Elasticity

OBJECTIVES: To investigate transdermal absorption enhancement of gel containing elastic niosomes loaded with gallic acid in the semipurified fraction isolated from Terminalia chebula Retz. (Combretaceae) galls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nonelastic and elastic niosomes loaded with gallic acid in pure form or in the semipurified fraction were developed. Rat skin permeation by vertical Franz diffusion cells of gallic acid from various gel formulations containing elastic niosomes loaded with gallic acid or the semipurified fraction was performed.

CONTEXT: The galls of Terminalia chebula Retz. (Combretaceae) frequently appear in many Thai Lanna medicinal plant recipes for promotion of longevity. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the skin anti-aging of gel containing niosomes loaded with a semi-purified fraction containing gallic acid from T. chebula galls. METHOD: The semi-purified fraction containing phenolic compounds including gallic acid isolated from T.

Turmeric (the rhizomes of Curcuma longa L., Zingiberacease) is widely used as a dietary pigment and spice, and has been traditionally used for the treatment of inflammation, skin wounds and hepatic disorders in Ayurvedic, Unani and Chinese medicine. Although the topical application or oral administration of turmeric is used to improve skin trouble, there is no evidence to support this effect. The aim of this study was to clarify whether turmeric prevents chronic ultraviolet B (UVB)-irradiated skin damage.

There is a high incidence of low back pain (LBP) associated with occupations requiring sustained and/or repetitive lumbar flexion (SLF and RLF, respectively), which cause creep of the viscoelastic tissues. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of creep on lumbar biomechanics and facet joint capsule (FJC) strain. Specimens were flexed for 10 cycles, to a maximum 10 Nm moment at L5-S1, before, immediately after, and 20 min after a 20-min sustained flexion at the same moment magnitude.

The human facet joint capsule is one of the structures in the lumbar spine that constrains motions of vertebrae during global spine loading (e.g., physiological flexion). Computational models of the spine have not been able to include accurate nonlinear and viscoelastic material properties, as they have not previously been measured. Capsules were tested using a uniaxial ramp-hold protocol or a haversine displacement protocol using a commercially available materials testing device. Plane strain was measured optically.

Engineered tissues represent a natural environment for studying cell physiology, mechanics, and function. Cellular interactions with the extracellular matrix proteins are important determinants of cell physiology and tissue mechanics. Dysregulation of these parameters can result in diseases such as cardiac fibrosis and atherosclerosis. In this report we present a novel system to produce hydrogel tissue constructs (HTCs) and to characterize their mechanical properties. HTCs are grown in custom chambers and a robotic system is used to indent them and measure the resulting forces.

The visco-elastic behavior of connective tissue is generally attributed to the material properties of the extracellular matrix rather than cellular activity. We have previously shown that fibroblasts within areolar connective tissue exhibit dynamic cytoskeletal remodeling within minutes in response to tissue stretch ex vivo and in vivo. Here, we tested the hypothesis that fibroblasts, through this cytoskeletal remodeling, actively contribute to the visco-elastic behavior of the whole tissue.

OBJECTIVE: Spinal manipulation therapy (SMT), an intervention used to treat low back pain, has been demonstrated to affect the stiffness of the spine. To adequately quantify the effects of SMT on stiffness, a device capable of applying specific parameters of manipulation in addition to measuring force-displacement values has been developed previously. Previously developed indentation techniques that quantify stiffness have been modified for novel use in evaluating SMT parameters. The reliability of stiffness measurements performed by the newly adapted device was assessed in this study.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) force magnitude and force duration on the spinal stiffness of a feline preparation. A mechanical device performed simulated SMTs at the L6 spinous process in 22 anesthetised felines. Animals were divided into four groups. Two groups (no preload, preload) received SMT having maximal displacements of 1.0 mm, 2.0 mm and 3.0 mm of total displacement (displacement control). In two other groups (preload, no preload), SMTs were applied with maximal loads of 25%, 55% and 85% body weight (force control).