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Ultrasonic vibration-assisted grinding (UVAG) is an advanced hybrid process for the precision machining of difficult-to-cut materials. The resonator is a critical part of the UVAG system. Its performance considerably influences the vibration amplitude and resonant frequency. In this work, a novel perforated ultrasonic vibration platform resonator was developed for UVAG. The holes were evenly arranged at the top and side surfaces of the vibration platform to improve the vibration characteristics. A modified apparent elasticity method (AEM) was proposed to reveal the influence of holes on the vibration mode. The performance of the vibration platform was evaluated by the vibration tests and UVAG experiments of particulate-reinforced titanium matrix composites. Results indicate that the reasonable distribution of holes helps improve the resonant frequency and vibration mode. The modified AEM, the finite element method, and the vibration tests show a high degree of consistency for developing the perforated ultrasonic vibration platform with a maximum frequency error of 3%. The employment of ultrasonic vibration reduces the grinding force by 36% at most, thereby decreasing the machined surface defects, such as voids, cracks, and burnout.

Background The aim of the study were as below. (1) To investigate the feasibility of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM)-based virtual magnetic resonance elastography (vMRE) to provide quantitative estimates of tissue stiffness in pulmonary neoplasms. (2) To verify the diagnostic performance of shifted apparent diffusion coefficient (sADC) and reconstructed virtual stiffness values in distinguishing neoplasm nature. Methods This study enrolled 59 patients (37 males, 22 females) with one pulmonary neoplasm who underwent computed tomography-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy (PTNB) with pathological diagnosis (26 adenocarcinoma, 10 squamous cell carcinoma, 3 small cell carcinoma, 4 tuberculosis and 16 non-specific benign; mean age, 60.81 ± 9.80 years). IVIM was performed on a 3 T magnetic resonance imaging scanner before biopsy. sADC and virtual shear stiffness maps reflecting lesion stiffness were reconstructed. sADC and virtual stiffness values of neoplasm were extracted, and the diagnostic performance of vMRE in distinguishing benign and malignant and detailed pathological type were explored. Results Compared to benign neoplasms, malignant ones had a significantly lower sADC and a higher virtual stiffness value ( P  < 0.001). Subsequent subtype analyses showed that the sADC values of adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma groups were significantly lower than non-specific benign group ( P  = 0.013 and 0.001, respectively). Additionally, virtual stiffness values of the adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma subtypes were significantly higher than non-specific benign group ( P  = 0.008 and 0.001, respectively). However, no significant correlation was found among other subtype groups. Conclusions Non-invasive vMRE demonstrated diagnostic efficiency in differentiating the nature of pulmonary neoplasm. vMRE is promising as a new method for clinical diagnosis.

BackgroundStereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is a local treatment option for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). SBRT-induced focal reactions on the liver parenchyma have not been thoroughly evaluated using quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).PurposeTo quantitatively evaluate liver parenchymal changes caused by SBRT for HCC using magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI).MethodWe retrospectively evaluated 22 adult patients who received SBRT for HCC and 27 who received locoregional therapy other than SBRT (controls). Liver stiffness by MRE and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values by DWI of the liver parenchyma were measured before and after SBRT. Regions of interest (ROIs) were drawn on the two areas of radiation dose distribution levels, > 30 Gy and ≤ 30 Gy; a ROI was drawn in the control group. The two indices were compared before and after SBRT using a Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test.ResultsLiver stiffness and ADC values were significantly increased after SBRT in the dose areas of > 30 Gy compared with those before SBRT (4.05 vs 4.85 kPa; p < 0.05 in liver stiffness, and 1.10 vs 1.40 ×10−3 s/mm2; p < 0.05 in ADC values). In the dose area of ≦ 30 Gy, liver stiffness showed a significant increase in one reader (p = 0.033) but not in another reader (p = 0.085); ADC value showed no significant difference before and after SBRT as per both readers (p > 0.05). The control group demonstrated no significant differences before and after treatment (p > 0.05).ConclusionMRE and DWI can be used to detect SBRT-induced liver parenchymal changes.

Micromanipulation is a powerful technique to measure the mechanical properties of microparticles including microcapsules. For microparticles with a homogenous structure, their apparent Young’s modulus can be determined from the force versus displacement data fitted by the classical Hertz model. Microcapsules can consist of a liquid core surrounded by a solid shell. Two Young’s modulus values can be defined, i.e., the one is that determined using the Hertz model and another is the intrinsic Young’s modulus of the shell material, which can be calculated from finite element analysis (FEA). In this study, the two Young’s modulus values of microplastic-free plant-based microcapsules with a core of perfume oil (hexyl salicylate) were calculated using the aforementioned approaches. The apparent Young’s modulus value of the whole microcapsules determined by the classical Hertz model was found to be EA = 0.095 ± 0.014 GPa by treating each individual microcapsule as a homogeneous solid spherical particle. The previously obtained simulation results from FEA were utilised to fit the micromanipulation data of individual core–shell microcapsules, enabling to determine their unique shell thickness to radius ratio (h/r)FEA = 0.132 ± 0.009 and the intrinsic Young’s modulus of their shell (EFEA = 1.02 ± 0.13 GPa). Moreover, a novel theoretical relationship between the two Young’s modulus values has been derived. It is found that the ratio of the two Young’s module values (EA/EFEA) is only a function on the ratio of the shell thickness to radius (h/r) of the individual microcapsule, which can be fitted by a third-degree polynomial function of h/r. Such relationship has proven applicable to a broad spectrum of microcapsules (i.e., non-synthetic, synthetic, and double coated shells) regardless of their shell chemistry.

