Pub Date : 2025-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112501
Minh Tam Tran , Quoc Hung Nguyen , Xinguang Cui , Kum Ju Chae , Sujeong Kim , Ji-Seung Yoo , Sanghun Choi
Cement dust is a primary contributor to air pollution and is responsible for causing numerous respiratory diseases. The impact of cement dust exposure on the respiratory health of residents is increasing owing to the demand for construction associated with urbanization. Long-term inhalation of cement dust leads to a reduction in lung function, alterations in airway structure, increased inhalation and exhalation resistance, and heightened work of breath. In this study, we investigated the effects of cement dust exposure on lung function based on the pulmonary function test (PFT) and one-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (1D CFD). Statistical tests were performed to address the disparity of airway function between healthy and cement dust-exposed participants. The percent predicted values of forced vital capacity percent (FVC%) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1%) were found to be decreased in the group of dust-exposed participants. An elevation of regional pressure variation was found in cement dust-exposed airways during both inhalation and exhalation that was associated with alternations of airway structural features therein. The 1D CFD model is beneficial for a cost-effective estimation of airway regional pressure and provides valuable insights for more precise diagnosis and treatment planning in individuals exposed to cement dust.
{"title":"1D Network computational fluid dynamics for evaluating regional pressures in subjects with cement dust exposure","authors":"Minh Tam Tran , Quoc Hung Nguyen , Xinguang Cui , Kum Ju Chae , Sujeong Kim , Ji-Seung Yoo , Sanghun Choi","doi":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112501","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112501","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cement dust is a primary contributor to air pollution and is responsible for causing numerous respiratory diseases. The impact of cement dust exposure on the respiratory health of residents is increasing owing to the demand for construction associated with urbanization. Long-term inhalation of cement dust leads to a reduction in lung function, alterations in airway structure, increased inhalation and exhalation resistance, and heightened work of breath. In this study, we investigated the effects of cement dust exposure on lung function based on the pulmonary function test (PFT) and one-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (1D CFD). Statistical tests were performed to address the disparity of airway function between healthy and cement dust-exposed participants. The percent predicted values of forced vital capacity percent (FVC%) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV<sub>1</sub>%) were found to be decreased in the group of dust-exposed participants. An elevation of regional pressure variation was found in cement dust-exposed airways during both inhalation and exhalation that was associated with alternations of airway structural features therein. The 1D CFD model is beneficial for a cost-effective estimation of airway regional pressure and provides valuable insights for more precise diagnosis and treatment planning in individuals exposed to cement dust.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15168,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomechanics","volume":"180 ","pages":"Article 112501"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142949332","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112523
Christopher A. Bailey, Alexandre Mir-Orefice, Julie Nantel, Ryan B. Graham
Stride-to-stride fluctuations are natural in gait. These fluctuations are marked by inter-individual variability, suggesting that different fluctuation strategies (i.e., phenotypes) may exist. This study investigates the presence of gait fluctuation phenotypes. Whole-body kinematics were measured from young, healthy males and females (N = 51) while walking on a treadmill at their preferred speed. Motor fluctuation metrics (i.e., magnitude of variability, local dynamic stability, and regularity) were measured for 32 joint angles across the upper and lower body. These metrics were reduced to principal components (PCs) via principal component analysis and then grouped into clusters using the k-means method. One-way ANOVAs were conducted to test for cluster differences in motor fluctuation PCs. Three PCs were extracted, explaining 39.7 % of all 96 motor fluctuation metrics. Higher PC1 scores represent more fluctuation across all joints, higher PC2 scores represent greater upper limb fluctuations with fewer fluctuations in the lower limb, and PC3 scores represent less regularity in fluctuations. PC scores best grouped into four clusters in 54.0 % of iterations. Clusters 1–4 each had a significantly different PC1 score (p < 0.022), and Cluster 3 had a higher PC2 score than all other clusters (p < 0.022). Motor fluctuations in treadmill gait of young adults were characterised by four gait fluctuation phenotypes, interpreted as repeaters, replacers, moderate fluctuators, and mixed fluctuators (i.e. more upper limb but fewer lower limb fluctuations); extending the repeaters vs replacers hypothesis. The identified phenotypes add a new perspective that may help clarify the link between motor fluctuations and gait instability.
