Density Of Nuclei Research Articles

Biparametric MR signal characteristics can predict histopathological measures of prostate cancer.

The aim of this study was to establish a new data-driven metric from MRI signal intensity that can quantify histopathological characteristics of prostate cancer. This retrospective study was conducted on 488 patients who underwent biparametric MRI (bp-MRI), including T2-weighted imaging (T2W) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of diffusion-weighted imaging, and having biopsy-proven prostate cancer between August 2011 and July 2015. Forty-two of the patients who underwent radical prostatectomy and the rest of 446 patients constitute the labeled and unlabeled datasets, respectively. A deep learning model was built to predict the density of epithelium, epithelial nuclei, stroma, and lumen from bp-MRI, called MR-driven tissue density. On both the labeled validation set and the whole unlabeled dataset, the quality of MR-driven tissue density and its relation to bp-MRI signal intensity were examined with respect to different histopathologic and radiologic conditions using different statistical analyses. MR-driven tissue density and bp-MRI of 446 patients were evaluated. MR-driven tissue density was significantly related to bp-MRI (p < 0.05). The relationship was generally stronger in cancer regions than in benign regions. Regarding cancer grades, significant differences were found in the intensity of bp-MRI and MR-driven tissue density of epithelium, epithelial nuclei, and stroma (p < 0.05). Comparing MR true-negative to MR false-positive regions, MR-driven lumen density was significantly different, similar to the intensity of bp-MRI (p < 0.001). MR-driven tissue density could serve as a reliable histopathological measure of the prostate on bp-MRI, leading to an improved understanding of prostate cancer and cancer progression. • Semi-supervised deep learning enables non-invasive and quantitative histopathology in the prostate from biparametric MRI. • Tissue density derived from biparametric MRI demonstrates similar characteristics to the direct estimation of tissue density from histopathology images. • The analysis of MR-driven tissue density reveals significantly different tissue compositions among different cancer grades as well as between MR-positive and MR-negative benign.

A PPAR-alpha agonist and DPP-4 inhibitor mitigate adipocyte dysfunction in obese mice.

Obesity causes white and brown adipocyte dysfunction, reducing browning and stimulating whitening. Drugs that tackle adipocyte dysfunction through thermogenesis stimulation could be used to treat obesity. This study sought to address whether a combination of the PPAR-alpha agonist (WY14643) and DPP4i (linagliptin) potentiates browning and mitigates adipose tissue dysfunction, emphasizing the pathways related to browning induction and the underlying thermogenesis in high-fat-fed mice. Adult male C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to receive a control diet (C, 10% lipids) or a high-fat diet (HF, 50% lipids) for 12 weeks. Experiment 1 aimed to evaluate whether 5 weeks of combined therapy was able to potentiate browning using a five-group design: C, HF, HFW (monotherapy with WY14643, 2.5 mg/kg body mass), HFL (monotherapy with linagliptin, 15 mg/kg body mass), and HFC (a combination of both drugs). Experiment 2 further addressed the pathways involved in browning maximization using a four-group study design: C, CC (C diet plus the drug combination), HF, and HFC (HF diet plus the drug combination). The HF group showed overweight, oral glucose intolerance, sWAT adipocyte hypertrophy, and reduced numerical density of nuclei per area of BAT confirming whitening. Only the combined treatment normalized these parameters in addition to body temperature increase, browning induction, and whitening rescue. The high expression of thermogenic marker genes parallel to reduced expression of inflammatory and endoplasmic reticulum stress genes mediated the beneficial findings. Hence, the PPAR-alpha agonist and DPP-4i combination is a promising target for obesity control by inducing functional brown adipocytes, browning of sWAT, and enhanced adaptive thermogenesis.

The protective mechanism of Grx2 in ultraviolet-B (UVB)-induced cataract formation

