In mammalian cardiomyocytes, mitochondria and adjacent ATPases with participation of creatine kinase (CK) constitute functional compartments with an exchange of ADP and ATP delimited from cytosolic bulk solution. The question arises if this extends to ectothermic vertebrates: their low body temperature and thinner cardiomyocytes with a lower density of membrane structures may reduce the need an...

OBJECTIVES To examine histological aspects of the ligaments between the middle ear and temporomandibular joint and suppose a theoretical role of their structural characteristics on mobility of mallear ossicle. METHODS The ligaments were obtained by microdissection of middle cranial fossa on both sites of 15 cadavers fixed in formalin solution and were sectioned longitudinally (7-10 mum thickn...

We present a fluid-solid-growth model for the evolution of a saccular cerebral aneurysm on the internal carotid sinus artery. The model utilises a realistic constitutive model of the arterial wall that accounts for the structural arrangement of collagen fibres in the medial and adventitial layers, the natural reference configurations in which the collagen fibres are recruited to load bearing an...

The abdominal aorta (AA) in older individuals can develop an aneurysm, which is of increasing concern in our ageing population. The structural integrity of the ageing aortic wall, and hence aneurysm, depends primarily on effective elastin and multiple families of oriented collagen fibres. In this paper, we show that a structurally motivated phenomenological 'four-fibre family' constitutive rela...

INTRODUCTION Skeletal muscles have a natural structure, and the different structural elements can be exploited to address problems in muscle mechanics. In human biomechanics, muscles are often studied as entire groups spanning a joint. The next lower level of investigation is the isolated muscle typically activated by direct electrical stimulation. Much of the 20 century research aimed at eluci...

BACKGROUND The decision whether to retain or resect the posterior cruciate ligament in total knee arthroplasty is at present determined clinically by preoperative radiological variables focusing upon the amount of joint destruction, and subsequent soft tissue contractures. However, these variables give only indirect information on the histological integrity and proprioceptive properties of the ...

The options for the fibre reinforcement of polymer matrix composites cover a range from short-fibre chopped strand mat, through woven fabric to unidirectional pre-impregnated (prepreg) reinforcements. The modelling of such materials may be simplified by assumptions such as perfect regular packing of fibres and the total absence of fibre waviness. However, these and other features such as the cr...

Elastin is a major structural component of elastic fibres that provide properties of stretch and recoil to tissues such as arteries, lung and skin. Remarkably, after initial deposition of elastin there is normally no subsequent turnover of this protein over the course of a lifetime. Consequently, elastic fibres must be extremely durable, able to withstand, for example in the human thoracic aort...

An efficient technology for preparing lotus fibres under microwave irradiation was developed. The lotus fibres were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetry. Lotus fibres prepared are a kind of hollow fibres which are composed of a superfine fibre and an external shell. The effect of the treatment time with hy...