Tensionless Model Research Articles

Visualization of microstructural change affected by mechanical stimulation in tendon healing with a novel tensionless model.

Since the majority of a tendon's dry weight is collagen fibers, tendon healing consists mainly of collagen repair and observing three-dimensional networks of collagen fibers with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is optimal for investigating this process. In this report, a cell-maceration/SEM method was used to investigate extrasynovial tendon (unwrapped tendon in synovial tissue such as the tendon sheath) healing of an injured Achilles tendon in a rat model. In addition, since mechanical stimulation is important for tendon healing, a novel, tensionless, rat lower leg tendon injury model was established and verified by visualizing the structural change of collagen fibers under tensionless conditions by SEM. This new model was created by transplanting the leg of a rat with a tendon laceration to the back, removing mechanical stimulation. We then compared the process of tendon healing with and without tension using SEM. Under tension, collagen at the tendon stump shows axial alignment and repair that subsequently demarcates the paratenon (connective tissue on the surface of an extrasynovial tendon) border. In contrast, under tensionless conditions, the collagen remains randomly arranged. Our findings demonstrate that mechanical stimulation contributes to axial arrangement and reinforces the importance of tendon tension in wound healing.

Response of a rectangular plate-column system on a tensionless Winkler foundation subjected to static and dynamic loads

The response of a plate-column system having five-degree-of-freedom supported by an elastic foundation and subjected to static lateral load, harmonic ground motion and earthquake motion is studied. Two Winkler foundation models are assumed: a conventional model which supports compression and tension and a tensionless model which supports compression only. The governing equations of the problem are obtained, solved numerically and the results are presented in figures to demonstrate the behavior of the system for various values of the system parameters comparatively for the conventional and the tensionless Winkler foundation models.