ObjectiveWe established a mouse cataract model by irradiating Grx2 knockout (KO) and knock-in (KI) genetically modified mice with UVB to explore the protective mechanism of Grx2 against UVB lens damage. MethodsAfter irradiating Grx2 KO and Grx2 KI mice with UVB lamps, we observed and recorded the general physiological conditions and lens opacity of the mice. The crystalline grading system of the University of Oxford was used to classify the opacity of the lens. Lens reactive oxygen species (ROS) contents were detected using a microplate reader, western blot, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect antioxidant and antioxidant enzyme contents. Statistical analysis of the recorded data was performed by using SPSS 19.0 software. ResultsAfter UVB irradiation, the weight of Grx2 KO mice was slightly lower than that of wild-type (WT) mice of the same age. Compared to WT mice, the lens opacity of Grx2 KO mice appeared earlier, the nucleus density of the lens increased, and the opacity increased in the first week after UVB irradiation. Meanwhile, the lenses of Grx2 KI mice remained transparent. The experiment showed that the content of ROS increased, the level of glutathione (GSH) decreased, the content of 8-OHdG increased, and the expression of BCL2 decreased after UVB irradiation. Compared to WT mice, these changes were more significant in Grx2 KO mice. ConclusionThis experiment found that knocking out the Grx2 gene accelerated the occurrence and development of UVB-induced cataracts in mice and that Grx2 plays an important role in the oxidative damage caused by UVB radiation by repairing the antioxidant enzymes of the lens. This study provides a new animal model and research ideas for the study of cataract pathogenesis.

Study of the deformed halo nucleus 31Ne with Glauber model based on microscopic self-consistent structures

The exotic deformed nucleus 31Ne is studied with an approach that combines self-consistent structure and reaction theories. The deformed relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov theory in continuum (DRHBc) is utilized to demonstrate that deformation and pairing correlations give rise to a halo structure with a large-amplitude p-wave configuration in 31Ne. Then the valence nucleon wave functions and angle-averaged density distributions of 30Ne from this theory are used as input for the Glauber reaction model to study the observables of neutron-rich neon isotopes to search halo signatures. With NL1 effective interaction, our predictions of the reaction cross sections for these exotic neon isotopes on a carbon target can better reproduce the experimental data than those from the relativistic mean field model for a spherical shape with resonances and pairing correlation contributions, and are roughly 3.3% (∼ 50 mb) larger than those with Gaussian function-fitted densities of the core nuclei. The calculated one-neutron removal cross section at 240 MeV/nucleon, and the inclusive longitudinal momentum distribution of the 30Ne residues from the 31Ne breakup reaction are largely improved over previous theoretical predictions and agree well with data. These reaction evaluations indicate a dilute density distribution in coordinate space and are a canonical signature of a halo structure. Moreover, our predictions with the NL3 and PK1 effective interactions give slightly better descriptions of reaction observables for exotic neon isotopes.

Progressive brown adipocyte dysfunction: Whitening and impaired nonshivering thermogenesis as long-term obesity complications

Chronic obesity damages the cytoarchitecture of brown adipose tissue (BAT), leading to whitening of brown adipocytes and impaired thermogenesis, characterizing BAT dysfunction. Understanding the pathways of whitening progression can bring new targets to counter obesity. This study aimed to evaluate the chronic effect (12, 16, and 20 weeks) of a high-fat diet (50% energy as fat) upon energy expenditure, thermogenic markers, and pathways involved in BAT whitening in C57BL/6J mice. Sixty adult male mice comprised six nutritional groups, where the letters refer to the diet type (control, C or high-fat, HF), and the numbers refer to the period (in weeks) of diet administration: C12, HF12, C16, HF16, C20, and HF20. After sacrifice, biochemical, molecular, and stereological analyses addressed the outcomes. The HF groups had overweight, oral glucose intolerance, and hyperleptinemia, resulting in progressive whitening of BAT and decreased numerical density of nuclei per area of tissue compared to age-matched control groups. In addition, the whitening maximization was related to altered batokines gene expression, decreased nonshivering thermogenesis, and body temperature, resulting in low energy expenditure. The HF20 group showed enlarged adipocytes with stable and dysfunctional lipid droplets, followed by inflammation and ER stress. In conclusion, chronic HF diet intake caused time-dependent maximization of whitening with defective nonshivering thermogenesis. Long-term BAT dysfunction includes down-regulated vascularization markers, upregulated inflammasome activation, and ER stress markers.

