Postoperative tunnel enlargement has been frequently reported after anterior cruciate ligament（ACL）reconstruction.Interference screw,as a surgical implant in ACL reconstruction,may influence natural loading transmis...Postoperative tunnel enlargement has been frequently reported after anterior cruciate ligament（ACL）reconstruction.Interference screw,as a surgical implant in ACL reconstruction,may influence natural loading transmission and contribute to tunnel enlargement.The aims of this study are（1）to quantify the alteration of strain energy density（SED）distribution after the anatomic single-bundle ACL reconstruction;and（2）to characterize the influence of screw length and diameter on the degree of the SED alteration.A validated finite element model of human knee joint was used.The screw length ranging from 20 to 30 mm with screw diameter ranging from 7 to 9 mm were investigated.In the post-operative knee,the SED increased steeply at the extra-articular tunnel aperture under compressive and complex loadings,whereas the SED decreased beneath the screw shaft and nearby the intra-articular tunnel aperture.Increasing the screw length could lower the SED deprivation in the proximal part of the bone tunnel;whereas increasing either screw length or diameter could aggravate the SED deprivation in the distal part of the bone tunnel.Decreasing the elastic modulus of the screw could lower the bone SED deprivation around the screw.In consideration of both graft stability and SED alteration,a biodegradable interference screw with a long length is recommended,which could provide a beneficial mechanical environment at the distal part of the tunnel,and meanwhile decrease the bone-graft motion and synovial fluid propagation at the proximal part of the tunnel.These findings together with the clinical and histological factors could help to improve surgical outcome,and serve as a preliminary knowledge for the following study of biodegradable interference screw.展开更多
Myopia and astigmatism, two common refractive errors frequently co-exist, are degrading vision at all working distances in populations worldwide. Eyeballs having high degrees of myopia and astigmatism are known to exh...Myopia and astigmatism, two common refractive errors frequently co-exist, are degrading vision at all working distances in populations worldwide. Eyeballs having high degrees of myopia and astigmatism are known to exhibit abnormal eye shape at the anterior and posterior eye segments, but whether the outer coats of these abnormal eyeballs, cornea anteriorly and sclera posteriorly, are regulated by region-specific molecular mechanism remains unclear. Here we presented the changes in eye shape and mRNA expression levels of three genes (MMP2, TIMP2, and TGFB2), all known to participate in extracellular matrix organization, at five regions of the cornea and sclera in chickens developing high myopia and astigmatism induced by form deprivation. Our results showed that, compared to normal chicks, the highly myopic-astigmatic chicks had significantly astigmatic cornea, deeper anterior chamber, longer axial length, and higher expressions of all three genes in the superior sclera. These results imply that local molecular mechanism may manipulate the eye’s structural remodeling across the globe during refractive eye growth.展开更多
Introduction As a major component of musculoskeletal system,bones support body weight,facilitate body motion,protect internal organs,and also play critical roles in mineral homeostasis.Osteoporosis,one of the most com...Introduction As a major component of musculoskeletal system,bones support body weight,facilitate body motion,protect internal organs,and also play critical roles in mineral homeostasis.Osteoporosis,one of the most common bone diseases,is a result of imbalance in bone metabolism that causes low bone mass and micro-architectural deterioration.The inferior quality of osteoporotic bone leads to a consequent increase in bone fragility and susceptibility to fracture.It is known that osteoporotic fractures occur most frequently in trabeculae-rich skeletal sites such as spine,hip,distal radius,and ankle.With the great increase in the number of senile population,展开更多
A significant clinical challenge in large-to-massive rotator cuff tendon injuries is the need for sustaining high mechanical demands despite limited tissue regeneration,which often results in clinical repair failure w...A significant clinical challenge in large-to-massive rotator cuff tendon injuries is the need for sustaining high mechanical demands despite limited tissue regeneration,which often results in clinical repair failure with high retear rates and long-term functional deficiencies.To address this,an innovative tendon substitute named“BioTenoForce”is engineered,which uses(i)tendon extracellular matrix(tECM)’s rich biocomplexity for tendon-specific regeneration and(ii)a mechanically robust,slow degradation polyurethane elastomer to mimic native tendon’s physical attributes for sustaining long-term shoulder movement.Comprehensive assessments revealed outstanding performance of BioTenoForce,characterized by robust core-shell interfacial bonding,human rotator cuff tendon-like mechanical properties,excellent suture retention,biocompatibility,and tendon differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells.Importantly,BioTenoForce,when used as an interpositional tendon substitute,demonstrated successful integration with regenerative tissue,exhibiting remarkable efficacy in repairing large-to-massive tendon injuries in two animal models.Noteworthy outcomes include durable repair and sustained functionality with no observed breakage/rupture,accelerated recovery of rat gait performance,and>1 cm rabbit tendon regeneration with native tendon-like biomechanical attributes.The regenerated tissues showed tendon-like,wavy,aligned matrix structure,which starkly contrasts with the typical disorganized scar tissue observed after tendon injury,and was strongly correlated with tissue stiffness.Our simple yet versatile approach offers a dual-pronged,broadly applicable strategy that overcomes the limitations of poor regeneration and stringent biomechanical requirements,particularly essential for substantial defects in tendon and other load-bearing tissues.展开更多
