The force-extension behavior of single modular biomacromolecules is known to exhibit a characteristic repeating pattern of a nonlinear rise in force with imposed displacement to a peak, followed by a significant force drop upon reaching the peak. This “saw-tooth” pattern is a result of stretch-induced unfolding of modules along the molecular chain and is speculated to play a governing role in t...

OBJECTIVES Arterial tortuosity is a frequent manifestation of vascular disease and collateral vessel growth, but its causes are poorly understood. This study was designed to assess the relationship between the development of tortuosity and the mechanical forces that are imposed on arterial tissue. METHODS AND RESULTS Axial strain in rabbit carotid arteries was reduced from 62+/-2% to 33+/-2% ...

During traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI), the spinal cord is subject to external displacements that result in damage of neural tissues. These displacements produce complex internal deformations, or strains, of the spinal cord parenchyma. The aim of this study is to determine a relationship between these internal strains during SCI and primary damage to spinal cord gray matter (GM) in an in viv...

The presence of an 'underfill' encapsulant between a micro-electronic device and the underlying substrate is known to substantially improve the thermal fatigue life of flip-chip solder joints, primarily due to load-transfer from the solder to the encapsulant. In this study, a new single joint-shear (SJS) test, which allows the measurement of the strain response of an individual solder ball duri...

Sutures form an integral part of the functioning skull, but their role has long been debated among vertebrate morphologists and palaeontologists. Furthermore, the relationship between typical skull sutures, and those involved in cranial kinesis, is poorly understood. In a series of computational modelling studies, complex loading conditions obtained through multibody dynamics analysis were impo...

This work presents a novel process to manufacture advanced Germanium-On-Insulator with integrated Silicon Nitride (GOIN) stripes as light waveguide for Ge photonic devices. Through the integration of GOIN stripes, larger tensile strain could be imposed bonded layer which may used tailor bandgap material short wave length infrared application. The successful fabrication substrate makes opportuni...

We investigate the mechanical response of PC12 neurites subjected to a drag force imposed by a laminar flow perpendicular to the neurite axis. The curvature of the catenary shape acquired by an initially straight neurite under the action of the drag force provides information on both elongation and tension of the neurite. This method allows us to measure the rest tension and viscoelastic parame...

Skeletal regeneration is accomplished by a cascade of biologic processes that may include differentiation of pluripotential tissue, endochondral ossification, and bone remodeling. It has been shown that all these processes are influenced strongly by the local tissue mechanical loading history. This article reviews some of the mechanobiologic principles that are thought to guide the differentiat...

We report wide range and reversible tuning of the selective reflection band of a single crystal cholesteric liquid crystal elastomer (CLCE). The tuning is the result of mechanical shortening of the helical pitch achieved by imposing a uniform uniaxial strain along the helical axis. On doping the CLCE sample with a laser dye, we observe lasing from the CLCE in both glassy and rubbery states. By ...

Corporate sustainable innovation is amajor driver of institutional change, and its success can be largely attributed to employees.While some scholars have described the importance of intrinsic motivations and flexibility to facilitate innovation, others have argued that constraints and extrinsic motivations stimulate innovation. In the context of sustainable innovation, we explore which employe...