T. Nishioka¹, S. Tchouikov¹, T. Fujimoto¹

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.3, No.3, pp. 147-154, 2006, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2006.003.147

Abstract In this study, phenomena of multiple branching of dynamically propagating crack are investigated numerically. The complicated paths of cracks propagating in a material are simulated by moving finite element method based on Delaunay automatic triangulation (MFEM BODAT), which was extended for such problems. For evaluation of fracture parameters for propagating and branching cracks switching method of the path independent dynamic J integral was used. Using these techniques the generation phase simulation of multiple dynamic crack branching was performed. Various dynamic fracture parameters, which are almost impossible to obtain by experimental technique alone, were accurately evaluated. More >

B.B. Karki¹, D. Bhattarai¹, L. Stixrude²

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.3, No.3, pp. 107-118, 2006, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2006.003.107

Abstract Computer modeling of liquid phase poses tremendous challenge: It requires a relatively large simulation size, long simulation time and accurate interatomic interaction and as such, it produces massive amounts of data. Recent advances in hardware and software have made it possible to accurately simulate the liquid phase. This paper reports the details of methodology used in the context of liquid simulations and subsequent analysis of the output data. For illustration purpose, we consider the results for the liquid phases of two geophysically relevant materials, namely MgO and MgSiO₃. The simulations are performed using the parallel first-principles More >

Heng-Cheng Lin¹, Chieh Kung², Rong-Sheng Chen¹, Gin-Tiao Liang¹

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.3, No.2, pp. 55-64, 2006, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2006.003.055

Abstract Wafer level chip scale package (WLCSP) has been recognized providing clear advantages over traditional wire-bond package in relaxing the need of underfill while offering high density of I/O interconnects. Without the underfill, the solder joint reliability becomes more critical. Adding to the reliability concerns is the safety demand trend toward "green'' products on which unleaded material, e.g. lead-free solders, is required. The requirement of lead-free solders on the packages results in a higher reflow temperature profile in the package manufacturing process, in turn, complicating the reliability issue. This paper presents an optimization study, considering the… More >

Z. Xu¹, L. G. Zhou¹, Jian Wang¹, Timothy S. Cale², Hanchen Huang^1,3

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.3, No.1, pp. 43-48, 2006, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2007.003.043

Abstract Recent studies show that three-dimensional Ehrlich-Schwoebel (3D ES), or facet-facet, barriers of face-centered-cubic metals are substantially higher than other surface diffusion barriers. This paper presents the numerical results of 3D ES barriers for body-centered-cubic W, using classical molecular statics calculations and the nudged elastic band method. Results show that an adatom on W{110} has a diffusion barrier of 0.49 eV on the flat surface, 0.66 eV over a monolayer step, and 0.98 eV over a ridge to a neighboring {100} facet, which is one 3D ES barrier. More >

I. Smojver¹, J. Sorić²

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.3, No.1, pp. 13-24, 2006, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2007.003.013

Abstract The paper addresses the problem of impact on layered fibre composites. The behaviour of composite laminates under impact loading is dependent not only on the velocity but also on the mass and geometry of the impactor. Using micromechanical Mori-Tanaka approach, mechanical properties of the laminate have been calculated utilizing the material constants of the fibre and matrix. General purpose FEM software ABAQUS has been modified by means of user written subroutines for modelling of composite laminate and rigid impactor. The kinematics of the impact has been simulated using transient dynamic analysis. Employing user defined multi More >

Anastasios J. Karayiannakis¹, Byron Asimakopoulos², Anna Efthimiadou², Alexandra K. Tsaroucha¹, Alexandros Polychronidis¹, Constantinos Simopoulos¹

European Cytokine Network, Vol.16, No.1, pp. 91-96, 2005

Abstract We compared serum leptin responses during and after laparoscopic and open cholecystectomy, and assessed their correlation with the responses of inflammatory cytokines. Serum levels of leptin, interleukin-1a (IL-1α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-α) were measured by an enzyme-linked immunoassay in 31 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy and in 24 patients who underwent open cholecystectomy. Serum samples were obtained preoperatively, at 10 and 30 min after the commencement of surgery, and at 6 and 24 h after the operation. The cumulative responses of leptin, IL-1α, IL-6 and TNF-α to surgery were calculated and the… More >

Reshma S. Phillips¹, Cyril O. Enwonwu^1,2, William A. Falkler¹

European Cytokine Network, Vol.16, No.1, pp. 70-77, 2005

Abstract Fresh noma is a severe orofacial necrosis with an astonishingly rapid development. It is seen mainly in malnourished children less than 4 years old from developing countries. Cytokines play a central role in oral mucosal inflammation. We therefore studied the relevance of circulating cytokines to noma, and the key microorganisms associated with the lesion. Nigerian village children with acute noma (n=68) and their neighborhood village (n=63) as well as urban (n=45) counterparts of comparable age and free of overt infections were evaluated for serum cytokine levels by ELISA. Oral bacteria were studied by polymerase chain… More >

Sara Pagani, Cristina Meazza, Paola Travaglino, Antonia Moretta, Mauro Bozzola

European Cytokine Network, Vol.16, No.1, pp. 65-69, 2005

Abstract The aim of the present study was to establish whether growth hormone (GH) treatment in vivo affects pro-inflammatory cytokine production by resting or in vitro, activated, cultured, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from children with complete growth hormone deficiency (GHD). We evaluated 11, pre-pubertal children (6 males and 5 females) with GHD, aged between 6 and 14 years, and 9, age- and sex-matched healthy subjects were studied as controls (CTRLs). Freshly isolated PBMC were cultured for 4 or 24 h in X-VIVO medium in the presence or absence of 0.01 lg/mL lipopolysaccharide for the determination… More >

Joanna Gora-Tybor, Jerzy Z. Blonski, Tadeusz Robak

European Cytokine Network, Vol.16, No.1, pp. 41-46, 2005

Abstract The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) transduction pathway may be very active in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) cells and contributes to their enhanced survival. Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (VEGFR-1) and receptor-2 (VEGFR-2), are the high-affinity VEGF receptors, which play an important role in de novo blood vessel formation and hematopoietic cell development. The aim of our study was to compare the concentration of VEGF, VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 in the serum of 83, never-treated B-CLL patients in different stage of disease according to Rai classification, and 20 healthy volunteers. Of all the cytokines only… More >

Irena Fonda¹, Mojca Pernuš², Vladka Gaberc-Porekar¹, Maja Kenig², Anton Štalc², Anthony Meager³, Viktor Menart^1,2

European Cytokine Network, Vol.16, No.1, pp. 17-26, 2005

Abstract Analysis of published data reveals that the introduction of more basic amino acid residues in the flexible N-terminal region of the human tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF) molecule indicates a weak but consistent trend towards increased in vitro cytotoxicity, especially when the effect of N-terminal length is taken into account. In our laboratory, a series of TNF analogues with a charge modification in the tip region of the molecule was prepared, and cytotoxicity measured. Similar trends in cytotoxicity with increasing basicity of the TNF analogue were found in this study for two mouse cell lines,… More >