Combined Resonance Research Articles

Combination resonance of a moving ferromagnetic thin plate under double alternating line loads in a transverse constant magnetic field

The combination resonance of a moving rectangular ferromagnetic thin plate under double alternating line loads in a transverse constant magnetic field is investigated. Initially, the kinetic and potential energies of the system, considering geometrical nonlinearity, are obtained based on Kirchhoff's theory of thin plates. Additionally, the works of external forces are determined using the principle of virtual work. Subsequently, taking into account the nonlinear magnetization phenomenon of ferromagnetic materials, the magnetization force and Lorentz force acting on the moving ferromagnetic plate are calculated according to electromagnetic theory. Finally, the nonlinear magnetoelastic vibration equation is established by applying the Hamiltonian variational principle. The algebraic equation for static deflection and the differential equation for disturbed deflection are derived by applying the Galerkin method to the vibration equation. Then, an analytical solution for the frequency response equation under combination resonance is obtained using the multiple scale method. The proposed model and analytical research methods are validated by comparison with existing literature and numerical methods. Furthermore, the stability of steady-state solutions is determined, and static bifurcation is analyzed through singularity analysis. With the analytical results, numerical examples are plotted with varying frequency tuning values, magnetic field intensities, load amplitudes and load positions. The effects of these parameters on vibration characteristics are examined by comparing amplitude curves of systems with different physical parameters. The results demonstrate significant nonlinear vibration characteristics of the thin plate under the influence of a constant magnetic field and motion effects.

Exploring Crystal-Phase Molecular Dynamics of the Low-Viscous Mesogen 6CHBT: A Combined FFC and High-Field NMR Relaxometry Investigation.

The molecular dynamics study of thermotropic mesogens exhibiting the crystal phases is valuable in unraveling the complex global (collective) and local (noncollective) motions executed by liquid crystal molecules, which would further advance the existing knowledge on orientationally disordered crystalline (ODIC) phases. Toward the fulfillment of such a task, a combined nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxometry approach employing the fast field cycling (FFC) NMR (10 kHz-30 MHz) and high-field pulsed NMR (400 MHz) techniques is utilized to sample the broad frequency range offered by molecular motions in the crystal phase of 4-(trans-4'-n-hexylcyclohexyl)-isothiocyanatobenzene (6CHBT). The validity of the observed relaxation data is tested and interpreted by the Bloembergen-Purcell-Pound (BPP) model involving the superposition of four mutually independent Lorentzian spectral densities, reflecting molecular dynamical processes on different time scales. The salient feature of the detailed analysis reveals that the lengthening of temporal dynamics in the crystal phase due to molecular rotations by jumps, which are of intermolecular origin, is evident and further supports the presence of collective-like local dynamics. The analysis does permit decoupling of the molecular reorientations about their short axes (∼100 ns) as well as long axes (∼50 ns) and methyl group rotations (∼0.5 ns) on distinct time scales. The activation energies for reorientations about the short axes and methyl group rotations are found to be 27.3 ± 2.7 and 15.8 ± 1.1 kJ/mol, respectively. The fast methyl rotations in the crystal phase of 6CHBT obtained from FFC NMR are further well complemented by high-field NMR, where 1H NMR line shapes are relatively narrow when compared to those of the nematic phase.

Are central and systemic inflammation associated with fatigue in cerebral small vessel disease?

