Bone Perimeter Research Articles

A mouse model of disuse osteoporosis based on a movable noninvasive 3D-printed unloading device.

ObjectiveDisuse osteoporosis is a major type of bone loss disease characterized by regional bone loss and microstructure alterations. The condition is induced by a marked decrease in weight bearing over time, which usually occurs due to limb immobilization, therapeutic bed rest or space flight. To date, the most commonly used mouse model of disuse osteoporosis is constructed using the classical tail suspension method, which causes tail injury, movement inconvenience and mental stress. This study aimed to propose a noninvasive and effective method for the establishment of a mouse model of disuse osteoporosis and compared this method with the tail suspension method.Methods3D printing technology was applied to construct a movable unloading device. A movable noninvasive 3D-printed unloading device (3D-ULD) was used to unload the hindlimbs of the mice. The bone microstructure and bone volume of unloaded femurs were analysed through micro-CT and H&E staining, and von Kossa staining was performed for the detection of bone mineralization in the femurs. TRAP staining, IHC-CTSK and Q-PCR were performed for evaluation of the bone resorption ability, and double labelling, IHC-DMP1, ALP staining and Q-PCR assays were conducted to assess the osteogenic ability. The mechanical properties of disused bone were detected using the three-point bending test. The body, thymus and spleen weights of the mice were recorded, and the serum corticosterone level of the mice was assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).ResultsThe micro-CT results showed significant trabecular bone loss, and 3D-ULD induced cortical bone loss in disused femurs as well as a decrease in the bone mineral density in the unloaded mice. TRAP staining and IHC-CTSK staining results indicated increases in the osteoclast number per bone perimeter (Oc.N/B.Pm) and the osteoclast surface per bone surface (Oc.S/BS) in the unloaded mice. The Ctsk, Trap and Mmp9 expression levels were significantly increased in the unloaded mice. Decreases in the ratio of the mineral surface to bone surface (MS/BS), mineral apposition rate (MAR) and bone formation rate per bone surface (BFR/BS) were found in unloaded mice in the 3D-ULD by double labelling. The IHC-DMP1 and ALP staining results showed decreases in the osteoblast number per bone perimeter (Ob.N/B.Pm) and osteoblast surface per bone surface (Ob. S/BS) in the mice unloaded in the 3D-ULD, and these mice also showed decreased Runx2, Alp and Dmp1 expression levels. Three-point bending test results showed that the mechanical properties were attenuated in the disused femurs of the unloaded mice. Less skin rupture and rare alterations in the thymus and spleen weights were found in the unloaded mice in the 3D-ULD. The ELISA results indicated the serum corticosterone level of the mice unloaded in the 3D-ULD was significantly lower than that of mice suspended by their tail.ConclusionThis new disuse osteoporosis mouse model based on 3D-ULD could induce effective disuse bone loss with significantly alleviated side effects.Translational potential of this articleThis study proposes a new disuse osteoporosis mouse model based on 3D-ULD that can be used to better understand disuse bone loss in the future.

Structural Traits, Structural Indices and Body Weight Prediction of Arsi Cows

Structural measurements are indicators of animal performance, productivity and carcass characteristics. This study was conducted with the objectives of assessing structural measurements, developing body weight prediction and structural indices for cows of Arsi breed. The cows were purchased from highland and lowland agro-ecologies of Arsi and East Shoa zones of Oromia regional state, Ethiopia and kept in Adami Tulu Agricultural Research Center (ATARC) for the breed development purpose. Totally 222 cows were included in the structural traits measurement. Thirty four young heifers were also considered in the study. Twenty two structural traits were considered during observational survey. The structural index was calculated from the phenotypically correlated linear measurements. Structural traits were analyzed by T-test of SPSS version twenty four. The observed average values of height at wither, chest depth, heart girth, body length, pelvic width, cannon bone circumferences of the cows were 107, 55.62, 141.06, 117.82, 31.41 and 13.58cm, respectively. Heart girth (0.82), flank girth (0.73), hook circumferences (0.67), chest depth (0.65) and height at rump (0.64) were highly correlated (P< 0.01) to body weight of the cows. Regression analysis indicated that hearth girth had the highest coefficient of determination for body weight of the cows and heifers. Accordingly, the simple linear equations were developed to predict the body weight of cows and heifers. Body weight of Arsi cow (y) = -221.005 + 3.1(heart girth) and Body weight of Arsi heifer (y) = -188.452 + 2.75 (heart girth). Based on this, the measuring chart tape can be developed to estimate the body weight of Arsi cows and heifers at field condition where there is no access to weighing scales.