{"title":"Classification of young adult motor fluctuation phenotypes in gait","authors":"Christopher A. Bailey, Alexandre Mir-Orefice, Julie Nantel, Ryan B. Graham","doi":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112523","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112523","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Stride-to-stride fluctuations are natural in gait. These fluctuations are marked by inter-individual variability, suggesting that different fluctuation strategies (i.e., phenotypes) may exist. This study investigates the presence of gait fluctuation phenotypes. Whole-body kinematics were measured from young, healthy males and females (N = 51) while walking on a treadmill at their preferred speed. Motor fluctuation metrics (i.e., magnitude of variability, local dynamic stability, and regularity) were measured for 32 joint angles across the upper and lower body. These metrics were reduced to principal components (PCs) via principal component analysis and then grouped into clusters using the <em>k</em>-means method. One-way ANOVAs were conducted to test for cluster differences in motor fluctuation PCs. Three PCs were extracted, explaining 39.7 % of all 96 motor fluctuation metrics. Higher PC1 scores represent more fluctuation across all joints, higher PC2 scores represent greater upper limb fluctuations with fewer fluctuations in the lower limb, and PC3 scores represent less regularity in fluctuations. PC scores best grouped into four clusters in 54.0 % of iterations. Clusters 1–4 each had a significantly different PC1 score (p < 0.022), and Cluster 3 had a higher PC2 score than all other clusters (p < 0.022). Motor fluctuations in treadmill gait of young adults were characterised by four gait fluctuation phenotypes, interpreted as repeaters, replacers, moderate fluctuators, and mixed fluctuators (i.e. more upper limb but fewer lower limb fluctuations); extending the repeaters vs replacers hypothesis. The identified phenotypes add a new perspective that may help clarify the link between motor fluctuations and gait instability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15168,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomechanics","volume":"180 ","pages":"Article 112523"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143005225","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112527
Changyi Liu , Dongqi Li , Songning Ma , Hanyang Zhang , Shizhong Zhang , Fei Chang , Peng Liu , Hongwei Zhao , Shuo Jin
Researchers have modified PLA materials to enhance their mechanical properties and meet the clinical requirements. However, the strength and stiffness of PLA are still significantly lower than those of metals. Building on the established chevron clinical procedure and considering the mechanical characteristics of PLA screws, we devised a modified chevron osteotomy (MCO) based on a load-reducing structure with the aim of reducing the load on the screws. Subsequently, in vitro quasi-static in situ compression and dynamic fatigue tests were conducted for both procedures. DIC, micro-CT, and SEM were used to elucidate the unloading effects and structural damage of different bone cutting and implant locations on the PLA bone screws, providing biomechanical data for clinical applications. In-vitro simulation studies indicated that the unloading structure of the MCO procedure reduced the load borne by the PLA screws. Within the load range of the first metatarsal during walking, the MCO procedure exhibited a compressive strength 2.5 times that of the traditional chevron osteotomy groups and even exceeded the titanium alloy screw groups by 25%, ensuring PLA screw fixation strength and stability that are not inferior to metallic materials. A stable load-reducing structure in osteotomy procedures is the key to PLA materials becoming viable alternatives to metal orthopedic fixation devices.
