Development of a force amplitude- and location-sensing device designed to improve the ligament balancing procedure in TKA

To improve the ligament balancing procedure during total knee arthroplasty a force-sensing device to intraoperatively measure knee joint forces and moments has been developed. It consists of two sensitive plates, one for each condyle, a tibial base plate and a set of spaces to adapt the device thickness to the patient-specific tibiofemoral gap. Each sensitive plate is equipped with three deformable bridges instrumented with thick-film piezoresistive sensors, which allow accurate measurements of the amplitude and location of the tibiofemoral contact forces. The net varus-valgus moment is then computed to characterize the ligamentous imbalance. The developed device has a measurement range of 0-500 N and an intrinsic accuracy of 0.5% full scale. Experimental trials on a plastic knee joint model and on a cadaver specimen demonstrated the proper function of the device in situ. The results obtained indicated that the novel force-sensing device has an appropriate range of measurement and a strong potential to offer useful quantitative information and effective assistance during the ligament balancing procedure in total knee arthroplasty.     

Contention-based forwarding for mobile ad hoc networks

Existing position-based unicast routing algorithms which forward packets in the geographic direction of the destination require that the forwarding node knows the positions of all neighbors in its transmission range. This information on direct neighbors is gained by observing beacon messages each node sends out periodically.

Due to mobility, the information that a node receives about its neighbors becomes outdated, leading either to a significant decrease in the packet delivery rate or to a steep increase in load on the wireless channel as node mobility increases. In this paper, we propose a mechanism to perform position-based unicast forwarding without the help of beacons. In our contention-based forwarding scheme (CBF) the next hop is selected through a distributed contention process based on the actual positions of all current neighbors. For the contention process, CBF makes use of biased timers. To avoid packet duplication, the first node that is selected suppresses the selection of further nodes. We propose three suppression strategies which vary with respect to forwarding efficiency and suppression characteristics. We analyze the behavior of CBF with all three suppression strategies and compare it to an existing greedy position-based routing approach by means of simulation with ns-2. Our results show that CBF significantly reduces the load on the wireless channel required to achieve a specific delivery rate compared to the load a beacon-based greedy forwarding strategy generates.     

Low-Cycle-Fatigue Performance of Stress-Aged EN AW-7075 Alloy

The effect of a novel heat treatment, that is, aging under superimposed external stress, on the fatigue performance and microstructural evolution of a high-strength aluminum alloy (EN AW-7075) is presented. Stress aging, a combination of heat treatment and superimposed external stress, can enhance the mechanical properties of EN AW-7075 under monotonic loading due to the acceleration of precipitation kinetics. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) reveal that a longer aging time and the presence of superimposed stress both promote the formation and growth of precipitates, that is, the precipitation of strengthening η´ precipitates. This is confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) heating experiments of stressless and stress-aged states. Furthermore, stress aging leads to a reduction of dimensions of precipitate-free zones near grain boundaries. Cyclic deformation responses (CDRs) and half-life hysteresis loops are evaluated focusing on the low-cycle fatigue (LCF) performance of different conditions. A noticeable cyclic hardening seen in case of the specimens aged for a short time indicates the occurrence of dynamic strain aging (DSA). Eventually, stress aging allows for an enhancement of the monotonic mechanical properties of EN AW-7075 without degrading the cyclic performance in the LCF regime.     

Contrast Reversal in Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Its Implications for the Topological Classification of SmB6

SmB₆ has recently attracted considerable interest as a candidate for the first strongly correlated topological insulator. Such materials promise entirely new properties such as correlation-enhanced bulk bandgaps or a Fermi surface from spin excitations. Whether SmB₆ and its surface states are topological or trivial is still heavily disputed however, and a solution is hindered by major disagreement between angle-resolved photoemission (ARPES) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) results. Here, a combined ARPES and STM experiment is conducted. It is discovered that the STM contrast strongly depends on the bias voltage and reverses its sign beyond 1 V. It is shown that the understanding of this contrast reversal is the clue to resolving the discrepancy between ARPES and STM results. In particular, the scanning tunneling spectra reflect a low-energy electronic structure at the surface, which supports a trivial origin of the surface states and the surface metallicity of SmB₆.     