Purpose： This study aims to explore the effects of running on different surfaces on the characteristics of in-shoe plantar pressure and tibial acceleration. Methods： Thirteen male recreational runners were required ...Purpose： This study aims to explore the effects of running on different surfaces on the characteristics of in-shoe plantar pressure and tibial acceleration. Methods： Thirteen male recreational runners were required to run at 12 km/h velocity on concrete, synthetic track, natural grass, a normal treadmill, and a treadmill equipped with an ethylene vinyl acetate （EVA） cushioning underlay （treadmill_EVA）, respectively. An in-shoe plantar pressure system and an accelerometer attached to the tibial tuberosity were used to record and analyze the characteristics of plantar pressure and tibial impact during running. Results： The results showed that there were no significant differences in the 1 st and 2nd peak plantar pressures （time of occurrence）, pressure-time integral, and peak pressure distribution for the concrete, synthetic, grass, and normal treadmill surfaces. No significant differences in peak positive acceleration were observed among the five tested surface conditions. Compared to the concrete surface, however, running on treadmillEVA showed a significant decrease in the 1st peak plantar pressure and the pressure time integral for the impact phase （p 〈 0.05）. These can be further ascribed to a reduced peak pressure observed at heel region （p 〈 0.05）. Conclusion： There may not be an inevitable relationship between the surface and the lower-limb impact in runners. It is, however, still noteworthy that the effects of different treadmill surfaces should be considered in the interpretation of plantar pressure performance and translation of such results to overground running.展开更多
The locking plate and percutaneous crossing metallic screws and crossing absorbable screws have been used clinically to treat intra-articular calcaneal fractures, but little is known about the biomechanical difference...The locking plate and percutaneous crossing metallic screws and crossing absorbable screws have been used clinically to treat intra-articular calcaneal fractures, but little is known about the biomechanical differences between them. This study compared the biomechanical stability of calcaneal fractures fixed using a locking plate and crossing screws. Three-dimensional finite-element models of intact and fractured calcanei were developed based on the CT images of a cadaveric sample. Surgeries were simulated on models of Sanders type III calcaneal fractures to produce accurate postoperative models fixed by the three implants. A vertical force was applied to the superior surface of the subtalar joint to simulate the stance phase of a walking gait. This model was validated by an in vitro experiment using the same calcaneal sample. The intact calcaneus showed greater stiffness than the fixation models. Of the three fixations, the locking plate produced the greatest stiffness and the highest von Mises stress peak. The micromotion of the fracture fixated with the locking plate was similar to that of the fracture fixated with the metallic screws but smaller than that fixated with the absorbable screws. Fixation with both plate and crossing screws can be used to treat intra-articular calcaneal fractures. In general, fixation with crossing metallic screws is preferable because it provides sufficient stability with less stress shielding.展开更多
A good knowledge of midfoot biomechanics is important in understanding the biomechanics of the entire foot,but it has never been investigated thoroughly in the literature.This study carried out in vitro experiments an...A good knowledge of midfoot biomechanics is important in understanding the biomechanics of the entire foot,but it has never been investigated thoroughly in the literature.This study carried out in vitro experiments and finite element analysis to investigate the midfoot biomechanics.A foot-ankle finite element model simulating the mid-stance phase of the normal gait was developed and the model validated in in vitro experimental tests.Experiments used seven in vitro samples of fresh human cadavers.The simulation found that the first principal stress peaks of all midfoot bones occurred at the navicular bone and that the tensile force of the spring ligament was greater than that of any other ligament.The experiments showed that the longitudinal strain acting on the medial cuneiform bone was-26.2±10.8μ-strain,and the navicular strain was-240.0±169.1μ-strain along the longitudinal direction and 65.1±25.8μ-strain along the transverse direction.The anatomical position and the spring ligament both result in higher shear stress in the navicular bone.The load from the ankle joint to five branches of the forefoot is redistributed among the cuneiforms and cuboid bones.Further studies on the mechanism of loading redistribution will be helpful in understanding the biomechanics of the entire foot.展开更多