{"title":"Modified chevron osteotomy for the treatment of hallux valgus with unison bioabsorbable screws: Biomechanical research and clinical applications","authors":"Changyi Liu , Dongqi Li , Songning Ma , Hanyang Zhang , Shizhong Zhang , Fei Chang , Peng Liu , Hongwei Zhao , Shuo Jin","doi":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112527","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112527","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Researchers have modified PLA materials to enhance their mechanical properties and meet the clinical requirements. However, the strength and stiffness of PLA are still significantly lower than those of metals. Building on the established chevron clinical procedure and considering the mechanical characteristics of PLA screws, we devised a modified chevron osteotomy (MCO) based on a load-reducing structure with the aim of reducing the load on the screws. Subsequently, in vitro quasi-static in situ compression and dynamic fatigue tests were conducted for both procedures. DIC, micro-CT, and SEM were used to elucidate the unloading effects and structural damage of different bone cutting and implant locations on the PLA bone screws, providing biomechanical data for clinical applications. In-vitro simulation studies indicated that the unloading structure of the MCO procedure reduced the load borne by the PLA screws. Within the load range of the first metatarsal during walking, the MCO procedure exhibited a compressive strength 2.5 times that of the traditional chevron osteotomy groups and even exceeded the titanium alloy screw groups by 25%, ensuring PLA screw fixation strength and stability that are not inferior to metallic materials. A stable load-reducing structure in osteotomy procedures is the key to PLA materials becoming viable alternatives to metal orthopedic fixation devices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15168,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomechanics","volume":"180 ","pages":"Article 112527"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143005432","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112492
Mehran Bahrami , Kylie Frew , John Hughes , Hannah L. Dailey
In large animal models of bone fracture repair, postmortem torsional testing is commonly used to assess healing biomechanics. Bending and axial tests are physiologically relevant, but much less commonly performed. Virtual torsional testing using image-based finite element models has been validated to postmortem bench tests, but its predictive value for capturing whole-bone mechanics and fracture healing quality under other physiologically relevant loading modes has not yet been established. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between mechanical biomarkers derived from virtual torsion, axial, and bending tests under strict alignment and malalignment conditions. Computed tomography (CT) scans from 24 intact and operated sheep tibiae and 29 human tibial fractures were used to create digital twins that were subjected to torsion, axial, and bending tests. The results indicated that torsional rigidity is a strong surrogate for bending flexural rigidity in both ovine and human bones. Torsional rigidity and axial stiffness were strongly correlated in the ovine data, but only moderately in human fractures due to the complex fracture patterns. Axial testing was highly prone to stiffness estimation errors as high as 50% if the applied load and anatomic axis were not perfectly aligned. In contrast, torsional rigidity had errors <1.3% for all malalignment scenarios. Based on this study, virtual torsional rigidity is the recommended summary mechanical biomarker of bone healing because it captures variations in healing biomechanics that are present in other loading modes with a simple setup that is insensitive to alignment error.
{"title":"Reliable and streamlined model setup for digital twin assessment of fracture healing","authors":"Mehran Bahrami , Kylie Frew , John Hughes , Hannah L. Dailey","doi":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112492","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112492","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In large animal models of bone fracture repair, postmortem torsional testing is commonly used to assess healing biomechanics. Bending and axial tests are physiologically relevant, but much less commonly performed. Virtual torsional testing using image-based finite element models has been validated to postmortem bench tests, but its predictive value for capturing whole-bone mechanics and fracture healing quality under other physiologically relevant loading modes has not yet been established. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between mechanical biomarkers derived from virtual torsion, axial, and bending tests under strict alignment and malalignment conditions. Computed tomography (CT) scans from 24 intact and operated sheep tibiae and 29 human tibial fractures were used to create digital twins that were subjected to torsion, axial, and bending tests. The results indicated that torsional rigidity is a strong surrogate for bending flexural rigidity in both ovine and human bones. Torsional rigidity and axial stiffness were strongly correlated in the ovine data, but only moderately in human fractures due to the complex fracture patterns. Axial testing was highly prone to stiffness estimation errors as high as 50% if the applied load and anatomic axis were not perfectly aligned. In contrast, torsional rigidity had errors <1.3% for all malalignment scenarios. Based on this study, virtual torsional rigidity is the recommended summary mechanical biomarker of bone healing because it captures variations in healing biomechanics that are present in other loading modes with a simple setup that is insensitive to alignment error.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15168,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomechanics","volume":"180 ","pages":"Article 112492"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143052644","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-31DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112560
Eline van der Kruk
Articles published in the Journal of Biomechanics still reflect bias, with males positioned as the default in human research. This meta-analysis on the 2024 articles reveals a large disparity in female representation. One in four studies showed an imbalance (<30 % female representation) favouring male participants, while only 8 % favoured females. Male-only studies outnumbered female-only studies by over fivefold. Of particular concern is that male-only studies often lack justification for their single-gender focus, whereas female-only studies typically provide clear reasoning. This inconsistency not only lacks accountability but also reinforces the notion that male data is the standard in biomechanics research. I named this issue biasmechanics to encourage efforts to address them. While there are valid scientific reasons for focusing on specific gender/sex groups, this should not be the default. Authors must consider sex- and gender-based differences, and reviewers and editors should adopt stricter standards for accepting articles with unjustified imbalances. The Journal of Biomechanics could establish standardized guidelines promoting equitable representation in research. Exclusions of any sex or gender must include clear scientific justification in the introduction and methodology sections. The discussion and limitations sections should assess the implications of such exclusions, including their effects on validity, generalizability, and bias. If appropriate, titles and abstracts should clearly indicate single-sex or gender-specific studies to ensure transparency about the research’s scope and applicability. By collectively affirming as a scientific community that, except for legitimate scientific justification, we oppose the exclusion of female participants, we can shift the default approach in our research studies.