Body and testicular biometry of Crioulo stallions

ABSTRACT: Brazilian Association of Crioulo Horse Breeders (ABCCC) establishes minimal and maximal body biometrics evaluation; although, nothing is mentioned about testicular measurements. Body and testicular growth are associated and related to age. We described data regarding body and testicular biometry of Crioulo stallions, with a comparative study between young and adult categories. Evaluation was performed in 56 stallions, Crioulo breed, split in: youngsters (3 and 4 years-old, n=16) and adults (above 5 years-old, n=40). Body biometry included weight, height, cannon bone and chest circumference, body score condition and neck fat accumulation. Testicular biometry included height, length, width, volume, combined volume and daily sperm output (DSO). Statistical analyses included descriptive statistic, Pearson correlation, comparison between means by Kruskal Wallis, being P < 0.05 considered significant. There was no significant difference between the parameters of body and testicular biometrics between categories young and adult. In relation to height, the average was very close to the lower limit established, while chest and cannon bone circumference were above the minimum recommended by ABCCC. Cannon bone circumference presented a positive correlation with height. Most of stallions presented excessive body fat, with a body score condition above 8 (scale 1-9). Neck fat accumulation presented a positive correlation with body score condition. Testicular height, length, width and volume presented a positive correlation between the ipsi and contralateral testicle, total testicular volume and DSO. In conclusion, no difference in the body and testicular biometric evaluation was observed between young and adult Crioulo stallions. Testicular and body growth are associated and also related to age, so our finding suggested that after 3-4 years-old most of Crioulo stallions have already reached maximum growth.

Relationships between the age and blood test results or body sizes in Noma horses.

The objective of this study is to analyze the relationships between the age and blood test results or body sizes in Noma horses by using the results of periodical health examination. Out of 45 hematological or physical items examined, statistically significant, but loose correlations were observed in 14 items. Red blood cell count, activities of aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and creatinine kinase, concentrations of calcium and inorganic phosphorus decreased with aging. Conversely, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, lipase activity, γ-globulin and chloride concentrations, body height, chest circumference and cannon bone circumference increased with aging. The changes in a few items seemed unique to Noma horse. However, most age-related changes found in this study might be considered as a common trend in horse breeds rather than distinctive characteristic in Noma horse.

A comparative study of sex determination using femoral parameters

Introduction and Aim: Extensive examination of the femoral anthropometry has been commonly accepted to disclose sexual differentiation. The current study was carried out to evaluate various measurements of the pathologically fit femora of the unknown sex to differentiate the sex of the femora.
 
 Materials and Methods: Each femur was meticulously assessed and analyzed for six specific parameters such as maximal length, proximal breadth, and head circumference, mid-shaft circumference, vertical diameter, and neck-shaft angle of the femur bone. All the measurements were statistically analyzed and tabulated.
 
 Results:The results were highly significant to all the parameters thereby concluding that an individual’s sex can be determined by examining the femora.
 
 Conclusion:The results leave a huge scope for validation over a larger sample size focussing on an extensive human race.

2-Octyl Cyanoacrylate (Dermabond®) Inhibits Bridging Bone Formation of Articular Fractures in a Rat Model.

One technique often used for small intraarticular fracture fixation involves the use of 2-octyl-cyanoacrylate (2-OCTA) (Dermabond®, Ethicon, Inc., Raritan, USA). The purpose of this study was to determine if 2-OCTA impedes bony healing. Osteochondral plugs in 38 retired Sprague-Dawley rats were created in both hind legs. Each rat had one plug dipped in 2-OCTA before fixation and one control plug. H&E staining was used to quantify bone bridging. The 2-OCTA group had a mean bridging bone circumference of 22.80%, significantly less than 67.75% in the control group (p<0.05). Our data suggests that 2-OCTA blocks bridging bone formation, making it a poor choice for fracture fixation.

Evaluation of the Conservation Status of the Croatian Posavina Horse Breed Based on Pedigree and Microsatellite Data.

