments. Peak load, energy-to-failure, displacement-to-failure, and stiffness were calculated for each screw pull-out test. Two-way ANOVA showed that the standard pull-out method yielded significantly higher peak loads (p < 0.05) at faster pull-out rates and higher stiffnesses (p < 0.05) at all rates compared to the stress relaxation pull-out protocol. These results suggest that the stress relaxation properties of bone significantly affect the pull-out behavior of pedicle screws, reducing the peak load and stiffness values observed during testing. This mode of testing may provide a better biomechanical model of screw pull-out failure and a more accurate estimate of initial fixation strength. © 2004 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. [source]


    Spinal somatosensory evoked potential evaluation of acute nerve-root injury associated with pedicle-screw placement procedures: An experimental study

    JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH, Issue 2 2003
    I-Ming Jou
    Pedicle screws for spinal fixation risk neural damage because of the proximity between screw and nerve root. We assessed whether spinal somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) could selectively detect pedicle-screw-related acute isolated nerve injury. Because pedicle screws are too large for a rat's spine, we inserted a K-wire close to the pedicle in 32 rats, intending not to injure the nerve root in eight (controls), and to injure the L4 or L5 root in 24. We used sciatic-nerve-elicited SSEP pre- and postinsertion. Radiologic, histologic, and postmortem observations confirmed the level and degree of root injury. Sciatic (SFI), tibial (TFI), and peroneal function indices (PFI) were calculated and correlated with changes in potential. Although not specific for injuries to different roots, amplitude reduction immediately postinsertion was significant in the experimental groups. Animals with the offending wire left in place for one hour showed a further non-significant deterioration of amplitude. Electrophysiologic changes correlated with SFI and histologic findings in all groups. SSEP monitoring provided reliable, useful diagnostic and intraoperative information about the functional integrity of single nerve-root injury. These findings are clinically relevant to acute nerve-root injury and pedicle-screw insertion. If a nerve-root irritant remains in place, a considerable neurologic deficit will occur. © 2002 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. [source]


    Influence of Material of Overdenture-Retaining Bar with Vertical Misfit on Three-Dimensional Stress Distribution

    JOURNAL OF PROSTHODONTICS, Issue 6 2010
    Ricardo T. Abreu DDS
    Abstract Purpose: This study evaluated the effects of different bar materials on stress distribution in an overdenture-retaining bar system with a vertical misfit between implant and bar framework. Materials and Methods: A three-dimentional finite element model was created including two titanium implants and a bar framework placed in the anterior part of a severely reabsorbed jaw. The model set was exported to mechanical simulation software, where displacement was applied to simulate the screw torque limited by 100-,m vertical misfit. Four bar materials (gold alloy, silver-palladium alloy, commercially pure titanium, cobalt-chromium alloy) were simulated in the analysis. Data were qualitatively evaluated using Von Mises stress given by the software. Results: The models showed stress concentration in cortical bone corresponding to the cervical part of the implant, and in cancellous bone corresponding to the apical part of the implant; however, in these regions few changes were observed in the levels of stress on the different bar materials analyzed. In the bar framework, screw, and implant, considerable increase in stress was observed when the elastic modulus of the bar material was increased. Conclusions: The different materials of the overdenture-retaining bar did not present considerable influence on the stress levels in the periimplant bone tissue, while the mechanical components of the system were more sensitive to the material stiffness. [source]


    Mechanical Behavior and Failure Analysis of Prosthetic Retaining Screws after Long-term Use In Vivo.

