@article{1436047,
      recid = {1436047},
      author = {Gadomski, Adam,},
      title = {Water in biomechanical and related systems /},
      pages = {1 online resource (viii, 334 pages) :},
      note = {Includes index.},
      abstract = {The contributed volume puts emphasis on a superior role of  water in (bio)systems exposed to a mechanical stimulus. It  is well known that water plays an extraordinary role in our  life. It feeds mammalian or other organism after  distributing over its whole volume to support certain  physiological and locomotive (friction-adhesion) processes  to mention but two of them, both of extreme relevance.  Water content, not only in the mammalian organism but also  in other biosystems such as whether those of soil which is  equipped with microbiome or the ones pertinent to plants,  having their own natural network of water vessels, is  always subjected to a force field. The decisive force field  applied to the biosystems makes them biomechanically  agitated irrespective of whether they are subjected to  external or internal force-field conditions. It ought to be  noted that the decisive mechanical factor shows up in a  close relation with the space-and-time scale in which it is  causing certain specific phenomena to occur. The scale  problem, emphasizing the range of action of gravitational  force, thus the millimeter or bigger force vs. distance  scale, is supposed to enter the so-called macroscale  approach to water transportation through soil or plants'  roots system. It is merely related to a percolation  problem, which assumes to properly inspect the random  network architecture assigned to the biosystems invoked.  The capillarity conditions turn out to be of prior  importance, and the porous-medium effect has to be treated,  and solved in a fairly approximate way. The deeper the  scale is penetrated by a force-exerting and hydrated agent  the more non-gravitational force fields manifest. This can  be envisaged in terms of the corresponding thermodynamic  (non-Newtonian) forces, and the phenomena of interest are  mostly attributed to suitable changes of the osmotic  pressure. In low Reynolds number conditions, thus in the  (sub)micrometer distance-scale zone, they are related with  the corresponding viscosity changes of the aqueous, e.g.  cytoplasmatic solutions, of semi-diluted and concentrated  (but also electrolytic) characteristics. For example, they  can be observed in articulating systems of mammals, in  their skin, and to some extent, in other living beings,  such as lizards, geckos or even insects. Through their  articulating devices an external mechanical stimulus is  transmitted from macro- to nanoscale, wherein the  corresponding osmotic-pressure conditions apply. The  content of the proposed work can be distributed twofold.  First, the biomechanical mammalian-type (or, similar)  systems with extraordinary relevance of water for their  functioning will be presented, also including a  presentation of water itself as a key physicochemical  system/medium. Second, the suitably chosen related systems,  mainly of soil and plant addressing provenience, will be  examined thoroughly. As a common denominator of all of  them, it is proposed to look at their hydrophobic and/or  (de)hydration effects, and how do they impact on their  basic mechanical (and related, such as chemo-mechanical or  piezoelectric, etc.) properties. An additional tacit  assumption employed throughout the monograph concerns  statistical scalability of the presented biosystems which  is equivalent to take for granted a certain similarity  between local and global system's properties, mostly those  of mechanical nature. The presented work's chapters also  focus on biodiversity and ecological aspects in the world  of animals and plants, and the related systems. The  chapters' contents underscore the bioinspiration as the key  landmark of the proposed monograph.},
      url = {http://library.usi.edu/record/1436047},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67227-0},
}