Simple SummaryConservation of local horse breeds as part of animal genetic resources is of national and global importance. Monitoring of local breeds is often fragmentary, i.e., it involves analysis of pedigrees, phenotype, and genetic structure. Using the Croatian Posavina horse as an example, we analyzed the status of the population with regard to available pedigree information, phenotype measures of stallions and mares, and genetic structure based on microsatellites. The generation interval is about eight years, indicating relatively early involvement of animals in reproduction for economic use of the breed. The depth of the pedigree is relatively modest due to a relatively short period of systematic breeding work (two decades). The number of active sire-lines and mare-lines is favorable and forms a good basis for the preservation of the breed. Regarding conformation, the Croatian Posavina horse kept the recognizability of the small-sized horse breed in the coldblooded type, in which there are clear traces of the earlier controlled introduction of the Arabian and other breeds. Its genetic diversity component has been preserved. The above results are a guide for further implementation of effective programs for the conservation of endangered local horse breeds.The Croatian Posavina horse (CPH) is native Croatian breed under a conservation program and under various programs of economic use (ecosystem services, agrotourism, and meat production). The aim of this study was to analyze the status of the CPH population through an analysis of their pedigree (28,483 records), phenotype (292 licensed stallions, 255 mares), and genetic structure (292 licensed stallions). The average generation interval was 8.20 years, and the number of complete generations was 1.66. The effective number of founders and ancestors was 138 and 107, respectively, with a ratio of 1.29, and the genetic conservation index was 4.46. As for the morphometric characteristics, the average withers height of the stallions was 142.79 cm, the chest circumference was 194.28 cm, and the cannon bone circumference was 22.34. In mares, the withers height, chest, and cannon bone circumference were lower (139.71 cm, 190.30 cm, and 20.94 cm, respectively). Genetic microsatellite analysis of the 29 sire-lines showed high genetic diversity, expressed as the mean allele number (7.7), allele richness (4.0), and expected heterozygosity (0.740). There was no evidence of high inbreeding or a genetic bottleneck. The genetic and phenotypic data indicate that the CPH is an important and diverse reservoir of genetic diversity and can be conserved because of its special characteristics (adaptability).

A Single-Step Genome Wide Association Study on Body Size Traits Using Imputation-Based Whole-Genome Sequence Data in Yorkshire Pigs.

The body shape of a pig is the most direct production index, which can fully reflect the pig’s growth status and is closely related to important economic traits. In this study, a genome-wide association study on seven body size traits, the body length (BL), height (BH), chest circumference (CC), abdominal circumference (AC), cannon bone circumference (CBC), rump width (RW), and chest width (CW), were conducted in Yorkshire pigs. Illumina Porcine 80K SNP chips were used to genotype 589 of 5,572 Yorkshire pigs with body size records, and then the chip data was imputed to sequencing data. After quality control of imputed sequencing data, 784,267 SNPs were obtained, and the averaged linkage disequilibrium (r2) was 0.191. We used the single-trait model and the two-trait model to conduct single-step genome wide association study (ssGWAS) on seven body size traits; a total of 198 significant SNPS were finally identified according to the P-value and the contribution to the genetic variance of individual SNP. 11 candidate genes (CDH13, SIL1, CDC14A, TMRPSS15, TRAPPC9, CTNND2, KDM6B, CHD3, MUC13, MAPK4, and HMGA1) were found to be associated with body size traits in pigs; KDM6B and CHD3 jointly affect AC and CC, and MUC13 jointly affect RW and CW. These genes are involved in the regulation of bone growth and development as well as the absorption of nutrients and are associated with obesity. HMGA1 is proposed as a strong candidate gene for body size traits because of its important function and high consistency with other studies regarding the regulation of body size traits. Our results could provide valuable information for pig breeding based on molecular breeding.

Neoplastic Monocyte-Derived Osteoclasts Are Highly Proliferative, but Sub-Functional in MPN-Associated Myelofibrosis