{"title":"BIASMECHANICS: Does an unconscious bias still persist in biomechanics, positioning males as the default in human research? A meta-analysis on the Journal of Biomechanics 2024 publications","authors":"Eline van der Kruk","doi":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112560","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112560","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Articles published in the Journal of Biomechanics still reflect bias, with males positioned as the default in human research. This meta-analysis on the 2024 articles reveals a large disparity in female representation. One in four studies showed an imbalance (<30 % female representation) favouring male participants, while only 8 % favoured females. Male-only studies outnumbered female-only studies by over fivefold. Of particular concern is that male-only studies often lack justification for their single-gender focus, whereas female-only studies typically provide clear reasoning. This inconsistency not only lacks accountability but also reinforces the notion that male data is the standard in biomechanics research. I named this issue<!--> <em>bias</em>mechanics<!--> <!-->to encourage efforts to address them. While there are valid scientific reasons for focusing on specific gender/sex groups, this should not be the default. Authors must consider sex- and gender-based differences, and reviewers and editors should adopt stricter standards for accepting articles with unjustified imbalances. The <em>Journal of Biomechanics</em> could establish standardized guidelines promoting equitable representation in research. Exclusions of any sex or gender must include clear scientific justification in the introduction and methodology sections. The discussion and limitations sections should assess the implications of such exclusions, including their effects on validity, generalizability, and bias. If appropriate, titles and abstracts should clearly indicate single-sex or gender-specific studies to ensure transparency about the research’s scope and applicability. By collectively affirming as a scientific community that, except for legitimate scientific justification, we oppose the exclusion of female participants, we can shift the default approach in our research studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15168,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomechanics","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 112560"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143145739","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-30DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112542
Yize Jiang , Yi Wei , Yuxuan Liu , Jiaxu Yang , Kexin Zhou , Haisheng Yang
Background
Screw loosening remains a serious complication for patients undergoing pedicle screw fixation surgeries. An accurate risk prediction is significant for prevention of screw loosening through preoperative planning. In this study, we proposed a novel index, namely the bone mineral density surrounding the screw thread (thread BMD), and tested its predictability in screw loosening.
Methods
86 screws (18 loosening and 68 non-loosening) from L3–L5 of 20 patients who experienced pedicle screw loosening were analyzed. The preoperative and postoperative quantitative CT scans of the same vertebra were spatially registered and a helix-based approach was developed to extract the thread BMD. BMDs of the vertebral body, the pedicle and the screw trajectory were also measured from the preoperative CT scans. Finite element analysis was conducted to determine pullout strength and tissue failure around the screw. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to assess the performances of all BMD indices and pullout strength in predicting screw loosening. Linear regression was used to examine correlations between different BMD indices and screw pullout strength.
Results
The thread BMD had the greatest value of area under the curve (AUC = 0.73, p = 0.004) compared to vertebral BMD (AUC = 0.51, p = 0.923), pedicle BMD (AUC = 0.56, p = 0.474) and trajectory BMD (AUC = 0.67, p = 0.020). Also, the thread BMD showed a stronger correlation with the pullout strength (r = 0.83, p < 0.001) than vertebral BMD (r = 0.59, p < 0.001), pedicle BMD (r = 0.65, p < 0.001) and trajectory BMD (r = 0.60, p < 0.001).
Conclusions
We developed a novel approach to measure a newly-defined thread BMD, which indicates superior capacities over other BMD indices in predicting pedicle screw loosening.
