Mechanical Properties of Female Reproductive Organs and Supporting Connective Tissues: A Review of the Current State of Knowledge

Although there has been an upsurge of interest in research on women's sexual and reproductive health, most of the research has remained confined to the obstetrics and gynecology disciplines, without knowledge flow to the biomechanics community. Thus, the mechanics of the female reproductive system and the changes determined by pregnancy, age, obesity, and various medical conditions have not been thoroughly studied. In recent years, more investigators have been focusing their efforts on evaluating the mechanical properties of the reproductive organs and supportive connective tissues, but, despite the many advances, there is still a lot that remains to be done. This paper provides an overview of the research published over the past few decades on the mechanical characterization of the primary female reproductive organs and supporting connective tissues. For each organ and tissue, after a brief description of the function and structure, the testing methods and main mechanical results are presented. Constitutive equations are then reviewed for all organs/tissues together. The goal is to spark the interest of new investigators to this largely untapped but fast-evolving branch of soft tissue mechanics that will impact women's gynecologic, reproductive, and sexual health care.

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Ultrastructural aspects of gymnosperms reproductive organs tissues due to their functional condition

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100083060 ◽

1978 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 440-441

Author(s):

G. M. Kozubov

Keyword(s):

Metabolic Activity ◽

Functional Condition ◽

Reproductive Organs ◽

Considerable Change ◽

Complicated Structure ◽

Tetrad Stage ◽

Ubisch Bodies ◽

Similar Organization ◽

Female Reproductive Organs ◽

High Metabolic Activity

The ultrastructure of reproductive organs of pine, spruce, larch and ginkgo was investigated. It was found that the male reproductive organs possess similar organization. The most considerable change in the ultrastructure of the microsporocytes occur in meiosis. Sporoderm is being laid at the late tetrad stage. The cells of the male gameto-phyte are distinguished according to the metabolic activity of the or- ganells. They are most weakly developed in the spermiogenic cell. Ta-petum of the gymnosperms is of the periplasmodic - secretorial type. The Ubisch bodies which possess similar structure in the types investigated but are specific in details in different species are produced in tapetum.Parietal and subepidermal layers are distinguished for their high metabolic activity and are capable of the autonomous photosynthesis. Female reproductive organs differ more greatly in their struture and have the most complicated structure in primitive groups. On the first stages of their formation the inner cells of nucellus are transformed into the nucellar tapetum in which the structures similar to the Ubisch bodies taking part in the formation of the sporoderm of female gametophyte have been found.

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Current State and Challenges of Natural Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Composites as Feeder in FDM-Based 3D Printing

Polymers ◽

10.3390/polym13142289 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (14) ◽

pp. 2289

Author(s):

Nishata Royan Rajendran Royan ◽

Jie Sheng Leong ◽

Wai Nam Chan ◽

Jie Ren Tan ◽

Zainon Sharmila Binti Shamsuddin

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Properties ◽

Natural Fibre ◽

Critical Discussion ◽

Fused Deposition Modelling ◽

Preparation Methods ◽

Fused Deposition ◽

Current State ◽

Future Challenges ◽

Raster Angle ◽

Fibre Reinforced Polymer

As one of the fastest-growing additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, fused deposition modelling (FDM) shows great potential in printing natural fibre-reinforced composites (NFRC). However, several challenges, such as low mechanical properties and difficulty in printing, need to be overcome. Therefore, the effort to improve the NFRC for use in AM has been accelerating in recent years. This review attempts to summarise the current approaches of using NFRC as a feeder for AM. The effects of fibre treatments, composite preparation methods and addition of compatibilizer agents were analysed and discussed. Additionally, current methods of producing feeders from NFRCs were reviewed and discussed. Mechanical property of printed part was also dependent on the printing parameters, and thus the effects of printing temperature, layer height, infill and raster angle were discussed, and the best parameters reported by other researchers were identified. Following that, an overview of the mechanical properties of these composites as reported by various researchers was provided. Next, the use of optimisation techniques for NFRCs was discussed and analysed. Lastly, the review provided a critical discussion on the overall topic, identified all research gaps present in the use of NFRC for AM processes, and to overcome future challenges.

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Influence of a Natural Plant Antioxidant on the Ageing Process of Ethylene-norbornene Copolymer (Topas)

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms22084018 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (8) ◽

pp. 4018

Author(s):

Anna Masek ◽

Angelika Plota

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Properties ◽

Food Packaging ◽

Colour Change ◽

Good Alternative ◽

Plant Origin ◽

Aging Behavior ◽

Current State ◽

Ft Ir ◽

Potential Use

In the field of polymer technology, a variety of mainly synthetic additives are used to stabilize the materials during processing. However, natural compounds of plant origin can be a green alternative to chemicals such as synthetic polyphenols. An analysis of the effect of hesperidin on the aging behavior of ethylene-norbornene copolymer was performed. The evaluation of changes in the tested samples was possible by applying the following tests: determination of the surface energy and OIT values, mechanical properties analysis, colour change measurements, FT-IR and TGA analyses. The obtained results proved that hesperidin can be effectively used as natural stabilizer for polymers. Furthermore, as a result of this compound addition to Topas-silica composites, their surface and physico-mechanical properties have been improved and the resistance to aging significantly increased. Additionally, hesperidin can act as a dye or colour indicator and only few scientific reports describe a possibility of using flavonoids to detect changes in products during their service life, e.g., in food packaging. In the available literature, there is no information about the potential use of hesperidin as a stabilizer for cycloolefin copolymers. Therefore, this approach may contribute not only to the current state of knowledge, but also presents an eco-friendly solution that can be a good alternative to synthetic stabilizers.