Background: Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) are clonal disorders characterized by the proliferation of myeloid progenitors. A defining hallmark of MPN-associated myelofibrosis (MF) is the deposition of fibrous tissue inside the bone marrow (BM) stroma, arising either as a primary process (PMF), or secondary to the essential thromocythemia (post-ET MF) or polycythemia vera. In at least 1/3 of cases, BM fibrosis is accompanied by the osteosclerotic thickening of the bone trabeculae. It was generally held that these changes are a reaction of mesenchymal cells to the stimuli from the malignant clone. However, the recent discovery of neoplastic monocyte-derived fibrocytes capable of directly inducing BM fibrosis in situ and in vivo has led us to hypothesize that other tissue remodeling cells of the myeloid lineage may play similar roles in the pathogenesis of MPN-associated MF. Osteoclasts (OC) are giant multinuclear cells formed by the fusion of multiple monocytic progenitors. Apart from being exclusively bone-resorbing cells, OCs have a critical role in regulating bone formation by the mesenchymal cell-derived osteoblasts (OB) and maintaining the hematopoietic BM microenvironment. The aim of this study was to examine the status of these cells in MF patients and explore the effects that the neoplastic OC progenitors exert on the development of MPN-associated osteosclerosis.Methods: In order to quantitate bone remodeling cells, trephine biopsies were obtained from patients with PMF (n = 32) and post-ET MF (n = 27), as well as healthy controls (n = 3). A tyramide signal amplification-based fluorescence IHC approach was employed using TRAP and cathepsin K as OC-specific and CD56and osterix as OB-specific markers. In addition, CD14+ low-density peripheral blood cells from the representative MF patients and healthy controls were cultured in the presence of M-CSF and RANKL. After 3 weeks mature OCs were visualized using fluorescently labeled F-actin and TRAP with DAPI as the nuclear counterstain, and the JAK2V617F allele frequency was assessed via RT-PCR. For the OC functional assay, cells were plated on a mineralized surface, which was subsequently stained using a modified von Kossa method. To assess the OC fusion capacity, two populations of progenitors labeled with different lipophilic probes were mixed in a 1:1 ratio and the colocalized signal was quantified for each mature cell. All imaging was conducted using an automated multispectral or a dual spinning disk confocal system.Results: Based on the multiplex BM imaging analysis, we observed a significant increase in the number of OCs in MF patients compared to healthy controls (median: 21.8 vs. 7.0 per 100 mm of bone perimeter; p < 0.0001) that was followed by a substantial increase in the total number of OBs and the density of trabecular bone. After inducing differentiation of JAK2+ monocytes from MF patients into mature TRAP+ OCs in vitro, these cells consistently showed a high mutant allele frequency. Compared to OCs cultured from healthy monocytes, MF patients' OCs exhibited a 40.5% decrease in the median number of nuclei per cell (p= 0.024) and a tendency to incompletely develop F-actin rings. Simultaneously, there was no change in the mean TRAP positivity between the two groups. Finally, MF OCs were significantly less apt at resorbing mineral-coated areas in contrast to healthy cells (median: 21.5% vs. 7.3%; p= 0.016), and there was a 3-fold decrease in the proportion of fused mature OCs from MF monocytes compared to healthy ones (p= 0.008).Conclusions: The development of OCs is highly skewed towards proliferation in both primary and secondary MPN-associated MF. We were able to demonstrate that neoplastic monocytic progenitors retain their aberrant genetic constitution even after differentiating into mature OCs. However, fusion of such progenitors seems to be profoundly impaired, and MF OCs are unable to fully acquire the phenotypical features associated with efficient bone resorption, particularly multinucleation and the development of actin-rich structures. At least to a certain extent, this process happens independently of the non-malignant stroma, although it seems to be impacting the OBs as well. Taken together, we show evidence that even though MF OCs are hyperproliferative, their function is intrinsically supressed due to the inherited neoplastic burden, which in turn contributes to the osteosclerotic dysplasia of the MPN-affected BM. DisclosuresVerstovsek:Blueprint Medicines Corp: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Galena BioPharma: Research Funding; Bristol Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Bristol Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Roche: Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding; Lilly Oncology: Research Funding; Astrazeneca: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Promedior: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Galena BioPharma: Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding; Gilead: Research Funding; NS Pharma: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Astrazeneca: Research Funding; Lilly Oncology: Research Funding; Roche: Research Funding; CTI BioPharma Corp: Research Funding; NS Pharma: Research Funding; Blueprint Medicines Corp: Research Funding; Gilead: Research Funding; CTI BioPharma Corp: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Promedior: Research Funding.