The woodpecker does not suffer head/eye impact injuries while drumming on a tree trunk with high acceleration （more than 1000xg） and high frequency. The mechanism that protects the woodpecker＇s head has aroused the...The woodpecker does not suffer head/eye impact injuries while drumming on a tree trunk with high acceleration （more than 1000xg） and high frequency. The mechanism that protects the woodpecker＇s head has aroused the interest of ornithologists, biologists and scientists in the areas of mechanical engineering, material science and electronics engineering. This article reviews the literature on the biomechanisms and materials responsible for protecting the woodpecker from head impact injury and their applications in engineering and human protection.展开更多
Antibacterial materials play an important role in clinical application, and silver has been known to exhibit strong cytotoxicity towards a broad range of micro-organisms. In this work, the amorphous calcium phosphate ...Antibacterial materials play an important role in clinical application, and silver has been known to exhibit strong cytotoxicity towards a broad range of micro-organisms. In this work, the amorphous calcium phosphate with silver substitution （Ag-ACP） was synthesized by chemical precipitation method, and the valence of silver in ACP was adjusted by temperature. The processed Ag-ACP was combined with slightly acidic compounds to form new calcium phosphate cement （CPC）. Our results indicate that the valence of silver in CPC was adjusted successfully by chemical precipitation method and heat treatment. X-ray diffraction （XRD） and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS） results demonstrated that silver ion in CPC-1 and CPC-2 existed in Ag3PO4, after heat treatment of 460℃, silver became more stable in CPC-3 and CPC-4. Silver in CPC-1 end CPC-2 exhibited better releasing property. After heat treatment at 460 ℃, the amount of silver ion released from CPC decreased significantly. Besides, the antibacterial ability of Ag-CPC was adjusted by changing the valence of silver in Ag-CPC. Depending on the low valence of silver and good silver release, CPC-1 and CPC-2 exhibited better antibacterial activity. We believe that this study will motivate the development and applications of antibacterial CPC in bone tissue regeneration.展开更多
基金supported by the National Science & Technology Pillar Program of China(2012BAI18B07 and 2012BAI22B02)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(10925208 and 11120101001)the National Key Lab of Virtual Reality Technology
文摘Postoperative tunnel enlargement has been frequently reported after anterior cruciate ligament（ACL）reconstruction.Interference screw,as a surgical implant in ACL reconstruction,may influence natural loading transmission and contribute to tunnel enlargement.The aims of this study are（1）to quantify the alteration of strain energy density（SED）distribution after the anatomic single-bundle ACL reconstruction;and（2）to characterize the influence of screw length and diameter on the degree of the SED alteration.A validated finite element model of human knee joint was used.The screw length ranging from 20 to 30 mm with screw diameter ranging from 7 to 9 mm were investigated.In the post-operative knee,the SED increased steeply at the extra-articular tunnel aperture under compressive and complex loadings,whereas the SED decreased beneath the screw shaft and nearby the intra-articular tunnel aperture.Increasing the screw length could lower the SED deprivation in the proximal part of the bone tunnel;whereas increasing either screw length or diameter could aggravate the SED deprivation in the distal part of the bone tunnel.Decreasing the elastic modulus of the screw could lower the bone SED deprivation around the screw.In consideration of both graft stability and SED alteration,a biodegradable interference screw with a long length is recommended,which could provide a beneficial mechanical environment at the distal part of the tunnel,and meanwhile decrease the bone-graft motion and synovial fluid propagation at the proximal part of the tunnel.These findings together with the clinical and histological factors could help to improve surgical outcome,and serve as a preliminary knowledge for the following study of biodegradable interference screw.
文摘Myopia and astigmatism, two common refractive errors frequently co-exist, are degrading vision at all working distances in populations worldwide. Eyeballs having high degrees of myopia and astigmatism are known to exhibit abnormal eye shape at the anterior and posterior eye segments, but whether the outer coats of these abnormal eyeballs, cornea anteriorly and sclera posteriorly, are regulated by region-specific molecular mechanism remains unclear. Here we presented the changes in eye shape and mRNA expression levels of three genes (MMP2, TIMP2, and TGFB2), all known to participate in extracellular matrix organization, at five regions of the cornea and sclera in chickens developing high myopia and astigmatism induced by form deprivation. Our results showed that, compared to normal chicks, the highly myopic-astigmatic chicks had significantly astigmatic cornea, deeper anterior chamber, longer axial length, and higher expressions of all three genes in the superior sclera. These results imply that local molecular mechanism may manipulate the eye’s structural remodeling across the globe during refractive eye growth.
