S.F. Moreira^∗, J. Belinha^{∗,† ,‡}, L.M.J.S. Dinis^∗,†, R.M. Natal Jorge^∗,†

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.11, No.3, pp. 151-184, 2014, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2014.011.151

Abstract In this work the maxillary central incisor is numerically analysed with an advance discretization technique – Natural Neighbour Radial Point Interpolation Method (NNRPIM). The NNRPIM permits to organically determine the nodal connectivity, which is essential to construct the interpolation functions. The NNRPIM procedure, based uniquely in the computational nodal mesh discretizing the problem domain, allows to obtain autonomously the required integration mesh, permitting to numerically integrate the differential equations ruling the studied physical phenomenon. A numerical analysis of a tooth structure using a meshless method is presented for the first time. A two-dimensional model of the maxillary central incisor, based… More >

K. Y. Volokh^*

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.10, No.2, pp. 107-135, 2013, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2013.010.107

Abstract The application of mechanics to biology – biomechanics – bears great challenges due to the intricacy of living things. Their dynamism, along with the complexity of their mechanical response (which in itself involves complex chemical, electrical, and thermal phenomena) makes it very difficult to correlate empirical data with theoretical models. This difficulty elevates the importance of useful biomechanical theories compared to other fields of engineering. Despite inherent imperfections of all theories, a well formulated theory is crucial in any field of science because it is the basis for interpreting observations. This is all-the-more vital, for instance, when diagnosing symptoms, or… More >

D.D. D’Lima^*, P.C. Chen^†, O. Kessler^‡, H.R. Hoenecke^*, C.W. Colwell Jr.^∗§

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.8, No.2, pp. 123-134, 2011, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2011.008.123

Abstract The menisci are important biomechanical components of the knee. We developed and validated a finite element model of meniscal replacement to assess the effect of surgical fixation technique on contact behavior and knee stability. The geometry of femoral and tibial articular cartilage and menisci was segmented from magnetic resonance images of a normal cadaver knee using MIMICS (Materialise, Leuven, Belgium). A finite element mesh was generated using HyperWorks (Altair Inc, Santa Ana, CA). A finite element solver (Abaqus v6.9, Simulia, Providence, RI) was used to compute contact area and stresses under axial loading and to assess stability (reaction force generated… More >

Chao EYS^∗, Volokh KY^†, Yoshida H^‡, Shiba N^§, Ide T^¶

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.7, No.3, pp. 175-192, 2010, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2010.007.175

Abstract This paper is written to honor Professor Y. C. Fung, the applied mechanician who has made seminal contributions in biomechanics. His work has generated great spin-off utility in the field of musculoskeletal biomechanics. Following the concept of the Rigid Body-Spring Model theory by T. Kawai (1978) for non-linear analysis of beam, plate, and shell structures and the soil-gravel mixture foundation, we have derived a generalized Discrete Element Analysis (DEA) method to determine human articular joint contact pressure, constraining ligament tension and bone-implant interface stresses. The basic formulation of DEA to solve linear problems is reviewed. The derivation of non-linear springs… More >

Q Wang^*, YP Zheng^∗,†, HJ Niu^∗,‡

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.7, No.1, pp. 45-58, 2010, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2010.007.045

Abstract This study aims to obtain osmosis-induced swelling strains of normal and proteoglycan (PG) depleted articular cartilage using an ultrasound system and to investigate the changes in its mechanical properties due to the PG depletion using a layered triphasic model. The swelling strains of 20 cylindrical cartilage-bone samples collected from different bovine patellae were induced by decreasing the concentration of bath saline and monitored by the ultrasound system. The samples were subsequently digested by a trypsin solution for approximately 20 min to deplete proteoglycans, and the swelling behaviors of the digested samples were measured again. The bi-layered triphasic model proposed in… More >

Yoshitaka Shimada^∗,†, Taiji Adachi^∗,†,‡, Yasuhiro Inoue^∗,†, Masaki Hojo^∗

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.6, No.3, pp. 161-174, 2009, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2009.006.161

Abstract The actin filament, which is the most abundant component of the cytoskeleton, plays important roles in fundamental cellular activities such as shape determination, cell motility, and mechanosensing. In each activity, the actin filament dynamically changes its structure by polymerization, depolymerization, and severing. These phenomena occur on the scales ranging from the dynamics of actin molecules to filament structural changes with its deformation due to the various forces, for example, by the membrane and solvent. To better understand the actin filament dynamics, it is important to focus on these scales and develop its mathematical model. Thus, the objectives of this study… More >

Savio L-Y. Woo^∗,†, Matthew B. Fisher^†, Andrew J. Feola^†

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.5, No.1, pp. 49-68, 2008, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2008.005.049

Abstract The contribution of biomechanics to the advancement of management of ligament and tendon injuries has been significant. Thanks to Professor Y.C. Fung's writing and guidance, our field of research has done fundamental work on anatomy and biology of ligaments and tendons, developed methods to accurately determine mechanical properties, identified various experimental factors which could change the outcome measurements as well as examined biological factors that change tissue properties in-vivo. Professor Fung also gave us his quasi-linear viscoelastic theory for soft tissues so that the time and history dependent properties of ligaments and tendons could be properly described. More >

Guanbin Song^∗,†,‡, Yang Ju^∗,†,§, Hitoshi Soyama^*, Toshiro Ohashi^¶, Masaaki Sato^¶

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.4, No.4, pp. 201-210, 2007, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2007.004.201

Abstract Mechanical stimulation is critical to both physiological and pathological states of living cells. Although a great deal of research has been done on biological and biochemical regulation of the behavior of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), the influence of biomechanical factors on their behavior is still not fully documented. In this study, we investigated the modulation of mechanical stretch magnitude, frequency, and duration on the human marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) proliferation by an in vitro model system using a mechanical stretch loading apparatus, and optimized the stretch regime for the proliferation of hMSCs. We applied 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)- 2,5-diphenyl tetrasodium… More >

Wendong Shi^∗,†, Xi-Qiao Feng^*, Huajian Gao^†

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.3, No.3, pp. 121-126, 2006, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2006.003.121

Abstract When pulling a vesicle adhered on a substrate, both the force-displacement profile and the maximum force at pull-off are sensitively dependent upon the substrate shape. Here we consider the adhesion between a two-dimensional vesicle and a rigid substrate via long-range molecular interactions. For a given contact area, the theoretical pull-off force of the vesicle is obtained by multiplying the theoretical strength of adhesion and the contact area. It is shown that one may design an optimal substrate shape to achieve the theoretical pull-off force. More >

X. Edward Guo¹, Gang Bao¹

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.2, No.3, pp. 87-88, 2005, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2005.002.087

Abstract This article has no abstract. More >