A meta-analysis of genetic parameter estimates for conformation traits in horses

In the breeding plans of animals, it is essential to have sound estimates of genetic parameters for economically important traits. Over the previous years, genetic parameter estimates have been reported for conformation traits in horses. However, these estimates have been got from studies based on various horse populations. This has resulted in considerable variability among heritability and genetic correlation estimates. Thus, the objective of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis based on a random-effects model to combine different published heritability estimates and genetic correlations between conformation traits (measured and scored) in horses. In total, 166 heritability and 72 genetic correlation estimates from 30 peer-reviewed articles published in 16 different scientific journals between 1995 and 2020 were used in this study. Chi-square (Q) test and the I2 statistic were performed to measure heterogeneity of genetic parameter estimates. Also, Egger's linear regression asymmetry was used to examine the presence of publication bias. The weighted coefficients of variation for the conformation traits varied from 0.27% (for leg stance) to 37.80% (for temperament). The heritability estimates for the measured and scored conformation traits ranged from 0.142 (for neck length) to 0.605 (for height at croup), and from 0.082 (for shoulder angle) to 0.445 (for head), respectively. Based on the values of the I2 index, substantial and or considerable heterogeneities were observed for the heritability estimates of the measured conformation traits. Also, the results of the Q test indicated that all measured conformation traits showed significant heterogeneities (P<0.10). Except for the genetic correlations between height at withers with leg quality, leg stance, and hooves which were low and non-significant, the genetic correlations between height at withers with other conformation traits were high and significant (P<0.05), and ranged from 0.455 (with chest width) to 0.942 (with height at croup). The genetic correlation estimates between cannon bone circumference with other conformation traits were medium to high and varied from 0.382 (with chest width) to 0.688 (with height at croup). The genetic correlations between cannon bone circumference with chest and or thorax circumference, and body length were non-significant (P>0.05), and their 95% confidence interval included zero. Therefore, these correlation estimates would be considered equal to zero. The average genetic parameter estimates reported in this meta-analysis study are applicable in breeding designs when reliable estimates are not available for conformation traits in horse populations.

Biometric Assessment of Blackbelly Sheep in Central Africa

The Genetic and phenotypic characterization of the Central AfricanBlackbelly sheep was carried outfrom April 1st to November 30th2019. A total 288adults sheep were sampled in order to assess the genetic diversity of the Blackbelly population in 3 Central Africa countries (Cameroun, Congo Brazzaville and Gabon).A total of twenty-two (22) body measurements were collected with the aid of metric tools(i.e.,headlength, head width, hornlength, ear length, neck length, neck circumference, total body length, trunk length, height at withers, height at back, height at rump, chest circumference, chest depth, chest width, rump width, rump length, front leg length, rear leg length, tail length, canon bone circumference, nipple length and body weight). The latter was used to calculate twelve (12)indices (sub-sternal gracility, ear-length, format, compactness, massiveness, chest,slenderness, frame, body, dactylo-thoracic, caudal and ear) in a bid to appreciate the functional relationship between measurements. Phenotypic dimorphism (P ≤ 0.05) has been observed between the Blackbelly sheep of different countries, with the highest and heaviest animals coming from Congo (HW= 62.217 ± 5.288 and BW = 27.44 ± 6.08kg), the longest from Gabon (TBL = 84.69 ± 8.70) and the largest (CW=15.01± 2.531 and RW=14.716 a± 2.351) from Cameroon. A perfect correlation was recorded between BW and TC. Principal Component Analysis reveals that six main components explain 73.1% of the observed variability in the body measurements of Blackbelly sheep population of Central Africa. The first two components which have eigenvalues greater than 3 and explain 25.44% (CP1) and 17.41% (CP2) of the variability in body measurements, can be considered for an improvement and selection program. Hence, the height at back and thethoracic circumference appear to be the most interesting measurements to beconsidered for the selection and conservation of the Blackbelly sheep.

A Computational Method for Histological Bone Research using Convolutional Neural Networks

Histological bone research, which involves measuring the characteristics of a bone (in this paper, we consider exclusively the boundary perimeter (bone perimeter, B.Pm), cross-sectional area (bone area, B.Ar), width (cortical width, Ct.Wi)), has been greatly enhanced by advanced medical imaging like the computed tomography (CT) scans, which has made it possible to get cross-sectional images (or slices) of different areas of a bone. The long bone, which is the major focus of our research, is divided into three parts according to its structure: diaphysis, metaphysis, epiphysis. Efficiently measuring the bone metrics mentioned above relies on being able to differentiate these areas from one another, since the different regions require unique approaches. For example, the diaphyseal region consists completely of the cortical bone and therefore obtaining the bone metrics is not perplexing. On the other hand, when it comes to the area of the metaphysis, and especially epiphysis, it becomes more difficult to distinguish the cortical bone from the spongy bone, and so the task of extracting the bone metrics is hampered. In this paper, we propose a fully automated solution for histological research of diaphysis. For this we designed and trained a convolutional neural network-based model to classify the cross-sectional images. Furthermore, we created computational methods to extract the bone measurements and applied them to bones classified as "diaphysis".

Biometric Assessment of Blackbelly Sheep in Central Africa

&#x0D; The Genetic and phenotypic characterization of the Central AfricanBlackbelly sheep was carried outfrom April 1st to November 30th2019. A total 288adults sheep were sampled in order to assess the genetic diversity of the Blackbelly population in 3 Central Africa countries (Cameroun, Congo Brazzaville and Gabon).A total of twenty-two (22) body measurements were collected with the aid of metric tools(i.e.,headlength, head width, hornlength, ear length, neck length, neck circumference, total body length, trunk length, height at withers, height at back, height at rump, chest circumference, chest depth, chest width, rump width, rump length, front leg length, rear leg length, tail length, canon bone circumference, nipple length and body weight). The latter was used to calculate twelve (12)indices (sub-sternal gracility, ear-length, format, compactness, massiveness, chest,slenderness, frame, body, dactylo-thoracic, caudal and ear) in a bid to appreciate the functional relationship between measurements. Phenotypic dimorphism (P ≤ 0.05) has been observed between the Blackbelly sheep of different countries, with the highest and heaviest animals coming from Congo (HW= 62.217 ± 5.288 and BW = 27.44 ± 6.08kg), the longest from Gabon (TBL = 84.69 ± 8.70) and the largest (CW=15.01± 2.531 and RW=14.716 a± 2.351) from Cameroon. A perfect correlation was recorded between BW and TC. Principal Component Analysis reveals that six main components explain 73.1% of the observed variability in the body measurements of Blackbelly sheep population of Central Africa. The first two components which have eigenvalues greater than 3 and explain 25.44% (CP1) and 17.41% (CP2) of the variability in body measurements, can be considered for an improvement and selection program. Hence, the height at back and thethoracic circumference appear to be the most interesting measurements to beconsidered for the selection and conservation of the Blackbelly sheep.&#x0D;

Effectiveness of Silicon Platelet-Rich Fibrin and Autologous Bone on Bone Regeneration in Rabbit Calvarian Defects: A Radiological and Histological Study

Repairing bone defects in oral surgery often requires the use of bone regeneration techniques. Silicon is an element that has been employed as regeneration material in several studies. In our study, silicon was combined with autologous bone and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) membranes to analyse the behaviour of this element in bone regeneration. Four circumferential defects were created in the cranial vault of five New Zealand rabbits. The following elements were applied to the regeneration of the defects: (P): PRF; (S): silicon and (B): autologous bone, with the following distribution of study groups: Group 1 (PSB); Group 2 (PS); Group 3 (SB) and Group 4 (CONTROL): unregenerate group. The animals were sacrificed after 3 weeks. Computed microtomography studies (μ-CT) were carried out, as well as histomorphometric ones. The ANOVA statistical test was used with a Bonferroni post-hoc test to compare the results (p ≤ 0.05). Radiologically, groups PSB and SB were better as far as quantity and percentage of healthy bone observed, but not significantly compared to the control group. The PS group was significantly worse. The histological test revealed that the PSB group was the one to present the largest area, percentage and perimeter of mineralised bone. On evaluating the forming bone (osteoid), no difference was observed across the groups with the exception of the bone perimeter, where the SB group was significantly better. The bone height variable showed no significant differences. In conclusion we can state that the combination of PRF, autologous bone and silicon provides good results at 3 weeks whilst the PS group shows the worst results. This highlights the importance of autologous bone forming part of the graft material in order for the bone to mineralise.