Fatigue is a common symptom in cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), but its pathogenesis is poorly understood. It has been suggested that inflammation may play a role. We determined whether central (neuro) inflammation and peripheral inflammation were associated with fatigue in SVD. Notably, 36 patients with moderate-to-severe SVD underwent neuropsychometric testing, combined positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (PET-MRI) scan, and blood draw for the analysis of inflammatory blood biomarkers. Microglial signal was taken as a proxy for neuroinflammation, assessed with radioligand 11C-PK11195. Of these, 30 subjects had full PET datasets for analysis. We assessed global 11C-PK11195 binding and hotspots of 11C-PK11195 binding in the normal-appearing white matter, lesioned tissue, and combined total white matter. Peripheral inflammation was assessed with serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and using the Olink cardiovascular III proteomic panel comprising 92 biomarkers of cardiovascular inflammation and endothelial activation. Fatigue was assessed using the fatigue severity scale (FSS), the visual analog fatigue scale, and a subscale of the Geriatric Depression Scale. Mean (SD) age was 68.7 (11.2) years, and 63.9% were male. Of these, 55.6% showed fatigue on the FSS. Fatigued participants had higher disability scores (p = 0.02), higher total GDS scores (p = 0.02), and more commonly reported a history of depression (p = 0.04). 11C-PK11195 ligand binding in the white matter was not associated with any measure of fatigue. Serum CRP was significantly associated with average fatigue score on FSS (ρ = 0.48, p = 0.004); this association persisted when controlling for age, sex, disability score, and depression (β = 0.49, 95% CI (0.17, 2.26), p = 0.03). Blood biomarkers from the Olink panel showed no association with fatigue. In symptomatic SVD patients, neuroinflammation, assessed with microglial marker 11C-PK11195, was not associated with fatigue. We found some evidence for a role of systematic inflammation, evidenced by an association between fatigue severity and raised CRP, but further studies are required to understand this relationship and inform whether it could be therapeutically modified to reduce fatigue severity. Data for this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Sandwich Immuno-RCA Assay with Single Molecule Counting Readout: The Importance of Biointerface Design.

The analysis of low-abundance protein molecules in human serum is reported based on counting of the individual affinity-captured analyte on a solid sensor surface, yielding a readout format similar to digital assays. In this approach, a sandwich immunoassay with rolling circle amplification (RCA) is used for single molecule detection (SMD) through associating the target analyte with spatially distinct bright spots observed by fluorescence microscopy. The unspecific interaction of the target analyte and other immunoassay constituents with the sensor surface is of particular interest in this work, as it ultimately limits the performance of this assay. It is minimized by the design of the respective biointerface and thiol self-assembled monolayer with oligoethylene (OEG) head groups, and a poly[oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate] (pHOEGMA) antifouling polymer brush was used for the immobilization of the capture antibody (cAb) on the sensor surface. The assay relying on fluorescent postlabeling of long single-stranded DNA that are grafted from the detection antibody (dAb) by RCA was established with the help of combined surface plasmon resonance and surface plasmon-enhanced fluorescence monitoring of reaction kinetics. These techniques were employed for in situ measurements of conjugating of cAb to the sensor surface, tagging of short single-stranded DNA to dAb, affinity capture of the target analyte from the analyzed liquid sample, and the fluorescence readout of the RCA product. Through mitigation of adsorption of nontarget molecules on the sensor surface by tailoring of the antifouling biointerface, optimizing conjugation chemistry, and by implementing weak Coulombic repelling between dAb and the sensor surface, the limit of detection (LOD) of the assay was substantially improved. For the chosen interleukin-6 biomarker, SMD assay with LOD at a concentration of 4.3 fM was achieved for model (spiked) samples, and validation of the ability of detection of standard human serum samples is demonstrated.