{"title":"Bone mineral density surrounding the screw thread predicts the risk of pedicle screw loosening","authors":"Yize Jiang , Yi Wei , Yuxuan Liu , Jiaxu Yang , Kexin Zhou , Haisheng Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112542","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112542","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Screw loosening remains a serious complication for patients undergoing pedicle screw fixation surgeries. An accurate risk prediction is significant for prevention of screw loosening through preoperative planning. In this study, we proposed a novel index, namely the bone mineral density surrounding the screw thread (thread BMD), and tested its predictability in screw loosening.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>86 screws (18 loosening and 68 non-loosening) from L3–L5 of 20 patients who experienced pedicle screw loosening were analyzed. The preoperative and postoperative quantitative CT scans of the same vertebra were spatially registered and a helix-based approach was developed to extract the thread BMD. BMDs of the vertebral body, the pedicle and the screw trajectory were also measured from the preoperative CT scans. Finite element analysis was conducted to determine pullout strength and tissue failure around the screw. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to assess the performances of all BMD indices and pullout strength in predicting screw loosening. Linear regression was used to examine correlations between different BMD indices and screw pullout strength.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The thread BMD had the greatest value of area under the curve (AUC = 0.73, p = 0.004) compared to vertebral BMD (AUC = 0.51, p = 0.923), pedicle BMD (AUC = 0.56, p = 0.474) and trajectory BMD (AUC = 0.67, p = 0.020). Also, the thread BMD showed a stronger correlation with the pullout strength (r = 0.83, p < 0.001) than vertebral BMD (r = 0.59, p < 0.001), pedicle BMD (r = 0.65, p < 0.001) and trajectory BMD (r = 0.60, p < 0.001).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>We developed a novel approach to measure a newly-defined <em>thread BMD</em>, which indicates superior capacities over other BMD indices in predicting pedicle screw loosening.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15168,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomechanics","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 112542"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143074462","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-29DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112559
Carson Halliwell , Janie Astephen Wilson , Derek Rutherford , Aleksandra Budarick , Meaghan Hannigan , Rebecca Moyer
Gait analysis is a fundamental tool for understanding joint function and identifying asymmetries in joint moments, which can signal underlying pathologies or potential risk factors for joint damage. Despite the widespread use of symmetry analysis in assessing gait across various conditions, including osteoarthritis and post-injury recovery, there remains no clear objective evidence on joint moment symmetry in healthy adults to serve as a comparison for pathological populations. This study aimed to define the range of joint moment asymmetry during walking in healthy adults. Twenty-one asymptomatic individuals aged 40 years and older underwent three-dimensional gait analysis at a self-selected walking speed. The total knee joint moment was calculated as a composite measure of the net external knee frontal, sagittal, and transverse moments, and absolute inter-limb asymmetry in the total knee joint moment was calculated for all participants. Paired samples t-tests were used to assess for differences in total knee joint, frontal, sagittal, and transverse moments between knees. No significant differences in any knee joint moment outcomes were found between knees. Findings indicated that the upper limit of absolute total joint moment asymmetry in asymptomatic individuals was 14 %. The establishment of this threshold provides a critical reference for clinicians and researchers to identify asymmetries that may deviate from healthy adult ranges.
{"title":"Establishing a threshold for total joint moment asymmetry in asymptomatic adults","authors":"Carson Halliwell , Janie Astephen Wilson , Derek Rutherford , Aleksandra Budarick , Meaghan Hannigan , Rebecca Moyer","doi":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112559","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112559","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Gait analysis is a fundamental tool for understanding joint function and identifying asymmetries in joint moments, which can signal underlying pathologies or potential risk factors for joint damage. Despite the widespread use of symmetry analysis in assessing gait across various conditions, including osteoarthritis and post-injury recovery, there remains no clear objective evidence on joint moment symmetry in healthy adults to serve as a comparison for pathological populations. This study aimed to define the range of joint moment asymmetry during walking in healthy adults. Twenty-one asymptomatic individuals aged 40 years and older underwent three-dimensional gait analysis at a self-selected walking speed. The total knee joint moment was calculated as a composite measure of the net external knee frontal, sagittal, and transverse moments, and absolute inter-limb asymmetry in the total knee joint moment was calculated for all participants. Paired samples t-tests were used to assess for differences in total knee joint, frontal, sagittal, and transverse moments between knees. No significant differences in any knee joint moment outcomes were found between knees. Findings indicated that the upper limit of absolute total joint moment asymmetry in asymptomatic individuals was 14 %. The establishment of this threshold provides a critical reference for clinicians and researchers to identify asymmetries that may deviate from healthy adult ranges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15168,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomechanics","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 112559"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143080078","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-27DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112548
