Mechanical behaviors of backfill-rock composites: Physical shear test and back-analysis

The shear behavior of backfill-rock composites is crucial for mine safety and the management of surface subsidence.For exposing the shear failure mechanism of backfill-rock composites,we conducted shear tests on backfill-rock composites under three constant normal loads,compared with the unfilled rock.To investigate the macro-and meso-failure characteristics of the samples in the shear tests,the cracking behavior of samples was recorded by a high-speed camera and acoustic emission monitoring.In parallel with the experimental test,the numerical models of backfill-rock composites and unfilled rock were established using the discrete element method to analyze the continuous-discontinuous shearing process.Based on the damage mechanics and statistics,a novel shear constitutive model was proposed to describe mechanical behavior.The results show that backfill-rock composites had a special bimodal phenomenon of shearing load-deformation curve,i.e.the first shearing peak corresponded to rock break and the second shearing peak induced by the broken of aeolian sand-cement/fly ash paste backfill.Moreover,the shearing characteristic curves of the backfill-rock composites could be roughly divided into four stages,i.e.the shear failure of the specimens experienced:stage I:stress concentration;stage II:crack propagation;stage III:crack coalescence;stage IV:shearing friction.The numerical simulation shows that the existence of aeolian sand-cement/fly ash paste backfill inevitably altered the coalescence type and failure mode of the specimens and had a strengthening effect on the shear strength of backfillrock composites.Based on damage mechanics and statistics,a shear constitutive model was proposed to describe the shear fracture characteristics of specimens,especially the bimodal phenomenon.Finally,the micro-and meso-mechanisms of shear failure were discussed by combining the micro-test and numerical results.The research can advance the better understanding of the shear behavior of backfill-rock composites and contribute to the safety of mining engineering.

State Estimation of Drive-by-Wire Chassis Vehicle Based on Dual Unscented Particle Filter Algorithm

Accurate vehicle dynamic information plays an important role in vehicle driving safety.However,due to the characteristics of high mobility and multiple controllable degrees of freedom of drive-by-wire chassis vehicles,the current mature application of traditional vehicle state estimation algorithms can not meet the requirements of drive-by-wire chassis vehicle state estimation.This paper proposes a state estimation method for drive-by-wire chassis vehicle based on the dual unscented particle filter algorithm,which make full use of the known advantages of the four-wheel drive torque and steer angle parameters of the drive-by-wire chassis vehicle.In the dual unscented particle filter algorithm,two unscented particle filter transfer information to each other,observe the vehicle state information and the tire force parameter information of the four wheels respectively,which reduce the influence of parameter uncertainty and model parameter changes on the estimation accuracy during driving.The performance with the dual unscented particle filter algorithm,which is analyzed in terms of the time-average square error,is superior of the unscented Kalman filter algorithm.The effectiveness of the algorithm is further verified by driving simulator test.In this paper,a vehicle state estimator based on dual unscented particle filter algorithm was proposed for the first time to improve the estimation accuracy of vehicle parameters and states.

Investigation of stress-induced progressive failure of mine pillars using a Voronoi grain-based breakable block model

The Voronoi grain-based breakable block model(VGBBM)based on the combined finite-discrete element method(FDEM)was proposed to explicitly characterize the failure mechanism and predict the deformation behavior of hard-rock mine pillars.The influence of the microscopic parameters on the macroscopic mechanical behavior was investigated using laboratory-scale models.The field-scale pillar models(width-to-height,W/H=1,2 and 3)were calibrated based on the empirically predicted stress-strain curves of Creighton mine pillars.The results indicated that as the W/H ratios increased,the VGBBM effectively predicted the transition from strain-softening to pseudo-ductile behavior in pillars,and explicitly captured the separated rock slabs and the V-shaped damage zones on both sides of pillars and conjugate shear bands in core zones of pillars.The volumetric strain field revealed significant compressional deformation in core zones of pillars.While the peak strains of W/H=1 and 2 pillars were relatively consistent,there were significant differences in the strain energy storage and release mechanism.W/H was the primary factor influencing the deformation and strain energy in the pillar core.The friction coefficient of the structural plane was also an important factor affecting the pillar strength and the weakest discontinuity angle.The fracture surface was controlled by the discontinuity angle and the friction coefficient.This study demonstrated the capability of the VGBBM in predicting the strengths and deformation behavior of hard-rock pillars in deep mine design.

