Simple Elongation Research Articles

Eagle syndrome: A rare neuropathic disorder affecting head and neck.

To investigate the clinical characteristics of Eagle syndrome (ES) and evaluate psychological distress of the patients. Ten cases of ES were enrolled, clinical characteristics and management were analyzed. Psychological disorders of the patients were assessed by the test of self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS). There were 8 females and 2 males varying from 34 to 56 years with a mean age of 44.86 ± 8.38 years. The main complaints included foreign body sensation of pharynx, odynophagia, vertigo with turning of the head-neck, pain of anterolateral neck, and toothache. Three cases were right-side affected, 6 cases were left-sided and 1 case was bilateral. Radiographic examination showed the elongated styloid process of bilateral in all cases, however, hypertrophy, improper inclination, abnormal angulation of styloid process and more complete calcification of stylohoid ligament of the complained side were observed compared to the opposite side. Eight cases suffered from anxiety and/or depression. A surgical intervention was carried out on 6 patients to resect the elongated styloid process, the symptoms and mental distress disappeared after the operation and no recurrence was found in their follow-ups. Meticulous interrogation of illness history, proper examination, and radiological studies may be valuable in diagnostic confirmation of ES. It is the hyperostosis, abnormal angulation of the styloid process rather than the simple elongation which is more likely to be attributed to the development of ES. Psychological disorders in ES patients were observed in our study and should be paid more attention in the future research.

Smooth Elongation ofPavement Cells Induced by RIC1 Overexpression Leads to Marginal Protrusions ofthe Cotyledon inArabidopsis thaliana.

The interdigitated pavement cell shape is suggested to be mechanically rational at both the cellular and tissue levels, but the biological significance of the cell shape is not fully understood. In this study, we explored the potential importance of the jigsaw puzzle-like cell shape for cotyledon morphogenesis in Arabidopsis. We used a transgenic line overexpressing a Rho-like GTPase-interacting protein, ROP-INTERACTIVE CRIB MOTIF-CONTAINING PROTEIN 1 (RIC1), which causes simple elongation of pavement cells. Computer-assisted microscopic analyses, including virtual reality observation, revealed that RIC1 overexpression resulted in abnormal cotyledon shapes with marginal protrusions, suggesting that the abnormal organ shape might be explained by changes in the pavement cell shape. Microscopic, biochemical and mechanical observations indicated that the pavement cell deformation might be due to reduction in the cell wall cellulose content with alteration of cortical microtubule organization. To examine our hypothesis that simple elongation of pavement cells leads to an abnormal shape with marginal protrusion of the cotyledon, we developed a mathematical model that examines the impact of planar cell growth geometry on the morphogenesis of the organ that is an assemblage of the cells. Computer simulations supported experimental observations that elongated pavement cells resulted in an irregular cotyledon shape, suggesting that marginal protrusions were due to local growth variation possibly caused by stochastic bias in the direction of cell elongation cannot be explained only by polarity-based cell elongation, but that an organ-level regulatory mechanism is required.

Extraction of intrinsic effects of glassy domain cross-linking on the tensile properties of ABA block copolymer elastomers via photo cross-linking approach

Chemical or physical cross-links into the A glassy domains have been reported to enhance mechanical properties for glassy-b-soft-b-glassy ABA triblock copolymer-based elastomers. However, no reports dealt with the pure effects of the domain cross-linking, since the cross-linking processes inevitably altered the morphological characteristics. This study extracts the intrinsic effects of domain cross-linking on the tensile properties based on the ABA triblock copolymer with the A blocks cross-linked via photo cross-linking without heat and cross-linker molecules. Differential scanning calorimetry, viscoelasticity measurements, and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) with a model function analyses were used to confirm preservation of the segmental dynamics of the B block and the morphology of the self-assembled structure after cross-linking, which are all important for a fair discussion. Tensile properties were then investigated by simple elongation and cyclic tests, revealing that the domain cross-linking enhanced the stress in the small deformation region and the recovery property primarily. These changes of the tensile properties were discussed in terms of the deformation resistance of the micro-phase separated structure based on the SAXS data under elongation. The superiority or inferiority of cross-linking the end block domains or middle block strands for mechanical property enhancement was interpreted based on the observed difference between the neat and cross-linked samples. In the last section, effects of domain photo cross-linking for the different morphologies were also examined. Throughout the article, this study can provide new and essential knowledge of the mechanical properties of block copolymer-based materials, and some valuable hints for further modification of the physical properties of these materials.

