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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: There is still a few studies about the poroelastic model that performed dynamic behaviour, especially for the case of the poroelastic cartilage model. Therefore, this study is aimed to use the poroelastodynamic model to simulate the dynamic behaviour of cartilage. METHODS: The governing equations of the poroelastodynamic model is firstly established. The validation of the model is initialised by modifying the equations into the static poroelastic model. The modified equations are then discretised using the finite element method. Mandel's problem is used to validate the discretised equations. The numerical solution calculated using FreeFEM++ is validated with the analytical solution for the quasi-static state and compared with the results generated using COMSOL Multiphysics software. Finally, the quasi-static solution is compared with the dynamic solution to discuss the difference in pore pressure and displacement variations of the poroelastic cartilage model. RESULTS: The dynamic solution showed transient behaviour at the beginning of the excitation. When the compressive force acts on the cartilage, there are obvious fluctuations during the initial stage and then the dynamic numerical solution gradually approaches the quasi-static value over a period of time. The deduced results of the analytical solution were approximately the same as the numerical simulation results. CONCLUSION: This study was able to use the poroelastodynamics equation to simulate the dynamic behaviour of the poroelastic cartilage model. The comparison between the result coming from poroelastodynamics equation with that of the validated numerical solution was satisfactorily compared. The approximate similarity between the results of quasi-static and dynamic solutions underscored the importance of performing the dynamic solution for a more realistic simulation. This dynamic solution can be further used for the analysis of vibration or stress waves in future research.

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Urolithiasis is a common disease of the urinary system. Its recurrence rate is high and may increase medical expenses. Urine stones are composed of urine crystals and other impurities. We discovered the existence of autofluorescence in some of the urine crystals, especially in urolithiasis patients. The fluorescent molecule existed in urine crystals was verified and identified. We have applied micro-Raman and fluorescence microscopy to classify the urine crystals, used confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) to examine the 3D images and spectra of autofluorescence in crystals, used Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and mass spectrometry (MS) to identify the type of fluorophore in the autofluorescent urine crystals in urine. Riboflavin was identified as one of the major fluorophores in these autofluorescent urine crystals. The prevalence rates of the autofluorescent crystals in urolithiasis patients and subjects without the history of urolithiasis were to gather statistics. We observed that 80% of urolithiasis patients had autofluorescent crystals. Contrastingly, such crystals existed in only 7% of subjects without the history of urolithiasis. The presence of autofluorescent urine crystals may be linked to a sign of urolithiasis.

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In the present study, semi-crystalline polypropylene (PP) and amorphous polystyrene (PS) were adopted as matrix materials. After the exothermic foaming agent azodicarbonamide was added, injection molding was implemented to create samples. The mold flow analysis program Moldex3D was then applied to verify the short-shot results. Three process parameters were adopted, namely injection speed, melt temperature, and mold temperature; three levels were set for each factor in the one-factor-at-a-time experimental design. The macroscopic effects of the factors on the weight, specific weight, and expansion ratios of the samples were investigated to determine foaming efficiency, and their microscopic effects on cell density and diameter were examined using a scanning electron microscope. The process parameters for the exothermic foaming agent were optimized accordingly. Finally, the expansion ratios of the two matrix materials in the optimal process parameter settings were compared. After the experimental database was created, the foaming module of the chemical blowing agents was established by Moldex3D Company. The results indicated that semi-crystalline materials foamed less due to their crystallinity. PP exhibits the highest expansion ratio at low injection speed, a high melt temperature, and a low mold temperature, whereas PS exhibits the highest expansion ratio at high injection speed, a moderate melt temperature, and a low mold temperature.

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Screw and plate fixation is commonly used to treat bone fractures. A prototype application (APP) for presurgical simulation was developed and validated by comparing it with current analytical approach and other models. In this APP, alternative plate designs and materials to limit the effects of stress shielding could be tested. In addition, the number and position of screws and the gap between bone and plate that achieved acceptable stability were predicted. The fixation stability providing a situation of interfragmentary strain between 2% and 10% is necessary for callus formation. However, improving the fixation stability leads to a stress shielding effect. The simultaneous alleviation of stress shielding and maintenance of stability are important in fracture healing. In this study, the feasibility of creating a specialized APP to evaluate different screw-plate configurations for diaphyseal femoral fractures was investigated. The ultimate goal is to extend this technique to computer-assisted preoperative planning for orthopedic surgery.