Optimizing profile line interval for enhanced accuracy in rock joint morphology and shear strength assessments

2D profile lines play a critical role in cost-effectively evaluating rock joint properties and shear strength.However, the interval(ΔI_(L)) between these lines significantly impacts roughness and shear strength assessments. A detailed study of 45 joint samples using four statistical measures across 500 different ΔI_(L)values identified a clear line interval effect with two stages: stable and fluctuation-discrete.Further statistical analysis showed a linear relationship between the error bounds of four parameters,shear strength evaluation, and their corresponding maximum ΔI_(L)values, where the gradient k of this linear relationship was influenced by the basic friction angle and normal stress. Accounting for these factors,lower-limit linear models were employed to determine the optimal ΔI_(L)values that met error tolerances(1%–10%) for all metrics and shear strength. The study also explored the consistent size effect on joints regardless of ΔI_(L)changes, revealing three types of size effects based on morphological heterogeneity.Notably, larger joints required generally higher ΔI_(L)to maintain the predefined error limits, suggesting an increased interval for large joint analyses. Consequently, this research provides a basis for determining the optimal ΔI_(L), improving accuracy in 2D profile line assessments of joint characteristics.

Expression profile of microRNAs in gastrointestinal stromal tumors revealed by high throughput quantitative RT-PCR microarray

AIM: To investigate the microRNA(miRNA) expression profile in gastrointestinal stromal tumor(GIST) tissues that could serve as a novel diagnostic biomarker for GIST detection.METHODS: We performed a quantitative real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assay to analyze the expression of 1888 miRNAs in a sample set that included 54 GIST tissue samples.RESULTS: We found that dysregulation of several miRNAs may be related to the malignant potential of GISTs. Six of these miRNAs, hsa-let-7c, miR-218,miR-488#, miR-4683, miR-34c-5p and miR-4773, were selected as the final list of biomarkers to separate the malignant GISTs(M group) from the benign GISTs(B group). In addition, MiR-29b-2#, hsa-let-7c, miR-891 b, miR-218, miR-204, miR-204-3p, miR-628-5p,miR-744, miR-29c#, miR-625 and miR-196 a were used to distinguish between the borderline(BO group) and M groups. There were 11 common miRNAs selected to separate the benign and borderline(BB) group from the M group, including hsa-let-7c, miR-218, miR-628-5p,miR-204-3p, miR-204, miR-891 b, miR-488#, miR-145,miR-891 a, miR-34c-5p and miR-196 a.CONCLUSION: The identified miRNAs appear tobe novel biomarkers to distinguish malignant from benign GISTs, which may be helpful to understand the mechanisms of GIST oncogenesis and progression,and to further elucidate the characteristics of GIST subtypes.

Spalling failure of deep hard rock caverns

Spalling is a typical brittle failure phenomenon of hard rock in deep caverns under high geostress.In this study,key issues are systematically studied concerning the spalling failure of deep hard rock caverns.First,the prismatic rock specimens with small thicknesses(i.e.width×thickness×height:20 mm×50 mm×100 mm)are employed in our tests which not only successfully simulate the spalling failure of hard rock in the laboratory but also obtain a reasonable spalling strength similar to that of the rock mass.Then,a series of spalling experiments is carried out to investigate the mechanism of spalling failure of deep hard rock caverns.Our results show that the intermediate principal stress,weak dynamic disturbances,and rock microstructure have significant effects on the spalling failure.The spalling strength is approximately(0.3–0.8)UCS,where UCS is the uniaxial compressive strength of the cylindrical rock sample with a diameter of around 50 mm.The spalling strength increases first and then decreases with increasing intermediate principal stress.Moreover,an empirical spalling strength criterion and a numerical method of spalling failure are proposed.This numerical method can not only simulate the spalling failure zone formed by tangential compressive stress concentration after excavation under different intermediate principal stresses,but also successfully simulate the failure transition from tensile mode to shear mode associated with confinement change in deep hard rock caverns.Furthermore,an acoustic emission-based early warning method using neural network is proposed to predict the spalling failure.Finally,a technical roadmap for preventing and controlling spalling failure of deep hard rock caverns is presented after summarizing the successful experiences in a typical engineering case.