Effect of shaped laser beam profiles on melt flow dynamics in conduction mode welding

A computational fluid dynamics approach is used to analyse the influence of beam shaping in fusion welding on melt thermal flow. Three beam shapes are studied at several welding travel speeds: a reference Gaussian profile and its elliptic elongations along and transverse to the welding travel direction. It is found that these beam shapes change not only the intensity and direction of the melt thermocapillary flow but also the flow pattern. For instance, and contrary to the other profiles, the beam shape elongated along the welding travel direction generates melt front vortices that assist metal pre-heating. It can result in deeper penetration, larger melt volume, and lower amount of thermal energy diffused into the heat affected zone. The simple elongation of a beam profile has thus a non-linear effect on the melt flow and in turn on the seam geometry as well as the temperature gradients in the heat affected zone.

Biomechanics of the urinary bladder: spontaneous contraction activity and micromotions related to accommodation.

Knowledge of the fundamental properties of the urinary bladder is required to better understand its pathological conditions. Research on the passive and active properties of the bladder during stretching and contraction is important. The bladder is not passive during the filling phase. Spontaneous contractions are observed as variations in pressure, which are mostly related to urgency and/or incontinence and sometimes to pelvic pain. The purpose of this study was to describe distributed spontaneous contractions and micromotions (MMs), which besides being related to symptoms, are crucial in the physiological process of accommodation, and to express accommodation in a concept. After describing MMs in the bladder wall as the type of spontaneous activity that may not be reflected in detrusor pressure and as a source of afferent nerve activity, its biomechanical effects are considered. In a simple mechanical model, contractions and elongations are related to the plastic elongated state of the bladder. The changing distributed character of contractions and elongations in the bladder wall is represented in a modular scheme. Distributed transient contractions and MMs yield a balanced dynamic plastic state of the regions of the bladder wall. An almost constant detrusor pressure can be attributed to the active accommodation of detrusor pressure to changes in bladder volume. Localized contractile activity and MMs that change the plastic elongated state of varying bladder regions are biomechanically effective in the active accommodation of detrusor pressure to changes in bladder volume. According to this concept, autonomous bladder wall activity as a source of nerve activity, also is crucial for active accommodation.

Hydrodynamic ejection caused by laser-induced optical breakdown

A focused laser can cause local optical breakdown of a gas, which leads to rapid deposition of energy into a high-temperature plasma kernel that expands and induces a complex flow. For some conditions, hot gas is rapidly ejected along the laser axis up to distances several times the kernel size, with a particularly curious feature: relatively small changes in, for example, initial pressure can cause the direction of this ejection to reverse. Detailed axisymmetric simulations of a model energy kernel in an inert gas provide a hydrodynamic description of this phenomenon, reproducing key observations in corresponding experiments, including the vortex-ring-like features that constitute the ejection. These simulations are analysed to show how changes in the early-time kernel can lead to ejection or its reversal via alteration in the relative strength and position of the vorticity produced. A corresponding semi-infinite geometry is used to isolate two mechanisms: vorticity production by the generated shock and by baroclinic torque at the kernel boundary. Dependence on the initial kernel asymmetry is quantified, as it ultimately determines whether the vorticity, upon its subsequent evolution, develops into the ring-like structure that ejects. Even simple elongation of the energy kernel alone can reverse the direction.

