Functional neuromuscular stimulation for combined control of elbow extension and hand grasp in C5 and C6 quadriplegics

Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) is known to require a suitable carrier to induce ectopic bone formation in vivo. Hydroxyapatite ceramics have been reported to be effective in some forms but ineffective in others as a carrier of BMP-induced bone formation. In this study we compare three geometrically different forms of hydroxyapatite to examine their functions as carriers of BMP-induced bone formation. A fraction containing all the active BMPs (BMP cocktail) was partially purified from a 4M guanidine extract from bovine bone by a three-step chromatographic procedure. The BMP cocktail was combined with each of three forms of hydroxyapatite--solid particles (SPHAP), porous particles (PPHAP), and coral-replicated porous tablets (coral-HAP)--and implanted subcutaneously into rats. Both the PPHAP and coral-HAP systems induced osteogenesis 2 weeks after implantation, as evidenced by morphological and biochemical observations. Details of the osteogenetic process were followed by double-fluorescence labeling in the coral-HAP system to confirm bone formation on the surface of hydroxyapatite. However, there was no evidence of osteogenesis or chondrogenesis in the SPHAP system. The results indicate that the geometry of the interconnected porous structure in PPHAP and coral-HAP create spaces for vasculature that lead to osteogenesis while the smooth structure and close contact of particles in SPHAP inhibit vascular formation and proliferation of mesenchymal cells, preventing bone and cartilage formation. It was concluded that the geometrical structure in hydroxyapatite ceramics that induces vasculature is crucial as a carrier for BMP-induced bone formation.     

Promotion of osteogenesis by a piezoelectric biological ceramic

Hydroxyapatite (HA) ceramic and piezoelectric biological ceramic, hydroxyapatite and barium titanate (HABT), were implanted in the jawbones of dogs. Histological observation showed that, compared with HA ceramics, HABT promoted the growth and repair of the bone significantly, the tissue growth around the HABT ceramic was direction-dependent, the collagen arranged orderly and the bone grew orderly. The order growth of the bone increased the efficiency of osteogenesis on the surface of the implanted HABT ceramics.     

Osteogenic potential of allogeneic rat marrow cells in porous hydroxyapatite ceramics: a histological study

Hydroxyapatite ceramics facilitate osteogenesis but cannot induce bone formation by themselves. We studied the feasibility of bone formation supported by allogeneic bone marrow cells in porous hydroxyapatite ceramics. Coralline hydroxyapatite discs were soaked in a marrow cell suspension harvested from either ACI (RT1a), Lewis (RT1(1)), or Fischer 344 (RT1(1v)) male rats, and these discs were implanted subcutaneously into 56 male Fischer 344 rats. FK-506 (tacrolimus hydrate), an immunosuppressant, or saline was injected intramuscularly into the recipients every day for 2 weeks after surgery, and additional injections were given to 19 of the rats every 2 days for 2 more weeks. Neither of the mismatched major (ACI rat) or minor (Lewis rat) marrow cell transplants showed any bone formation without administration of FK-506. However, in rats treated with FK-506, bone formed in the pores of all the three types of ceramics implanted, which each contained the marrow cells from one of the three kinds of rats used. There were no differences among the three groups of donors with regard to the bone formation ratio. We previously reported that subcutaneous implantation of porous hydroxyapatite combined with isogeneic marrow cells resulted in consistent bone formation, even at ectopic sites. Since it would be difficult to harvest a large number of autologous marrow cells in clinical cases, we attempted to use allogeneic marrow cells and have shown the allogeneic murine marrow cells to have osteogenic potential.     

利用反应烧结法制备多孔碳化物陶瓷

利用反应烧结的方法,通过甲烷碳化还原三种过渡金属氧化物(Cr₂O₃、TiO₂和WO₃)压坯,制备了其相应的多孔形态的碳化物(Cr₃C₂、TiC和WC)陶瓷.通过扫描电子显微镜观察检测,对反应烧结产物的表面和截面形貌进行了分析,并对这三种过渡金属碳化物的孔隙结构进行了初步的表征.通过物相分析研究了反应烧结的动力学过程,发现利用含体积分数10%甲烷的混合气体碳化还原制备多孔TiC和WC陶瓷的起始温度分别为1200℃和1000℃,低于这两个温度时发生其他相变,有其他中间产物生成.利用反应烧结的方法制备多孔Cr₃C₂陶瓷时,反应烧结温度越高,碳化铬陶瓷的骨架和孔隙平均尺寸越大.      

