Characterization of biogenic hydroxyapatite derived from animal bones for biomedical applications

In this work, the viability of producing biogenic hydroxyapatite from bio-waste animal bones, namely bovine (cow), caprine (goat) and galline (chicken), through a heat treatment process has been investigated. The animal bones were locally sourced, cleaned to remove collagen and subsequently heat treated in air atmosphere at different temperatures ranging from 600?°C to 1000?°C. From the range of sintering temperatures investigated, it was found that hydroxyapatite derived from bovine bone showed good thermal stability while those produced from caprine and galline bones exhibited phase instability with traces of tri-calcium phosphate (TCP) being detected after heat treatment beyond 700?°C. The porous nature of the bone samples can be observed from the microstructures obtained and supported by low relative density. Heating the bovine and caprine bones at selected temperatures yielded porous HA body, having hardness values that are comparable with human cortical bone. However, the sintered galline bone sample showed higher porosity levels and low hardness when compared to the other two bone types.     

Elliptical slot based polarization insensitive compact and flexible chipless RFID tag

A miniaturized, polarization insensitive, and fully passive chipless radio frequency identification tag is proposed in this research article. The realized tag is based on slotted elliptical structures in a nested loop fashion with identical lengths and widths of slot resonators. Alteration of data sequence is accomplished by addition and elimination of nested resonators in the geometric structure. The tag is capable to encode 10 bits of data and covers spectral range from 3.6 to 15.6 GHz. The formulated structure demonstrates polarization insensitive characteristic. The data encoding structure is analyzed and optimized for different substrates that are, Rogers RT/duroid/5880, Rogers RT/duroid/5870, and Taconic TLX‐0 over the miniaturized footprint of 22.8 × 16 mm². The presented tag is robust, novel, compact, and flexible exhibiting a stable response to impinging electromagnetic waves at various angles of incidence.     

增进城市地区生物多样性——以新加坡模式为例

自 1963 年以来,新加坡开展实施了绿化计划,并经历了从“花园城市”到“花园中的亲生态城市”的演变。为了在新加坡实现生物多样性保护,国家公园局制定了自然保护蓝图,重点介绍该规划实施的关键是利用技术创新。新加坡城市生物多样性指数是一种评价生物多样性成效的自我评估工具,已在全球范围内的多个城市得到应用。     

蓄水期库岸古滑坡的水动力学响应监测——以三峡库区泄滩滑坡为例

水库岸坡失稳是伴随水电工程建设而产生的一种地质灾害，一般认为主要是由于水库蓄水或运营导致岸坡水动力条件的不利演化造成的。国内外水库岸坡失稳的实例很多，但是岸坡的水动力条件演化过程主要以渗流计算所获得的渗流场作为依据，缺乏系统完整的现场监测资料。以三峡水库蓄水为契机，在湖北秭归县泄滩古滑坡体上建立了一套自动水文监测系统，监测内容包括水库水位、滑坡体水位、渗压与降雨量等。从监测成果来看，岸坡的水位(或渗压)上升速度明显滞后于库水位上升速度，滞后时间与岸坡的渗透性有关，滑带、滑坡影响带和基岩的渗透性相对较弱，滞后时间较长，但是滑坡体的渗透性良好，滞后时间较短；水位观测井的观测成果存在误导，需要结合观测井结构进行分析，建议尽可能使用标准管结构；降雨引起的滑坡体水位上升量和滞后时间与降雨强度关系密切，降雨强度越大水位上升量越大，水位开始上涨的时间越短。因此，对降雨的影响分析有必要考虑雨型，确定合适的基准时间单位。就泄滩滑坡而言，以小时为基本时间单位较为合适。     

Reinforcement of graphene nanoplatelets on plasticized poly(lactic acid) nanocomposites: Mechanical,thermal, morphology,and antibacterial properties

Plasticized poly(lactic acid) (PLA)‐based nanocomposites filled with graphene nanoplatelets (xGnP) and containing poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and epoxidized palm oil (EPO) with ratio 2 : 1 (2P : 1E) as hybrid plasticizer were prepared by melt blending method. The key objective is to take advantage of plasticization to increase the material ductility while preserving valuable stiffness, strength, and toughness via addition of xGnP. The tensile modulus of PLA/2P : 1E/0.1 wt % xGnP was substantially improved (30%) with strength and elasticity maintained, as compared to plasticized PLA. TGA analysis revealed that the xGnP was capable of acting as barrier to reduce thermal diffusion across the plasticized PLA matrix, and thus enhanced thermal stability of the plasticized PLA. Incorporation of xGnP also enhanced antimicrobial activity of nanocomposites toward Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41652.     

Droplet formation by squeezing in a microfluidic cross-junction

In microfluidics, flow focusing is widely used to produce water-in-oil droplets in microchannels at high frequency. We here report an experimental study of droplet formation in a microfluidic cross-junction with a minimum number of geometrical parameters. We mostly focus on the squeezing regime, which is composed of two distinct steps: filling and pinching. The duration of each step (and corresponding volumes of each liquid phase) is analyzed. They vary according to both water and oil flow rates. These variations provide several insights about the fluid flows in both phases. We propose several scaling laws to relate the droplet volume and frequency to the flow rate of both phases. We also discuss the influence of surfactant and channel compliance on droplet formation.     

A study of the effects of pavement ageing on binder deterioration

This paper discusses the ageing of asphalt binder of long-term pavement performance (LTPP) sites in Southeast Queensland. The effects of pavement age on binder deterioration were examined by performing ‘Shell’ sliding plate micro-viscometer laboratory tests in accordance with Australian and New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 2341.5: 1997. The tests were carried out on bituminous core samples obtained from the LTPP sites to determine the apparent viscosity of the asphalt binder. A binder deterioration model (BDM) was developed by establishing a relationship between the apparent viscosities of the binder with pavement age. The apparent viscosity data generated using the BDM were compared with that computed using the bitumen hardening model developed by Oliver (2003). The two models show a consistent trend in the binder deterioration, and the results were analysed statistically using regression analysis, Root Mean Square Error and t-test methods. The t-test shows that the data generated by the BDM have no significant deviation from the prediction by Oliver's model.