Phenomenological Material Model of Foam Solids

In this contribution a new phenomenological model for pressure loaded foam materials is proposed. The presented relationship between compressive stresses and compressive strains is derived by using simple rheological models. The proposed model contains several parameters. The procedure of their identification and the influence of parameters on a curve shape are also explained. The accuracy of our model is tested and compared with other phenomenological models. These tests have been applied on aluminium and polyurethane foams

Nutrient Digestibility of Wheat in Rats and Chickens Depending on the Rye 1B/1R Translocation of Wheat Varieties

A major part of wheat production is channelized towards animal feed. In the present experiment, we first aimed to determine the relationship of the crude protein (CP) content and the individual fractions (albumin + globulin, gliadin, glutenin) of wheat varieties (with or without the rye translocation 1B/1R) with the digestibility, feed intake, feed conversion, and protein efficiency ratio (PER) of the feed in ROSS 308 chicken broilers. Secondly, we determined the CP content, biological value, net protein utilization, and effect of various fibre components of the same wheat lines in Wistar rats. Seven out of sixteen wheat varieties studied herein included the 1B/1R translocation. Nutritional values were evaluated by the Weende analysis using the Kjeldahl and the Henneberg–Stohmann methods. Moreover, acid detergent fibre and neutral detergent fibre contents, CP digestibility and PER were determined. In broiler chickens, no statistically significant differences were found. In rats, however, the presence of 1B/1R significantly increased the CP content, affecting the nutritional value. This should be considered prior to the indiscriminate use of otherwise undesirable wheat varieties as animal feed

Measurement of abdominal retractor loading and its effects on the surgeons arm

A load measuring apparatus integrated into an abdominal retractors and its methodology are presented. The measured forces offer new knowledge in the fields of surgery and may be useful in the design of new retractors and fixing frames as well as the investigation of tissue loading during surgical intervention. Effort required to hold the retractor is quantified for the surgeons forearm and the approximation of muscle fatigue can be evaluated with respect to the duration of surgical intervention