Extracting accurate strain measurements in bone mechanics: A critical review of current methods

Osteoporosis related fractures are a social burden that advocates for more accurate fracture prediction methods. Mechanistic methods, e.g. finite element models, have been proposed as a tool to better predict bone mechanical behaviour and strength. However, there is little consensus about the optimal constitutive law to describe bone as a material. Extracting reliable and relevant strain data from experimental tests is of fundamental importance to better understand bone mechanical properties, and to validate numerical models. Several techniques have been used to measure strain in experimental mechanics, with substantial differences in terms of accuracy, precision, time- and length-scale. Each technique presents upsides and downsides that must be carefully evaluated when designing the experiment. Moreover, additional complexities are often encountered when applying such strain measurement techniques to bone, due to its complex composite structure. This review of literature examined the four most commonly adopted methods for strain measurements (strain gauges, fibre Bragg grating sensors, digital image correlation, and digital volume correlation), with a focus on studies with bone as a substrate material, at the organ and tissue level. For each of them the working principles, a summary of the main applications to bone mechanics at the organ- and tissue-level, and a list of pros and cons are provided

Local treatment of a bone graft by soaking in zoledronic acid inhibits bone resorption and bone formation. A bone chamber study in rats.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Bone grafts are frequently used in orthopaedic surgery. Graft remodelling is advantageous but can occur too quickly, and premature bone resorption might lead to decreased mechanical integrity of the graft. Bisphosphonates delay osteoclastic bone resorption but may also impair formation of new bone. We hypothesize that these effects are dose dependent. In the present study we evaluate different ways of applying bisphosphonates locally to the graft in a bone chamber model, and compare that with systemic treatment. METHODS: Cancellous bone grafts were placed in titanium chambers and implanted in the tibia of 50 male rats, randomly divided into five groups. The first group served as negative control and the grafts were rinsed in saline before implantation. In the second and third groups, the grafts were soaked in a zoledronic acid solution (0.5 mg/ml) for 5 seconds and 10 minutes respectively before being rinsed in saline. In the fourth group, 8 μL of zoledronic acid solution (0.5 mg/ml) was pipetted onto the freeze-dried grafts without rinsing. The fifth group served as positive control and the rats were given zoledronic acid (0.1 mg/kg) systemically as a single injection two weeks after surgery. The grafts were harvested at 6 weeks and analysed with histomorphometry, evaluating the ingrowth distance of new bone into the graft as an equivalent to the anabolic osteoblast effect and the amount (bone volume/total volume; BV/TV) of remaining bone in the remodelled graft as equivalent to the catabolic osteoclast effect. RESULTS: In all chambers, almost the entire graft had been revascularized but only partly remodelled at harvest. The ingrowth distance of new bone into the graft was lower in grafts soaked in zoledronic acid for 10 minutes compared to control (p = 0.007). In all groups receiving zoledronic acid, the BV/TV was higher compared to control. CONCLUSIONS: This study found a strong inhibitory effect on bone resorption by bisphosphonates but also a limited inhibition of the ingrowth of new bone. Local treatment at surgery resulted in stronger inhibition of both resorption and bone formation compared to systemic treatment

Larido’nun sergüzeşti

Paul de Kock'un Tercüman-ı Hakikat'te yayımlanan Larido’nun Sergüzeşti adlı romanının ilk ve son tefrikalarıTefrikanın devamına rastlanmamış, tefrika yarım kalmıştır

Biomechanical properties of bone in a mouse model of Rett syndrome

Rett syndrome (RTT) is an X-linked genetic disorder and a major cause of intellectual disability in girls. Mutations in the methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (<i>MECP2</i>) gene are the primary cause of the disorder. Despite the dominant neurological phenotypes, <i>MECP2</i> is expressed ubiquitously throughout the body and a number of peripheral phenotypes such as scoliosis, reduced bone mineral density and skeletal fractures are also common and important clinical features of the disorder. In order to explore whether MeCP2 protein deficiency results in altered structural and functional properties of bone and to test the potential reversibility of any defects, we have conducted a series of histological, imaging and biomechanical tests of bone in a functional knockout mouse model of RTT. Both hemizygous <i>Mecp2</i><sup>stop/y</sup> male mice in which <i>Mecp2</i> is silenced in all cells and female <i>Mecp2</i><sup>stop/+</sup> mice in which <i>Mecp2</i> is silenced in ~ 50% of cells as a consequence of random X-chromosome inactivation, revealed significant reductions in cortical bone stiffness, microhardness and tensile modulus. Microstructural analysis also revealed alterations in both cortical and cancellous femoral bone between wild-type and MeCP2-deficient mice. Furthermore, unsilencing of <i>Mecp2</i> in adult mice cre-mediated stop cassette deletion resulted in a restoration of biomechanical properties (stiffness, microhardness) towards wild-type levels. These results show that MeCP2-deficiency results in overt, but potentially reversible, alterations in the biomechanical integrity of bone and highlights the importance of targeting skeletal phenotypes in considering the development of pharmacological and gene-based therapies

