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Elastic Materials (elastic + material)
Selected AbstractsEutectic Gallium-Indium (EGaIn): A Liquid Metal Alloy for the Formation of Stable Structures in Microchannels at Room Temperature,ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 7 2008Michael D. Dickey Abstract This paper describes the rheological behavior of the liquid metal eutectic gallium-indium (EGaIn) as it is injected into microfluidic channels to form stable microstructures of liquid metal. EGaIn is well- ;suited for this application because of its rheological properties at room temperature: it behaves like an elastic material until it experiences a critical surface stress, at which point it yields and flows readily. These properties allow EGaIn to fill microchannels rapidly when sufficient pressure is applied to the inlet of the channels, yet maintain structural stability within the channels once ambient pressure is restored. Experiments conducted in microfluidic channels, and in a parallel-plate rheometer, suggest that EGaIn's behavior is dictated by the properties of its surface (predominantly gallium oxide, as determined by Auger measurement s); these two experiments both yield approximately the same number for the critical surface stress required to induce EGaIn to flow (,0 .5,N/m). This analysis,which shows that the pressure that must be exceeded for EGaIn to flow through a microchannel is inversely proportional to the critical (i.e., smallest) dimension of the channel,is useful to guide future fabrication of microfluidic channels to mold EGaIn into functional microstructures. [source] Extension of the Griffith's fracture criteria to saturated claysINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 4 2003K.M. Dégué Abstract Inglis [1] has solved the problem of distribution of stress in an elastic plate around an elliptical hole. His works clarify the role of cracks in the failure of an elastic material. However, his solution cannot be applied to saturated clay because he considers only total stresses, while, in saturated clay, the criterion of rupture should be expressed in terms of effective and not total stresses. The solution of Atkinson and Craster [2] using Biot's poroelasticity theory, shows that there is no high pore pressure in the vicinity of the crack tips for saturated clay. The major difference between this approach and the Biot's theory of is that, in saturated clay, strain is a function of the variation of the effective stress [3], while, in poroelastic media, strain is only a function of the variation of the total stress [4, Equation 2.2]. Also in their solution there is continuity between the pore fluid and the inner fluid in the crack. Their solution is valid for poroelastic media involving a movement of the pore fluid. In our solution there is no movement of the pore fluid (Undrained condition). In this paper we have solved the same problem as Inglis [1], but for the particular case of saturated clay obeying elastic law. By solving this problem we obtained the expressions for pore pressure, effective stress, total stress and displacements. The results show that not only the total stress but also the pore pressure and the effective stress are also high in the vicinity of the crack tips. A new failure criterion, based on Griffith's strain energy principle [5] and maximum tensile stress [6], valid for saturated clay is developed in this paper. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Optimal shape of a grain or a fibre cross-section in a two-phase compositeINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 2 2005Vladislav Shenfeld Abstract The shape of grains or of cross-sections of fibres in a two-phase elastic material has an important influence on the overall mechanical behaviour of the composite. In this paper a numerical scheme is devised for determining the optimal shape of a two-dimensional grain or of a fibre's cross-section. The optimization problem is first posed mathematically, using a global objective function, and then solved numerically by the finite element method and a specially designed global optimization scheme. Excellent agreement is obtained with analytical results available for extreme cases. In addition, optimal shapes are obtained under more general conditions. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] On singularities in the solution of three-dimensional Stokes flow and incompressible elasticity problems with cornersINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING, Issue 4 2004A. Dimitrov Abstract In this paper, a numerical procedure is presented for the computation of corner singularities in the solution of three-dimensional Stokes flow and incompressible elasticity problems near corners of various shape. For obtaining the order and mode of singularity, a neighbourhood of the singular point is considered with only local boundary conditions. The weak formulation of this problem is approximated using a mixed u, p Galerkin,Petrov finite element method. Additionally, a separation of variables is used to reduce the dimension of the original problem. As a result, the quadratic eigenvalue problem (P+,Q+,2R)d=0 is obtained, where the saddle-point-type matrices P, Q, R are defined explicitly. For a numerical solution of the algebraic eigenvalue problem an iterative technique based on the Arnoldi method in combination with an Uzawa-like scheme is used. This technique needs only one direct matrix factorization as well as few matrix,vector products for finding all eigenvalues in the interval ,,(,) , (,0.5, 1.0), as well as the corresponding eigenvectors. Some benchmark tests show that this technique is robust and very accurate. Problems from practical importance are also analysed, for instance the surface-breaking crack in an incompressible elastic material and the three-dimensional viscous flow of a Newtonian fluid past a trihedral corner. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A 2-D time-domain boundary element method with dampingINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING, Issue 6 2001Feng Jin Abstract A new material damping model which is convenient for use in the time-domain boundary element method (TDBEM) is presented and implemented in a proposed procedure. Since only fundamental solutions for linear elastic material are employed, the procedure has high efficiency and is easy to be integrated into current TDBEM codes. Analytical and numerical results for benchmark problems demonstrate that the accuracy of the proposed method is high. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Discontinuous deformation in an elastic material.POLYMER ENGINEERING & SCIENCE, Issue 10 2007Part 1. The concept of energy or work dissipation from a perfectly elastic material, due to a discontinuous deformation mechanism, is developed in this study. Dissipation occurs even from a perfectly elastic material, preferably an elastomer, when subjected to a discontinuous "jump" stretch or "jump" contraction. Stretching an elastomeric member through free extension requires a large amount of work. Such a sudden jump stretch of an elastic material is difficult to accomplish and is equivalent to thermodynamic free compression of a gas. The amount of work required can greatly exceed the strain energy stored in the material if the extension were applied without the jump or "shock" process. Interestingly, only part of the stored energy is recovered on unloading the elastomer the same way (through contraction). Excess work lost in contraction dissipates as heat but is not due to the common viscoelastic/plastic losses associated with internal friction in solids. Dissipation is possible even from a perfectly elastic material. Energy values associated in this jump deformation process are independent of the stress,strain curve path, and depend only on initial and final states for the material. Heat dissipation from an elastic rubber belt is examined and some applications extended from the developed principle are enunciated. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 47:1511,1520, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers [source] Structural and Histochemical Studies on the Teleostean Bulbus ArteriosusANATOMIA, HISTOLOGIA, EMBRYOLOGIA, Issue 6 2009I. L. Leknes Summary The structure and histochemical properties of the bulbus arteriosus in two species from an evolutionary old teleost family, Characidae, and in three modern teleosts, family Cichlidae, are described. The bulbar wall was composed of an outer layer, a middle layer and a strongly folded inner layer covered by a thick, granule-rich endothelial cell layer towards the lumen. One of the cichlid species (Thorichthys meeki) was injected intraperitoneally with horse ferritin; the endothelial cell layer of the heart atrium and ventricle displayed high ability to endocytose ferritin particles from the blood stream, but the corresponding layer in the bulbus arteriosus displayed no such uptake. This finding suggests that the bulbar endothelial cell layer plays no scavenger or immunological blood cleansing roles in this species. The bulbar endothelial cell granules were strongly coloured by periodic acid,Schiff (PAS) in the present cichlids, but weakly coloured by PAS in the present characids. These cell layers were uncoloured by alkaline carmine in ethanol in both cichlids and characids. The negative carmine test combined with a positive PAS test for the bulbar endothelial cell layer in the present cichlids indicates that these cells contain only small amounts of polysaccharides. The weak PAS-colouring for the bulbar endothelial cell layer in characids indicates a very low content of sugars in these cells. These findings together with the fact that this cell layer in the present cichlids and characids was nearly uncoloured when treated with orcein, Heidenhain's Azan or Schmorl's solutions for elastic materials suggest that the bulbar endothelial granules do not play any role in the blood cleansing or in the rebuilding or maintenance of the ground substance or elastic material in the bulbar wall. Probably, the granules in the bulbar endothelial cell layer in the present species contain mainly proteins, connected to some PAS-positive polysaccharides to enhance their solubility. [source] Nondestructive Evaluation of Elastic Properties of Concrete Using Simulation of Surface WavesCOMPUTER-AIDED CIVIL AND INFRASTRUCTURE ENGINEERING, Issue 8 2008Jae Hong Kim In this study, to evaluate information of a surface waveform beyond the simple wave velocity, artificial intelligence engines are employed to estimate simulation parameters, that is, the properties of elastic materials. The developed artificial neural networks are trained with a numerical database having secured its stability. In the process, the appropriate shape of the force,time function for an impact load is assumed so as to avoid Gibbs