Yulin Zhou , Shengxing Fu , Tianqi Yao , Hui Liu , Hanjun Li
Artificial neural networks (ANNs) offers potential for obtaining kinetics in non-laboratory. This study compared the estimation performance for ground reaction forces (GRF) and lower-limb joint moments during sidestepping between ANNs fed with full-body and lower-body landmarks. 71 male college soccer athletes executed sidestepping while three-dimensional kinematics and kinetics were collected to calculate joint moments by inverse dynamic. To estimate GRF and lower-limb joint moments, coordinates of 18 full-body (the full-body landmarks ANN) and 11 lower-limb body landmarks (the lower-body landmarks ANN) were respectively used as inputs in ANNs. Estimation performance was evaluated using the coefficient of multiple correlations, root mean square error (RMSE), and normalized RMSE (nRMSE) between estimated and measured results. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test determined the difference in estimation performance between the two types of ANNs. Statistical parametric mapping determined the difference between the estimated and measured curves. The lower-body landmarks ANN showed lower error for sagittal knee moments (RMSE: p < 0.001; nRMSE: p < 0.001), but higher error for sagittal hip (RMSE: p = 0.015) and ankle moments (RMSE: p = 0.001; nRMSE: p = 0.001). Significant differences between the lower-body landmarks ANN estimates and measurement curves were found in anterior-posterior GRF (10–12 %, p = 0.013), vertical GRF (5–15 %, p < 0.001), and hip transverse moment (1 %, p = 0.017). No significant differences were found in the estimated and measured GRF peaks. The ANN only using lower-body landmarks as inputs could accurately estimate GRF and lower-limb joint moments during sidestepping, with better performance for knee moments, while ANN using full-body landmarks performs better for hip and ankle moments.
{"title":"Artificial neural networks’ estimations of lower-limb kinetics in sidestepping: Comparison of full-body vs. lower-body landmark sets","authors":"Yulin Zhou , Shengxing Fu , Tianqi Yao , Hui Liu , Hanjun Li","doi":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112548","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112548","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Artificial neural networks (ANNs) offers potential for obtaining kinetics in non-laboratory. This study compared the estimation performance for ground reaction forces (GRF) and lower-limb joint moments during sidestepping between ANNs fed with full-body and lower-body landmarks. 71 male college soccer athletes executed sidestepping while three-dimensional kinematics and kinetics were collected to calculate joint moments by inverse dynamic. To estimate GRF and lower-limb joint moments, coordinates of 18 full-body (the full-body landmarks ANN) and 11 lower-limb body landmarks (the lower-body landmarks ANN) were respectively used as inputs in ANNs. Estimation performance was evaluated using the coefficient of multiple correlations, root mean square error (RMSE), and normalized RMSE (nRMSE) between estimated and measured results. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test determined the difference in estimation performance between the two types of ANNs. Statistical parametric mapping determined the difference between the estimated and measured curves. The lower-body landmarks ANN showed lower error for sagittal knee moments (RMSE: p < 0.001; nRMSE: p < 0.001), but higher error for sagittal hip (RMSE: p = 0.015) and ankle moments (RMSE: p = 0.001; nRMSE: p = 0.001). Significant differences between the lower-body landmarks ANN estimates and measurement curves were found in anterior-posterior GRF (10–12 %, p = 0.013), vertical GRF (5–15 %, p < 0.001), and hip transverse moment (1 %, p = 0.017). No significant differences were found in the estimated and measured GRF peaks. The ANN only using lower-body landmarks as inputs could accurately estimate GRF and lower-limb joint moments during sidestepping, with better performance for knee moments, while ANN using full-body landmarks performs better for hip and ankle moments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15168,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomechanics","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 112548"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143065899","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-27DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112555
Lorenzo Vaiani, Antonio Emmanuele Uva, Antonio Boccaccio
Computational methods represent a powerful tool to explore biophysical phenomena occurring at small scales and hence difficult to observe through experimental setups. In detail, they can provide a support to mechanobiology, with the aim of understanding the behavior of living cells interacting with the surrounding environment. To this end, lattice models can provide a simulation framework that is highly reliable and easy to implement, even for simulations involving large deformations and topological changes during time evolution. In this review article, elastic network models for studying biological molecules are described, several lattice spring models for investigating cell behaviors are discussed, and the adoption of lattice beam models for biomimetic structures design is presented. The lattice modelling approaches could be regarded as a valuable option to conduct in-silico experiments and consolidate the emergent mechanobiology research field.
