Liquid wood? Could it replace plastic?

I have no comments on this yet, but enjoyed reading the others comments...especially the one from Dr. Johanson!

Congress in Switzerland

16 th Congress European Society of Biomechanics
6th 9th July 2008
Lucerne Switzerland

Conference info

8th INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON COMPUTER METHODS IN BIOMECHANICS AND BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING

27 February - 1 March 2008 

Porto, Portugal

The key objectives of the meeting are to communicate advances in 'Computer Simulation’ being applied across the multidisciplinary areas on medical technical and to highlight areas of future potential such as mechanotransduction, mechanobiology, cytoskeletal systems, scaffold architecture, micro/macro/nanobiomechanics, injury/forensic and impact biomechanics, modelling cellular and molecular mechanics, bioreactor simulation, movement science and human body performance which reflect the many advances that are presently taking place in computer based simulation.

Upcoming conference (22nd European Conference on Biomaterials)

ESB2009, organised by the Swiss Society for Biomaterials, will be held in Lausanne, Switzerland from Sept 7th until 11th 2009.
ESB2009 intends to draw on the extensive MedTech industry within Switzerland to bring closer relationships between academia and industry which link the basic research world to final applications.

Dead lines:

ESB2009 07.09.2009 - 11.09.2009
Congress Workshops 07.09.2009
ESB Congress Registration and Welcome reception 07.09.2009

Oral Abstract Submission Deadline (18.00, Central EuropeanTime) 26.01.2009

Interesting book

Green composites : polymer composites and the environment

Edited by C Baillie, Queen's university, Canada

With an internationally recognized team of contributors, Green Composites examines fibre reinforced polymer composite production and explains how environmental footprints can be diminished at every stage of the life cycle. The introductory chapters examine why green composites should be considered. The book then discusses properties of cellulose and wood. It examines recyclable synthetic fibre-thermoplastic composites as alternatives, then covers polymers derived from natural sources. The text details the factors that influence properties, and considers clean processing, applications, recycling, degradation, and reprocessing. The book is essential for government agricultural departments, automotive companies, and others devoted to eco-friendly materials and production.

ISBN 1 85573 739 6

[ISBN-13: 978 1 85573 739 6]
September 2004

quote

Today, one of my friends who is writing the final version of his thesis called me to ask about a quote from Prof. Ashby that I used it in my public defence. I wish to share it with you:

When modern man builds large load-bearing structures, he uses dense solids: steel, concrete. When nature builds large load-bearing structures, she generally uses cellular materials: wood, bone. There must be a good reason for it.

Michael F. Ashby

Osteoporosis and orthopedic surgery

How does osteoporosis change the the mechanical properties of tibia bone? where are the major changes, in cortical layer or in cancellous bone? and is this about change in the density or the cortical layer thickness?

Voila, my short conclusion:

Osteoporosis is a condition in which the bone mineral density and consequently its strengths are decreased. Because osteoblasts and osteoclasts inhabit the surface of bones, cancellous bone is more active, more subject to bone turnover and remodeling[wiki]. It makes us to understimate the important role of the cortical bone in osteoporosis phenomenon. Lower overall bone mass, lower thickness of cortical bone and lower bone mineral density increase the failure risks of revision knee surgery. But age does not change these parameters (no statistically significant correlation) and smoking does.