Initial configurations and business models in new technology-based firms

Purpose:  The purpose of the paper is to analyse founders’ perceptions of initial configurations and business models in new technology-based firms (NTBFs).Design: Case studies were performed using semi-structured interviews and interactive techniques involving open questions and activity cards to capture perceptions of activities that form the firms’ business models.Findings: The Business Model template, commonly referred to as the Business Model Canvas, is frequently used among these companies and seemed to have shaped the business model discourse in our case companies. Our findings also indicate that founders of NTBFs perceive their customer value proposition as the most valuable element of their business model. We also recognized signs of the influence of financial partners on the founders’ perceptions of the initial business models. Furthermore, findings show that some NTBFs create parallel business models within their firms to ensure survival in the start-up phase.Originality/value: The paper adds value to business model research by describing how NTBFs’ structure their initial business activities and the elements of their initial business models perceived to be as more crucial during the early years as well as how these perceptions change

Comparison of small‑angle neutron and X‑ray scattering for studying cortical bone nanostructure

In this study, we present a combined small-angle neutron and X-ray scattering (SANS and SAXS) study of the nanoscale structure of cortical bone specimens from three different species. The variation of the scattering cross section of elements across the periodic table is very different for neutrons and X-rays. For X-rays, it is proportional to the electron density while for neutrons it varies irregularly with the atomic number. Hence, combining the two techniques on the same specimens allows for a more detailed interpretation of the scattering patterns as compared to a single-contrast experiment. The current study was performed on bovine, porcine and ovine specimens, obtained in two perpendicular directions with respect to the main axis of the bone (longitudinal and radial) in order to maximise the understanding of the nanostructural organisation. The specimens were also imaged with high resolution micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), yielding tissue mineral density and microstructural orientation as reference. We show that the SANS and SAXS patterns from the same specimen are effectively identical, suggesting that these bone specimens can be approximated as a two-component composite material. Hence, the observed small-angle scattering results mainly from the mineral-collagen contrast, apart from minor features associated with the internal collagen structure

How accurately can subject-specific finite element models predict strains and strength of human femora? Investigation using full-field measurements

Subject-specific finite element models have been proposed as a tool to improve fracture risk assessment in individuals. A thorough laboratory validation against experimental data is required before introducing such models in clinical practice. Results from digital image correlation can provide full-field strain distribution over the specimen surface during in vitro test, instead of at a few pre-defined locations as with strain gauges. The aim of this study was to validate finite element models of human femora against experimental data from three cadaver femora, both in terms of femoral strength and of the full-field strain distribution collected with digital image correlation. The results showed a high accuracy between predicted and measured principal strains (R2=0.93, RMSE=10%, 1600 validated data points per specimen). Femoral strength was predicted using a rate dependent material model with specific strain limit values for yield and failure. This provided an accurate prediction (<2% error) for two out of three specimens. In the third specimen, an accidental change in the boundary conditions occurred during the experiment, which compromised the femoral strength validation. The achieved strain accuracy was comparable to that obtained in state-of-the-art studies which validated their prediction accuracy against 10–16 strain gauge measurements. Fracture force was accurately predicted, with the predicted failure location being very close to the experimental fracture rim. Despite the low sample size and the single loading condition tested, the present combined numerical-experimental method showed that finite element models can predict femoral strength by providing a thorough description of the local bone mechanical response

Generation of 3D shape, density, cortical thickness and finite element mesh of proximal femur from a DXA image

Areal bone mineral density (aBMD), as measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), predicts hip fracture risk only moderately. Simulation of bone mechanics based on DXA imaging of the proximal femur, may help to improve the prediction accuracy. Therefore, we collected three (1-3) image sets, including CT images and DXA images of 34 proximal cadaver femurs (set1, including 30 males, 4 females), 35 clinical patient CT images of the hip (set 2, including 27 males, 8 females) and both CT and DXA images of clinical patients (set 3, including 12 female patients). All CT images were segmented manually and landmarks were placed on both femurs and pelvises. Two separate statistical appearance models (SAMs) were built using the CT images of the femurs and pelvises in sets 1 and 2, respectively. The 3D shape of the femur was reconstructed from the DXA image by matching the SAMs with the DXA images. The orientation and modes of variation of the SAMs were adjusted to minimize the sum of the absolute differences between the projection of the SAMs and a DXA image. The mesh quality and the location of the SAMs with respect to the manually placed control points on the DXA image were used as additional constraints. Then, finite element (FE) models were built from the reconstructed shapes. Mean point-to-surface distance between the reconstructed shape and CT image was 1.0mm for cadaver femurs in set 1 (leave-one-out test) and 1.4mm for clinical subjects in set 3. The reconstructed volumetric BMD showed a mean absolute difference of 140 and 185mg/cm3 for set 1 and set 3 respectively. The generation of the SAM and the limitation of using only one 2D image were found to be the most significant sources of errors in the shape reconstruction. The noise in the DXA images had only small effect on the accuracy of the shape reconstruction. DXA-based FE simulation was able to explain 85% of the CT-predicted strength of the femur in stance loading. The present method can be used to accurately reconstruct the 3D shape and internal density of the femur from 2D DXA images. This may help to derive new information from clinical DXA images by producing patient-specific FE models for mechanical simulation of femoral bone mechanics