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Medical Metaphors of Women's Bodies: Menstruation and Menopause

International Journal of Health Services ◽

10.2190/x1a6-jaqb-vm9n-ulcy ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 237-254 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Emily Martin

Keyword(s):

19Th Century ◽

Reproductive Organs ◽

Central Control ◽

Centralized Control ◽

Medical Texts ◽

Women's Bodies ◽

Waste Products ◽

Bureaucratic Organization ◽

Medical Metaphors ◽

Female Reproductive Organs

Implicit, underlying imagery in medical descriptions of menstruation and menopause is exposed, beginning with 19th century views. Contemporary medical texts and teaching reveal two fundamental assumptions about women's bodies. First, they assume that female reproductive organs are organized as if they form a hierarchical, bureaucratic organization under centralized control. Given this assumption, menopause comes to be described negatively, as a process involving breakdown of central control. Second, they assume that women's bodies are predominantly for the purpose of production of desirable substances, primarily babies. Given this assumption, menstruation comes to be seen negatively, as a process involving failed production, waste products, and debris. Alternative imagery that works from our current understanding of physiology, but avoids denigration of women's bodies, is suggested.

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Anisotropy in hypoelastic soft-tissue mechanics, I: Theory

Journal of Mechanics of Materials and Structures ◽

10.2140/jomms.2008.3.911 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 3 (5) ◽

pp. 911-928 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Alan Freed

Keyword(s):

Soft Tissue ◽

Tissue Mechanics ◽

Soft Tissue Mechanics

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Effects of Growth Hormone on Female Reproductive Organs

Anatomia Histologia Embryologia ◽

10.1046/j.1439-0264.2001.00336.x ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 30 (5) ◽

pp. 265-271 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

G. G. Kaiser ◽

F. Sinowatz ◽

G. A. Palma

Keyword(s):

Growth Hormone ◽

Reproductive Organs ◽

Female Reproductive Organs

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Ultrastructure of the female reproductive organs (ovary, vitellaria, and Mehlis' gland) of Halipegus eccentricus (Trematoda: Derogenidae)

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z86-334 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 64 (10) ◽

pp. 2203-2212 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Jon M. Holy ◽

Darwin D. Wittrock

Keyword(s):

Cell Types ◽

Reproductive Organs ◽

Golgi Body ◽

Digenetic Trematode ◽

Secretory Cells ◽

Cortical Granules ◽

Golgi Bodies ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

Vitelline Cells ◽

Female Reproductive Organs

The female reproductive organs (ovary, vitellaria, and Mehlis' gland) of the digenetic trematode Halipegus eccentricus were studied by transmission electron microscopy. Oocytes entered diplotene while in the ovary and produced cortical granules and lipid bodies. Vitelline cells produced large amounts of eggshell protein but no yolk bodies. Two types of Mehlis' gland secretory cells were present, distinguishable by the morphology of their rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi bodies, and secretory bodies, and by the persistence of recognizable secretory material within the ootype lumen after exocytosis. In an attempt to standardize the nomenclature regarding the cell types of the Mehlis' gland, a classification that takes into account these four criteria is proposed. Two basic types of Golgi body organization were noted for the cells of the female reproductive system: a stack of flattened cisternae (Mehlis' gland alpha cells) and spherical Golgi bodies with vesicular cisternae (oocytes, vitelline cells, and Mehlis' gland beta cells).

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Percezione sociale e paranoia: una rassegna

RIVISTA SPERIMENTALE DI FRENIATRIA ◽

10.3280/rsf2009-003005 ◽

2009 ◽

pp. 123-141

Author(s):

Dennis R. Combs ◽

Dustin J: Chapman ◽

Casey Reneau

Keyword(s):

Social Cognition ◽

Theory Of Mind ◽

Attributional Style ◽

Social Perception ◽

Social Cognitive ◽

Persecutory Delusions ◽

Future Studies ◽

Area Of Interest ◽

Current State ◽

Interest In Research

- There has been an increased interest in research on paranoia and persecutory delusions. This is partly based on the idea that paranoia exists on a continuum ranging from sub-clinical to clinical levels. One area of interest is in social cognition as it may provide methods to understand how persons with paranoia perceive, interpret, and understand their social world. Previous research has showed that social cognition directly influences or mediates social functioning. Paranoia can be ideally approached from a social cognitive perspective, which makes understanding these processes even more important. For this review, we will focus on the current state of knowledge for paranoia as it pertains to the three primary domains of social cognition: 1) emotion/social perception, 2) theory of mind, and 3) attributional style. Deficits in emotion/social perception appear to be found across the paranoia continuum. In contrast, deficits in theory of mind and attributional style are typically found in persons with clinical levels of paranoia. Future studies should focus on understanding the processes that might underlie the deficits.

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