Expression of the osteogenic phenotype in porous hydroxyapatite implanted extraskeletally in baboons

A porous hydroxyapatite was used as a morphogenetic matrix to study early tissue formation preceding the morphogenesis of bone in extraskeletal sites of the baboon (Papio ursinus). Porous hydroxyapatites, obtained by hydrothermal conversion of the calcium carbonate exoskeleton of coral, were implanted extraskeletally in 16 baboons. Specimens were harvested at days 30, 60 and 90, and processed to obtain decalcified sections for histomorphometry, and undecalcified sections for enzyme histochemical demonstration of alkaline phosphatase, immunohistochemical demonstration of laminin and type I collagen, and for comparative histologic analysis. At day 30, the tissue that invaded the porous spaces showed mesenchymal condensations at the hydroxyapatite interface, and prominent vascular penetration. Collagen type I staining was localized within mesenchymal condensations. Bone had not formed in any specimen harvested at day 30. At days 30 and 60, alkaline phosphatase staining was initially localized in the invading vasculature, and subsequently found in cellular condensations prior to their transformation into bone, and in capillaries close to cellular condensations. Laminin staining was localized around invading capillaries adjacent to and within mesenchymal condensations, and in capillaries in direct contact with the hydroxyapatite. Bone had formed by day 60; cartilage, however, was never observed. By day 90, bone formation within the porous spaces was often extensive. Goldner's trichrome stain and fluorescence microscopy of tetracycline-labeled specimens demonstrated nascent mineralization within condensations during initial bone morphogenesis. Coating the hydroxyapatite with collagen type I prepared from baboon bone did not increase the amount of bone formation. In this hydroxyapatite-induced osteogenesis model in primates, vascular invasion and bone differentiation appear to be accompanied by a specific temporal sequence of alkaline phosphatase expression. The differentiation of osteogenic cells in direct apposition to the hydroxyapatite suggests that this substratum may act as a solid state matrix for adsorption and controlled release of endogenously-produced bone morphogenetic proteins. The porous hydroxyapatite, as used in this bioassay in primates, may be an appropriate delivery system for bone morphogenetic proteins for the controlled initiation of therapeutic osteogenesis.     

Advances in molecular diagnosis

We evaluated bone density in term and preterm infants using computed x-ray densitometry, which permits measurement of bone density with minimal disturbance to the infants in their incubators. Bone density, bone width, and bone length of the right radius were determined in 155 infants of appropriate weights for their gestational ages (23 to 41 weeks). A curve for intrauterine bone growth was extrapolated from these data. The mean coefficients of variations for variabilities for intra- and interobserver error for all measurements were < 3.5%. In 18 infants, measurements of the right forearm were obtained in two positions to confirm the validity of densitometric measurements. The mean coefficients of variation were 3.42% for bone density, 3.48% for bone width, and 0.21% for bone length. Bone density was significantly correlated with gestational age (r = 0.924) and birth weight (r = 0.921). Bone width and length were also correlated with gestational age (r = 0.866 and 0.937) and birth weight (r = 0.878 and 0.954). Our results suggest that computed x-ray densitometry is a useful method for evaluation of bone density in preterm infants, including those in an intensive care environment.     