Effect of laser additive manufacturing on the microstructure and mechanical properties of TiB2 reinforced Al-Cu matrix composite

Understanding the effect of reinforcements on microstructure evolution and strengthening mechanism in aluminum matrix is crucial for development of good performance aluminum matrix composites (AMCs) prepared by laser additive manufacturing (LAM). In this work, the roles of submicron-TiB2 particles in the grain morphological evolution, mechanical properties and corresponding strengthening mechanism of the 2024Al matrix processed by laser directed energy deposition (L-DED) and laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) were comparable investigated. The microstructure of L-DED processed TiB2p/2024Al composite consists of equiaxed grains, instead of the coarse columnar grains in L-DED prepared 2024Al alloy. While only the refinement of columnar grains was observed in the L-PBF processed similar composite sample. Combining with the thermal simulation results and Hunt criterion, the solidification conditions of the molten pool during L-DED process facilitate the formation of Al-Ti layer between TiB2 and Al matrix, which promotes the columnar to equiaxed transition (CET) of α-Al grains by increasing the nuclei density (N0). The as-fabricated 3 wt %-TiB2p/2024Al composites, no matter prepared by L-DED or L-PBF, exhibited simultaneously enhanced strength and plasticity (elongation) due to the grain refinement. The grain boundary strengthening, dislocation strengthening and load transfer strengthening should be responsible for the increase of 79% in yield strength (YS) of L-DEDed TiB2p/2024Al sample. While the increment of YS for L-PBFed composite sample is 15%.

Density dependence of symmetry energy and neutron skin thickness revisited using relativistic mean field models with nonlinear couplings

The correlation between neutron skin-thickness of a nucleus with neutron excess and density slope parameter of symmetry energy is assessed as a function of density using relativistic mean-field models containing nonlinear couplings among different mesons. Models with larger skin were found to probe the density slope parameter even at suprasaturation densities, whereas models with smaller skin were observed to be sensitive only at specific subsaturation density, connected to the average density of nuclei. Possible reasons behind this density dependence are explored systematically. These results might be model specific, which need to be reassessed in other types of interactions existing in the literature. Nevertheless, extrapolating the predictions at high densities from models, which are optimized by data at saturation or subsaturation densities, needs to be handled with care.

Simulation of α-Al grain formation in high vacuum die-casting Al-Si-Mg alloys with multi-component quantitative cellular automaton method

Al-Si-Mg alloys are the most commonly used material in high vacuum die-casting (HVDC), in which the morphology and distribution of α-Al grains have important effect on mechanical properties. A multi-component quantitative cellular automaton (CA) model was developed to simulate the microstructure and microsegregation of HVDC Al-Si-Mg alloys with different Si contents (7% and 10%) and cooling rates during solidification. The grain number and average grain size with electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis were used to verify the simulation. The relationship between grain size and nucleation order as well as nuclei density was investigated and discussed. It is found that the growth of grains will be restrained in the location with higher nuclei density. The influence of composition and cooling rate on the solute transport reveals that for AlSi7Mg0.3 alloy the concentration of solute Mg in liquid is higher at the beginning of eutectic solidification. The comparison between simulation and experiment results shows that externally solidified crystals (ESCs) have a significant effect for samples with high cooling rate and narrow solidification interval.

Customizable Automated High Content Image Acquisition and Analysis for Tissue Biopsies

Abstract:Advancements in high content image analysis have led to an increase in the adoption of these techniques in basic science and clinical research. High-throughput approaches to imaging and image analysis require minimal user interventions, circumventing the often prohibitively time-consuming and unreliable standard manual analysis. In this study, we demonstrate how high content imaging (HCI) techniques, in combination with high content analysis (HCA), can be paired with more traditional manual analysis to quantify both micro- and macro-level features of biopsied tissue sections. High-resolution, full-color images of stained tissue were acquired and stitched together to reconstruct the entire tissue section, which enabled analyses that required accurate identification of a given region's location within the tissue section. A custom region of interest grid was generated that followed the curvature of the tissue. The composite images were used in two separate analyses: tissue layer thickness as a macro-level approach, and nuclei density as a micro-level approach. Ultimately, the flexibility of the HCI and HCA methodologies used in this study allowed for complex analysis of tissue that would not have been otherwise feasible.

The Influence of 10 Unique Chemical Elements in Shaping the Distribution of Kepler Planets

