Figure 4.

Preconditioning response of the juvenile tree shrew sclera using Load Protocol B. Representative stress-strain curves of one subject (1484) are shown for 50 load cycles at physiological (A) and supraphysiological loading conditions (B). The red circles mark the maximum stress value of load cycles 1, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50. The change in strain at maximum load from one load cycle to the subsequent load cycle is shown for physiological (C) and supraphysiological loading conditions (D). At supraphysiological loading conditions, the juvenile tree shrew sclera undergoes continuous cyclic softening throughout all load cycles (B, D). Substantial softening also is seen at physiological loading conditions (A, C). The strain at maximum load shows similar variability between subjects throughout all cycles at physiological loads (E) but variable trends at supraphysiological loading conditions (F).