Mechanics of hard-magnetic soft materials

Soft materials that can undergo rapid and large deformation through the remote and wireless action of external stimuli offer a range of tantalizing applications such as soft robots, flexible electronics, and biomedical devices. A natural and simple embodiment of such materials is to embed magnetic particles in soft polymers. Unfortunately, existing magnetically responsive soft materials such as magnetorheological elastomers and ferrogels typically use magnetically-soft particles such as iron and iron oxides, which are characterized by the low coercivity and hence lack the capability to retain remnant magnetism. Accordingly, their deformation is limited to simple elongation or shortening, rendering these materials substantially unsuited for the complex transformations required in many applications. To introduce shape-programmability, magnetically-hard particles with high coercivity have been incorporated in mechanically soft materials. In addition, recent works aimed at ameliorating this situation have developed fabrication techniques and facile routes to engineer rapid and complex transformations in a programmable manner by introducing intricate patterns of magnetic polarities in soft materials. The resulting structures, when properly designed, have been shown to exhibit a diverse and rich array of actuation behavior. In this work, we develop a suitable theoretical framework to analyze these so-called hard-magnetic soft materials to facilitate the rational design of magnetically activated functional structures and devices based on a quantitative prediction of complex shape changes. We adopt a nonlinear field theory to describe the finite deformation coupled with magnetic fields and argue that the macroscopic behavior of the fabricated materials requires a new constitutive classification — ideal hard-magnetic soft material — which assumes that (i) the material has a residual magnetic flux density, and (ii) the induced magnetic flux density exhibits a linear relation with the applied actuating magnetic field. We implement the theory and constitutive law in a finite-element framework and find remarkable agreement between the simulation and experimental results on various deformation modes of hard-magnetic soft materials. Using the developed (and validated) model, we present a set of illustrative examples to highlight the use of our model-based simulation to guide the design of experimentally realizable complex shape-morphing structures based on hard-magnetic soft materials.

Phototropism in land plants: Molecules and mechanism from light perception to response

Phototropism is the response a plant exhibits when it is faced with a directional blue light stimulus. Though a seemingly simple differential cell elongation response within a responding tissue that results in organ curvature, phototropism is regulated through a complex set of signal perception and transduction events that move from the plasma membrane to the nucleus. In nature phototropism is one of several plant responses that have evolved to optimize photosynthesis and growth. In the present work we will review the state of the field with respect to the molecules and mechanisms associated with phototropism in land plants. A systematic literature search was done to identify relevant advances in the field. Though we tried to focus on literature within the past decade (1998-present), we have discussed and cited older literature where appropriate because of context or its significant impact to the present field. Several previous review articles are also cited where appropriate and readers should seek those out. A total of 199 articles are cited that fulfill the criteria listed above. Though important numerous and significant advances have been made in our understanding of the molecular, biochemical, cell biological and physiologic mechanisms underlying phototropism in land plants over the past decade, there are many remaining unanswered questions. The future is indeed bright for researchers in the field and we look forward to the next decade worth of discoveries.

Objective Symmetrically Physical Strain Tensors, Conjugate Stress Tensors, and Hill’s Linear Isotropic Hyperelastic Material Models

We introduce a new family of strain tensors—a family of symmetrically physical (SP) strain tensors—which is also a subfamily of the well-known Hill family of strain tensors. For the further analysis, five scale functions are chosen which generate strain tensors belonging to the families of strain tensors previously introduced by other authors (i.e., the Doyle–Ericksen, Curnier–Rakotomanana, Curnier–Zysset, Itskov, and Darijani–Naghdabadi families) and to the new family of SP strain tensors. In particular, these five scale functions include the scale function generating the Lagrangian and Eulerian Hencky strain tensors. We introduce the family of SPH models of isotropic hyperelastic materials (with Hill’s linear relations) which are generated by SP strain tensors and work-conjugate stress tensors based on Hill’s natural generalization of Hooke’s law. Five SPH models of isotropic hyperelastic materials are generated on the basis of chosen SP strain tensors and work-conjugate stress tensors. These models are tested by solving two problems with homogeneous strain and stress tensors fields: the simple elongation and simple shear problems. Analysis of these solutions shows that the solutions of both problems for the Hencky isotropic hyperelastic material model (one of the five generated SPH models of isotropic hyperelastic materials) are qualitatively different from the solutions for the remaining four material models. That is, the solutions using the Hencky isotropic hyperelastic material model are of yielding nature typical of inelastic deformation of metals whereas the solutions for the other four material models reproduce strain diagrams typical of rubber.