Abstract The chemical abundances of planet-hosting stars offer a glimpse into the composition of planet-forming environments. To further understand this connection, we make the first ever measurement of the correlation between planet occurrence and chemical abundances for ten different elements (C, Mg, Al, Si, S, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, and Ni). Leveraging data from the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) and Gaia to derive precise stellar parameters ( σ R ⋆ ≈ 2.3 % , σ M ⋆ ≈ 4.5 % ) for a sample of 1018 Kepler Objects of Interest, we construct a sample of well-vetted Kepler planets with precisely measured radii ( σ R p ≈ 3.4 % ). After controlling for biases in the Kepler detection pipeline and the selection function of the APOGEE survey, we characterize the relationship between planet occurrence and chemical abundance as the number density of nuclei of each element in a star’s photosphere raised to a power, β. varies by planet type, but is consistent within our uncertainties across all ten elements. For hot planets (P = 1–10 days), an enhancement in any element of 0.1 dex corresponds to an increased occurrence of ≈20% for super-Earths (R p = 1–1.9 R ⊕) and ≈60% for sub-Neptunes (R p = 1.9–4 R ⊕). Trends are weaker for warm (P = 10–100 days) planets of all sizes and for all elements, with the potential exception of sub-Saturns (R p = 4–8 R ⊕). Finally, we conclude this work with a caution to interpreting trends between planet occurrence and stellar age due to degeneracies caused by Galactic chemical evolution and make predictions for planet occurrence rates in nearby open clusters to facilitate demographics studies of young planetary systems.

Mathematical Analysis of Cyclic and Sampled Current Voltammetries for the Description of Nucleation and Growth Processes of Metallic Nanoparticles

The electrodeposition of metallic nanoparticles was studied using numerical methods under progressive and instantaneous nucleation regimes to calculate cyclic and sampled current voltammetries. The cyclic voltammograms (CV) for both types of nucleation were calculated using diffusion and kinetics limited growth conditions. The sampled current voltammograms (SCV) were built from numerically generated chronoamperometric curves. Comparison of the SCV and CV curves shows that the current response corresponding to the progressive nucleation was similar under both growth regimes, although the nuclei density was considerably different. Under instantaneous nucleation, the CV and SCV showed similar current responses only under kinetic control due to similar cluster growth, and the diffusion-controlled growth showed a similar cluster growth, but a different current response. The comparison made in this work provides a guideline to understand experimental electrodeposition results and makes a good argument for using SCV to complement the CV curves.

Effect of sodium dodecyl sulphate on Cu electrodeposition: interaction with hydrophobic substrate and Cu ions

ABSTRACT In this study, the effect of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) on Cu electrodeposition was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry. With the weak adsorption of SDS on Cu and Au surfaces, SDS slightly altered the cyclic voltammogram for Cu electrodeposition on these surfaces. However, the cyclic voltammogram on glassy carbon (GC) and pyrolytic graphite significantly changed with the addition of SDS, indicating that the hydrophobic interactions are critical for SDS adsorption. SDS adsorbed on the GC surface exhibiting an increase in current response, an indication of the enhancement of Cu nucleation, confirmed by the increase in the nuclei density on the GC surface. Moreover, the addition of SDS splits the voltammetric wave on GC, indicating that SDS might stabilise Cu+ intermediates that are probably associated with SDS micelles. In addition, the micellar association might lower the diffusion coefficient of Cu2+ leading to a depression in the reduction peaks in the cyclic voltammograms.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Synovial Inflammation Quantification Using Computer Vision.

ObjectiveWe quantified inflammatory burden in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovial tissue by using computer vision to automate the process of counting individual nuclei in hematoxylin and eosin images.MethodsWe adapted and applied computer vision algorithms to quantify nuclei density (count of nuclei per unit area of tissue) on synovial tissue from arthroplasty samples. A pathologist validated algorithm results by labeling nuclei in synovial images that were mislabeled or missed by the algorithm. Nuclei density was compared with other measures of RA inflammation such as semiquantitative histology scores, gene‐expression data, and clinical measures of disease activity.ResultsThe algorithm detected a median of 112,657 (range 8,160‐821,717) nuclei per synovial sample. Based on pathologist‐validated results, the sensitivity and specificity of the algorithm was 97% and 100%, respectively. The mean nuclei density calculated by the algorithm was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in synovium with increased histology scores for lymphocytic inflammation, plasma cells, and lining hyperplasia. Analysis of RNA sequencing identified 915 significantly differentially expressed genes in correlation with nuclei density (false discovery rate is less than 0.05). Mean nuclei density was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in patients with elevated levels of C‐reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, rheumatoid factor, and cyclized citrullinated protein antibody.ConclusionNuclei density is a robust measurement of inflammatory burden in RA and correlates with multiple orthogonal measurements of inflammation.