A case series of ocular disease as the primary manifestation in sarcoidosis

Calcium phosphate ceramics recently have been used for administering therapeutic agents in bone. The present work investigated the efficacy of macroporous biphasic calcium phosphate (MBCP) implants as a matrix for local delivery of human growth hormone (hGH). An initial study showed that the release of 5 microg of hGH loaded onto MBCP cylinders was rapid during the first 48 h and sustained for a total of 11 days. The biological integrity of hGH (88.2%) was checked using a specific bioassay (cellular proliferation of hGH-sensitive Nb2 cells) in comparison with a radioimmunoassay to calculate the proportion of bioactive hGH released. MBCP cylinders then were loaded with 1, 10, and 100 microg of hGH and implanted into rabbit femurs (n = 16) to determine hGH effects on bone ingrowth and ceramic resorption, as evaluated by scanning electron microscopy and image analysis. Results indicated that hGH increased bone ingrowth and ceramic resorption significantly in comparison with contralateral and control implants. Biochemical parameters monitored in rabbit plasma showed that hGH did not produce detectable systemic effects. Thus the use of MBCP appears to be effective for local delivery of hGH and for increasing bone ingrowth.     

Experimental bone replacement with resorbable calcium phosphate ceramic (author's transl)

Compact cylindrical implants (5 x 15.5 mm) of seven calcium phosphate ceramics of different formulations that had been implanted for 6 weeks without fixation in the tibia of dogs were examined histologically. The tissue compatibility of the implant turned out to be dependent on the mineralogical and chemical composition of the material: the ceramic material was biocompatible at a CaO/P2O5 ratio between 2:1 and 4:1, the optimum ratio being about 3:1 (tricalcium phosphate). In addition, cylindrical tetracalcium phosphate implatns with an entirely porous structure were implanted in the same manner. After 6 months, they were resorbed to a minor extent. Implants of different calcium phosphate mixtures, on the other hand, were resorbed to a large extend after the same time. The ceramic material was replaced by mineralised bone tissue which had formed directly on the ceramic implant as well as within the pores. There were no foreign body reactions. Investigations with segment-shaped implants which were implanted in the tibia of dogs and fixed with AO-plates or splints extra-cutaneously for about 8-10 weeks, provided information abouth the maximum stress that can be borne by the implants. While implants with a porosity of 75 percent did not sustain the stress after the fixation had been removed, those with a porosity of 45 percent could be subjected to physiological stress after removal of the splints.     

Misrepresentation of publications by applicants for radiology fellowships: is it a problem?

In light of the recently described experimental technique of in vivo bone reconstitution with biotechnologic methods (from bone marrow stromal cells) and the prefabrication flap procedures, the possibility to obtain autologous bone growth in a myocutaneous flap, thus creating a composite osteomyocutaneous preformed flap, is postulated. Human bone marrow stromal cells were delivered into the latissimus dorsi of athymic mice by a porous hydroxyapatite ceramic model. Eight weeks after the implantation, histologic examination revealed the presence of spongious bone tissue. A simple myocutaneous flap was thus transformed into a composite osteomyocutaneous flap. This flap is called the biotechnologic prefabricated flap, because it was the result of ex vivo expanded osteogenic precursor cells and in vivo bone tissue neoformation. The shape of the bone flap was exactly the same as the shape of the ceramic model used. A possible clinical application may be the correction of skeletal defects. The advantages of this procedure are simple surgical execution, the possibility of preshaping the graft to the exact characteristics of the defect, and the availability of autogenous donor tissue without donor site morbidity.     

A novel sort of porous ceramic foam ball with modified surface for arsenic removal from aqueous solution

A sort of lightweight porous ceramic foam ball that can float on the water was recently made from the nat-ural zeolite.The diameters of porous ball and its macroscopic pores are around 5 and 1 mm, respectively. Such ball surface could be modified to activate in different ways, i.e.loading the active alumina or desili-cating the ball.Both of modified products have been investigated to adsorb the toxic ion of arsenic (As) in water effectively.This kind of porous ceramic ball was prepared by powder sintering, using natural clinop-tilolite powder as the primary raw material.An active-alumina-loaded porous ceramic product was genera-ted by sol-gel method with pseudoboehmite (AlOOH) as the main composition.The active Al atom on the porous ball surface could also be achieved by desilicating the ceramic ball in the NaOH solution. Such a desilicated product exhibited a good activity to adsorb the arsenic ion although carrying no ac-tive alumina.With this effective porous structure, the present products can be expected to become practically advantageous.     