    JOURNAL OF PROSTHODONTICS, Issue 3 2008
    Part 1: Characterization of Adhesive Wear, Structure of Retaining Screws
    Abstract Purpose: The general aim of this study and those presented in Parts 2,4 of this series was to characterize the structure, properties, wear, and fracture of prosthetic retaining screws in fixed detachable hybrid prostheses after long-term use in vivo. This part of the overall investigation addresses whether there are differences in thread wear between the screws closest to the fulcrum and those that are farthest from the fulcrum in fixed detachable hybrid prostheses. Materials and Methods: The total number of prosthetic retaining screws used in this study was 100 (10 new and 90 used). New screws (controls) from Nobel Biocare (NB) were divided into Group 1 (slotted) and Group 2 (hexed). Ninety used screws (in service 18,120 months) were retrieved from fixed detachable hybrid prostheses in 18 patients (5 screws from each patient, 60 from NB and 30 from Sterngold). The used screws were divided into 18 groups. Additionally, each group was subdivided into A and B categories. Category A contained the middle three prosthetic screws, which were considered the farthest screws from the fulcrum line. Category B contained the most posterior two screws, which were considered the screws closest to the fulcrum line. All 100 screws were subjected to thorough, nondestructive testing. Results: Light and scanning electron microscopic examination of all used screws for each group revealed surface deterioration of the active profile of the screw threads consistent with adhesive wear. The observed thread profile deterioration ranged from mild to severe. The wear was aggressive enough to cause galling, which led to thinning of the threads and, in severe cases, to knife-edges at thread crests. In ten groups, the most anterior three screws exhibited more wear than the most posterior two screws. In addition to thread wear, severe plastic deformation was detected on the bottom part of each screw for three groups, and a long external longitudinal crack was detected in one screw of Group 2. Conclusions: The findings of this study and those presented in Parts 2,4 demonstrate that different retaining screws from the same manufacturer and/or from different manufacturers have different geometrical design, microstructures, major alloy constituents, and microhardness, and that these differences influence their preload and fractured load values. In this part of the overall investigation, the occurrence of galling as a result of wear involving prosthetic retaining screws appears to be an inevitable and unavoidable consequence of long-term use in vivo in fixed detachable hybrid prostheses regardless of the intended/original preload value. The galling rate is greater on the middle three screws compared to the most posterior two screws in fixed detachable hybrid prostheses. The wear pattern is consistent with an adhesive wear mechanism; however, this study does not provide enough data to support a definitive analysis. [source]


    Mechanical Behavior and Failure Analysis of Prosthetic Retaining Screws after Long-Term Use In Vivo.

    JOURNAL OF PROSTHODONTICS, Issue 3 2008
    Microhardness Analysis, Part 2: Metallurgical
    Abstract Purpose: This study involved testing and analyzing multiple retrieved prosthetic retaining screws after long-term use in vivo to: (1) detect manufacturing defects that could affect in-service behavior; (2) characterize the microstructure and alloy composition; and (3) further characterize the wear mechanism of the screw threads. Materials and Methods: Two new (control) screws from Nobel Biocare (NB) and 18 used (in service 18,120 months) retaining screws [12 from NB and 6 from Sterngold (SG)] were: (1) metallographically examined by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to determine the microstructure; (2) analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) microanalysis to determine the qualitative and semiquantitative average alloy and individual phase compositions; and (3) tested for Vickers microhardness. Results: Examination of polished longitudinal sections of the screws using light microscopy revealed a significant defect in only one Group 4 screw. No significant defects in any other screws were observed. The defect was considered a "seam" originating as a "hot tear" during original casting solidification of the alloy. Additionally, the examination of longitudinal sections of the screws revealed a uniform homogeneous microstructure in some groups, while in other groups the sections exhibited rows of second phase particles. The screws for some groups demonstrated severe deformation of the lower threads and the bottom part of the screw leading to the formation of crevices and grooves. Some NB screws were comprised of Au-based alloy with Pt, Cu, and Ag as alloy elements, while others (Groups 4 and 19) were Pd-based with Ga, Cu, and Au alloy elements. The microstructure was homogeneous with fine or equiaxed grains for all groups except Group 4, which appeared inhomogeneous with anomalous grains. SG screws demonstrated a typical dendritic structure and were Au-based alloy with Cu and Ag alloy elements. There were differences in the microhardness of gold alloy screws from NB and SG as well as palladium alloy screws from NB. Conclusions: Significant differences within NB retaining screws and between NB and SG screws were found for microstructure, major alloy constituents, and microhardness. [source]


    Simulations of grafting monomers and associated degradation of polypropylene in a modular co-rotating twin screw extruder

    JOURNAL OF VINYL & ADDITIVE TECHNOLOGY, Issue 4 2005
    Jongmin Keum
    Kinetic models of grafting maleic anhydride (MAH) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) on polypropylene (PP) were developed for screw extrusion. However, the kinetic models were insufficient to explain the grafting reactions along the length of modular co-rotating twin screw extruders because the rheological properties and the residence time of PP changed owing to degradation of PP during the grafting reaction. In order to model this system for a modular co-rotating twin screw extruder, the kinetic model of grafting reaction and models for degradation of PP were combined with fluid mechanics and heat transfer. Given the geometrical configurations of the screw, the operating conditions, and the physical properties of the polypropylene, the simulations predicted variation of molecular weight and mean residence time due to degradation of PP. The weight percent of grafted MAH or MMA on PP profiles along the screw axis was also calculated in the simulation. These predictions were compared with experimental data for various operating conditions. J. VINYL. ADDIT. TECHNOL. 11:143,149, 2005. © 2005 Society of Plastics Engineers. [source]


    Mandibular reconstruction after resection of benign tumours using non-vascularised methods in a series of patients that did not undergo radiotherapy

    ORAL SURGERY, Issue 1 2009
    D. Mehrotra
    Abstract Aim:, A case series analysis of 52 consequent subjects of immediate mandibular reconstruction after tumour resection using non-vascularised methods, undertaken at U.P. King George's University of Dental Sciences and King George's Medical University, is being reported. To assess the success of reconstruction on subjective and objective evaluation based upon Mandibular Reconstruction Assessment Scale (MRAS) questionnaire. Methods:, Patients with benign mandibular tumours irrespective of age, sex, site and socio-economic status were included. Primary reconstruction was carried out after resection in two surgical units on surgeon's choice using stainless steel wire (6/52; 12%), stainless steel reconstruction plate (10/52; 19%) or titanium reconstruction plate (36/52; 69%) without bone graft (23/52; 44%) or with bone graft (29/52; 56%). Bone grafts were harvested from iliac crest (21/52; 40%), rib (2/52; 4%) and an additional pectoralis major myocutaneous flap with iliac crest bone graft (6/52; 12%) to provide cover to the reconstruction plate was also used. Results:, The primary outcome measurements were wound healing, mouth opening, chewing efficiency, jaw movements, cosmetic achievement and speech on a five-point scale, all of which improved significantly after surgery. The overall complication rate was 17%. Three patients (6%) had loosening of the screw, two (4%) showed dehiscence of the plate, two (4%) showed tumour recurrence and one (2%) had infection of the graft that was subsequently removed. Conclusion:, Titanium reconstruction plates with iliac crest graft provided good result in the absence of microvascular reconstruction because of unavailable long operating time and lack of expertise. Long-term satisfactory rehabilitation can be achieved using removable dentures or prosthesis on dental implants on the contraption provided by the non-vascularised tissue despite non-calcified bone visible on the skiagram. [source]


    Postpacemaker Implant Pericarditis: Incidence and Outcomes with Active-Fixation Leads

    PACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 5 2002
    SOORI SIVAKUMARAN
    SIVAKUMARAN, S., et al.: Postpacemaker Implant Pericarditis: Incidence and Outcomes with Active Fixation Leads. Pericarditis has been noted as a potential complication of pacemaker implantation. This study evaluated the risk of developing pericarditis following pacemaker implantation with active-fixation atrial leads. Included were 1,021 consecutive patients (mean age 73.4 ± 0.4 years, range 16,101 years; 45.2% women) undergoing new pacemaker system implantation between 1991 and 1999 who were reviewed for the complication of pericarditis. The incidence and outcomes of postimplantation pericarditis in patients receiving active-fixation atrial leads were compared to those not receiving these leads. Of 79 patients who received active-fixation atrial leads, 4 (5%) developed pericarditis postpacemaker implantation. Of 942 patients with passive-fixation atrial leads or no atrial lead (i.e., a ventricular lead only), none developed pericarditis postoperatively (P < 0.001). Of patients receiving active-fixation ventricular leads only (n = 97), none developed pericarditis. No complications were apparent at the time of implantation in patients who developed pericarditis. Pleuritic chest pain developed between 1 and 28 hours postoperatively. Three patients had pericardial rubs without clinical or echocardiographic evidence of tamponade. They were treated conservatively with acetylsalicylic acid or ibuprofen and their symptoms resolved without sequelae in 1,8 days. One patient (without pericardial rub) died due to cardiac tamponade on postoperative day 6. Postmortem examination revealed hemorrhagic pericarditis with no gross evidence of lead perforation. Pericarditis complicates pacemaker implantation in significantly more patients who receive active-fixation atrial leads. It may be precipitated by perforation of the atrial lead screw through the thin atrial wall. Patients developing postoperative pericarditis should be followed closely due to the risk of cardiac tamponade. [source]


    Initial Experience with an Active-Fixation Defibrillation Electrode and the Presence of Nonphysiological Sensing

    PACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 12 2001
    RAHUL N. DOSHI
    DOSHI, R.N., et al.: Initial Experience with an Active-Fixation Defibrillation Electrode and the Presence of Nonphysiological Sensing. Nonphysiological sensing by a pacing and defibrillation electrode may result in inappropriate defibrillator discharges and/or inhibition of pacing. Active-fixation electrodes may be more likely to sense diaphragmatic myopotentials because of the protrusion of the screw for fixation. In addition, the movement of the fixation screw in an integrated bipolar lead system could also result in inappropriate sensing. This may be increasingly important in patients who are pacemaker dependent because the dynamic range of the autogain feature of these devices is much more narrow. Five of 15 consecutive patients who received a CPI model 0154 or 0155 active-fixation defibrillation electrode with an ICD system (CPI Ventak AV3DR model 1831 or CPI Ventak VR model 1774 defibrillator) are described. In 2 of the 15 patients, nonphysiological sensing appearing to be diaphragmatic myopotentials resulted in inappropriate defibrillator discharges. Both patients were pacemaker dependent. Changes in the sensitivity from nominal to less sensitive prevented inappropriate discharges. In one patient, discreet nonphysiological sensed events with the electrogram suggestive of ventricular activation was noted at the time of implantation. This was completely eliminated by redeployment of the active-fixation lead in the interventricular septum. In two other patients, discreet nonphysiological sensed events resulted in intermittent inhibition of ventricular pacing after implantation. These were still seen in the least sensitive autogain mode for ventricular amplitude. These were not seen on subsequent interrogation 1 month after implantation. Increased awareness of nonphysiological sensing is recommended. The CPI 0154 and 0155 leads seem to be particularly prone to this abnormality. Particular attention should be made when deploying an active-fixation screw for an integrated bipolar lead. This increased awareness is more important when a given individual is pacemaker dependent, which may warrant DFT testing in a least or less sensitive mode in these patients. [source]


    Raman and transmission electron microscopy characterization of InN samples grown on GaN/Al2O3 by molecular beam epitaxy

    PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (B) BASIC SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 7 2006
    J. Arvanitidis
    Abstract Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy were employed to study the vibrational properties and the microstructure of epitaxially grown InN films on GaN/Al2O3 templates. The variations of the InN lattice constants, as deduced by electron diffraction analysis, along with the red-shifted E22 mode frequency reveal that InN films exhibit residual tensile stress, strongly dependent on the epilayer growth temperature. Threading dislocations are the dominant structural defects in the films, having a density in the order of 109,1010 cm,2. Profile analysis of the E22 Raman peak by means of the Spatial Correlation Model provides useful information concerning the effective mean length for free phonon propagation (L), which is a measure of the structural quality of the samples. In all the studied samples, L monotonically increases with decreasing threading dislocation density of pure screw and mixed type character. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]


    Remarkable improvement in output power for an InAlGaN based ultraviolet LED by improving the crystalline quality of AlN/AlGaN templates

    PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (C) - CURRENT TOPICS IN SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 6 2008
    T. Takano
    Abstract The use of quaternary InAlGaN is very attractive for the realization of commercially-available low-cost and high-power ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs), because highly-efficient UV emission can be obtained from this material due to In-segregation effects. We achieved remarkable improvements in output power from 340 nm-band quaternary InAlGaN-based UV-LEDs and demonstrated high UV-output power by using high-quality AlN buffer templates on sapphire substrates. Threading dislocation densities (TDDs) for screw and edge-type dislocations were 1×108cm,2 and 1×109cm,2, as observed from cross-sectional transmission electron microscope (TEM) images. The output power of a 340 nm-band UV-LED was increased by approximately 7 times by reducing the full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM) of the (10-12) X-ray ,-scan rocking curve (XRC) from around 800 arcsec to 510 arcsec. As a result, we achieved a maximum output power of 7.1 mW under room-temperature (RT) and continuous-wave (CW) operation. From these results, we confirmed that the crystalline quality of AlN/AlGaN templates strongly affects the output power of UV-LEDs. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]


    AlGaN epitaxial layers grown by HVPE on sapphire substrates

    PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (C) - CURRENT TOPICS IN SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 6 2006
    V. Soukhoveev
    Abstract Growth of AlxGa1,xN (x , 0.0-1.0) alloy layers by hydride vapor pahse epitaxy (HVPE) is reported. Crack-free undoped AlGaN layers from 0.1 to 2 ,m thick were grown on 2, SiC and 2,and 4, sapphire substrates. For AlxGa1,xN (x , 0.7-0.8) layers grown on sapphire, high-resolution symmetric/asymmetric X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements resulted in ,-scan rocking curve widths ranging from 250 to 650 arcsec and from 1400 to 1900 arcsec, for the (00.2) and (10.2) reflections, respectively. Minimum XRD-estimated screw and edge dislocation densities in AlGaN layers grown on sapphire were <6 x 108 cm,2 and <2 x 109 cm,2, respectively. Raman studies revealed that the composition dependences of the phonon modes of HVPE-grown AlxGa1,xN layers are in a good agreement with the one, which have been observed for MOCVD-grown AlxGa1,xN alloys earlier. Grown layers had n-type electrical conductivity for the composition range up to x = 0.4. The layer became highly resistive for higher AlN contents. First results on 40 µm thick crack free AlGaN growth on SiC substrates are reported. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]