The genomic and epigenetic footprint of local adaptation to variable climates in kiwifruit

A full understanding of adaptive genetic variation at the genomic level will help address questions of how organisms adapt to diverse climates.Actinidia eriantha is a shade-tolerant species,widely distributed in the southern tropical region of China,occurring in spatially heterogeneous environments.In the present study we combined population genomic,epigenomic,and environmental association analyses to infer population genetic structure and positive selection across a climatic gradient,and to assess genomic offset to climatic change for A.eriantha.The population structure is strongly shaped by geography and influenced by restricted gene f low resulting from isolation by distance due to habitat fragmentation.In total,we identified 102 outlier loci and annotated 455 candidate genes associated with the genomic basis of climate adaptation,which were enriched in functional categories related to development processes and stress response;both temperature and precipitation are important factors driving adaptive variation.In addition to single-nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs),a total of 27 single-methylation variants(SMVs)had significant correlation with at least one of four climatic variables and 16 SMVswere located in or adjacent to genes,several of whichwere predicted to be involved in plant response to abiotic or biotic stress.Gradient forest analysis indicated that the central/east populations were predicted to be at higher risk of future population maladaptation under climate change.Our results demonstrate that local climate factors impose strong selection pressures and lead to local adaptation.Such information adds to our understanding of adaptive mechanisms to variable climates revealed by both population genome and epigenome analysis.

Modeling rock specimens through 3D printing: Tentative experiments and prospects

Current developments in 3D printing （3DP） technology provide the opportunity to produce rock-like specimens and geotechnical models through additive man- ufacturing, that is, from a file viewed with a computer to a real object. This study investigated the serviceability of 3DP products as substitutes for rock specimens and rock-type materials in experimental analysis of deformation and failure in the laboratory. These experiments were performed on two types of materials as follows： （1） compressive experiments on printed sand-powder specimens in different shapes and structures, including intact cylinders, cylinders with small holes, and cuboids with pre-existing cracks, and （2） com- pressive and shearing experiments on printed polylactic acid cylinders and molded shearing blocks. These tentative tests for 3DP technology have exposed its advantages in produc- ing complicated specimens with special external forms and internal structures, the mechanical similarity of its product to rock-type material in terms of deformation and failure, and its precision in mapping shapes from the original body to the trial sample （such as a natural rock joint）. These experiments and analyses also successfully demonstrate the potential and prospects of 3DP technology to assist in the deformation and failure analysis of rock-type materials, as well as in the sim- ulation of similar material modeling experiments.

Reliability analysis of slopes considering spatial variability of soil properties based on efficiently identified representative slip surfaces

Slope reliability analysis considering inherent spatial variability(ISV)of soil properties is timeconsuming when response surface method(RSM)is used,because of the"curse of dimensionality".This paper proposes an effective method for identification of representative slip surfaces(RSSs)of slopes with spatially varied soils within the framework of limit equilibrium method(LEM),which utilizes an adaptive K-means clustering approach.Then,an improved slope reliability analysis based on the RSSs and RSM considering soil spatial variability,in perspective of computation efficiency,is established.The detailed implementation procedure of the proposed method is well documented,and the ability of the method in identifying RSSs and estimating reliability is investigated via three slope examples.Results show that the proposed method can automatically identify the RSSs of slope with only one evaluation of the conventional deterministic slope stability model.The RSSs are invariant with the statistics of soil properties,which allows parametric studies that are often required in slope reliability analysis to be efficiently achieved with ease.It is also found that the proposed method provides comparable values of factor of safety(FS)and probability of failure(Pf)of slopes with those obtained from direct analysis and lite rature.

Rock mechanics contributions to recent hydroelectric developments in China

Rock mechanics plays a critical role in the design and construction of hydroelectric projects including large caverns under high in situ stress,deep tunnels with overburden more than 2500 m,and excavated rock slopes of 700 m in height.For this,this paper conducts a review on the rock mechanics contributions to recent hydroelectric developments in China.It includes the development of new testing facilities,mechanical models,recognition methods for mechanical parameters of rock masses,design flowchart and modeling approaches,cracking-restraint method,governing flowchart of rock engineering risk factors enabling the development of risk-reduced design and risk-reduced construction,and initial and dynamic design methods.As an example,the optimal design of underground powerhouses at the Baihetan hydroelectric plant,China,is given.This includes determination of in situ stresses,prediction of deformation and failure depth of surrounding rock masses,development of the optimal excavation scheme and support design.In situ monitoring results of the displacements and excavation damaged zones(EDZs)have verified the rationality of the design methodology.