Near‐Surface Microstructural Reorganization of UHMWPE under Cyclic Load – A Pilot Study

We report a depth‐resolved analysis of the microstructure of a bulge‐like failure in a medical grade ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) implant material induced by a cyclic load. The depth‐dependent arrangement of the crystalline lamellae was analyzed by cross‐sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The failure emerges at the top wear surface as an amorphous bulge with a maximum thickness of approximately 300 µm. A sharp interface below the bulge consists of an approximately 0.1 µm thick boundary layer with stacked lamellae with an outstanding degree of orientation perpendicular to the wear surface. The boundary layer is separated from the intact, unmodified base material with random lamellar orientation by an approximately 5 µm thick transition zone with a lamellar alignment perpendicular to the wear surface, which decreases toward the center of the UHMWPE test specimen. We further observed an overall decrease of lamellar thickness toward the wear surface within the influence zone. This indicates the strength and heterogeneity of the local dynamic stress field during cyclic wear and the ease for lamellar rearrangements presumably facilitated by a locally elevated temperature. We propose the bulge to originate from either wear material dragged along the wear surface or from a retransfer from the articulating counter surface, and discuss implications on the degree and relevance of adhesive wear. This study stresses the importance of the UHMWPE transfer material under such dynamic load conditions. Our approach seems suitable for investigating the mechanical aspect of failure mechanisms at the UHMWPE polymer biointerface under cyclic load.     

Premixed flame propagation in a free straight vortex

The paper presents experimental and numerical investigations of the Combustion Induced Vortex Breakdown (CIVB) in a free straight turbulent vortex. The velocity field was measured using the Laser-Doppler Velocimetry (LDV) and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) methods. The flame propagation is estimated from analysis of pictures taken by a high speed camera. Numerical simulations have been performed using the Large Eddy Simulations (LES). Two different types of the flame propagation along the vortex were identified depending on the equivalence ratio and the swirl number. It was shown that the Combustion Induced Vortex Breakdown takes place if the swirl number exceeds a certain threshold at a constant value of the equivalence ratio. LES simulations confirmed the fact that the CIVB appears in the vortex configuration considered. Detailed analysis of the LES data allows to estimate contributions of different physical mechanisms to the CIVB.     

Synthetic Biology Makes Polymer Materials Count

Synthetic biology applies engineering concepts to build cellular systems that perceive and process information. This is achieved by assembling genetic modules according to engineering design principles. Recent advance in the field has contributed optogenetic switches for controlling diverse biological functions in response to light. Here, the concept is introduced to apply synthetic biology switches and design principles for the synthesis of multi‐input‐processing materials. This is exemplified by the synthesis of a materials system that counts light pulses. Guided by a quantitative mathematical model, functional synthetic biology‐derived modules are combined into a polymer framework resulting in a biohybrid materials system that releases distinct output molecules specific to the number of input light pulses detected. Further demonstration of modular extension yields a light pulse‐counting materials system to sequentially release different enzymes catalyzing a multistep biochemical reaction. The resulting smart materials systems can provide novel solutions as integrated sensors and actuators with broad perspectives in fundamental and applied research.     

Site-Controlled Uniform Ge/Si Hut Wires with Electrically Tunable Spin–Orbit Coupling

Semiconductor nanowires have been playing a crucial role in the development of nanoscale devices for the realization of spin qubits, Majorana fermions, single photon emitters, nanoprocessors, etc. The monolithic growth of site-controlled nanowires is a prerequisite toward the next generation of devices that will require addressability and scalability. Here, combining top-down nanofabrication and bottom-up self-assembly, the growth of Ge wires on prepatterned Si (001) substrates with controllable position, distance, length, and structure is reported. This is achieved by a novel growth process that uses a SiGe strain-relaxation template and can be potentially generalized to other material combinations. Transport measurements show an electrically tunable spin–orbit coupling, with a spin–orbit length similar to that of III–V materials. Also, charge sensing between quantum dots in closely spaced wires is observed, which underlines their potential for the realization of advanced quantum devices. The reported results open a path toward scalable qubit devices using nanowires on silicon.     

Atomic Migration and Ordering of Binary Ferromagnetic Intermetallic L10 Phases and Influences of Alloying Elements and Electric Fields

The ordered body-centered tetragonal intermetallic ${\text{L1}}_0$ phase of FeNi is a promising candidate for high-performance permanent magnets without rare-earth elements. However, on earth FeNi is found naturally only in the disordered face-centered-cubic A1 phase. Herein, the atomic migration and ordering processes in binary intermetallic ${\text{L1}}_0$ phases are investigated within the framework of density-functional theory. The main objectives are 1) to develop a thorough understanding of the thermally activated diffusion processes at the atomic scale and 2) to make a critical assessment in how far electric field and current effects can be effective means for an enhanced hardening-by-ordering of disordered, soft-ferromagnetic alloys. The scope is extended from FeNi to the hard-ferromagnetic ${\text{L1}}_0$ phases of FePt, FePd, MnAl, and MnGa as well as ternary Fe(Pt,Ni) alloys. These materials cover a wide range of thermal-ordering time scales and related experimental feasibility.