Dynamics of axially moving viscoelastic panels immersed in fluid

The vibration of axially moving panels immersed in fluid are widely concerned in engineering problems. In this paper, free vibration characteristics and dynamic stabilities of an axially moving viscoelastic panel immersed in fluid are investigated. The governing equation is given by applying the generalized extended Hamilton principle. The axial tension per unit width is related to the axial speed and the axial acceleration, changing continuously in the axial direction, which is the innovation point and key problem of this paper. However, they were independent of each other in most previous studies. The fluid is assumed to be an ideal liquid, that is, inviscid, homogeneous and incompressible. By using the velocity potential function, the Bernoulli equation, the dynamic pressure and the boundary conditions of the fluid are derived and incorporated into the governing equation in the form of an additional mass. The Galerkin method is used to discretize the governing equation and convert it into a matrix form. The influences of the truncation order numbers and the immersion depths on the first four natural frequencies are analyzed. We found an interesting phenomenon that the fluid has an effect on both the inertia term and the damping term of the system and the effect of damping force generated by fluid is greater than that of inertia. Another innovation is that the immersion depth has little effect on the natural frequency. Moreover, the subharmonic resonance and the combination resonance are analyzed by using the averaging method. The influences of system parameters including truncation order numbers, axially supported stiffness parameters, viscoelasticity coefficients, mean axial speeds, fluids and immersion depth on the stability boundaries are considered. The stability boundaries of three models, namely the vacuum model, the material derivative model, and the partial derivative model, are compared. The results show that the material derivative model is more reasonable. The results are verified by the Runge-Kutta algorithm. The results of the analytical and numerical methods of the subharmonic and combination resonances are in good agreement with each other. In this paper, the dynamic stability of an axially moving viscoelastic panel immersed in fluid is studied by means of the average method. It extends the application range of the averaging method and provides a reference for the study of axially moving structures immersed in fluid.

Thoracic aortic microcalcification activity in combined positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging

IntroductionNon-invasive detection of pathological changes in thoracic aortic disease remains an unmet clinical need particularly for patients with congenital heart disease. Positron emission tomography combined with magnetic resonance imaging (PET-MRI) could provide a valuable low-radiation method of aortic surveillance in high-risk groups. Quantification of aortic microcalcification activity using sodium [18F]fluoride holds promise in the assessment of thoracic aortopathies. We sought to evaluate aortic sodium [18F]fluoride uptake in PET-MRI using three methods of attenuation correction compared to positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET-CT) in patients with bicuspid aortic valve,MethodsThirty asymptomatic patients under surveillance for bicuspid aortic valve disease underwent sodium [18F]fluoride PET-CT and PET-MRI of the ascending thoracic aorta during a single visit. PET-MRI data were reconstructed using three iterations of attenuation correction (Dixon, radial gradient recalled echo with two [RadialVIBE-2] or four [RadialVIBE-4] tissue segmentation). Images were qualitatively and quantitatively analysed for aortic sodium [18F]fluoride uptake on PET-CT and PET-MRI.ResultsAortic sodium [18F]fluoride uptake on PET-MRI was visually comparable with PET-CT using each reconstruction and total aortic standardised uptake values on PET-CT strongly correlated with each PET-MRI attenuation correction method (Dixon R = 0.70; RadialVIBE-2 R = 0.63; RadialVIBE-4 R = 0.64; p < 0.001 for all). Breathing related artefact between soft tissue and lung were detected using Dixon and RadialVIBE-4 but not RadialVIBE-2 reconstructions, with the presence of this artefact adjacent to the atria leading to variations in blood pool activity estimates. Consequently, quantitative agreements between radiotracer activity on PET-CT and PET-MRI were most consistent with RadialVIBE-2.ConclusionAscending aortic microcalcification analysis in PET-MRI is feasible with comparable findings to PET-CT. RadialVIBE-2 tissue attenuation correction correlates best with the reference standard of PET-CT and is less susceptible to artefact. There remain challenges in segmenting tissue types in PET-MRI reconstructions, and improved attenuation correction methods are required.

Dynamics of a Vibrating Feeder at Combinational Parametric Resonance

Dynamics of a Vibrating Feeder at Combinational Parametric Resonance

Photostable selenium-assisted ZnS nanocomposite with efficient visible light photocatalytic activity