Estimation of the three-dimensional in situ stress field around a large deep underground cavern group near a valley

Understanding three-dimensional(3D)in situ stress field is of key importance for estimating the stability of large deep underground cavern groups near valleys.However,the complete 3D in situ stress fields around large deep underground cavern groups are difficult to determine based on in situ stress data from a limited number of measuring points due to the insufficient representativeness and unreliability of such measurements.In this study,an integrated approach for estimating the 3D in situ stress field around a large deep underground cavern group near a valley is developed based on incomplete in situ stress measurements and the stress-induced failures of tunnels excavated prior to the step excavation of the cavern group.This integrated approach is implemented via four interrelated and progressive basic steps,i.e.inference of the regional tectonic stress field direction,analyses of in situ stress characteristics and measurement reliability,regression-based in situ stress field analysis and reliability assessment,and modified in situ stress field analysis and reliability verification.The orientations and magnitudes of the 3D in situ stress field can be analyzed and obtained at a strategic level following these four basic steps.First,the tectonic stress field direction around the cavern group is deduced in accordance with the regional tectonic framework and verified using a regional crustal deformation velocity map.Second,the reliability of the in situ stress measurements is verified based on the locations and depths of stressinduced brittle failures in small tunnels(such as exploratory tunnels and pilot tunnels)within the excavation range of the cavern group.Third,considering the influences of the valley topography and major geological structures,the 3D in situ stress field is regressed using numerical simulation and multiple linear regression techniques based on the in situ stress measurements.Finally,the regressed in situ stress field is further modified and reverified based on the stress-induced brittle failures of small tunnels and the initial excavation of the cavern group.A case study of the Shuangjiangkou underground cavern group demonstrates that the proposed approach is reliable for estimating the 3D in situ stress fields of large deep underground cavern groups near valleys,thus contributing to the optimization of practical excavation and design of mitigating the instability of the surrounding rock masses during step excavations.

Theoretical verification of the rationality of strain energy storage index as rockburst criterion based on linear energy storage law

The rationality of using strain energy storage index(Wet)for evaluating rockburst proneness was theoretically verified based on linear energy storage(LES)law in this study.The LES law is defined as the linear relationship between the elastic strain energy stored inside the solid material and the input strain energy during loading.It is used to determine the elastic strain energy and dissipated strain energy of rock specimens at various loading/unloading stress levels.The results showed that the Wetvalue obtained from experiments was close to the corresponding theoretical one from the LES law.Furthermore,with an increase in the loading/unloading stress level,the ratio of elastic strain energy to dissipated strain energy converged to the peak-strength strain energy storage index(Wp et).This index is stable and can better reflect the relative magnitudes of the stored energy and the dissipated energy of rocks at the whole pre-peak stage than the strain energy storage index.The peak-strength strain energy storage index can replace the conventional strain energy storage index as a new index for evaluating rockburst proneness.

Strength weakening effect of high static pre-stressed granite subjected to low-frequency dynamic disturbance under uniaxial compression

This study aimed to elucidate the strength weakening effect of high static pre-stressed rocks subjected to low-frequency disturbances under uniaxial compression.Based on the uniaxial compressive strength(UCS)of granite under static loading,70%,80%,and 90%of UCS were selected as the initial high static pre-stress(σ_(p)),and then the pre-stressed rock specimens were disturbed by sinusoidal stress with amplitudes of 30%,20%,and 10%of UCS under low-frequency frequencies(f)of 1,2,5,and 10 Hz,respectively.The results show that the rockburst failure of pre-stressed granite is caused by low-frequency disturbance,and the failure strength is much lower than UCS.When theσp or f is constant,the specimen strength gradually decreases as the f or σ_(p) increases.The experimental study illustrates the influence mechanism of the strength weakening effect of high static pre-stress rocks under low-frequency dynamic disturbance,that is,high static pre-stress is the premise and leading factor of rock strength weakening,while low-frequency dynamic disturbance induces rock failure and affects the strength weakening degree.

