Dependence of trabecular structure on bone quantity: A comparison between osteoarthritic and non-pathological bone

BackgroundThe mechanical characterization of trabecular bone is related to its structure. In order to describe the trabecular structure and to study the mechanical behavior of the trabecular tissue, several parameters are presented in the literature. Some studies suggest a possible dependence of the structure on bone volume fraction; this dependence could bias the validity of previous studies. The problem increases its complexity when pathological bone such as osteoarthritic tissue is studied, where the organization of the trabecular structure could be different if compared to the non-pathological tissue. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the dependence between trabecular structure and bone volume fraction. The secondary aim was to compare osteoarthritic and non-pathological bone considering the correlation between structure and bone volume fraction.MethodsSixty trabecular bone specimens were extracted from femoral heads of two groups of 30 Caucasian donors; an osteoarthritic group and a non-pathological group. Several structural parameters, such as bone volume fraction, direct trabecular thickness, fabric tensor eigenvalues and their normalizations, were calculated from micro-CT analysis. A statistical analysis was carried out to identify the dependences between structural parameters and bone volume fraction. The comparison between osteoarthritic bone and non-pathological bone was also performed.FindingsOnly the normalized eigenvalues of the fabric tensor were not correlated to bone volume fraction (RInterpretationIn conclusion, orientation and anisotropy of the trabecular structure do not depend on bone volume fraction. Moreover, differences in the first and second normalized fabric tensor eigenvalues suggest in the osteoarthritic group a structure more oriented along the main trabecular direction.Simone Tassani, Francesca Particelli, Egon Perilli, Francesco Traina, Fabio Baruffaldi and Marco Vicecont

Searches for scalar top and scalar bottom quarks in e+e- interactions at 161 GeV <= √s <= 183 GeV

Searches for scalar top and scalar bottom quarks have been performed at center-of-mass energies between 161 GeV and 183 GeV using the L3 detector at LEP. No signal is observed. Model-independent limits on production cross sections are determined for the two decay channels t̃1 → cχ̃0 1 and b̃1 → b χ̃0 1. Within the framework of the Minimal Supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model mass limits are derived. For mass differences between t̃1 and χ̃0 1 greater than 10 GeV a 95% C.L. limit of 81.5 GeV is set on the mass of the Supersymmetric partner of the left-handed top. A supersymmetric partner of the left-handed bottom with a mass below 80 GeV is excluded at 95% C.L. if the mass difference between b̃1 and χ̃1 is greater than 20 GeV. © 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved

Searches for scalar top and scalar bottom quarks in e(+)e(-) interactions at 161GeV &lt;=root s &lt;= 183GeV

Searches for scalar top and scalar bottom quarks have been performed at center-of-mass energies between 161 GeV and 183 GeV using the L3 detector at LEP. No signal is observed. Model-independent limits on production cross sections are determined for the two decay channels t̃1 → cχ̃0 1 and b̃1 → b χ̃0 1. Within the framework of the Minimal Supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model mass limits are derived. For mass differences between t̃1 and χ̃0 1 greater than 10 GeV a 95% C.L. limit of 81.5 GeV is set on the mass of the Supersymmetric partner of the left-handed top. A supersymmetric partner of the left-handed bottom with a mass below 80 GeV is excluded at 95% C.L. if the mass difference between b̃1 and χ̃1 is greater than 20 GeV. © 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved