... resembling those exerted by sperm swimming through the fluid near eggs. We show that this fluid, which in its relaxed state is a gel-like substance, displays a non-Newtonian viscoelastic and shear-thinning profile, where the viscosity decreases with increasing shear rates. We concurrently find...

... of the material's mechanics. In particular, its adaptive viscoelastic behavior can be characterized by two, widely separated time constants. We speculate that the short time constant (∼14 s) results from the viscous response of the matrix to the change in cell-wall shape as a joint is stretched, a response...

... articulated coralline alga, relies on an extraordinary tissue that is stronger, more extensible and more fatigue resistant than the tissue of other algal fronds. Here, we report on experiments that reveal the viscoelastic properties of this material. On the one hand, its compliance is independent of the rate...

... Theridiidae loss tangent viscoelasticity The beauty of the intricate shapes of spider webs fascinates people, but webs offer more than aesthetic appeal for biological research. The silk fibers used to construct webs have long been a favorite topic of study for materials scientists because some...

...H.-Ch. Spatz; L. Köhler; K. J. Niklas ABSTRACT The mechanical characteristics of the strengthening tissue of young axes of Aristolochia macrophylla were studied in successive loading–unloading cycles in tension. Elastic, viscoelastic and plastic deformations could be distinguished. After the first...

... tail fin from 6–10 Rana catesbeiana tadpoles to establish the fin’s viscoelastic properties under (1) large-deformation cyclic loading at 1 and 3 Hz, (2) small-deformation forced vibration at 1 and 3 Hz, and (3) stress relaxation under a 0.1 s loading time. The fin was very fragile, failing easily...

... strains. Such tissues are also generally viscoelastic (i.e. display time-dependent properties). The hypothesis that time-dependent reorientation of collagen fibres is responsible for the viscoelasticity of such tissues is examined here using time-resolved X-ray diffraction measurements during stress...

... of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5X 1S6. ‡ Author for correspondence. 24 05 1996 ©The Company of Biologists Limited 1996 swimming jet propulsion kinematics dynamics energetics muscle hydrodynamic forces viscoelasticity scallop...

... rates and sarcomere lengths to characterize their viscoelastic behavior. The observed mechanical properties, together with transcardiac pressure recordings and ultrastructural measurements, were related to the overall function of the heart. Single fibers, often longer than 1mm, could be mechanically...

... that this vessel is suitably designed to function as an efficient elastic energy storage component in the octopus circulatory system. 6 7 1984 © 1985 by Company of Biologists 1985 Mechanical properties viscoelasticity aorta octopus Investigations on the mechanical properties of blood...