Biomedical subjects

Ken Muldrew

Publications and source records attributed to Ken Muldrew.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

Retardation of ice growth in glass capillaries: measurement of the critical capillary radius.

An experiment was designed to compare the freezing of an aqueous solution in glass microcapillaries and in thin films. The velocity dependence of the ice front propagation in glass capillaries with radii of 87.5 microm-1.5 microm was observed. A critical capillary radius r(0), corresponding to certain thermal conditions, was obtained, below which the ice growth inside the capillaries was retarded. This critical capillary radius is further related to lambda(0), the smallest wavelength used in the Mullins-Sekerka criterion for the instability analysis of bulk solidifications [Mullins and Sekerka, J. Appl. Phys. 35, 444 (1964)]. It was found that for the present hypothesis, r(0)=lambda(0)/4 gives good predictions. The relation between the propagation velocity (or cooling rate) and the critical radius (or pore size) is summarized in a chart for applications in capillary-porous media, such as in the freezing of biological tissues.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2003

Measurement of freezing point depression of water in glass capillaries and the associated ice front shape.

Variations of the Kelvin equation [W. Thomson, Philos. Mag. 42, 448 (1871)] to describe the freezing point depression of water in capillaries exist in the literature. The differing equations, coupled with the uncertainty in input parameters, lead to various predictions. The difference between the predictions may become substantial when the capillary size decreases much below micron dimensions. An experiment was designed to investigate the predicted values using a customized directional solidification stage. The capillary freezing point depression for glass tubes with radii of 87 microm-3 microm was successfully measured. The image of the ice-water interface at equilibrium was also digitally captured and analyzed to examine the contact angle and the interface shape as well. Both are important for examining the hemispherical interface assumption that was exclusively used in the theoretical derivations. Finally, an equilibrium analysis of the thermodynamic system leads to a theoretical discussion of the problem. The effect of the temperature gradient on the interface shape is addressed, and an engineering criterion for the critical temperature gradient above which the effect must be considered for the interface shape calculation is derived.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2003

A finite element model for ice ball evolution in a multi-probe cryosurgery.

The ice formation in a water body is examined for the computation of temperature field, phase change and a moving ice-water interface whose location is not known á priori. This is classically referred to as the Stefan problem [Rubinstein, L.I. (1971) The Stefan Problem (American Mathematical Society, Providence, Rhode Island 02904]. Based on the Duvaut [Duvaut, G. (1973) "Résolution d'un probléme Stefan" C.R. Acad Sci. Paris 276, 1461-1463] transformation, the governing equations for heat conduction are formulated within a variational principle that is readily amenable to a standard finite element solution without remeshing. Numerical simulation results pertaining to the freezing of tumour tissue in a multi-cryoprobe cryosurgery are presented. These results lend both quantitative and graphical support to the current empirical standards of "effective therapy" in view of refining clinical applications.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Osteoarthritis as an inevitable consequence of the structure of articular cartilage.

The hypothesis that osteoarthritis is an inevitable consequence of the structure of articular cartilage is proposed. Cartilage structure is viewed as an evolutionary solution to the optimization of articular cartilage function. A simplified model of the structural elements and constraints will be used to illustrate how the hypothesis leads to a mathematical solution and then a more realistic situation will be described, but not optimized rigorously. The goal for finding a solution will be to optimize the function of articular cartilage subject to the constraints of a biological tissue. In comparison, the structure of genuine articular cartilage will be discussed in the context of an optimal solution to the functional problem and, particularly, in relation to the disease of osteoarthritis.

Cartilage, Articular↗