Shock absorption often needs stiff but lightweight materials that exhibit a large kinetic energy absorption capability. Open-cell metal foams are artificial structures, which due to their plateau stress, including a strong hysteresis, can in principle absorb large amounts of energy. However, their plateau stress is too low for many applications. In this study, we use highly novel and promising ...

In this paper, a road adaptive modified skyhook control for the semi-active Macpherson strut suspension system of hydraulic type is investigated. A new control-oriented model, which incorporates the rotational motion of the unsprung mass, is introduced. The control law extends the conventional skyhook-groundhook control scheme and schedules its gains for various road conditions. Using the verti...

BACKGROUND To identify differences between proximal and distal cell rewiring with subsequent kissing balloon inflation (KBI) in the presence of a link connected to a carina on the jailed side branch ostium (SBO). METHODS Kaname stents were deployed in bifurcation models (n = 12) with subsequent KBI and were confirmed by optical coherence tomography. The jailing configuration and cell rewiring...

PURPOSE To report 6 patients with periprosthetic humeral fractures treated with open reduction and internal fixation with plate and strut allograft augmentation. METHODS 6 women aged 69 to 79 (mean, 73) years underwent open reduction and internal fixation with plate and strut allograft augmentation for periprosthetic humeral fractures (type C) after a fall. They had undergone reverse shoulder...

BACKGROUND There is little research regarding the movement of mitral fibrous components. We analyzed changes in mitral fibrous components in normal and deteriorated isolated working swine hearts. METHODS In 5 swine hearts, 6 sonomicrometry transducers were placed around the mitral annulus and 2 in the papillary muscle tip. During the working cycle, we evaluated the annular dimension and calcu...

BACKGROUND The results of stent implantation for small coronary disease have been inconclusive. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the factors in predicting the risk of angiographic restenosis after 2.5-mm stent implantation for small coronary arteries. METHODS AND RESULTS The study group comprised 134 consecutive patients who had a reference small coronary artery with diameter ...

BACKGROUND Incomplete endothelialization is the primary substrate of late stent thrombosis; however, recent reports have revealed that abnormal vascular responses are also responsible for the occurrence of late stent failure. The aim of the current study was to assess vascular response following deployment of biodegradable polymer-based Synergy (Boston Scientific) and Nobori (Terumo) drug-eluti...

BACKGROUND Patients at high bleeding risk would benefit from a shorter dual antiplatelet therapy after PCI. Compared to first-generation devices, the design of newer generation drug-eluting stents may facilitate more rapid anatomical and functional healing of stented vessel based on thinner stent platforms, biodegradable/biocompatible polymers and rapid drug elution. METHODS AND RESULTS Forty...

BACKGROUND Stacking cross-sectional intravascular images permits three-dimensional rendering of endovascular implants, yet introduces between-frame uncertainties that limit characterization of device placement and the hemodynamic microenvironment. In a porcine coronary stent model, we demonstrate enhanced OCT reconstruction with preservation of between-frame features through fusion with angiogr...

This paper deals with the topology optimization of strut-and-tie models in non-flexural reinforced concrete members by using the Evolutionary Structural Optimization (ESO) method for plane stress continuum structures with displacement constraints. By means of systematically removing elements that have less contribution to the stiffness from the discritized concrete member, the actual load paths...