We demonstrate the existence of a percolationlike stiffness transition in fiber networks with a bidisperse orientation distribution and with fiber densities clearly above the geometrical and the ordinary stiffness transition. The fibers are oriented parallel and perpendicular to a strain direction and they have a large fiber aspect ratio. The stiffness K of the fiber nets can be described by a ...

We report a 61-year-old man with multiple colored skin papules with central crusts in an archiform and linear pattern on his forehead as well as verrucus and hyperkeratotic plaques with central perforation on hands. Histologic examination of the lesions demonstrated a narrow channel of epidermal perforation containing notrophils, basophilic debris and elastic fibers with eosinophilic degenerati...

The mechanical properties of the lung are largely determined by the connective tissue networks laid down during development. The macromolecules most important for lung mechanics and structural integrity are collagen, elastin, and proteoglycans. Members of the fibrillar collagen gene family provide the structural framework of the various lung compartments and elastic fibers provide elastic recoi...

Versican is an extracellular matrix (ECM) proteoglycan that is synthesized as multiple splice variants. In a recent study, we demonstrated that retroviral-mediated overexpression of the variant V3, which lacks chondroitin sulfate (CS) chains, altered arterial smooth muscle cell (ASMC) phenotype in short-term cell culture. We now report that V3-overexpressing ASMCs exhibit significantly increase...

Theendothelial cell inhibitor endostatin (22 kDa) is part of the carboxyl-terminal globular domain of collagen XVIII and shows a widespread tissue distribution. Immunohistology of adult mouse tissues demonstrated a preferred localization in many vessel walls and some other basement membrane zones. A strong immunogold staining was observed across elastic fibers in the multiple elastic membranes ...

The fine distribution of the extracellular matrix glycoprotein emilin (previously known as glycoprotein gp115) (Bressan, G. M., I. Castellani, A. Colombatti, and D. Volpin. 1983. J. Biol. Chem. 258: 13262-13267) has been studied at the ultrastructural level with specific antibodies. In newborn chick aorta the protein was exclusively found within elastic fibers. In both post- and pre-embedding i...

Fibrin fibers, which are ~100 nm in diameter, are the major structural component of a blood clot. The mechanical properties of single fibrin fibers determine the behavior of a blood clot and, thus, have a critical influence on heart attacks, strokes, and embolisms. Cross-linking is thought to fortify blood clots; though, the role of α-α cross-links in fibrin fiber assembly and their effect on t...

The microfibril-elastin fiber system, an important constituent of the extracellular matrix, was studied in the rat left atrioventricular valve to investigate the interrelationship of oxytalan, elaunin and elastic fibers in left atrioventricular valve morphology. The elastin fibers forms continuous bundles observed along the length of the valve in atrial and ventricular layers and oriented paral...

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to identify how to effectively use elastic stockings. [Subjects and Methods] Ten young healthy men participated in this study. Time-averaged maximum flow velocity in the common femoral vein was measured for 20 seconds using a pulse Doppler method with a diagnostic ultrasound system under six conditions (three different positions and with and without stockings...