基金supported by the grant from National Natural Science Foundation of China(No. 11120101001)
文摘Introduction As a major component of musculoskeletal system,bones support body weight,facilitate body motion,protect internal organs,and also play critical roles in mineral homeostasis.Osteoporosis,one of the most common bone diseases,is a result of imbalance in bone metabolism that causes low bone mass and micro-architectural deterioration.The inferior quality of osteoporotic bone leads to a consequent increase in bone fragility and susceptibility to fracture.It is known that osteoporotic fractures occur most frequently in trabeculae-rich skeletal sites such as spine,hip,distal radius,and ankle.With the great increase in the number of senile population,
基金funding support,including The Research Grants Council of Hong Kong SAR(GRF 14121121,DMW,GRF 14118620,DMW,ECS24201720,DFEK)National Natural Science Foundation of China/Research Grants Council Joint Research Scheme(N_CUHK409/23,DMW)+1 种基金The Innovation and Technology Commission of Hong Kong SAR Innovation Tier 3 Support(ITS/090/18,DFEK)Health@InnoHK CNRM(DMW,AB,DFEK,RST).
文摘A significant clinical challenge in large-to-massive rotator cuff tendon injuries is the need for sustaining high mechanical demands despite limited tissue regeneration,which often results in clinical repair failure with high retear rates and long-term functional deficiencies.To address this,an innovative tendon substitute named“BioTenoForce”is engineered,which uses(i)tendon extracellular matrix(tECM)’s rich biocomplexity for tendon-specific regeneration and(ii)a mechanically robust,slow degradation polyurethane elastomer to mimic native tendon’s physical attributes for sustaining long-term shoulder movement.Comprehensive assessments revealed outstanding performance of BioTenoForce,characterized by robust core-shell interfacial bonding,human rotator cuff tendon-like mechanical properties,excellent suture retention,biocompatibility,and tendon differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells.Importantly,BioTenoForce,when used as an interpositional tendon substitute,demonstrated successful integration with regenerative tissue,exhibiting remarkable efficacy in repairing large-to-massive tendon injuries in two animal models.Noteworthy outcomes include durable repair and sustained functionality with no observed breakage/rupture,accelerated recovery of rat gait performance,and>1 cm rabbit tendon regeneration with native tendon-like biomechanical attributes.The regenerated tissues showed tendon-like,wavy,aligned matrix structure,which starkly contrasts with the typical disorganized scar tissue observed after tendon injury,and was strongly correlated with tissue stiffness.Our simple yet versatile approach offers a dual-pronged,broadly applicable strategy that overcomes the limitations of poor regeneration and stringent biomechanical requirements,particularly essential for substantial defects in tendon and other load-bearing tissues.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 11302131, No. 11372194, No. 11572202)+4 种基金the Doctoral Fund of Ministry of Education of China (No. 20123156120003)the Innovation Program of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (No. 14YZ125)the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (No. 14DZ1103500)
文摘Purpose： This study aims to explore the effects of running on different surfaces on the characteristics of in-shoe plantar pressure and tibial acceleration. Methods： Thirteen male recreational runners were required to run at 12 km/h velocity on concrete, synthetic track, natural grass, a normal treadmill, and a treadmill equipped with an ethylene vinyl acetate （EVA） cushioning underlay （treadmill_EVA）, respectively. An in-shoe plantar pressure system and an accelerometer attached to the tibial tuberosity were used to record and analyze the characteristics of plantar pressure and tibial impact during running. Results： The results showed that there were no significant differences in the 1 st and 2nd peak plantar pressures （time of occurrence）, pressure-time integral, and peak pressure distribution for the concrete, synthetic, grass, and normal treadmill surfaces. No significant differences in peak positive acceleration were observed among the five tested surface conditions. Compared to the concrete surface, however, running on treadmillEVA showed a significant decrease in the 1st peak plantar pressure and the pressure time integral for the impact phase （p 〈 0.05）. These can be further ascribed to a reduced peak pressure observed at heel region （p 〈 0.05）. Conclusion： There may not be an inevitable relationship between the surface and the lower-limb impact in runners. It is, however, still noteworthy that the effects of different treadmill surfaces should be considered in the interpretation of plantar pressure performance and translation of such results to overground running.