Selenium-assisted ZnS nanocomposite has been successfully prepared through a simple soft chemical route and their photocatalytic activity was also investigated for degradation of methylene and rhodamine B dye under ultraviolet and sunlight irradiation. Various surface analysis techniques such as XRD, SEM, TEM, UV-visible, XPS, and photoluminescence were used to analyze the formation of Se/ZnS nanocomposites. XRD studies confirmed the formation of the selenium phase along with ZnS and zinc methacrylate. SEM images showed that ZnS and Se nanoparticles self-aggregated to form three-dimensional spherical nano-assemblies of an average size of about 527 nm. The presence of a different type of defect in Se/ZnS was analyzed from PL spectra. The photocatalytic study revealed the complete degradation of methylene blue in 75 min with a rate constant of 0.073 min−1 under UV light irradiation. In contrast, rhodamine B (RhB) degraded in 90 min with a corresponding rate constant of 0.038 min−1 under the same time duration. Further, this nanocomposite was also efficient under natural sunlight, and almost 85% degradation was achieved after 180 min. Thus, the synergistic effect of strong absorption under UV and visible light source of Se/ZnS nanocomposite minimizes the photogenerated electron-hole pair recombination., which makes them excellent photocatalysts towards the degradation of dyes. Also, this nanocomposite reduced the photo-corrosion under light irradiation and improved photocatalytic stability. In addition, scavenger studies and electron spin resonance in combination with spin trapping technique were used to analyze the contribution of reactive species involved in photocatalysis process.

Parametric Vibration and Combined Resonance of a Bending-Torsional Coupled Turbine Blade With a Preset Angle

Abstract The parametric vibration and combined resonance of a turbine blade with a preset angle subjected to the combined effect of parametric and forced excitation were investigated. The blade was modeled as a rotating beam considering the effects of centrifugal, gyroscopic, and bending-torsion coupling. The instability region of the corresponding linear system with parametric excitation was analyzed using Floquet theory, and the effect of blade parameters on this region was discussed. Notably, the parametric vibration of the torsional degree-of-freedom (DOF) caused by parametric excitation of the bending degree-of-freedom has been found. The results show that the size and position of the parameter resonance region are affected by the blade aspect ratio and preset angle, respectively. Furthermore, the multiscale method was employed to solve the blade equation under the combined action of parametric and forced excitation to study the combined resonance caused by forced excitation and gyroscopic items. The effect of blade parameters and excitation characteristics on regions of combined resonance were investigated. The phenomenon of heteroclinic bifurcation was observed due to changes in the excitation frequency, and the harmonic components that accompanied the bifurcation changed. Specifically, a multiperiod response dominated by the excitation frequency and subharmonic components shifted to a single-period response dominated by subharmonic components. This study provides a theoretical explanation for the nonsynchronous resonance of blades and the subharmonic signals in blade vibration and guides blade parameter design, especially for wind turbines.

Comparison between combined ultrasounds and magnetic resonance imaging in the differentiation of benign and malignant breast lesions: a cross-sectional study.

To explore the performance of single or combined ultrasound (US) in diagnosing malignant breast lesions, and then compare the results with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) aspect. Patients' demographics, tumor markers, and imaging examination were collected. Diagnostic models based on B-mode, color Doppler ultrasounds (CDU), strain elastography (SE), MRI, B-mode US + CDU, B-mode US + SE, and B-mode US + CDU + SE were developed using logistic regression analysis. The performance was assessed using the area under the curve (AUC) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Performance of MRI and B-mode US + CDU was compared using DeLong analysis. For single imaging modality, MRI showed the best performance, with AUC of 0.938 (95%CI: 0.888-0.988). For combined US modalities, combination of B-mode US and CDU had the best performance, with AUC of 0.948 (95%CI: 0.877-1.000). There was no significant difference in the diagnostic performance between the combination of B-mode US and CDU and MRI (p>0.05). Our study found the performance of B-mode + CDU was comparable to MRI. Our findings suggested that the combination of B-mode US and CDU was recommended to diagnose malignant breast lesions in order to save time and expense and provide guidance to make decisions for a biopsy.