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Tissue-engineered (TE) cartilage constructs tend to develop inhomogeneously, thus, to predict the mechanical performance of the tissue, conventional biomechanical testing, which yields average material properties, is of limited value. Rather, techniques for evaluating regional and depth-dependent properties of TE cartilage, preferably non-destructively, are required. The purpose of this study was to build upon our previous results and to investigate the feasibility of using ultrasound elastography to non-destructively assess the depth-dependent biomechanical characteristics of TE cartilage while in a sterile bioreactor. As a proof-of-concept, and to standardize an assessment protocol, a well-characterized three-layered hydrogel construct was used as a surrogate for TE cartilage, and was studied under controlled incremental compressions. The strain field of the construct predicted by elastography was then validated by comparison with a poroelastic finite-element analysis (FEA). On average, the differences between the strains predicted by elastography and the FEA were within 10%. Subsequently engineered cartilage tissue was evaluated in the same test fixture. Results from these examinations showed internal regions where the local strain was 1-2 orders of magnitude greater than that near the surface. These studies document the feasibility of using ultrasound to evaluate the mechanical behaviors of maturing TE constructs in a sterile environment.

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The feasibility of determining biphasic material properties using a finite element model of stress relaxation coupled with two types of constrained optimization to match measured data was investigated. Comparison of these two approaches, a zero-order method and a gradient-based algorithm, validated the predicted material properties. Optimizations were started from multiple different initial guesses of material properties (design variables) to establish the robustness of the optimization. Overall, the optimal values are close to those found by Cohen et al. (1998) but these small differences produced a marked improvement in the fit to the measured stress relaxation. Despite the greater deviation in the optimized values obtained from the zero-order method, both optimization procedures produced material properties that gave equally good overall fits to the measured data. Furthermore, optimized values were all within the expected range of material properties. Modeling stress relaxation using the optimized material properties showed an excellent fit to the entire time history of the measured data.

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Our ultimate goal is to non-destructively evaluate mechanical properties of tissue-engineered (TE) cartilage using ultrasound (US). We used agarose gels as surrogates for TE cartilage. Previously, we showed that mechanical properties measured using conventional methods were related to those measured using US, which suggested a way to non-destructively predict mechanical properties of samples with known volume fractions. In this study, we sought to determine whether the mechanical properties of samples, with unknown volume fractions could be predicted by US. Aggregate moduli were calculated for hydrogels as a function of SOS, based on concentration and density using a poroelastic model. The data were used to train a statistical model, which we then used to predict volume fractions and mechanical properties of unknown samples. Young's and storage moduli were measured mechanically. The statistical model generally predicted the Young's moduli in compression to within <10% of their mechanically measured value. We defined positive linear correlations between the aggregate modulus predicted from US and both the storage and Young's moduli determined from mechanical tests. Mechanical properties of hydrogels with unknown volume fractions can be predicted successfully from US measurements. This method has the potential to predict mechanical properties of TE cartilage non-destructively in a bioreactor.

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The feasibility of determining biphasic material properties using regression models was investigated. A transversely isotropic poroelastic finite element model of stress relaxation was developed and validated against known results. This model was then used to simulate load intensity for a wide range of material properties. Linear regression equations for load intensity as a function of the five independent material properties were then developed for nine time points (131, 205, 304, 390, 500, 619, 700, 800, and 1000s) during relaxation. These equations illustrate the effect of individual material property on the stress in the time history. The equations at the first four time points, as well as one at a later time (five equations) could be solved for the five unknown material properties given computed values of the load intensity. Results showed that four of the five material properties could be estimated from the regression equations to within 9% of the values used in simulation if time points up to 1000s are included in the set of equations. However, reasonable estimates of the out of plane Poisson's ratio could not be found. Although all regression equations depended on permeability, suggesting that true equilibrium was not realized at 1000s of simulation, it was possible to estimate material properties to within 10% of the expected values using equations that included data up to 800s. This suggests that credible estimates of most material properties can be obtained from tests that are not run to equilibrium, which is typically several thousand seconds.

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