Mechanical properties of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) obtained from a rabbit thoracic aorta were studied using the force mapping technique available on an atomic force microscope (AFM). Correlation of higher stiffness structures with fibrous protrusions apparent in topographical images was evaluated and the influence of adding a contractile agent to the cells was investigated. Furthermo...

The two dimensional Ising Model is important because it describes various condensed matter systems. At low temperatures, spontaneous symmetry breaking occurs such that two coexisting phases are separated by interfaces. These interfaces can be described as vibrating strings and are characterized by their tension and stiffness. Then the partition function can be calculated as a function of the ma...

The basic manufacturing processes of cellular materials have been briefly noted as well as the metal foam properties. The most widely used are the aluminium foams due to the following properties: very good insulation (thermal insulation and sound absorption), low density (mass), high specific rigidity in sandwich structures, very good impact damping, corrosion resistance, non-flammability, very...

AIMS To evaluate the feasibility of quantitative analysis of muscle stiffness by Acoustic Radiation Forced Impulse (ARFI) elastography over a course of graduate isometric voluntary contractions. MATERIAL AND METHODS The stiffness of the bilateral biceps muscle of 13 healthy volunteers was measured in real time by ARFI elastography, while the forearm was in neutral-extended position, 90 degree...

Cancer initiation and progression follow complex molecular and structural changes in the extracellular matrix and cellular architecture of living tissue. However, it remains poorly understood how the transformation from health to malignancy alters the mechanical properties of cells within the tumour microenvironment. Here, we show using an indentation-type atomic force microscope (IT-AFM) that ...

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between bone tissue stiffness and degree of mineralization distribution and to examine possible changes during prenatal development. Understanding this may provide insight into adaptation processes and into deformation mechanisms of the bone microstructure. Mandibular condyles from four fetal and newborn pigs were used. Tissue stiffness ...

A stand-alone ultrasound shear wave imaging technology has been developed to quantify and visualize Young's modulus distribution by remotely applying ultrasound radiation force and tracking the resulting microvibrations in soft tissues with ultrafast ultrasound imaging. We report the first preliminary data that detected the distribution of local muscle stiffness within and between resting and c...

This study focuses on measurements of clastic rocks ranging from 3 Hz up to 500 kHz in the laboratory and their application to well log analysis and a time-lapse study in the North Sea. Measurements of elastic properties over a large frequency spectrum can provide a better understanding of the dispersion and attenuation mechanisms in rocks and help to predict and model these effects. Sandstones...

This paper deals with the homogenization of a homogeneous elastic medium reinforced by very stiff strips in dimension two. We give a general condition linked to the distribution and the stiffness of the strips, under which the nature of the elasticity problem is preserved in the homogenization process. This condition is sharper than the one used in [11] and is shown to be optimal in the case wh...