Bounded curvature path planning with expected length for Dubins vehicle entering target manifold

Bounded curvature path planning with specified length is a significant technique for single-vehicle assignments and multi-vehicle coordination, especially in the real-time applications. Any existed path can be reached from the curvature-bounded deformation of some other paths. Based on that, this paper proposes a structured homotopy-based (SH-based) planner as an improvement of the conventional path elongation strategy. Not alike path elongation which is driven by initial path, the proposed planner is driven by endpoint condition. It searches expected path within the synthesis of several path homotopies, therefore it has stronger flexibility and adaptability for different endpoint condition than simple elongation. Special homotopy structures which ensure the monotonicity of path length with respect to the homotopy parameter are employed for implementation of fast solution searching. In addition, the proposed method is extended from the point target case to the manifold target case, and the target point transference strategy is adopted to make a trade-off between the path length deviation and the target position value. Static and dynamic cases are respectively simulated for an example of Dubins vehicle, which validate the performance of the proposed method.

Could a Proto-Ribosome Emerge Spontaneously in the Prebiotic World?

An indispensable prerequisite for establishing a scenario of life emerging by natural processes is the requirement that the first simple proto-molecules could have had a realistic probability of self-assembly from random molecular polymers in the prebiotic world. The vestige of the proto-ribosome, which is believed to be still embedded in the contemporary ribosome, is used to assess the feasibility of such spontaneous emergence. Three concentric structural elements of different magnitudes, having a dimeric nature derived from the symmetrical region of the ribosomal large subunit, were suggested to constitute the vestige of the proto-ribosome. It is assumed to have materialized spontaneously in the prebiotic world, catalyzing non-coded peptide bond formation and simple elongation. Probabilistic and energetic considerations are applied in order to evaluate the suitability of the three contenders for being the initial proto-ribosome. The analysis points to the simplest proto-ribosome, comprised of a dimer of tRNA-like molecules presently embedded in the core of the symmetrical region, as the only one having a realistic statistical likelihood of spontaneous emergence from random RNA chains. Hence it offers a feasible starting point for a continuous evolutionary path from the prebiotic matter, through natural processes, into the intricate modern translation system.

The Analogy between the Curve of Pressure Increase under Hydraulic Loading of Polyethylene Tubes and the Elongation Curve

An examination is made of the analogy between the curve of pressure change with time in hydraulic tests of polyethylene tubes to failure and the load–deformation curve, obtained in simple elongation tests. The possibility of determining the main parameters of deformation under simple elongation from the data of hydraulic tests is shown.

Elongated hindguts in desert-living dung beetles (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) feeding on dry dung pellets or plant litter

Most adult dung beetles (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) feed on fresh, wet dung of larger herbivorous or omnivorous mammals. As refractory plant fragments are selected out before ingestion, the food is presumed easily digestible. However, members of the desert-living scarabaeine genus Pachysoma (probably evolved from an ancestor closely related to the wet-dung feeding genus Scarabaeus) select dry dung pellets and/or plant litter. Thus, they ingest a much higher proportion of structural plant material, which nevertheless appears to be digested rather efficiently. This study investigates morphological modifications of the gut for this digestion in adults of eight Pachysoma species, both pellet and litter feeders. To ascertain hypothesized ancestral conditions, four fresh-dung feeding Scarabaeus species were also examined. The latter have the usual dung beetle gut consisting of a long, simple midgut, followed by an equally simple, much shorter hindgut of the same width. Lengths of midguts (M) and hindguts (H) divided by body length (B) for comparison between species of different size are: 4.9-6.3 (M/B) and 0.7-0.8 (H/B), which is normal for dung feeders. In Pachysoma, lengths are 6.3-6.5 (M/B) and 1.0-1.4 (H/B) in pellet feeders, and 4.4-5.0 (M/B) and 2.0-2.5 (H/B) for litter feeders. Hindguts are still morphologically undifferentiated and of midgut width, but clearly longer, particularly in litter feeders. Presumably, plant fragments in the food are digested, at least partly, in the hindgut. If so, the morphological adaptation is unusual: simple elongation rather than the expansion of part of the hindgut, as found in several other plant- or detritus-feeding scarabaeids.