phenomenon, and the proposed principal wavelet-component analysis accomplishes a feature extraction with a wavelet transformed signal. The results of estimation are validated with experiments focused on concrete materials. [source] Stress-Dependent Elastic Properties of Porous Microcracked Ceramics,ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 12 2009Irina Pozdnyakova Abstract Although ceramics are considered linear elastic materials, we have observed a non-linear pseudo-elastic behavior in porous cellular microcracked ceramics such as , -eucryptite. This is attributed to the evolution of microstructure in these materials. This behavior is particularly different from that of non-microcracked ceramics such as silicon carbide. It is shown that in microcracked materials two processes, namely stiffening and softening, always compete when a compressive external load is applied. The first regime is attributed to microcrack closure, and the second to microcracks opening, i.e. to a damage introduced by the applied stress. On the other hand rather a continuous damage is observed in the non-microcracked case. A comparison has been done between the microscopic (as measured by neutron diffraction) and the macroscopic stress-strain response. Also, it has been found that at constant load a significant strain relaxation occurs, which has two timescales, possibly driven by the two phenomena quoted above. Indeed, no such relaxation is observed for non-microcracked SiC. Implications of these findings are discussed. [source] Scattering of elastic waves in media with a random distribution of fluid-filled cavities: theory and numerical modellingGEOPHYSICAL JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL, Issue 3 2004Tae-Kyung Hong SUMMARY The propagation of elastic waves is modelled in media with a random distribution of fluid-filled circular cavities, which display high physical impedance in contrast to background media. Theoretical attenuation expressions for media with circular cavities, which may be filled with any material (e.g. vacuum, fluid, elastic materials), are formulated using an ensemble treatment for first-order transmitted waves. Numerical estimates of scattering attenuation rates agree with the theoretical results well. The scattering attenuations (Q,1) are proportional to the scale of cavities and the number density (,, number of cavities per area in a medium). The decrease of primary energy with the size of cavities does not result in the increase of coda energy owing to the increase of both purely backscattered waves from cavities and the trapped waves inside cavities. Scattering properties (e.g. scattering attenuation, coda energy, phase fluctuation of primary waves) in media with randomly distributed cavities are very different from those in stochastic random media. It appears that heterogeneities with high impedance in the earth may not be well represented with stochastic random heterogeneities. [source] AVO investigations of shallow marine sedimentsGEOPHYSICAL PROSPECTING, Issue 2 2001M. Riedel Amplitude-variation-with-offset (AVO) analysis is based on the Zoeppritz equations, which enable the computation of reflection and transmission coefficients as a function of offset or angle of incidence. High-frequency (up to 700 Hz) AVO studies, presented here, have been used to determine the physical properties of sediments in a shallow marine environment (20 m water depth). The properties that can be constrained are P- and S-wave velocities, bulk density and acoustic attenuation. The use of higher frequencies requires special analysis including careful geometry and source and receiver directivity corrections. In the past, marine sediments have been modelled as elastic materials. However, viscoelastic models which include absorption are more realistic. At angles of incidence greater than 40°, AVO functions derived from viscoelastic models differ from those with purely elastic properties in the absence of a critical angle of incidence. The influence of S-wave velocity on the reflection coefficient is small (especially for low S-wave velocities encountered at the sea-floor). Thus, it is difficult to extract the S-wave parameter from AVO trends. On the other hand, P-wave velocity and density show a considerably stronger effect. Attenuation (described by the quality factor Q) influences the reflection coefficient but could not be determined uniquely from the AVO functions. In order to measure the reflection coefficient in a seismogram, the amplitudes of the direct wave and the sea-floor reflection in a common-midpoint (CMP) gather are determined and corrected for spherical divergence as well as source and streamer directivity. At CMP locations showing the different AVO characteristics of a mud and a boulder clay, the sediment physical properties are determined by using a sequential-quadratic-programming (SQP) inversion technique. The inverted sediment physical properties for the mud are: P-wave velocity ,=1450±25 m/s, S-wave velocity ,=90±35 m/s, density ,=1220±45 kg/m3, quality factor for P-wave QP=15±200, quality factor for S-wave QS=10±30. The inverted sediment physical properties for the boulder clay are: ,=1620±45 m/s,,=360±200 m/s,,=1380±85 kg/m3,QP=790±660,QS=25±10. [source] Simulation technique for wave generationINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 5 2003S. Aliabadi Abstract In this paper, we present a new finite element technique for simulation of water