{"title":"Lattice Models: Non-Conventional simulation methods for mechanobiology","authors":"Lorenzo Vaiani, Antonio Emmanuele Uva, Antonio Boccaccio","doi":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112555","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112555","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Computational methods represent a powerful tool to explore biophysical phenomena occurring at small scales and hence difficult to observe through experimental setups. In detail, they can provide a support to mechanobiology, with the aim of understanding the behavior of living cells interacting with the surrounding environment. To this end, lattice models can provide a simulation framework that is highly reliable and easy to implement, even for simulations involving large deformations and topological changes during time evolution. In this review article, elastic network models for studying biological molecules are described, several lattice spring models for investigating cell behaviors are discussed, and the adoption of lattice beam models for biomimetic structures design is presented. The lattice modelling approaches could be regarded as a valuable option to conduct in-silico experiments and consolidate the emergent mechanobiology research field.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15168,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomechanics","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 112555"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143074477","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-27DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112554
Nathan Buchweitz , Yi Sun , Sarah Cisewski Porto , Shangping Wang , Charles A. Reitman , Hai Yao , Yongren Wu
This study provides quantification of fixed charge density in human cervical intervertebral discs. Fixed charge density, which occurs due to negatively charged proteoglycans in the extracellular matrix, is a key determinant of the intervertebral disc osmotic environment and swelling properties. While regional fixed charge density patterns have been characterized in lumbar discs, they remain unexplored in cervical discs. Using fresh-frozen cadaveric cervical discs from five donors, fixed charge density was measured using a two-point electrical conductivity method. Glycosaminoglycan content and porosity were also assessed. Fixed charge density (0.18 ± 0.1 mEq/g wet tissue) was highest in the cartilage endplate region and significantly greater than in that in the annulus fibrosus (p = 0.006). No significant difference in fixed charge density was observed between the nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus. Glycosaminoglycan content (40.3 ± 14.4 µg/mg wet tissue) showed a strong positive correlation with fixed charge density across regions (r = 0.65, p = 0.0047). Unlike lumbar discs, fixed charge density was found to be more homogeneous between the nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus regions. This result likely reflects adaptations for reduced tissue swelling in cervical discs to accommodate lower weight-bearing demands and increased flexibility. The elevated fixed charge density in the cervical endplates may protect the intervertebral disc-vertebral bone interface, potentially to avoid mechanical damage in a kinematically more mobile environment. These findings establish key benchmarks for understanding cervical disc electro-biomechanics and may inform other cervical disc tissue-characterization efforts.
{"title":"Characterizing baseline fixed charge density in human cervical intervertebral discs","authors":"Nathan Buchweitz , Yi Sun , Sarah Cisewski Porto , Shangping Wang , Charles A. Reitman , Hai Yao , Yongren Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112554","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112554","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study provides quantification of fixed charge density in human cervical intervertebral discs. Fixed charge density, which occurs due to negatively charged proteoglycans in the extracellular matrix, is a key determinant of the intervertebral disc osmotic environment and swelling properties. While regional fixed charge density patterns have been characterized in lumbar discs, they remain unexplored in cervical discs. Using fresh-frozen cadaveric cervical discs from five donors, fixed charge density was measured using a two-point electrical conductivity method. Glycosaminoglycan content and porosity were also assessed. Fixed charge density (0.18 ± 0.1 mEq/g wet tissue) was highest in the cartilage endplate region and significantly greater than in that in the annulus fibrosus (p = 0.006). No significant difference in fixed charge density was observed between the nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus. Glycosaminoglycan content (40.3 ± 14.4 µg/mg wet tissue) showed a strong positive correlation with fixed charge density across regions (r = 0.65, p = 0.0047). Unlike lumbar discs, fixed charge density was found to be more homogeneous between the nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus regions. This result likely reflects adaptations for reduced tissue swelling in cervical discs to accommodate lower weight-bearing demands and increased flexibility. The elevated fixed charge density in the cervical endplates may protect the intervertebral disc-vertebral bone interface, potentially to avoid mechanical damage in a kinematically more mobile environment. These findings establish key benchmarks for understanding cervical disc electro-biomechanics and may inform other cervical disc tissue-characterization efforts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15168,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomechanics","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 112554"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143074472","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}