An Approach to Determine Pressure Profile Generated by Compression Bandage Using Quasi-Linear Viscoelastic Model

Understanding the stress relaxation behavior of the compression bandage could be very useful in determining the behavior of the interface pressure exerted by the bandage on a limb during the course of the compression treatment. There has been no comprehensive study in the literature to investigate the pressure profile (interface pressure with time) generated by a compression bandage when applied at different levels of strain. The present study attempts to describe the pressure profile, with the use of a quasi-linear viscoelastic model, generated by a compression bandage during compression therapy. The quasi-linear viscoelastic (QLV) theory proposed by Fung (Fung, 1972, "Stress Strain History Relations of Soft Tissues in Simple Elongation," Biomechanics: Its Foundations and Objectives, Y. C. Fung, N. Perrone, and M. Anliker, eds., Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, pp. 181-207). was used to model the nonlinear time- and history-dependent relaxation behavior of the bandage using the ramp strain approach. The regression analysis was done to find the correlation between the pressure profile and the relaxation behavior of the bandage. The parameters of the QLV model, describing the relaxation behavior of the bandage, were used to determine the pressure profile generated by the bandage at different levels of strain. The relaxation behaviors of the bandage at different levels of strain were well described by the QLV model parameters. A high correlation coefficient (nearly 0.98) shows a good correlation of the pressure profile with the stress relaxation behavior of the bandage.The prediction of the pressure profile using the QLV model parameters were in agreement with the experimental data. The pressure profile generated by a compression bandage could be predicted using the QLV model describing the nonlinear relaxation behavior of the bandage. This new application of the QLV theory helps in evaluating the bandage performance during compression therapy as scientific wound care management.

Non-linear modelling of multilayer piezoelectric actuators in non-trivial configurations based on actuator design parameters and piezoelectric material properties

Current models of non-linear electromechanical behaviours of piezoactuators are mostly intended for actuator configurations where the strain of the piezoelectric material is directly used as the linear output. On the other hand, in the design of piezoactuators, there exist non-trivial configurations where the internal strains of the piezoelectric materials manifest externally in the form of bending and curving rather than simple elongation or contraction, it is also important to predict the non-linear performance of the actuator based on the design parameters. Therefore, it is the intent of this article to present a model that enables calculation of the quasi-static mechanical response of piezoelectric multilayer actuators in non-trivial configurations. It is based on the polarization hysteresis loop and butterfly curve of its constituent piezoelectric material. Using an energy-based formulation, the model takes into account the non-piezoelectric sections as well as the mechanical boundary conditions of the actuator. Furthermore, a three-layer lead zirconium titanate bimorph with both ends clamped is considered in this study. Model calculation of its relationship between input voltage V and midpoint vertical displacement X is carried out based on ferroelectric hysteresis data of the bimorph material from the literature. The calculation results are then validated by measurements.

Novel preloaded resins for solid-phase biotinylation of carboxylic acids

Use of solid-phase synthesis for the derivatization of carboxylic acids with biotinylated spacers consisting of ethylenoxy units is described. An aminomethylated resin provided with an acid-labile aldehyde linker is used as the polymer support and three different systems with a reactive amino group are introduced. Acylation of each system was tested with a set of model carboxylic acids and afforded crude products of excellent purity. The preloaded resins are similar to the Biotin-PEG-NovaTagTM resin but offer several advantages including simple elongation of the spacer arm. The protocols described represent a very efficient way of modifying compounds to obtain ligands for affinity chromatography studies.