A local homogenization approach for simulating the reinforcement effect of the fully grouted bolt in deep underground openings

Fully grouted bolts are a key component of the support system for underground openings.Although considerable effort has been made in the simulation of the reinforcement effect of the fully grouted bolts on the rock masses surrounding underground openings,most of the work has limited significance since the structural element approach is used.This study proposes a local homogenization approach(L-H approach)that integrates elastoplastic mechanics,composite mechanics,and analytical approaches with numerical simulation to effectively simulate the reinforcement effect of the fully grouted bolt on deep surrounding rock masses.In the L-H approach,the representative volume of bolted rock mass(RVBRM)with a fully grouted bolt is established based on the original mesh model utilized in the rockbolt element approach.The RVBRM is a regular quadrangular prism with a cross-sectional size equal to the bolt spacing and a length equal to the bolt length.The RVBRM is homogenized by the L-H approach from a unidirectional bolt-reinforced composite into a homogeneous transversely isotropic medium whose mechanical properties are described by a new transversely isotropic elastoplastic model.The L-H parameters for the RVBRM are obtained using analytical approaches,composite mechanics,and known parameters of the rock mass and bolt.Using the L-H approach,the reinforcement effect of the fully grouted bolt on the bolted rock specimen and the surrounding rock mass in Jinping II Diversion Tunnel#2 with a depth greater than 2000 m is simulated.The results show that the predictions of the L-H approach are more in agreement with the physical model results of bolted rock specimen and provide a more realistic response of the bolted surrounding rock mass.The L-H approach demonstrates that fully grouted bolts with common bolt spacings and diameters substantially enhance the elastic modulus,shear strength,and tensile strength of the rock mass in the direction of the bolt axis.

Unloading performances and stabilizing practices for columnar jointed basalt:A case study of Baihetan hydropower station

The columnar jointed rock mass(CJR), composed of polygonal cross-sectional columns cut by several groups of joints in various directions, was exposed during the excavations of the Baihetan hydropower station, China. In order to investigate the unloading performances and the stability conditions during excavation of the columns, an experimental field study was performed. Firstly, on-site investigations indicated that the geotechnical problems, including rock relaxation, cracking and collapse, were the most prominent for the CJR Class I that contains intensive joint network and the smallest column sizes.Comprehensive field tests, including deformation measurement by multi-point extensometers, ultrasonic wave testing, borehole television observation and stress monitoring of rock anchors, revealed that the time-dependent relaxation of the CJRs was marked. The practical excavation experiences for the Baihetan columnar jointed rock masses, such as blasting scheme, supporting time of shotcrete and rock bolts, were presented in the excavations of the diversion tunnels. These detailed investigations and practical construction experiences can provide helpful information for similar geotechnical works in jointed rock mass.

Shear testing on rock tunnel models under constant normal stress conditions

Large shear deformation problems are frequently encountered in geotechnical engineering.To expose the shear failure mechanism of rock tunnels,compression-shear tests for rock models with circular tunnel were carried out,including single tunnel and adjacent double tunnels.The failure process is recorded by the external video and miniature cameras around the tunnel,accompanied by real-time acoustic emission monitoring.The experiments indicate that the shearing processes of rock tunnel can be divided into four steps:(i)cracks appeared around tunnels,(ii)shear cracks and spalling ejection developed,(iii)floor warping occurred,and(iv)shear cracks ran through the tunnel model.Besides,the roughness of the sheared fracture surface decreased with the increase in normal stress.Corresponding numerical simulation indicates that there are tensile stress concentrations and compressive stress concentrations around the tunnel during the shearing process,while the compressive stress concentration areas are under high risk of failure and the existence of adjacent tunnels will increase the degree of stress concentration.

Tertiary lymphoid structure patterns predicted anti-PD1 therapeutic responses in gastric cancer

