2011 Spring Semester

Assignment
- Wk1-2 Homework –

2010. 03. 22

Name Young-Jae Kim

Laboratory MEMS lab.

Course M.S

Student Num 20101174

Wk1-2 Homework

Due March 23, 2011 midnight by email (Subject: “MD506 wk1-2 your name”) using MS word file.

#1 (15%) Drugs are often administered in capsules. Some capsules act as containers, which hold
many smaller particles that contain the active agent. Administration of the drug is improved by
the capsule; when the capsule breaks down in the intestine, and the particles are freed from the
container, the large surface area of the drug particles allows rapid dissolution of the drug.

– a. Assume that a capsule is approximately 1 cm long and 3 mm in diameter. Calculate the

surface to volume ratio of the capsule.

 Volume of the capsule = area of ×height

˚

π
= (diameter ¿ ¿ 2× )× height ¿
4

π
= 0.32 × ×1 ≅ 0.07 cm3
4

Surface of the capsule = ( are a of ×˚ 2 )+ areaof side

π
= (diameter ¿ ¿ 2× )×2+ height ×(π ×diameter) ¿
4

π
= 0.32 × ×2+1 ×(π × 0.3) ≅ 1.23 cm2
4

Surface to volume ratio of the capsule = surface / volume

= 1.23 / 0.07 ≅ 17.57

– b. Assume that the capsule is filled with particles that are 0.4 mm in diameter. How many of
these particles will fit into one capsule?

 “Spherical particles can be filled 74% of the volume.”

[Arshad Kudrolli, Professor and Chair, Department of Physics, Clark University] 

http://minitp.or.kr/minitp/new_tech/view_all.jsp?cPage=1&gubun=null&menu=5&no=155380&idx=147765&left=1

4 3 4 0.04 3 3
Volume of particles =
−5
πr = π ( ) =3.35 ×10 cm
3 3 2

74% of capsule volume = 0.07 * 0.74 = 5.18 ×10−2 cm3

Total particles = 5.18 ×10−2 ÷ ( 3.35 ×10−5 ) ≅ 1.55 ×10 3

– c. What is the total surface area of the particles within the capsule?

2 3 2 3
= Surface of particles ×1.55 ×10 3=¿ 4 π r ×1.55 ×10 =4 π ( 0.04/2) ×1.55 ×10

¿ 7.79 cm2
#2 (15%) Assume you are designing a mechanical artificial heart valve.

– a. If this valve opens and closes once during each cycle, or beat, of the heart, how many times
will the valve need to open and close during 10 years of continuous use?

 Assume average of heart beat of normal adult man = 70 times per a minute.

[생명과학대사전 강영희 저, 2008]

10 years = 10 year * 365 days * 24 hours * 60 minutes

= 5256000 minutes

Total number of cycles = 5256000 * 70 = 3.679 * 10^8 times

– b. Assume average heart rate is 70 beats per minute. Suggest potential problems for this
artificial value to use for more than 10 years.

 It may cause abrasion, thrombotic occlusion, leakage problem by mismatching, separation

of the device and break problem.

#3 (30%) Read the article “The artificial heart valve” (Nature Medicine, 2007) by Albert Starr and
write an essay that how he has overcome the problems of artificial value and what you have
learned from this historical review using 150 to 250 words.

Website: http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/v13/n10/full/nm1644.html

 As reading the article, I was so surprised at whole history of invention of heart valve
by Albert Starr who was cardiovascular surgeon. Because his problem-solving process can be
applied to my research process, it was more interesting especially. He started his work from
scratch. In other words, he had to determine the size, shape, type of mechanism and so on.
Meanwhile, he met first problem in his first implant. The problems were that thrombotic
occlusion and separation at the suture line. Firstly, he analyzed what the problems were, and
he solved the problems one by one, for instance, redesigning of sewing ring for
compressibility and mounting leaflets. Nevertheless, he failed to solve all problems. Without
giving up, he boldly abandoned the existing design and considered the new ball design. I felt
full of agreement at this point because I experienced same situation in my research which I
have struggled. I learned how important quick and firm decision again. Another thing I
learned is his patience which could make him possible to observe his experimental results
carefully. Even in human implantation, he might endure extreme stress by his calm problem-
solving process. I believe that his certain patient and calm attitude to many problems like
even ethical issues made him success.

#4 (40%) Read the Academic integrity handbook and write an essay on what you have learned
from this material using 300 to 500 words. Reading material can be found at
http://web.mit.edu/academicintegrity/ and you can also download the PDF file from the website.

 Even from the only handbook about academic integrity, we can realize how MIT
emphasizes importance of the integrity. The handbook includes the violations of academic
integrity like cheating, plagiarism and unauthorized collaboration, and the serious
consequences of them. I learned about academic integrity from the handbook, and could get
opportunity to remind about plagiarism especially. In my opinion, serious restriction of
plagiarism should be more emphasized. To illustrate why I convince my point, I treat only a
few significant reasons.

Above all, serious restriction of plagiarism can lead even more creative results. That
is because the effort to avoid plagiarism is the creative work in itself. It also makes students
research constantly for creative work. If the restriction is weak, students will not be under
pressure for creative work, and they will do only similar work with original sources in
content. In these reason, I think that restriction of plagiarism is not obstructer but assistant.

Secondly, serious restriction of plagiarism can help the advancement of science.

Since students try to research similar subjects with no violation of plagiarism, these subjects
becomes more specific, diverse, and richer. Furthermore new theories can also be made in
the same way. Once I heard that the reason of writing a paper is to show his work to the
others. It implies the writer wants to share his results and research processes. Therefore, the
better rule of plagiarism like citation be followed, the easier and the better students can
contribute to academia. I think this is the reason why the human race has developed.

Lastly, because the copyright is very important and should be protected, serious
restriction of plagiarism needs to be emphasized. There is a proverb,
“Tigers  leave  only  their  skins  when  they  die,  but  through  his  achievements  a  man´s  name 
lives  on.” It implies that a man sets a high value on leaving his name by their own
achievements. For instance, there are some researchers who devote their whole life to
research only one thing. If their precious achievements are damaged by plagiarism, it may be
same with losing their whole life to them. Thus everyone should keep rules of plagiarism not
to break researchers’ strong will.

As I stated above, I strongly believe that restriction of plagiarism should be more

tightened. The reasons why I emphasized the restriction of plagiarism were three. They were
for leading more creative works, helping advancement of science and copyrights. In
conclusion, we’d better regard plagiarism as indispensible part not negative part.