Measuring Viscoelasticity of Soft Samples Using Atomic Force Microscopy

Relaxation indentation experiments using atomic force microscopy (AFM) are used to obtain viscoelastic material properties of soft samples. The quasilinear viscoelastic (QLV) model formulated by Fung (1972, "Stress Strain History Relations of Soft Tissues in Simple Elongation," in Biomechanics, Its Foundation and Objectives, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, pp. 181-207) for uniaxial compression data was modified for the indentation test data in this study. Hertz contact mechanics was used for the instantaneous deformation, and a reduced relaxation function based on continuous spectrum is used for the time-dependent part in the model. The modified QLV indentation model presents a novel method to obtain viscoelastic properties from indentation data independent of relaxation times of the test. The major objective of the present study is to develop the QLV indentation model and implement the model on AFM indentation data for 1% agarose gel and a viscoelastic polymer using spherical indenter.

Anisotropic Thermal Conductivity in Cross-Linked Polybutadienes Subjected to Uniaxial Elongation

Anisotropic thermal transport in cross-linked polybutadienes deformed in simple elongation is investigated experimentally. Using a novel optical technique based on forced Rayleigh scattering, two c...

A kinematic model of stretch-induced stress fiber turnover and reorientation

A kinetic model based on constrained mixture theory was developed to describe the reorganization of actin stress fibers in adherent cells in response to diverse patterns of mechanical stretch. The model was based on reports that stress fibers are pre-extended at a “homeostatic” level under normal, non-perturbed conditions, and that perturbations in stress fiber length destabilize stress fibers. In response to a step change in matrix stretch, the model predicts that stress fibers are initially stretched in registry with the matrix, but that these overly stretched fibers are gradually replaced by new fibers assembled with the homeostatic level of stretch in the new configuration of the matrix. In contrast, average fiber stretch is chronically perturbed from the homeostatic level when the cells are subjected to cyclic equibiaxial stretch. The model was able to describe experimentally measured time courses of stress fiber reorientation perpendicular to the direction of cyclic uniaxial stretch, as well as the lack of alignment in response to equibiaxial stretch. The model also accurately described the relationship between stretch magnitude and the extent of stress fiber alignment in endothelial cells subjected to cyclic uniaxial stretch. Further, in the case of cyclic simple elongation with transverse matrix contraction, stress fibers orient in the direction of least perturbation in stretch. In summary, the model predicts that the rate of stretch-induced stress fiber disassembly determines the rate of alignment, and that stress fibers tend to orient toward the direction of minimum matrix stretch where the rate of stress fiber turnover is a minimum.

Lamellar body secretion in cyclically stretched rat alveolar type II cells depends on the geometry of cell‐cell interaction

Alveolar type II cells respond to mechanical stimulation with a fusion of surfactant containing lamellar bodies (LBs) with the cell membrane. Single fusion events of LBs can be detected with the fluorescent dye FM1‐43 in vitro which was used to investigate the effect of cyclic stretch on LB exocytosis in primary rat type II cells. After cultivating the cells on an elastic growth support we used a micro‐robotic arm (kleindiek nanotechnik) that allowed us to locally stretch the underlying growth substrate and hence to apply unidirectional stretch to individual clusters of cells. Stretch of different frequencies (1, 2 and 4hz) revealed that the fusion response was inversely related to the frequency but only slighly lower (1.84Hz) in responders as compared to non‐responders (2.0Hz). Also the stretch amplitude (from 1 to 25%) did barely correlate with the number of LB fusions. Cells that responded with fusions were generally attached to more cells than the ones without response indicating cell‐cell interaction of some kind to account for the process. In cases were the position of the adjacent cells with respect to the stretch axis could precisely be defined, we found that an unsymmetric deformation rather than simple elongation of a cell cluster lead to an increased number of fusions. Latter shows that the mechanosensitive machinery of the ATII cell is able to distinguish between force patterns and we suggest cytoskeletal elements to be a key player in mediating this process.Supported by the FWF, grant P15743, the DFG, grant D1402, the Landesstiftung Baden‐Württemberg and the 6th framework of the EU, Pulmo‐Net.