We consider dynamic loading and unloading problems for heavy geometric objects. The challengeis to maintain balanced configurations at all times: minimize the maximal motion of the overall centerof gravity. While this problem has been studied from an algorithmic point of view, previous work onlyfocuses on balancing the final center of gravity; we give a variety of results for co...

Objective—Chronic mechanical unloading induces left ventricular (LV) atrophy, which may impair functional recovery during support with an LV-assist device. Clenbuterol, a 2-adrenergic receptor (AR) agonist, is known to induce myocardial hypertrophy and might prevent LV atrophy during LV unloading. Furthermore, 2-AR stimulation is reported to improve Ca handling and contribute to antiapoptosis. ...

OBJECTIVE Exercise promotes "sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ unloading" in porcine coronary smooth muscle, resulting in decreased agonist-induced Ca2+ release. We studied Ca2+ handling in healthy, non-occluded right coronary artery cells from hearts chronically occluded at the circumflex artery. METHODS Myoplasmic free Ca2+ (Ca(m)) was assessed with fura-2 in cells from sedentary (n=8) and a...

This paper introduces a very simple way to evaluate low stress shearing properties of woven fabrics with the advantages of simplicity and easy accessibility. A 200-gram load is applied on small portion of the sample instead of applying the load overall width of the fabric. As a result, buckling of the fabric will happen and the loading-unloading curve will show the behavior of the fabric during...

Home delivery service is one of the most important cost drivers in e-commerce industry. We consider the three-dimensional container packing problem under home delivery service, where each rectangular item with its specific destination is loaded orthogonally onto a rectangular container so that the utilization rate of the container space is maximized. In our framework, we assume the routing of a...

This paper clarifies a common misunderstanding of the phase transformation in monocrystalline silicon under nanoindentation, namely that a pop-out represents the onset of a phase transition. Through a detailed investigation into the indentation-induced deformation of monocrystalline silicon using a Berkovich indenter, it was found that a pop-out does not correspond to the onset of the transform...

A new overground body-weight support system called ZeroG has been developed that allows patients with severe gait impairments to practice gait and balance activities in a safe, controlled manner. The unloading system is capable of providing up to 300 lb of static support and 150 lb of dynamic (or constant force) support using a custom-series elastic actuator. The unloading system is mounted to ...

Bone loss occuring with unloading is associated with decreased osteoblastogenesis and increased bone marrow adipogenesis, resulting in bone loss and decreased bone formation. Here, we review the present knowledge on the role of PPARgamma in the control of osteoblastogenesis and bone mass in skeletal unloading. We showed that PPARgamma positively promotes adipogenesis and negatively regulates os...

We tested whether NF-κB pathway is indispensable for the increase in expression of E3-ligases and unloading-induced muscle atrophy using IKKβ inhibitor IMD-0354. Three groups of rats were used: nontreated control (C), 3 days of unloading/hindlimb suspension with (HS+IMD) or without (HS) IMD-0354. Levels of IκBα were higher in HS+IMD (1.16-fold) and lower in HS (0.82-fold) when compared with C g...

Mitochondrial phenotypic alterations, mitochondrial DNA content and mitochondrial DNA deletions in a slow, Soleus, and a fast, Extensor Digitorum Longus, skeletal muscle of 3- and 15-month-old hindlimb suspended rats have been studied. Cytochrome c oxidase-negative fibers appeared after unloading in all examined animals and their percentage increased with increasing unloading time. After 14 day...