OBJECTIVE The calcified cartilage layer is thought to be integral to force transmission between the compliant articular cartilage (AC) above and underlying stiff bone. This study aims to determine how such a stiffness gradient across the calcified cartilage and bone changes with joint degeneration and how different scalar levels of testing are correlated. METHOD Using a bovine model of early ...

experimental study of the cyclic behavior of unsaturated materials is more complex than that of the saturated materials due to the required equipment, experience and time. furthering investigations in the field of unsaturated materials is necessary to better understand its complexity and sensitivity of unsaturated cyclic parameters to different determinants such as suction path, stress path, lo...

In spontaneously hypertensive rats resistance artery structure, endothelial dysfunction and geometry-independent wall stiffness were reduced by an angiotensin AT(1)-receptor antagonist. In previous studies of human hypertension, interruption of the renin-angiotensin system corrected small artery structure and endothelial dysfunction, whereas the beta-blocker atenolol did not. We hypothesized th...

Cement grouted soils, which consist of particulate soil media and cementation agents, have been widely used for the improvement of the strength and stiffness of weak ground and for the prevention of the leakage of ground water. The strength, elastic modulus, and Poisson's ratio of grouted soils have been determined by classical destructive methods. However, the performance of grouted soils depe...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The proximal portion of the abdominal aorta (AA) is characterized by minimal arteriosclerosis compared with other aortic segments. To assess the clinical usefulness of this characteristic, the correlation between ultrasonographically measured proximal AA stiffness and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was examined. SUBJECTS AND METHODS 285 subjects were anal...

Structural analysis of atherosclerotic coronary arteries has suggested that stress concentrations are associated with plaque rupture and that these stress concentrations are critically dependent on the geometry and mechanical properties of the fibrous cap and lipid pool. Recent clinical trials of lipid-lowering therapy have shown a significant reduction in cardiac events associated with plaque ...

We developed an extension-inflation experimental apparatus with a stereo vision system and a stress-strain analysis method to determine the regional mechanical properties of a blood vessel. Seven proximal descending thoracic aortas were investigated during the inflation test at a fixed longitudinal stretch ratio of 1.35 over a transmural pressure range from 1.33 to 21.33 kPa. Four circumferenti...

OBJECTIVES To perform preliminary measurements of the shear modulus of the vocal fold cover layer during intrinsic laryngeal muscle contraction. STUDY DESIGN Shear modulus was measured in an in vivo canine larynx and an ex vivo human larynx. METHODS Shear stress was applied to the transverse axis of the vocal fold using a modified linear skin rheometer (LSR) via an attached suction probe. T...

Previous studies have suggested that aging is associated with progressive arterial stiffness and widening of the pulse pressure, and pulse pressure has been found to be a risk factor of cardiovascular diseases. However, the effects of age, blood pressure (including pulse pressure) or atherogenic factors on thoracic aortic wall stiffness in patients with mild atherosis are unclear, so the presen...

In this study, stiffness modulus parameters of asphalt concrete were determined experimentally for different temperature and exposure times. The stiffness modules were calculated according to Nijboer stiffness module. Basic physical properties and the quantity of bitumen of asphalt core samples were designated for determining the stiffness modules. The samples were exposed to 17 C (reference te...