A study on coupled edgewise and flapwise vibration modes of wind turbine blade

The coupled flapwise and edgewise vibrations of a horizontal axis wind turbine blade (HAWT) are discussed in this paper. Kinetic and potential energies of the blade are evaluated with consideration of the effects of gravity and aerodynamic forces. Hamilton’s principle is employed to develop the nonlinear coupled modal equations of the blade. The coupling between the first order edgewise and the first two order of flapwise modes is considered. This leads to three equations with nonlinear terms. Multiple-scales perturbation method is employed to solve these equations. Furthermore, the numerical values of structural specifications of National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) 5-MW reference wind turbine blade are used, for example. It is shown that first edgewise and first flapwise vibrations are dominant, while second flapwise mode of vibration is less significant in the case of transient responses. Energy transfer between resonant modes is observed in both internal and combination resonances. The amplitude–frequency curves and phase diagrams during primary and combination resonances are obtained for the steady-state responses. Combination and primary resonances are further examined by considering various factors such as geometric nonlinearity and aerodynamic force.

Combination resonances of a dual-rotor-bearing-casing system

Combination resonances of a dual-rotor-bearing-casing system

Protease-Mediated T1 Contrast Enhancement of Multilayered Magneto-Gadolinium Nanostructures for Imaging and Magnetic Hyperthermia.

In this work, we constructed a multifunctional composite nanostructure for combined magnetic hyperthermia therapy and magnetic resonance imaging based on T1 and T2 signals. First, iron oxide nanocubes with a benchmark heating efficiency for magnetic hyperthermia were assembled within an amphiphilic polymer to form magnetic nanobeads. Next, poly(acrylic acid)-coated inorganic sodium gadolinium fluoride nanoparticles were electrostatically loaded onto the magnetic nanobead surface via a layer-by-layer approach by employing a positively charged enzymatic-cleavable biopolymer. The positive-negative multilayering process was validated through the changes occurring in surface ζ-potential values and structural characterization by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging. These nanostructures exhibit an efficient heating profile, in terms of the specific absorption rates under clinically accepted magnetic field conditions. The addition of protease enzyme mediates the degradation of the surface layers of the nanostructures with the detachment of gadolinium nanoparticles from the magnetic beads and exposure to the aqueous environment. Such a process is associated with changes in the T1 relaxation time and contrast and a parallel decrease in the T2 signal. These structures are also nontoxic when tested on glioblastoma tumor cells up to a maximum gadolinium dose of 125 μg mL-1, which also corresponds to a iron dose of 52 μg mL-1. Nontoxic nanostructures with such enzyme-triggered release mechanisms and T1 signal enhancement are desirable for tracking tumor microenvironment release with remote T1-guidance and magnetic hyperthermia therapy actuation to be done at the diseased site upon verification of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided release.

Nonlinear Dynamics and Combination Resonance of a Flexible Turbine Blade with Contact and Friction of Shrouds

Flexible shrouded blades are commonly adopted in the last stages of steam turbines where complicated dynamical behavior can be induced by dry friction force generated on contacting interfaces between adjacent shrouds and the geometric nonlinearity due to the structural flexibility of the blades. In this paper, combination resonance caused by contact and friction forces generated on shroud interfaces is investigated, which is a concurrence of 1:3 internal resonance involving the first and second modes in the flapwise direction and the primary resonance of the first flapwise mode. The stiffness and damping at the contact interface are obtained by linearizing the contact and friction forces between shrouds through the harmonic balance method. The vibrating blade is modeled as a beam with a concentrated mass of which the responses under the combination resonance are solved through the multiple-scale method. Sensitivities of response with respect to the angle of shrouds, contact stiffness and rotation speed are illustrated, and the influences of these parameters on the periodicity and amplitudes of steady responses are demonstrated. The parametric regions where the combination resonance occurs are pointed out. Finally, parametric analyses are presented to show how the amplitude–frequency relation of the multiple-scale solutions under the combination resonance vary with detuning and design parameters. The present research provides a designing basis for improving the dynamic performance of flexible shrouded blades and suppressing vibrations of blades by adjusting structural parameters in practical engineering.