微孔陶瓷管孔隙率的测定及表面润湿性研究

采用压汞法对由热压成型法自行制备的微孔陶瓷管孔隙结构进行研究,得到陶瓷管膜的孔隙分布。采用自行研制的三相界面测定仪测量了常见的低温金属锡与刚玉陶瓷管膜在240~640℃内的表观润湿现象,在该温度范围内锡与陶瓷管膜的接触角均大于150°,两者润湿性很差。依据图像处理技术和理论计算,提出一种测量多孔表面液滴渗透速度的方法,推导出液滴向陶瓷管微孔内渗透的速度方程。并以油滴进行实验,实验发现渗透过程中液滴首先会进行铺展,并且一段时间内维持其铺展半径直至最终完全渗入。     

Effect of Additive on Microstructure of Transparent YAG Ceramics

Crystallineyttriumaluminumgarnet (Y3 Al5O12 )isanimportantlasermaterialduetoitssuperioropti calandmechanicalproperties[1,2 ] .NeodymiumdopedYAGisusedwidelyaslaserhostmaterialinvarioussolidstatelasers .SingleYAGcrystalsaregenerallysynthesizedbyCzochralskim…     

Deformation behavior of skeletal composites under mechanical loading

The deformation behavior of ceramic-metal composites with a bulk-linked metal skeleton made of highly porous cellular nickel and a stainless wire mesh is examined. It is established that samples of skeletal ceramics remain intact after all types of destructive tests and show high plasticity and strain and fracture energies. A technique is developed for producing ceramics with a bulk-linked metal skeleton by filling a highly porous framework with a ceramic powder and subsequent pressing and sintering of the composite. The technique is tested for two types of skeletal ceramics: structural ceramics such as pyroceramics-highly porous cellular nickel and bioceramics such as hydroxyapatite-highly porous stainless wire skeleton. The hydroxyapatite-based composite has lower bending strength and shock bending energy but higher plasticity and nondestructability than the pyroceramics-based composite. __________ Translated from Poroshkovaya Metallurgiya, Vol. 46, No. 7–8 (456), pp. 82–90, 2007.     

Attentional effects on Necker cube adaptation.

If subjects adapt to an unambiguous version of a Necker cube, a subsequent ambiguous cube tends to be seen in the opposing perspective. The present experiment shows that this adaptation effect depends on whether the adapting cube is attended. During the adaptation phase, 12 Ss saw 2 superimposed cubes of opposite perspective and different sizes and colors centered on fixation. Ss detected color changes in line segments that defined either the small or large cube. The perception of the subsequent ambiguous cube depended on which of the adapting cubes was task relevant. This attentional effect showed a strong asymmetry. When Ss attended to the small adapting cube, an aftereffect appropriate to the perspective of the cube was found, but when the large adapting cube was attended, no aftereffect was present. This asymmetry may relate to constraints on the spatial distribution of attention. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

浇注法制备提钒尾渣多孔陶瓷试验研究

以提钒尾渣为主要原料,通过添加结合剂、粘土、减水剂和造孔剂,采用注浆成型工艺制备提钒尾渣多孔陶瓷,该多孔陶瓷可用于化工过滤、窑炉保温和建筑装饰等行业,可以大大提高提钒尾渣的利用率和附加值。通过条件试验较系统研究了煅烧温度、结合剂配入量、高温点保温时间、粘土配入量、造孔剂配入量对提钒尾渣多孔陶瓷性能影响。条件试验表明:结合剂选择铝酸盐水泥,配入量选择6%左右;煅烧温度选择1 050℃左右;保温时间选择4~6 h;粘土的配入量选择10%左右,造孔剂的配入量选择100 m L左右(每150 g原料),可制备符合要求的提钒尾渣多孔陶瓷。     

