Elastic wave fields in a half-plane with free-surface relief,tunnels and multiple buried inclusions

In this work, we study the elastic wave fields that develop in an isotropic half-plane which contains different types of heterogeneities such as free-surface relief, unlined and lined tunnels, as well as multiple buried inclusions. The half-plane is swept by traveling harmonic waves, namely pressure waves, vertically polarized shear waves and Rayleigh waves, as well as by waves emanating from an embedded source. The computational tool used is the direct boundary element method (BEM) with sub-structuring capabilities. Following development and numerical implementation of the BEM, two stages of work are performed, namely a detailed verification study followed by extensive parametric investigations. These last numerical simulations help determine the dependence of the elastic waves that develop along the surface of the half-plane, as well as of the dynamic stress concentration factors in the different types of buried inclusions, to the following key factors: geometry of the free-surface relief, geometry, depth of burial and separation distance of the inclusions, wavelength to inclusion diameter ratio and dynamic interaction phenomena between the multiple heterogeneities. In closing, the potential of the enhanced BEM formulation to treat dynamic soil-structure-interaction problems with the kind of complexity expected in realistic engineering applications is discussed.     

Monetite and brushite coated magnesium: in vivo and in vitro models for degradation analysis

The use of magnesium (Mg) as a biodegradable metallic replacement of permanent orthopaedic materials is a current topic of interest and investigation. The appropriate biocompatibility, elastic modulus and mechanical properties of Mg recommend its suitability for bone fracture fixation. However, the degradation rates of Mg can be rapid and unpredictable resulting in mass hydrogen production and potential loss of mechanical integrity. Thus the application of calcium phosphate coatings has been considered as a means of improving the degradation properties of Mg. Brushite and monetite are utilized and their degradation properties (alongside uncoated Mg controls) are assessed in an in vivo subcutaneous environment and the findings compared to their in vitro degradation behaviour in immersion tests. The current findings suggest monetite coatings have significant degradation protective effects compared to brushite coatings in vivo. Furthermore, it is postulated that an in vitro immersion test may be used as a tentative predictor of in vivo subcutaneous degradation behavior of calcium phosphate coated and uncoated Mg.     

Hydroxyapatite, fluor-hydroxyapatite and fluorapatite produced via the sol–gel method: dissolution behaviour and biological properties after crystallisation

Hydroxyapatite (HA), fluor-hydroxyapatite (FHA) with varying levels of fluoride ion substitution and fluorapatite (FA) were synthesised by the sol–gel method as possible implant coating or bone-grafting materials. Calcium nitrate and triethyl phosphite were used as precursors under an ethanol–water based solution. Different amounts of ammonium fluoride were incorporated for the preparation of the FHA and FA sol–gels. After heating and powdering the sol–gels, dissolution behaviour was assessed using ion chromatography to measure Ca²⁺ and PO₄ ^3? ion release. Biological behaviour was assessed using cellular proliferation with human osteosarcoma cells and alamarBlue? assay. Statistical analysis was performed with a two way analysis of variance and post hoc testing with a Bonferroni correction. Increasing fluoride substitution into an apatite structure decreased the dissolution rate. Increasing the firing temperature of the HA, FHA and FA sol–gels up to 1,000 °C decreased the dissolution rate. There was significantly higher cellular proliferation on highly substituted FHA and FA than on HA or Titanium. The properties of an implant coating or bone grafting material can be tailored to meet specific requirements by altering the amount of fluoride that is incorporated into the original apatite structure. The dissolution behaviour can further be altered by the temperature at which the sol–gel is fired.     

Energy‐efficient management using a traffic‐oriented routing scheme for cognitive radio networks

This paper elaborates on a traffic manipulation routing scheme that associates the moments of the traffic, targeting the maximization of the energy conservation, as well as the effective resource management of the network nodes. The energy conservation is achieved through the data flow coordination, in association with the data traffic volume and the resource exchange, between the nodes that exploit radio spectrum access in cognitive radio networking architectures. The routing scheme that is proposed in this paper interrelates the backward difference of traffic moments for each node based on a series model, together with the sleep‐time period, towards reflecting this measurement to the minimization of the nodes activity durations to achieve energy conservation. The effective operation of the routing scheme is achieved by exploiting a signalling mechanism that was adopted for the proper communication of the nodes over the available radio spectrum parts, such as the television white spaces. Simulation tests were conducted towards examining the validity of the proposed routing scheme via multiple performance evaluation experiments. Simulation results have shown the offered reliability and the efficiency of the proposed traffic‐aware scheme, in reference to the efficient energy consumption of the networking nodes and the minimization of the delays. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

High‐Mobility ZnO Thin Film Transistors Based on Solution‐processed Hafnium Oxide Gate Dielectrics

The properties of metal oxides with high dielectric constant (k) are being extensively studied for use as gate dielectric alternatives to silicon dioxide (SiO₂). Despite their attractive properties, these high‐k dielectrics are usually manufactured using costly vacuum‐based techniques. In that respect, recent research has been focused on the development of alternative deposition methods based on solution‐processable metal oxides. Here, the application of the spray pyrolysis (SP) technique for processing high‐quality hafnium oxide (HfO₂) gate dielectrics and their implementation in thin film transistors employing spray‐coated zinc oxide (ZnO) semiconducting channels are reported. The films are studied by means of admittance spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, UV–Visible absorption spectroscopy, FTIR, spectroscopic ellipsometry, and field‐effect measurements. Analyses reveal polycrystalline HfO₂ layers of monoclinic structure that exhibit wide band gap (≈5.7 eV), low roughness (≈0.8 nm), high dielectric constant (k ≈ 18.8), and high breakdown voltage (≈2.7 MV/cm). Thin film transistors based on HfO₂/ZnO stacks exhibit excellent electron transport characteristics with low operating voltages (≈6 V), high on/off current modulation ratio (～10⁷) and electron mobility in excess of 40 cm² V^?1 s^?1.