One of the most damaging actions affecting concrete is the abrupt temperature change (freeze-thaw cycles). The types of deterioration of concrete structures by cyclic freeze-thaw can be largely classified into surface scaling (characterized by the weight loss) and internal crack growth (characterized by the loss of dynamic modulus of elasticity). The present study explored the durability of con...

OBJECTIVES The complexity and heterogeneity of human bone, as well as ethical issues, most always hinder the performance of clinical trials. Thus, in vitro studies become an important source of information for the understanding of biomechanical events on implant-supported prostheses, although study results cannot be considered reliable unless validation studies are conducted. The purpose of thi...

Decreased elasticity in large and medium-sized arteries has been postulated to be associated with cardiovascular diseases. We prospectively examined the relation between arterial elasticity and the development of hypertension over 6 years of follow-up in a cohort of 6992 normotensive men and women aged 45 to 64 years at baseline from the biracial, population-based Atherosclerosis Risk in Commun...

BACKGROUND Decreased elasticity of the aorta is associated with aging and several risk factors of atherosclerosis. The data regarding this phenomenon in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia are rather sparse. OBJECTIVES To evaluate non-invasively the elasticity of the proximal ascending aorta of 51 heterozygous FH patients compared to 42 normal age and gender-matched controls. METHOD...