基金supported by the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Health and Family Planning(20144Y0250,20134Y207)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(11302154,11272273)The Hong Kong Research Grant Council GRF(PolyU152216/14E,PolyU5326/11E)
文摘The locking plate and percutaneous crossing metallic screws and crossing absorbable screws have been used clinically to treat intra-articular calcaneal fractures, but little is known about the biomechanical differences between them. This study compared the biomechanical stability of calcaneal fractures fixed using a locking plate and crossing screws. Three-dimensional finite-element models of intact and fractured calcanei were developed based on the CT images of a cadaveric sample. Surgeries were simulated on models of Sanders type III calcaneal fractures to produce accurate postoperative models fixed by the three implants. A vertical force was applied to the superior surface of the subtalar joint to simulate the stance phase of a walking gait. This model was validated by an in vitro experiment using the same calcaneal sample. The intact calcaneus showed greater stiffness than the fixation models. Of the three fixations, the locking plate produced the greatest stiffness and the highest von Mises stress peak. The micromotion of the fracture fixated with the locking plate was similar to that of the fracture fixated with the metallic screws but smaller than that fixated with the absorbable screws. Fixation with both plate and crossing screws can be used to treat intra-articular calcaneal fractures. In general, fixation with crossing metallic screws is preferable because it provides sufficient stability with less stress shielding.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(11302154,11272273)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2013M530211)+1 种基金Opening Project of Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orthopaedic Implants(KFKT2013002)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
文摘A good knowledge of midfoot biomechanics is important in understanding the biomechanics of the entire foot,but it has never been investigated thoroughly in the literature.This study carried out in vitro experiments and finite element analysis to investigate the midfoot biomechanics.A foot-ankle finite element model simulating the mid-stance phase of the normal gait was developed and the model validated in in vitro experimental tests.Experiments used seven in vitro samples of fresh human cadavers.The simulation found that the first principal stress peaks of all midfoot bones occurred at the navicular bone and that the tensile force of the spring ligament was greater than that of any other ligament.The experiments showed that the longitudinal strain acting on the medial cuneiform bone was-26.2±10.8μ-strain,and the navicular strain was-240.0±169.1μ-strain along the longitudinal direction and 65.1±25.8μ-strain along the transverse direction.The anatomical position and the spring ligament both result in higher shear stress in the navicular bone.The load from the ankle joint to five branches of the forefoot is redistributed among the cuneiforms and cuboid bones.Further studies on the mechanism of loading redistribution will be helpful in understanding the biomechanics of the entire foot.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (10925208,11120101001,11202017,11272038)Beijing Natural Science Foundation (7133245)+1 种基金Young Scholars for the Doctoral Program of Ministry of Education of China (20121102120039)the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (G-U624)
文摘The woodpecker does not suffer head/eye impact injuries while drumming on a tree trunk with high acceleration （more than 1000xg） and high frequency. The mechanism that protects the woodpecker＇s head has aroused the interest of ornithologists, biologists and scientists in the areas of mechanical engineering, material science and electronics engineering. This article reviews the literature on the biomechanisms and materials responsible for protecting the woodpecker from head impact injury and their applications in engineering and human protection.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51172074No.51302089)+4 种基金the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province of China(No. 04205786)the Hong Kong Scholars Program(No.XJ2011010)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(CPSF,No. 2012M511571,201104358)Guangdong Natural Science Foundation(No.S2012040007845)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,SCUT(No.2013ZZ0010)
文摘Antibacterial materials play an important role in clinical application, and silver has been known to exhibit strong cytotoxicity towards a broad range of micro-organisms. In this work, the amorphous calcium phosphate with silver substitution （Ag-ACP） was synthesized by chemical precipitation method, and the valence of silver in ACP was adjusted by temperature. The processed Ag-ACP was combined with slightly acidic compounds to form new calcium phosphate cement （CPC）. Our results indicate that the valence of silver in CPC was adjusted successfully by chemical precipitation method and heat treatment. X-ray diffraction （XRD） and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS） results demonstrated that silver ion in CPC-1 and CPC-2 existed in Ag3PO4, after heat treatment of 460℃, silver became more stable in CPC-3 and CPC-4. Silver in CPC-1 end CPC-2 exhibited better releasing property. After heat treatment at 460 ℃, the amount of silver ion released from CPC decreased significantly. Besides, the antibacterial ability of Ag-CPC was adjusted by changing the valence of silver in Ag-CPC. Depending on the low valence of silver and good silver release, CPC-1 and CPC-2 exhibited better antibacterial activity. We believe that this study will motivate the development and applications of antibacterial CPC in bone tissue regeneration.