waves impacting on floating structures. The emphasis will be on the numerical methods for water wave generation and propagation. In our approach, the governing equations are the Navier,Stokes equations written for two incompressible fluids. An interface function with two distinct values serves as a marker identifying the location of the free-surface. This function is transported throughout the computational domain with a time-dependent advection equation. The stabilized finite element formulations are written and integrated in an arbitrary Lagrangian,Eulerian domain. This allows us to handle the motion of the physical boundaries, such as the wave generator surface by moving the computational nodes. In the mesh-moving scheme, we assume that the computational domain is made of elastic materials. The linear elasticity equations are solved to obtain the displacements for each computational node. The numerical examples include 3D wave generation and wave breaking as they approach the coast, and the waves impacting on near-shore support columns. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Dual-mixed p and hp finite elements for elastic membrane problemsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING, Issue 1 2002E. BertótiArticle first published online: 26 OCT 200 Abstract A complementary energy-based, dimensionally reduced plate model using a two-field dual,mixed variational principle of non-symmetric stresses and rotations is derived. Both the membrane and bending equilibrium equations, expressed in terms of non-symmetric mid-surface stress components, are satisfied a priori introducing first-order stress functions. It is pointed out that (i) the membrane-, shear- and bending energies of the plate written in terms of first-order stress functions are decoupled, (ii) although unmodified 3-D constitutive equations are applied, the energy parts do not contain the 1/(1-2,) term for isotropic, linearly elastic materials. These facts mean that the finite element formulation based on the present plate model should be free from shear locking when the thickness tends to zero and free from incompressibility locking when the Poisson ratio , converges to 0.5, irrespective of low-order h -, or higher-order p elements are used. Curvilinear dual-mixed hp finite elements with higher-order stress approximation and continuous surface tractions are developed and presented for the membrane (2-D elasticity) problem. In this case the formulation requires the approximation of three independent variables: two components of a first-order stress function vector and a scalar rotation. Numerical performance of three quadrilateral dual,mixed elements is presented and compared to displacement-based hp finite elements when the Poisson ratio converges to the incompressible limit of 0.5. The numerical results show that, as expected, the dual,mixed elements developed in this paper are free from locking in the energy norm as well as in the stress computations, for both h - and p -extensions. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Determination of the dynamics of restored teeth by 3D electronic speckle pattern interferometry,LASERS IN SURGERY AND MEDICINE, Issue 4 2004H. Lang Abstract Background and Objectives The difficulties typically encountered in studying the effects of restorations on tooth reinforcement are often due to the 3-dimensional (3D) nature of deformation. Therefore, electronic 3D-Speckle-Interferometry (3D-ESPI) was used to assess the impact of different restorative materials on the deformation of teeth. Study Design/Materials and Methods Small and large MOD-preparations in extracted premolars were restored with gold inlays, ceramic inlays, composite resin inlays, amalgam, or composite resin. The restorations and cusps were loaded (90 N) and the deformation was assessed by 3D-ESPI. Results Teeth with small restorations were deformed only slightly and the differences between the materials were minimal (P>0.05). In contrast, teeth with large restorations displayed material-specific deformation patterns: (a) all materials led to decreased deformation as compared with unfilled teeth, (b) elastic materials caused only local deformation, (c) non-adhesive materials resulted in translation of the restoration and marginal discrepancies, (d) adhesive inlays brought about increased deformation of the luting resin composite, (e) loading of the cusps caused higher deformation than loading of the restorations, and (f) bonded restorations stabilized the cusps. Conclusions The results show that the deformation pattern of restored teeth is material-specific but the extent of deformation is primarily limited by the remaining tooth substance. Lasers Surg. Med. 34:300,309, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Minimization of energies related to the plate problemMATHEMATICAL METHODS IN THE APPLIED SCIENCES, Issue 7 2009M. Fuchs Abstract We investigate the interior regularity of minimizers for an obstacle problem of higher order that can be seen as a model for the behaviour of a plate subject to a rather general constitutive law including nonlinear elastic materials. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] On the integral representation formula for a two-component elastic compositeMATHEMATICAL METHODS IN THE APPLIED SCIENCES, Issue 6 2006Miao-Jung Ou Abstract The aim of this paper is to derive, in the Hilbert space setting, an integral representation formula for the effective elasticity tensor for a two-component composite of elastic materials, not necessarily well-ordered. This integral representation formula implies a relation which links the effective elastic moduli to the N -point correlation functions of the microstructure. Such relation not only facilitates a powerful scheme for systematic incorporation of microstructural information into bounds on the effective elastic moduli but also provides a theoretical foundation for inverse-homogenization. The analysis presented in this paper can be generalized to an n -component composite of elastic materials. The relations developed here can be applied to the inverse-homogenization for a special class of linear viscoelastic composites. The results will be presented in another paper. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Some estimates for the torsional rigidity of composite rodsMATHEMATISCHE NACHRICHTEN, Issue 3 2007Graziano Crasta Abstract A well-known problem in elasticity consists in placing two linearly elastic materials (of different shear moduli) in a given plane domain ,, so as to maximize the torsional rigidity of the resulting rod; moreover, the proportion of these materials is prescribed. Such a problem may not have a classical solution as the optimal design may contain homogenization regions, where the two materials are mixed in a microscopic scale. Then, the optimal torsional rigidity becomes difficult to compute. In this paper we give some different theoretical upper and lower bounds for the optimal torsional rigidity, and we compare them on some significant domains. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Low-Creep Metallic Thin Films and Reflective Coatings for Optical MicrosystemsPLASMA PROCESSES AND POLYMERS, Issue S1 2007Jan U. Schmidt Abstract The large-scale integration of analog operable MEMS micromirrors onto active CMOS address circuitry involves several challenges. Mirror actuators must be fabricated using CMOS compatible technology, exhibit highly reflecting planar optical surfaces, and stable analog deflection-voltage characteristics not compromised by drift or creep effects. CMOS integration imposes strict limits depending on the range of available materials and the restricted temperature budget. Highly elastic materials such as single-crystalline Si or poly-SiGe have been integrated by layer transfer bonding or PECVD deposition, respectively. In this paper, a novel approach, i.e., the low-temperature monolithic integration of creep-resistant all-sputtered glassy TiAl mirror actuators with Al reflective coating is presented. [source] Novel highly elastic magnetic materials for dampers and seals: Part I. Preparation and characterization of the elastic materialsPOLYMERS FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, Issue 11 2007S. Abramchuk Abstract The new generation of magnetic elastomers represents a new type of composites, consisting of small (mainly nano and micron-sized) magnetic particles dispersed in a highly elastic polymeric matrix. The combination of polymers with magnetic materials displays novel and often enhanced properties. Highly elastic magnetic composites are quite new and understanding of the behavior of these materials depending on the composition, external conditions, and the synthesis processes is still missing. Thus, the aim of this work is the study of fundamental principles governing the preparation of these materials as well as their structure and elastic properties. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Influence of Incompressibility on Different Wave Types in Porous MediaPROCEEDINGS IN APPLIED MATHEMATICS & MECHANICS, Issue 1 2003Dobromil Pryl Dipl.-Ing. There are three wave types in poroelastic continua, the fast compressional wave, with solid and fluid moving inphase, the shear wave, and the second (slow) compressional wave, which has no equivalent in elastic materials, with solid and fluid moving in opposite directions. The fast compressional wave propagates with infinite speed if both constituents are modelled incompressible. Numerical results of BEM calculations showing the influence of incompressible constituents will be presented as well as elements employing different shape functions for the solid displacements and the pore pressure. [source] Structural and Histochemical Studies on the Teleostean Bulbus ArteriosusANATOMIA, HISTOLOGIA, EMBRYOLOGIA, Issue 6 2009I. L. Leknes Summary The structure and histochemical properties of the bulbus arteriosus in two species from an evolutionary old teleost family, Characidae, and in three modern teleosts, family Cichlidae, are described. The bulbar wall was composed of an outer layer, a middle layer and a strongly folded inner layer covered by a thick, granule-rich endothelial cell layer towards the lumen. One of the cichlid species (Thorichthys meeki) was injected intraperitoneally with horse ferritin; the endothelial cell layer of the heart atrium and ventricle displayed high ability to endocytose ferritin particles from the blood stream, but the corresponding layer in the bulbus arteriosus displayed no such uptake. This finding suggests that the bulbar endothelial cell layer plays no scavenger or immunological blood cleansing roles in this species. The bulbar endothelial cell granules were strongly coloured by periodic acid,Schiff (PAS) in the present cichlids, but weakly coloured by PAS in the present characids. These cell layers were uncoloured by