The relationship of various tibia bone measurements in hens

Tibias from 50 Single Comb White Leghorn hens were used to study the relationships among various bone measurements. The bone ash (BA), length, wet bone volume (V), fat-free dry matter (FFDM), fat-free bone density (BD; mass per unit bone volume), and bone breaking force (BF) were measured, and the BA concentration (BA/V) and BA as a percentage of FFDM (BA/FFDM) were calculated. Bone ash was highly correlated with FFDM (r = 0.975). The BD was poorly correlated with any of the parameters measured in the present study. The BF was highly correlated with BA (r = 0.922) and FFDM (r = 0.918), but less well correlated with BA/FFDM (r = 0.496) and BA/V (r = 0.694). However, the inclusion of volume2 significantly improved the BF predicting models when BA/V was used as predictor (R2 = 0.855), indicating that BF is not only a function of BA density but also of bone size. The BF adjusted for V may better reflect treatment effect upon bone status than BF alone. The coefficient of variation of BA/FFDM and BD was smaller (0.007) than the CV with BA/V (0.026), which may indicate the BA/V is potentially a better indicator of bone status than BA/FFDM and BD. Bone length was poorly correlated with BA, FFDM, and BF, but highly correlated with V (r = 0.844). The volume of the same bone measured by the water weight change method gave the most consistent measurement. The data showed that BA/V may be a better measurement to reflect the bone status changes of hens than other measurements tested. When BA, FFDM, or BF are used in laying hen's bone status studies, the data analysis needs to be adjusted for V, an V is closely correlated with these variables.     

冶金烟气微孔陶瓷管膜研制及深度除尘应用的研究

提出了将SiC、Al2O3等原料等静压成型后烧制成多孔陶瓷基体,再通过多次浸浆、干燥达到所需膜厚度后,采用热喷涂制成非对称陶瓷复合膜管的新工艺技术.研发出能够处理高温烟气的微孔陶瓷管复合膜除尘器,应用到冶金高温烟气中进行深度除尘和净化.采用了SEM、EDS等手段对多孔陶瓷基体和微孔复合膜进行表征,结果表明其具有良好的微孔结构和物理性质.自行设计了一套测定过滤效率的冷态试验装置模型,并通过实验确定了合理的参数.     

Preparation of MachinableY—TZP／LaPO4 Composite Ceramics byLiquid Precursor Infiltration

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Preparation and Properties of Ba6-3xEu8+2xTi18O54 Ceramics via Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid Precursor

Ba_6-3xEu_8+2xTi₁₈O₅₄ (x=2/3) (BET) ceramic powders were synthesized by the Pechini method using ethyl-enediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as a chelating agent. A milk-white, molecular-level, homogeneously mixed gel was prepared, and transferred into a porous resin intermediate through charring. Single-phase and well-crystallized BET ceramic powders were prepared by sintering and smashing ceramics samples, without the formation of any intermediate phases. Meanwhile, the crystal structure, which was determined by X-ray diffraction, had important effect on the microwave dielectric properties of BET. The BET ceramics had good microwave dielectric characteristics: ɛ_r = 72.13, Q_f = 7111 GHz, τ_f = −36.53 × 10⁻⁶/°C.     

Transmission FT-IR microspectroscopy of mineral phases in calcified tissues

Fourier-transform infrared microspectroscopy (FT-IRM) was used to study bone mineralization processes in an in vivo model and in enamel in osteogenesis imperfecta. Finally, the ability of FT-IRM to map new bone formed in implanted macroporous calcium phosphate biomaterial from sections was reported for the first time. FT-IRM allowed the correlation of the microstructure of bone formation in the in vivo model with modifications in carbonate and phosphate environments of the mineral phases during maturation. FR-IRM analysis on enamel sections revealed changes in the mineral environment of carbonate and phosphate ions and probably in the size of enamel crystals. These modifications contributed to the fragility of enamel in osteogenesis imperfecta. The infrared functional group imaging of a part of implanted biomaterial and the bone ingrowth provided the visualization of chemical modifications occurring in biomaterial implants at 20 microns spatial resolution. The use of FT-IRM, in conjunction with appropriate sampling methods and data analysis should provide further insight into the molecular structure of mineral phases of calcified tissues and help to elucidate mineralization processes, skeletal disorders and properties of the biomaterials used as bone substitute.