This article is an evaluation of the phenomena occurring in adhesive joints during curing and their consequences. Considering changes in the values of Young’s modulus distributed along the joint thickness, and potential changes in adhesive strength in the cured state, the use of a numerical model may make it possible to improve finite element simulation effects and bring their results closer to experimental data. The results of a tensile test of a double overlap adhesive joint sample, performed using an extensometer, are presented. This test allowed for the precise determination of the shear modulus G of the cured adhesive under experimental conditions. Then, on the basis of the research carried out so far, a numerical model was built, taking the differences observed in the properties of the joint material into account. The stress distribution in a three-zone adhesive joint was analyzed in comparison to the standard numerical model in which the adhesive in the joint was treated as isotropic. It is proposed that a joint model with three-zones, differing in the Young’s modulus values, is more accurate for mapping the experimental results.

The paper presents the results of nanoindentation testing, carried out along the thickness of the adhesive joint joining sheets of aluminum alloy. The purpose of the tests was to determine changes in the Young’s modulus in the joint resulting from the active impact of the joined aluminum alloy sheets on the adhesive during curing of the adhesive bond. Structural changes that take place during curing of the joint, especially in the boundary zone, can have a significant impact on the adhesive properties and consequently, on the adhesive joint strength. The Young’s modulus of the adhesive (Ek) in the joint assumes variable values as the distance from the connections changes. This phenomenon is called the apparent Young’s modulus. The problem is to define the size of the boundary zone in which the value of Ek significantly differs from the value in the so-called core. Based on the obtained results of experimental tests, a numerical model was built taking into account the observed differences in the properties of the joint material. The stress distribution in the adhesive joint, single-lap connection with the three-zone adhesive joint, was analyzed in comparison to the classical numerical model in which adhesive in the adhesive joint is treated as isotropic in terms of rigidity.

The precise nature of the material symmetry of articular cartilage in compression remains to be elucidated. The primary objective of this study was to determine the equilibrium compressive Young's moduli and Poisson's ratios of bovine cartilage along multiple directions (parallel and perpendicular to the split line direction, and normal to the articular surface) by loading small cubic specimens (0.9×0.9×0.8 mm, n=15) in unconfined compression, with the expectation that the material symmetry of cartilage could be determined more accurately with the help of a more complete set of material properties. The second objective was to investigate how the tension-compression nonlinearity of cartilage might alter the interpretation of material symmetry. Optimized digital image correlation was used to accurately determine the resultant strain fields within the specimens under loading. Experimental results demonstrated that neither the Young's moduli nor the Poisson's ratios exhibit the same values when measured along the three loading directions. The main findings of this study are that the framework of linear orthotropic elasticity (as well as higher symmetries of linear elasticity) is not suitable to describe the equilibrium response of articular cartilage nor characterize its material symmetry; a framework which accounts for the distinctly different responses of cartilage in tension and compression is more suitable for describing the equilibrium response of cartilage; within this framework, cartilage exhibits no lower than orthotropic symmetry.

As a nondestructive technique, the indentation test has been used, both in vitro and in vivo, to determine the in situ apparent mechanical properties of cartilage. In this study, a simple new algorithm was developed using the indentation creep test, combined with both biphasic and triphasic analyses to calculate simultaneously the apparent and intrinsic mechanical (aggregate modulus and Poisson's ratio) and an electrochemical properties, i.e., the fixed charge density (FCD) of the intact articular cartilage. The calculated FCD values were compared with those measured using the biochemical assay of the proteoglycan content in the tissue. It was found: (1) the FCDs obtained from this new indentation method (0.287 +/- 0.157 mEq/ml) were significantly correlated with the results from biochemical assay; (2) significantly positive linear relationships existed between the intrinsic and apparent mechanical moduli; (3) both the apparent and intrinsic mechanical properties correlated significantly with the proteoglycan content in the cartilage specimen. These results suggest two distinct interaction mechanisms between the collagen network and the proteoglycans in cartilage layer. The proteoglycans contribute to the mechanical properties of articular cartilage not only by the Donnan osmotic pressure induced by the fixed charges, but also by its bulk mass. Current study represents a first step toward developing a valid and effective method for the study of structure-function relationship in cartilage and possibly for future early stage OA detection in vivo.

Patient-specific finite element (FE) modelling is a promising technology that is expected to support clinical assessment of the spine in the near future. To allow rapid, robust and economic patient-specific modelling of the whole spine or of large spine segments, it is practicable to consider vertebral cancellous bone in the spine as a continuum material, but the elastic modulus of that continuum material must reflect the quality of the individual vertebral bone. A numerical parametric model of lattice trabecular architecture has been developed for determining the apparent elastic modulus of cancellous bone Ecb in vertebrae. The model inputs were apparent morphological parameters (trabecular thickness TbTh and trabecular separation TbSp) and the bone mineral density (BMD), which can all be measured in vivo, using the spatial resolution of current clinical quantitative computed tomography (QCT) commercial whole-body scanners. The model predicted that Ecb values between 30 and 110 MPa represent normal morphology and BMD of human spinal cancellous bone. The present Ecb to TbTh, TbSp and BMD relationships pave the way for automatic generation of patient-specific continuum FE spine models that consider the individual's osteoporotic or other degenerative condition of cancellous bone.

A quasi-simple shear test, which is the most direct method for examining the shear properties of sheet metals, has been applied to measure the shear moduli of wood. Buna (Fagus crenata Blume) with variously sized shear regions was used for the test specimens. Strain gauges were mounted in the center of the shear regions to measure the shear strains. The shear tests were carried out to determine the shear moduli in the radial and tangential planes. Apparent shear moduli obtained from the experimental results were corrected by finite element method (FEM) simulation of the shear region, where both shearing and bending are produced. It was found that the corrected shear moduli are roughly independent of test conditions, and their values are in good agreement with the data obtained from bending-shear tests. This suggests that the method employed here can effectively estimate the shear moduli of wood.