Experimental Study on Shear Resistance of Carex-Root-Fibered Soil

Carex shows strong vitality, adaptability, and performance with regard to soil consolidation and slope protection but is often disregarded as a weed. This study proposes to turn this so-called weed into treasure, using its characteristics to protect the slope. We studied the interaction between the carex roots and soil and compared it to other types of grass. To understand the interaction between the carex roots and soil, this study investigated the tensile properties of the carex root fibers. The effects of fiber content, humidity, distribution, and soil moisture content on the relationship between the shear strength and vertical pressure of the soil were analyzed using a direct shear test. Furthermore, the cohesion and internal friction angle were used to evaluate the shear strength of the root-fibered soil based on Mohr–Coulomb’s law. The results showed that the smaller the diameter, the shorter the length, and the greater the quantity and the lower the humidity of the root fibers, the higher the tensile strength of root fibers. In addition, the soil strength could be improved by the joint action of the roots and the soil. With an increase in the root fiber content and humidity, the soil moisture content decreased, whereas the shear strength of the carex-root-fibered soil increased. Here, four kinds of root fiber distributions, namely, “glyph,” “herringbone,” “eccentric,” and “vertical,” were chosen to study the shear strength of the root-fibered soil. The results showed that “glyph” root fiber distribution had the highest shear strength, while the shear strength decreased for the others.

Tactile innervation densities across the whole body

The skin is our largest sensory organ and innervated by afferent fibers carrying tactile information to the spinal cord and onto the brain. The density with which different classes of tactile afferents innervate the skin is not constant but varies considerably across different body regions. However, precise estimates of innervation density are only available for some body parts, such as the hands, and estimates of the total number of tactile afferent fibers are inconsistent and incomplete. Here we reconcile different estimates and provide plausible ranges and best estimates for the number of different tactile fiber types innervating different regions of the skin, using evidence from dorsal root fiber counts, microneurography, histology, and psychophysics. We estimate that the skin across the whole body of young adults is innervated by ∼230,000 tactile afferent fibers (plausible range: 200,000–270,000), with a subsequent decrement of 5–8% every decade due to aging. Fifteen percent of fibers innervate the palmar skin of both hands and 19% the region surrounding the face and lips. Slowly and fast-adapting fibers are split roughly evenly, but this breakdown varies with skin region. Innervation density correlates well with psychophysical spatial acuity across different body regions, and, additionally, on hairy skin, with hair follicle density. Innervation density is also weakly correlated with the size of the cortical somatotopic representation but cannot fully account for the magnification of the hands and the face.

Tactile innervation densities across the whole body

The skin is our largest sensory organ and innervated by afferent fibers carrying tactile information to the spinal cord and onto the brain. The density with which different classes of tactile afferents innervate the skin is not constant but varies considerably across different body regions. However, precise estimates of innervation density are only available for some body parts, such as the hands, and estimates of the total number of tactile afferent fibers are inconsistent and incomplete. Here we reconcile different estimates and provide plausible ranges and best estimates for the number of different tactile fiber types innervating different regions of the skin, using evidence from dorsal root fiber counts, microneurography, histology, and psychophysics. We estimate that the skin across the whole body is innervated by approximately 230,000 tactile afferent fibers (plausible range: 200,000-270,000). 15% innervate the palmar skin of both hands and 19% the region surrounding the face and lips. Around 60% of all tactile fibers are slowly-adapting, while the rest are fastadapting. Innervation density correlates well with psychophysical spatial acuity across different body regions, and additionally, on hairy skin, with hair follicle density. Innervation density is also weakly correlated with the size of the cortical somatotopic representation, but cannot fully account for the magnification of the hands and the face.

Monobloco – cimentação de pino e preenchimento em único passo em dente tratado endodonticamente

The literature reports several materials for the restoration of endodontically treated teeth, with coronal destruction that requires an intra-root fiber post to stabilize the prosthetic part. The intra-radicular post of composite resin reinforced with fiberglass can be used as retainers in rehabilitating endodontically treated teeth due to their adhesiveness, pleasing aesthetics, and elasticity module close to the dentin less wear on the remaining structure. This clinical case reports the step-by-step application of dual resin cement (Rebilda DC Dentine - Voco) used as the cementation material of the post and material for the filling core in a single step, in an upper right lateral incisor. Moreover, it describes the advantages and indications of the post-and-core technique, also called “monobloc” which can be used in both anterior and posterior teeth. This protocol minimizes the adhesive interfaces, the chair time, and the steps of the clinical procedure.

KARAKTERISTIK SERAPAN UAP AIR DAN FTIR DARI BIOKOMPOSIT PATI TAPIOKA DIPERKUAT SERAT AKAR BUAH NAGA (HYLOCEREUS POLYRHIZUS)

Abstrak Biokomposit dari pati tapioka dan serat akar buah naga telah berhasil dibuat. Sebanyak 0, 2, 4, dan 6% serat (dari berat kering pati) digunakan sebagai penguat biokomposit. Fabrikasi biokomposit menggunakan metode solution casting. Pengujian serapan uap air digunakan untuk mengetahui persentase penyerapan uap air. Gugus fungsi dari biokomposit ditentukan dengan karakterisasi FTIR (Fourier Transform Infra-Red). Persentase penyerapan uap air menunjukkan bahwa, film pati tapioka mempunyai serapan uap 21,7%. Hasil ini lebih tinggi dibandingkan dengan film tapioka ditambah serat. Fenomena ini didukung dengan analisis FTIR pada gugus serapan air sekitar wavenumber 1647 cm-1. Pada daerah tersebut terlihat bahwa, film pati tapioka memiliki absorban yang tinggi dibandingkan film pati tapioka ditambah serat. Kata-kata kunci: biokomposit, pati tapioka, serat akar buah naga, FTIR, serapan uap air. Abstract Tapioca starch biocomposites reinforced dragon fruit root fiber was successfully produced. As much 0, 2, 4 and 6% fiber fractions (from dry starch weight basis) were used as reinforcement in biocomposites. The fabrication of biocomposites was solution casting method. Moisture absorption testing was used to know the percentage of moisture absorption. The functional group of biocomposites was determined by FTIR (Fourier Transform Infra-Red) characterization. The moisture absorption percentage of tapioca starch film was 21,7%. This result was higher than fiber-reinforced biocomposites film. This phenomenon was supported by FTIR analysis on functional group (water absorption band) at wavenumber 1647 cm-1. In this wavenumber, tapioca starch film has higher absorbance than fiber-reinforced biocomposites film. Keywords: biocomposites, tapioca starch, dragon fruit root fiber, FTIR and moisture absorption.