The Relation Between Collagen Fibril Kinematics and Mechanical Properties in the Mitral Valve Anterior Leaflet

2006 ◽  
Vol 129 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Liao ◽  
Lin Yang ◽  
Jonathan Grashow ◽  
Michael S. Sacks

We have recently demonstrated that the mitral valve anterior leaflet (MVAL) exhibited minimal hysteresis, no strain rate sensitivity, stress relaxation but not creep (Grashow et al., 2006, Ann Biomed Eng., 34(2), pp. 315–325;Grashow et al., 2006, Ann Biomed. Eng., 34(10), pp. 1509–1518). However, the underlying structural basis for this unique quasi-elastic mechanical behavior is presently unknown. As collagen is the major structural component of the MVAL, we investigated the relation between collagen fibril kinematics (rotation and stretch) and tissue-level mechanical properties in the MVAL under biaxial loading using small angle X-ray scattering. A novel device was developed and utilized to perform simultaneous measurements of tissue level forces and strain under a planar biaxial loading state. Collagen fibril D-period strain (εD) and the fibrillar angular distribution were measured under equibiaxial tension, creep, and stress relaxation to a peak tension of 90N∕m. Results indicated that, under equibiaxial tension, collagen fibril straining did not initiate until the end of the nonlinear region of the tissue-level stress-strain curve. At higher tissue tension levels, εD increased linearly with increasing tension. Changes in the angular distribution of the collagen fibrils mainly occurred in the tissue toe region. Using εD, the tangent modulus of collagen fibrils was estimated to be 95.5±25.5MPa, which was ∼27 times higher than the tissue tensile tangent modulus of 3.58±1.83MPa. In creep tests performed at 90N∕m equibiaxial tension for 60min, both tissue strain and εD remained constant with no observable changes over the test length. In contrast, in stress relaxation tests performed for 90minεD was found to rapidly decrease in the first 10min followed by a slower decay rate for the remainder of the test. Using a single exponential model, the time constant for the reduction in collagen fibril strain was 8.3min, which was smaller than the tissue-level stress relaxation time constants of 22.0 and 16.9min in the circumferential and radial directions, respectively. Moreover, there was no change in the fibril angular distribution under both creep and stress relaxation over the test period. Our results suggest that (1) the MVAL collagen fibrils do not exhibit intrinsic viscoelastic behavior, (2) tissue relaxation results from the removal of stress from the fibrils, possibly by a slipping mechanism modulated by noncollagenous components (e.g. proteoglycans), and (3) the lack of creep but the occurrence of stress relaxation suggests a “load-locking” behavior under maintained loading conditions. These unique mechanical characteristics are likely necessary for normal valvular function.

2006 ◽  
Vol 34 (10) ◽  
pp. 1509-1518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan S. Grashow ◽  
Michael S. Sacks ◽  
Jun Liao ◽  
Ajit P. Yoganathan

Author(s):  
Saša Petrović ◽  
◽  
Nemanja Kašiković ◽  
Željko Zeljković ◽  
Rastko Milošević ◽  
...  

Polyurethanes are a group of polymers which are in many ways different from other types of plastic. They are used in many different areas due to the fact that many different chemicals can be used during their synthesis, resulting in a variety of structures. Sleeves are comprised of hard base often covered with compressible polyurethane (PU) foam layer. PU foam layer can have different composition and level of porosity which are the main factors influencing compressibility of the sleeve and therefore its area of use. Sleeves are also one of the least researched components in the flexographic printing process. However, mechanical properties of the polyurethane, its fatigue, lifespan and parameters influencing all of them have been extensively investigated in different areas and for different types and formulations of polyurethane. The aim of this paper is to investigate factors influencing mechanical properties of polyurethane foams used in compressible flexographic sleeves. Investigated parameters are foam density, level of strain and strain rate, influence of microstructure under different conditions and parameters influencing creep and stress relaxation. The review of the existing literature regarding mechanical properties of the PU foams makes it possible to select the parameters with the greatest possible influence on the flexographic printing process, as well as to find the most suitable methods to investigate the effect of exploitation on sleeve properties. As a large number of parameters influencing PU foam mechanical properties are fixed during printing, it can be concluded, through the review of the existing literature, that the main parameters to be investigated are the resilience of the sleeve compressible layer during cyclic compression testing (residual strain), maximum stress, Young’s modulus, hysteresis loss, and creep and stress relaxation during cyclic compression testing with strain retention.


Polymers ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huanbo Wang ◽  
Fazhi Lin ◽  
Pingping Qiu ◽  
Tian Liu

The removal of rice straw extractives increases the interphase adhesion between rice straw and the high-density polyethylene (HDPE) matrix, while eradicating the inner defects of rice straw/HDPE composites. This study investigated the effect of rice straw extractives removal on the dimensional stability (water uptake and thermal expansion), dynamic mechanical properties, creep, and stress relaxation of rice straw/HDPE composites. Cold water (CW), hot water (HW), and 1% alkaline solution (AL) extraction methods were utilized to remove rice straw extractives. Extracted and unextracted rice straws were mixed with HDPE, maleated polyethylene (MAPE), and Polyethylene wax to prepare composites via extrusion. Removal of rice straw extractives significantly improved the dimensional stability, dynamic mechanical properties, and creep and stress relaxation of rice straw/HDPE composites, with the exception of the thickness swelling of the AL/HDPE and the thermal expansion of the rice straw/HDPE composites. HW/HDPE exhibited the best comprehensive performance.