Objective:Recent studies have highlighted the distinct value of tertiary lymphoid structure(TLS)for immunotherapeutic response prediction.However,it remains unclear whether TLS could play such roles in gastric cancer(GC).Methods:In this study,tumor tissue slices from 292 GC patients from Zhongshan Hospital were firstly reviewed to explore the correlation between TLS and clinical characteristics.Subsequently,we curated 38 reported genes that may function as triggers of TLS and performed consensus molecular subtyping in public RNA-seq datasets to determine TLS patterns in GC.Based on the differentially expressed genes acquired from two TLS patterns,we quantified TLS-related genes on the principal component analysis(PCA)algorithm to develop TLS score.A Zhongshan immunotherapy cohort including 13 patients who received programmed cell death 1(PD1)blockade therapy was established to conduct RNA sequencing analysis and multiplex immunohistochemistry(mIHC)tests using formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded(FFPE)tissues.The corresponding TLS score and immune cell counts were further compared based on therapeutic response variations.Results:Mature TLS was revealed as an independent prognostic factor in 292 GC patients.Patients with higher TLS score was characterized by prolonged survival time and superior response to immunotherapy.TLS score was correlated with immunotherapy-related characters,such as microsatellite instability(MSI)and tumor mutation burden(TMB).In addition,RNA-seq data analysis in the Zhongshan immunotherapy cohort indicated that a higher TLS score was correlated with a superior response to PD1 blockade therapy.mIHC tests also revealed that PD1+CD8+T cell counts were significantly increased in the high-TLS score group.Conclusions:This study highlighted that TLS was significantly associated with immune landscape diversity and complexity.Quantitatively evaluating TLS patterns of individual tumor will strengthen our understanding of TME characteristics and promote more effective immunotherapy strategies.

Macroscopic and microscopic trans-scale characteristics of pore structure of mine grouting materials

The pore structure and porosity of three kinds of mine grouting materials were characterized based on a thin-section analysis and low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique. The macroscopic pore interconnectivity was investigated using binary images captured from thin sections and a random walk pore spectral dimension (RWPSD) algorithm. The experimental results show that the microstructure of the grouting materials used consisted of interlayer pores, gel pores, capillary pores, circular air holes, and small fractures, and tailings can fill some gaps in the hydration product structure and dense hydration products. There is a positive correlation between pore interconnectivity and curing time. In addition, there is a relationship between pore interconnectivity and porosity. With increasing porosity and pore interconnectivity, a non-uniform pore structure occurs in mine grouting materials with an accelerator and results in reduced setting time and later strength.

Predicting the excavation damaged zone within brittle surrounding rock masses of deep underground caverns using a comprehensive approach integrating in situ measurements and numerical analysis

Excavation Damaged Zone(EDZ)scope is important for optimizing excavation and support schemes in deep underground caverns.However,accurately predicting the full EDZ scope within the surrounding rock masses of deep underground caverns during excavation remains a pressing problem.This study presents a comprehensive EDZ scope prediction approach(CESPA)for the brittle surrounding rock masses of deep underground caverns by coupling numerical simulation with quantitative analysis of borehole wall images and ultrasonic test results.First,the changes in both P-velocity(V_(p))and joint distribution of the surrounding rock masses before and after excavation damage are captured using ultrasonic tests and borehole digital cameras.Second,the quality Q-parameters of the surrounding rock mass before and after excavation damage are preliminarily rated with the rock mass descriptions provided by borehole wall images,and the rock mass V_(p)-parameter values are determined according to the V_(p)-borehole depth curves.Third,the Q-parameter ratings are further finely adjusted by updating the related Q-values to be similar with the Q-values estimated by V_(p)-parameter values.Fourth,the initial and residual mechanical parameters for the rock mass deterioration model(RDM)are estimated by the adjusted Q-parameter ratings based on the modified Q-based relations,and the elastic modulus deterioration index(EDI)threshold to describe the EDZ boundary is determined with the V_(p)-parameter values.Finally,EDZ scope is predicted using the elastoplastic numerical simulation with RDM and EDI based on the mechanical parameter estimates and EDI threshold.Analyses of applications in Sub-lab D1 in Jinping II project show that CESPA can provide a reliable and operable solution for predicting full EDZ scopes within the brittle surrounding rock masses of deep underground caverns.

Magnetic resonance imaging and cell-based neurorestorative therapy after brain injury

Restorative cell-based therapies for experimental brain injury, such as stroke and traumatic brain injury,substantially improve functional outcome. We discuss and review state of the art magnetic resonance imaging methodologies and their applications related to cell-based treatment after brain injury. We focus on the potential of magnetic resonance imaging technique and its associated challenges to obtain useful new information related to cell migration, distribution, and quantitation, as well as vascular and neuronal remodeling in response to cell-based therapy after brain injury. The noninvasive nature of imaging might more readily help with translation of cell-based therapy from the laboratory to the clinic.