Effect of decellularization protocol on the mechanical behavior of porcine descending aorta.

Enzymatic-detergent decellularization treatments may use a combination of chemical reagents to reduce vascular tissue to sterilized scaffolds, which may be seeded with endothelial cells and implanted with a low risk of rejection. However, these chemicals may alter the mechanical properties of the native tissue and contribute to graft compliance mismatch. Uniaxial tensile data obtained from native and decellularized longitudinal aortic tissue samples was analyzed in terms of engineering stress and fit to a modified form of the Yeoh rubber model.

Mechanical properties of human fetal talus.

Mechanical characterization of human cartilage anlagen is required to effectively model congenital musculoskeletal deformities. Such modeling can effectively explore the effect of treatment procedures and potentially suggest enhanced treatment methods. Using serial MRI, we have noted shape changes of the cartilaginous hindfoot anlagen in patients with clubfoot, suggesting they are soft and deformable.

The mechanical properties of crystalline cyclopentyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane.

The anisotropic elastic constants of crystalline octacyclopentyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (CpPOSS) were determined using molecular dynamics. The force field used for these calculations was shown to model accurately the rhombohedral and triclinic crystal structures of octasilsesquioxane and CpPOSS, respectively, as well as the vibrational frequencies of octasilsesquioxane. The moduli for CpPOSS are anisotropic, with a Reuss-averaged bulk modulus of 7.

Enhanced mobility accompanies the active deformation of a glassy amorphous polymer.

Molecular dynamics simulation is used to reveal the origin of increased molecular mobility that accompanies plastic deformation of a glassy amorphous polymer under an applied stress. Significant increases in torsional transition rates are observed during active deformation prior to and just beyond the yield point. The transition rate drops when active deformation ceases.