Data on the distribution of collagen fibril diameters in various connective tissues have been collected and analysed for common features. The diameter distributions of the collagen fibrils at birth and in the foetal stages of development are unimodal, whereas at maturity the mass-average diameter of the collagen fibrils is generally larger than at birth and the distributions of fibril sizes may be either unimodal or bimodal depending on the tissue. At senescence, few data are available but in most instances both the mean and mass-average diameters of the collagen fibrils are smaller than those at maturity and the fibril distributions are mainly bimodal. The division between tissues showing unimodal or bimodal fibril distributions at maturity does not simply relate to the type I collagen/type II collagen classification, to the distinction between orientated and unorientated material or indeed directly to the levels of stress and strain encountered by the tissue. However, there may prove to be a relation between a bimodal fibril diameter distribution at maturity and the maintenance over long periods of time of either high stress in stretched tissues or low stress in compressed tissues. It has also been noted that the width of the collagen fibril diameter distribution at birth differs between altricious and precocious animals. The ultimate tensile strength of a connective tissue and the mass-average diameter of the constituent collagen fibrils have been shown to have a positive correlation. Further, the form of the collagen fibril diameter distribution can be directly related to the mechanical properties of the tissue. In particular, it is postulated that the size distribution of the collagen fibrils is largely determined by two factors. First, if the tissue is primarily designed to have high tensile strength, then an increase in the diameter of the collagen fibrils will parallel an increase in the potential density of intrafibrillar covalent crosslinks. Consequently large collagen fibrils are predicted to have a greater tensile strength than small fibrils. Secondly, if the tissue is designed to be elastic and hence withstand creep, then a reduction in the diameter of the collagen fibrils will effectively increase the surface area per unit mass of the fibrils thus enhancing the probability of interfibrillar non-covalent crosslinks between the collagen fibrils and the components of the matrix. The idealized description given may indicate how the mechanical properties of a tissue may be interpreted in terms of the collagen fibril diameter distribution.


1977 ◽  
Vol 99 (1) ◽  
pp. 192-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. D. Shoemaker ◽  
L. Z. Shuck ◽  
R. R. Haynes ◽  
S. H. Advani

Mechanical properties of coal have been determined in an effort to advance in situ coal gasification technology. Tests and apparatus were developed to evaluate the directional compressive and shear properties of coal at elevated temperatures. Both creep and stress-relaxation experiments were conducted to evaluate the creep compliance and stress-relaxation properties in compression and shear, at temperatures between 75° and 650°F (24° and 343°C), for the face cleat, butt cleat and normal to coalbed orientation, and four different specimen sizes. Stress-strain relations and ultimate strengths were also determined at three different loading rates for these directions and temperatures. A shift function was used to represent the creep and stress relaxation properties as functions of time and temperature. Four- and six-parameter viscoelastic fluid models were used to represent the data over the time-temperature ranges. Shallow and deep mine coal from the Pittsburgh coalbed was tested. The coal was found to have the greatest ultimate strength and elastic moduli at 200°F (93°C) in all directions in both compression and shear, and to be specimen size dependent. The ultimate strength in the normal to coalbed direction was approximately twice that in the face and butt cleat directions at all temperatures. At 575° to 650°F (302° – 343°C), the coal becomes fluidic and is well represented by a four-parameter fluid model. It also obeys the time-temperature superposition principle.


2012 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 251
Author(s):  
Changqing Gao ◽  
Chonglei Ren ◽  
Cangsong Xiao ◽  
Yang Wu ◽  
Gang Wang ◽  
...  

<p><b>Background:</b> The purpose of this study was to summarize our experience of extended ventricular septal myectomy in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM).</p><p><b>Methods:</b> Thirty-eight patients (26 men, 12 women) with HOCM underwent extended ventricular septal myectomy. The mean age was 36.3 years (range, 18-64 years). Diagnosis was made by echocardiography. The mean (mean � SE) systolic gradient between the left ventricle (LV) and the aorta was 89.3 � 31.1 mm Hg (range, 50-184 mm Hg) according to echocardiographic assessments before the operations. Moderate or severe systolic anterior motion (SAM) of the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve was found in 38 cases, and mitral regurgitation was present in 29 cases. Extended ventricular septal myectomy was performed in all 38 cases. The results of the surgical procedures were evaluated intraoperatively with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) at 1 to 2 weeks after the operation. All patients were followed up with TTE after their operation.</p><p><b>Results:</b> All patients were discharged without complications. The TEE evaluations showed that the mean systolic gradient between the LV and the aorta decreased from 94.8 � 35.6 mm Hg preoperatively to 13.6 � 10.8 mm Hg postoperatively (<i>P</i> = .0000) and that the mean thickness of the ventricular septum decreased from 28.3 � 7.9 mm to 11.8 � 3.2 mm (<i>P</i> = .0000). Mitral regurgitation and SAM were significantly reduced or eliminated. During the follow-up, all patients promptly became completely asymptomatic or complained of mild effort dyspnea only, and syncope was abolished. TTE examinations showed that the postoperative pressure gradient either remained the same or diminished.</p><p><b>Conclusions:</b> Extended ventricular septal myectomy is mostly an effective method for patients with HOCM, and good surgical exposure and thorough excision of the hypertrophic septum are of paramount importance for a successful surgery.</p>


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