alkaline carmine in ethanol in both cichlids and characids. The negative carmine test combined with a positive PAS test for the bulbar endothelial cell layer in the present cichlids indicates that these cells contain only small amounts of polysaccharides. The weak PAS-colouring for the bulbar endothelial cell layer in characids indicates a very low content of sugars in these cells. These findings together with the fact that this cell layer in the present cichlids and characids was nearly uncoloured when treated with orcein, Heidenhain's Azan or Schmorl's solutions for elastic materials suggest that the bulbar endothelial granules do not play any role in the blood cleansing or in the rebuilding or maintenance of the ground substance or elastic material in the bulbar wall. Probably, the granules in the bulbar endothelial cell layer in the present species contain mainly proteins, connected to some PAS-positive polysaccharides to enhance their solubility. [source] Comparison of girth materials, girth tensions and their effects on performance in racehorsesAUSTRALIAN VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 1-2 2005J BOWERS Objective To compare the effect of girth materials and commonly used girth tensions on athletic performance of racehorses and to test the length tension properties of commercially available girths. Procedure Seven horses were exercised at speeds to produce 95% of maximal heart rates on 15 occasions using a randomised block design, and girthed with 5 different girths at 3 nominal tensions of 6, 12 or 18 kg. The girths used were a standard elastic race girth, an ,American' elastic race girth, an elastic race girth twice the normal width, a standard canvas race girth and a canvas race girth at twice the normal width. Tension in the girth was recorded continuously using an in-line load cell connected to a physiograph. Horses ran to fatigue on a treadmill inclined at 10% slope. Tensions were measured at peak inhalation (T/inh) and exhalation (T/exh), recorded at rest (rest) and during exercise (ex). An analysis of variance was used to compare the mean run to fatigue times (RTFT) between girth types and tensions, multiple pair-wise comparisons were then carried out using Tukey's test where significant differences were found. The length-tension relationships of five commercially available girths for training and racing of Thoroughbred racehorses were studied by the application of standardized weights in series to multiple samples of each type of girth. Measurements were taken in a controlled environment and analysis of variance was used to compare the means for length-tension of each girth type. Results The elastic and the ,American' elastic girths produced significantly longer RTFT when compared to the standard canvas girth (P=0.01 and P = 0.001 respectively). Also girths tensioned at Texhrest 6 kg and Texhrest 12 kg produced significantly longer RTFT than when girthed at Texhrest 18 kg (P=0.03 and P = 0.08 respectively). There were significant differences between the commercially available girth types at each tension (P < 0.05), but differences were not significant between girths of the same type. Girths with an elastic component reached their peak for maximum extension at 14.5 kg and thereafter their extension declined. Conclusion The type of girth and the tension at which it is applied affects athletic performance. Lower girth tensions and the use of elastic materials in the girth would appear to optimise performance. However according to this study and our previous study, none of the commercially available girths studied would adequately protect against the potentially detrimental effects of overtightening on athletic performance. [source] GENETIC INFLUENCES ON THE ARTERIAL WALLCLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PHARMACOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 7 2007Bronwyn Kingwell SUMMARY 1Arterial stiffness, which has independent predictive value for cardiovascular events, seems to have a genetic component, largely independent of the influence of blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors. 2In animal models of essential hypertension (stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats), structural modifications of the arterial wall include an increase in the number of elastin,smooth muscle cell connections and smaller fenestrations of the internal elastic lamina, possibility leading to redistribution of the mechanical load towards elastic materials. These modifications may give rise to mechanisms explaining why changes in arterial wall material accompanying wall hypertrophy in these animals are not associated with an increase in arterial stiffness. 3In monogenic connective tissue diseases (Marfan, Williams and Ehlers,Danlos syndromes) and the corresponding animal models, precise characterization of the arterial phenotype makes it possible to determine the influence of abnormal, genetically determined, wall components on arterial stiffness. 4Such studies have highlighted the role of extracellular matrix signalling in the vascular wall and have shown that elastin and collagen not only display elasticity or rigidity, but are also involved in the control of smooth muscle cell function. 5These data provide strong evidence that arterial stiffness is affected by the amount and density of stiff wall material and the spatial organization of that material. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||