Процеси кристалізації тонких полікристалічних шарів стибніту галію для термофотовольтаїчного застосування

The cost of thermophotovoltaic converters can be reduced by making substrates of amorphous materials, which do not have an orienting effect, such as glass or fused quartz, for obtaining thin polycrystalline GaSb layers. The study establishes the conditions for the crystallization of thin polycrystalline GaSb layers with grain size sufficient to produce efficient thermophotovoltaic converter structures on a non-orienting substrate made of fused quartz. The authors carry out a two-dimensional modeling of the initial nucleus growth to study how the crystallization conditions affect the shape of the grains. It is shown that the form of grain growth is not very sensitive to the initial nucleus size and cooling rate, but is rather sensitive to nucleus density on the surface. The paper provides an estimate of the average surface density of the new phase nuclei, which tend to grow, on substrate surfaces. When the temperature is increased, the surface concentration of nuclei grows, and the grain size decreases. It is determined that the selected range of grain surface density corresponds to the cultivation temperature range of 450—550°С. Thin polycrystalline GaSb layers are grown at 520°С with a cooling rate of 10°C/ min to a temperature of 400°C, using a method developed by us, which requires simple equipment and consists in the forced cooling of a thin layer of stibium in a gallium melt in a vacuum. The degree of crystallinity of the samples is estimated from the photoluminescence spectra at 77 K. The spectra show two emission bands: one at 796 meV and another, the predominant one, at 775 meV, which indicates the presence of a significant number of point defects and deviations from the stoichiometry of the obtained films. The studies performed on an interference microscope show that the obtained layers have good planarity and homogeneity, and the average grain size is up to 25 microns, which confirms the validity of the proposed models. This technology can be used to manufacture inexpensive infrared radiation converters and, in particular, thermophotovoltaic converters.

АНАЛИЗ СВЯЗЕЙ МЕЖДУ ХАРАКТЕРИСТИКАМИ АРГИРОФИЛЬНЫХ ЗОН В ПОПУЛЯЦИЯХ ИНТАКТНЫХ ЛИМФОЦИТОВ У ГИБРИДОВ ДОМАШНЕЙ ОВЦЫ И АРХАРА

The purpose of this study is to determine the relations between AgNOR characteristics, obtained by means of computer analysis, in populations of intact lymphocytes of hybrid sheep of different genotypes and to select parameters for functional assessment of nucleoli. The AgNOR state was studied in peripheral blood lymphocytes of hybrid sheep of three genotypes: purebred F1 Romanov sheep with argali (group 1), hybrids carrying 3/4 of Romanov sheep blood and 1/4 of argali blood (group 2), and hybrids with 7 / 8 blood of domestic sheep and 1/8 of argali blood (group 3). The number of argyrophilic zones (AgNOR), their total area (ΣSNOR), their average color density (DNOR), and average color density of the nucleus (DN) and its AgNOR-free area (DF) were taken into account. Parameters which characterize argyrophilic zones and the correlation coefficients between them were calculated in the samples of lymphocytes obtained from hybrids of different genotypes and from their generalized population. The study of the preparations was carried out on the equipment of the Altami company (Russia, S.-P.). Image processing and analysis were performed using the Image Scope 1.0 software (SMA, Russia, M.). The closest correlations exist between parameters of color density, which confirms an equal possibility of using them in assessing the state of argyrophilic zones. It was found that the correlation coefficients between different compared features have values from close to 0 to 1.0. The number of AgNORs in a cell, their total area and average density are characteristics that complement each other, since they are weakly correlated with each other. To assess the state of the nucleus -forming system, it is advisable to take into account mutually complementary features: the number of AgNORs, their total area, as well as the average optical densities of AgNOR (DNOR). The average nucleus density, closely correlated with DNOR values, can serve as an alternative to this parameter.

Level Densities of Heavy Nuclei and Fission Dynamics

Published from 1956, the Bulgarian Journal of Physics accepts articles in the fields of: General and Mathematical Physics; Particle Physics and Field Theory; Atomic and Molecular Physics; Nuclear Physics; Fundamental Areas of Phenomenology; Theory of Relativity and Astrophysics; Condensed Matter, Statistical Physics; Cross-Disciplinary Physics; and Related Areas of Science and Technology.