Nonlinear combined resonance of axially moving conical shells under interaction between transverse and parametric modes

The purpose of present paper is to establish a conical shell model for exploring combined resonance response of axially moving graphene platelets reinforced metal foams (GPLRMF) conical shells subjected to coupled external and parametric excitations in thermal environments. The Reddy's higher order shear deformation theory (HSDT) is applied to derive the stress-strain relationship, and the governing equations of the shell structure are obtained using Hamilton's principle. The displacements and boundary conditions are characterized by a set of displacement shape functions with orthogonal properties. Then, the combined resonant for the conical shell are solved, where the method of varying amplitude (MVA) is adopted for discretizing and formulating the nonlinear governing motion equations. The correctness of the steady-state approximate solutions is verified by conducting comparative analysis, where the existing valuable literature is served as reference. In addition, the effects of initial phase angle, damping interference, material property, axially moving velocity, temperature change, coning angle as well as external excitation amplitude on the vibrational mechanism are analyzed, and the jumping phenomenon, bifurcation behavior, and chaotic characteristics are discussed in detail.

Nonlinear combined harmonic resonances of composite cylindrical shells operating in hygro-thermo-electro-magneto-mechanical fields

By considering the effects of the hygro-thermo-electro-magnetic environments, von Karman nonlinear terms, and multi-harmonic excitations, a coupled nonlinear vibration modeling of composite cylindrical shells comprising a carbon nanotube-reinforced composite (CNTRC) core and two piezoelectric/magnetic composite (PEMC) skins is developed, and the nonlinear dynamic behaviors of such cylindrical shells under primary, super/sub-harmonic, and combined resonance states are investigated. In the theoretical modeling process, the effective mechanical properties of the CNTRC core are first determined using the mixing and Schapery laws, and the hygro-thermo-electro-magneto-mechanical constitutive relations of the PEMC skins are then formulated. Within the framework of Reissner-Mindlin shell theory, the Lagrangian of the system containing Green-Lagrange and von Karman nonlinear terms is derived, and solution techniques based on the multiscale method are provided to obtain nonlinear frequencies, dynamic responses, and phases of CNTRC-PEMC cylindrical shells under multi-physics fields. Consequently, comparison studies are conducted to validate the correctness of the proposed model from different aspects. Based on this, various resonance and chaos behaviors of such structures subjected to multiple load components are revealed and compared, and the influences of environmental factors and structure composition on the amplitude-frequency curves, time-history responses, and phase planes are explored, with several recommendations and findings being drawn.

Magneto-thermoelastic coupled resonance characteristics of a rotating functionally graded ferromagnetic cylindrical shell under double harmonic line loads

The magneto-thermoelastic coupled resonance of a rotating functionally graded (FG) ferromagnetic cylindrical shell subjected to double harmonic line loads in magnetic and temperature fields is investigated. In accordance with Donnell's thin shell theory on the physical neutral surface, the nonlinear geometric equations are determined. Utilizing the thermoelastic constitutive relationships, combining with the gradient characteristics and temperature dependence of physical parameters, the governing equations of kinetic energy and strain energy are given. Based on the magnetoelasticity theory, and considering the nonlinear magnetization of ferromagnetic metal, the calculation formulas of Lorentz force and magnetizing force acting on the shell are deduced. The magneto-thermoelastic coupled dynamic equations are derived by applying Hamilton principle and discretized by Galerkin method. Subsequently, considering the different resonance forms, the multiple scales method and Lyapunov stability theory are employed to obtain the theoretical solutions and stability discriminants. Numerical examples are carried out to plot the characteristic diagrams with different parameters, which are used to analyze the characteristics of nonlinear coupled resonance. Furthermore, the primary resonance and combination resonance are selected to analyze the bifurcation and chaotic behavior. Results show that the variation of different parameters affects obviously the resonance amplitude and stability. The changes of amplitude and position of hard excitation can lead to resonance region drift. Amplitude, frequency, and position of excitation have significant effects on bifurcation and chaos. The motion state of cylindrical shell is transmitted from periodic response to chaotic response through the accumulation of period-doubling bifurcation.

