Strong, actomyosin-dependent, pinching tractions in steadily locomoting (gliding) fish keratocytes revealed by traction imaging present a paradox, since only forces perpendicular to the direction of locomotion are apparent, leaving the actual propulsive forces unresolved. When keratocytes become transiently "stuck" by their trailing edge and adopt a fibroblast-like morphology, the tractions opp...

Adherent cells exert tractions on their surroundings. These tractions can be measured by observing the displacements of beads embedded on a flexible gel substrate on which the cells are cultured. This paper presents an exact solution to the problem of computing the traction field from the observed displacement field. The solution rests on recasting the relationship between displacements and tra...

Modeling of elastic thin-walled beams, plates and shells as 1D and 2D boundary value problems is valid in undisturbed subdomains. Disturbances near supports and free edges, in the vicinity of concentrated loads and at thickness jumps cannot be described by 1D and 2D BVP’s. In these disturbed subdomains dimensional (d)-adaptivity and possibly model (m)-adaptivity have to be performed and coupled...

Non-uniform rational B-splines (NURBS) are a convenient way to integrate CAD software and analysis codes, saving time from the operator allowing efficient solution schemes that can be employed in of complex mechanical problems. In this paper, Isogeometric Boundary Element Method coupled with Bézier extraction NURBS conventional BEM used for 2D contact problems under cyclic loads. A node-pair ap...

High-performance biological materials such as nacre, spider silk or bone have evolved a staggered microstructure consisting of stiff and strong elongated inclusions aligned with the direction of loading. This structure leads to useful combinations of stiffness, strength and toughness, and it is therefore increasingly mimicked in bio-inspired composites. The performance of staggered composites c...

erative diabetic retinopathy with long-term hemovitreous, and (3) Coats’ disease. Results: Although functional success is less common than anatomical success, we will never be able to improve vision without restoring retinal anatomy. Conclusions: Vitreomacular tractions are perfectly well known by ophthalmologists. However, the method used to release them must be the least aggressive possible i...