Morpho-functional indicators changes of rats’ myocardium in experimental doxorubicin-induced chronic heart failure and its pharmacological modulation with new 4-amino-1,2,4-triazole derivative

Bromide 1 - (β-phenylethyl)-4-amino-1,2,4-triazolium (Hypertril) has the properties of a beta-blocker and of NO-mimetic, is assigned to the IV class of toxicity. All these effects make Hypertril a promising drug for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this paper was to study the cardioprotective action of Hypertril in terms of the effect on the morpho-functional parameters of the myocardium in rats with experimental chronic heart failure (CHF). CHF was modeled on 80 white outbred rats weighing 190–220g by administering doxorubicin at a cumulative dose of 15 mg/kg. Hypertril and the reference drug metoprolol succinate were administered within 30 days after CHF modeling, intragastrically at doses of 3.5 mg/kg and 15 mg/kg. Morphometric analysis of the cellular structure of the myocardium was carried out on an Axioskop microscope (Zeiss, Germany), in an automatic mode using a macro program developed in a specialized programming environment VIDAS-2.5 (Kontron Elektronik, Germany). The administration of Hypertril to animals with CHF led to an increase in the density of nuclei of cardiomyocytes, the area of myocardiocyte nuclei, an increase in the nuclear cytoplasmic ratio and an increase in the concentration of RNA in the nuclei and cytoplasm of cardiomyocytes compared with the group of untreated animals, which indicated the presence of a pronounced cardioprotective effect in the drug candidate. In terms of such indicators as the density of surviving cardiomyocytes and the content of RNA in them, the nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio of Hypertril is significantly (p &amp;lt; 0.05) superior to metoprolol.

Continuous Differential Microemulsion Polymerization to Prepare Nanosized Polymer Latices in Microreactors

Microreactors are a promising platform for continuous synthesis of polymer latices when combined with emulsion polymerization. However, this application has long been haunted by fouling and clogging problems. In this work, we proposed the strategy of conducting differential microemulsion polymerization in microreactors within a biphasic slug flow and achieved rapid and stable preparation of nanosized PMMA latices (polymeric content as high as 15.7% with average particle size smaller than 20 nm). We started by exploring the temperature thresholds with thermal and redox initiation, the effect of initiator concentration, and the kinetic characteristics of microemulsion polymerization at different temperatures. Then, as for the differential microemulsion polymerization, extensive investigation was made into the effects of the volumetric flow ratio, the prepolymerization time, the initiator concentration, and the solid content of the initial microemulsion. Finally, we compared the differential microemulsion polymerization with the soap-free emulsion polymerization in the slug flow. The striking advantages in the polymerization rate, the average particle diameter, and the size distribution reflected higher density of particle nuclei, larger specific surface area of particles, and the pivotal effect of the persistent particle nucleation in the microemulsion polymerization.

Probabilistic numerical simulation for predicting spherulitic morphology from calorimetric crystallization conversion curves: An isothermal case

The present work introduces a novel method to estimate the morphology of semicrystalline polymers, namely the average spherulite size, size distribution, and nucleus density based on experimental crystallization conversion curves recorded by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). A fast and accurate probabilistic numerical simulation method describing random nuclei formation and subsequent growth is introduced to handle the crystallization process of polymers. The developed method was used in a curve-fitting procedure with experimental crystallization curves to obtain structural parameters of neat and nucleated isotactic polypropylene. The simulated morphology was used with success to predict haze of injection-molded samples, proving the reliability and applicability of our new approach. The method presented here can be a useful technique to construct the spherulitic morphology based on crystallization conversion curves and predict properties dependent on the spherulite size, size distribution, and nucleus density, even when microscopic measurement cannot be carried out.

Alleviation of Osteoarthritis-Induced Pain and Motor Deficits in Rats by a Novel Device for the Intramuscular Insertion of Cog Polydioxanone Filament

The importance of skeletal muscles in the development of osteoarthritis (OA) is known. However, in OA, strengthening the muscle is arduous process. This study investigated the effects of muscle enhancement and support therapy (MEST), a novel device for the intramuscular insertion of cog polydioxanone filament intended to hold and stimulate surrounding muscles, on OA-induced symptoms. In our results, the MEST attenuated OA-induced pain and mobility limitations, as evidenced by increases in withdrawal thresholds, rearing duration and travelled distance in an open cage, and fall latency from rotarod. It further restored atrophic rectus femoris muscle (RFM) in OA animals by increasing mass, decreasing nucleus density, and increasing the cross-sectional area of muscle fibers. Decreased collagen and insulin-like growth factor 1 levels in OA animals were restored without affecting the interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels in RFM. No evidence of structural improvement in the knee was observed via computed tomography after MEST. These results suggest that MEST in the quadriceps is effective for relieving pain and motor impairment in knee OA animals by restoring atrophic muscles, providing a novel therapeutic strategy for OA symptom management.