Experimental study of parametric vibrations of arc-shaped tubes with pulsating fluid flow

The dynamics of curved tubes with fluid flow fixed on both sides was studied experimentally. Two cases were studied in which the curved tubes differed in curvature. Tests were performed with the flow without pulsation to determine the natural frequencies and with pulsation to determine the interesting dynamic phenomena occurring in the system. Two alternative measurement systems were used to study the motion of the tubes, a contact one based on accelerometers and a non-contact one based on optical technology. Acceleration and displacement time-series were analysed to determine the nature of the motion of the tubes. It was confirmed that the eigenfrequencies of the curved systems are insensitive to flow velocity which is consistent with the extensible centreline hypothesis. The interesting dynamics of tubes with pulsatile flow, the possibility of excitation of simple, combination parametric resonances, including several different combination resonances simultaneously, were identified. The vibrations in the simple resonances were polyharmonic and in the combination resonances quasi-periodic. The motion of the tubes was three-dimensional in nature and its complexity increased with increasing excitation amplitude. It was found that increasing the curvature of the tube reduced the possibility of excitation of parametric vibration.

Injectable in situ gelling methylcellulose-based hydrogels for bone tissue regeneration.

Injectable bone substitutes (IBSs) represent a compelling choice for bone tissue regeneration, as they can be exploited to optimally fill complex bone defects in a minimally invasive manner. In this context, in situ gelling methylcellulose (MC) hydrogels may be engineered to be free-flowing injectable solutions at room temperature and gels upon exposure to body temperature. Moreover, incorporating a suitable inorganic phase can further enhance the mechanical properties of MC hydrogels and promote mineralization, thus assisting early cell adhesion to the hydrogel and effectively guiding bone tissue regeneration. In this work, thermo-responsive IBSs were designed selecting MC as the organic matrix and calcium phosphate (CaP) or CaP modified with graphene oxide (CaPGO) as the inorganic component. The resulting biocomposites displayed a transition temperature around body temperature, preserved injectability even after loading with the inorganic components, and exhibited adequate retention on an ex vivo calf femoral bone defect model. The addition of CaP and CaPGO promoted the in vitro mineralization process already 14 days after immersion in simulated body fluid. Interestingly, combined X-ray diffraction and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance characterizations revealed that the formed biomimetic phase was constituted by crystalline hydroxyapatite and amorphous calcium phosphate. In vitro biological characterization revealed the beneficial impact of CaP and CaPGO, indicating their potential in promoting cell adhesion, proliferation and osteogenic differentiation. Remarkably, the addition of GO, which is very attractive for its bioactive properties, did not negatively affect the injectability of the hydrogel nor the mineralization process, but had a positive impact on cell growth and osteogenic differentiation on both pre-differentiated and undifferentiated cells. Overall, the proposed formulations represent potential candidates for use as IBSs for application in bone regeneration both under physiological and pathological conditions.

Computerized metric assessment of glandular tissue volume within the peripheral zone of the prostate using combined magnetic resonance imaging and histopathology: Possible pathophysiological implications on prostate cancer development.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer (PCa) are prevalent urological ailments in elderly males. Numerous clinical studies have revealed an invert association between BPH/prostate size and PCa growth. This study investigates the association between prostate size and total glandular tissue volume of the peripheral zone (GVPZ) using a unique blend of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histo-anatomical imaging technique. Patients were selected who underwent both radical prostatectomy and preoperative MRI scans. MRI scans provided quantitative measurements of prostatic zone dimensions, while histo-anatomical slides yielded quantitative data on glandular density of the peripheral zone (PZ) using imaging software. Integration of MRI and histopathology enabled the assessment of the GVPZ. Statistical analysis identified relationships between total prostate volume (TPV) and GVPZ. Seventy-two patients were selected and 40 cc was determined to be the optimal cutoff for small-to-moderate versus large prostates. Once the two subgroups in TPV were formed, the relationship between TPV and GVPZ was found to be highly significant (p<0.001). The combination of MRI and histopathology offers a novel approach for precise quantification of glandular tissue within the prostatic PZ. This study corroborates the hypothesis of PZ compression via an enlarging transition zone in larger BPH prostates, resulting in PZ glandular atrophy. Given that most PCa originates in the PZ, these results shed light on the potential protective role of larger BPH prostates against PCa growth.