Estimation of Liveweight from Body Measurements through Best Fitted Regression Model in Dezhou Donkey Breed

Dezhou donkey is an excellent local hide, meat and milk breed in Shandong Province. To accelerate the speed of breeding, reproduction and conversation, correlation and multiple regression analysis between body weight (BW) and body size of Dezhou donkey rearing under intensive farms was made by SAS 9.4 software (Statistical Analysis for Windows). A total of 162 donkeys of both gender of age 2 ~ 10 years old were used to investigate the relationships between BW and body dimensional traits (cm) including height of withers, body length; thoracic depth, thoracic girth (TG), thoracic width (TW), circumference of cannon bone (CB), height of rump, rump length (RL) and rump width (RW). The results showed that BW and body measurements have positive and great correlations with R2 value ranged from 0.58 to 0.88 (P <0.01). The R2 values from the single-parameter equations showed that the TG was highly related to BW (0.72, P < 0.01). The stepwise regression equations were applied to obtain the best prediction equations, and the results indicated that the prediction accuracy for BW was improved with the inclusion of more body measurement variables. The “best fit” models were: BW (kg) = 1.88 × TG + 1.27 × BL + 2.55 × TW + 4.61 × CB + 2.18 × RW + 1.78 × RL - 422.8 (R2 = 0.906, P < .01). The predicted BW from the present equations showed the nearest value to the real BW (R2 > 0.94, P < .01). In addition, the equations derived to predict the BW of donkeys in Britain, Morocco were less satisfactory for use with the present Dezhou donkey breed because they overestimated or underestimated the BW due to the different donkey breed.

Abstract PS9-23: Second-generation HR-pQCT analysis of bone mineral density and microstructure in women with breast cancer who underwent adjuvant endocrine therapy

Abstract Background: Adjuvant endocrine therapy for 5-10 years reduces breast cancer (BC) mortality in women with hormone receptor-positive BC. However, aromatase inhibitors (AIs) decrease bone mineral density (BMD), and increase fractures, joint stiffness, and joint pain. Although dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is widely used to assess BMD, it is a two-dimensional method and thus cannot analyze trabecular and cortical bone microstructure. High-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) allows in vivo analysis of peripheral bone microarchitecture with high spatial resolution and low radiation exposure. We used HR-pQCT to evaluate changes in volumetric bone density and microstructure consisting of trabecular and cortical bone associated with AI treatment in patients with early BC. Methods: This was a prospective single-center observational study of nonosteoporotic, postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive BC, whose baseline DXA lumber spine and femoral neck T-scores were &amp;gt; −2.5. All patients were scheduled to receive DXA and HR-pQCT at baseline and at 6 and 12 months after starting AI therapy. The primary endpoint was to examine changes in total volumetric BMD (Tt. vBMD), trabecular volumetric BMD (Tb. vBMD), cortical volumetric BMD (Ct. vBMD) change at the distal radius and the distal radius between baseline and 6 and 12 months after starting endocrine therapy. Results: Of the 20 women in the study (median age: 57.5 years; range: 55-72 years), 8 had undergone chemotherapy before registration. Their mean change in Tt. vBMD between baseline and 1 year were distal radius: −5.7% (SD: 2.5%, P&amp;lt;0.01); distal tibia: −3.8% (SD: 1.8%, P&amp;lt;0.01), Tb. vBMD distal radius: −4.0% (SD: 3.9%, P&amp;lt;0.01); distal tibia: −0.9% (SD: 2.4%, P&amp;lt;0.05), Ct. vBMD distal radius: −3.1% (SD: 1.6%, P&amp;lt;0.01); distal tibia: −2.9% (SD: 1.7%, P&amp;lt;0.01). Furthermore, at 1 year in trabecular bone, mean trabecular bone volume fraction (p&amp;lt;0.01), trabecular thickness (p&amp;lt;0.05), and trabecular number (p&amp;lt;0.01) were significantly decreased, and trabecular separation (p&amp;lt;0.01) increased, in both the distal radius and tibia. At 1 year in cortical bone, mean changes in cortical thickness (p&amp;lt;0.01) and cortical bone area (p&amp;lt;0.01) were significantly decreased in both the distal radius and tibia; however, the endocortical perimeter of cortical bone did not significantly change and cortical porosity (p&amp;lt;0.05) was significantly greater than that at baseline. At 1 year, DXA decreased at the total hip (−4.4%, P&amp;lt;0.01) and femoral neck (−0.6%, P=0.03) compared with baseline. However, no significant difference was seen in median values for lumbar spine BMD at 1 year, or for tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-5b (TRACP-5b) or procollagen type-I N-terminal propeptide (PINP). Conclusion: Postmenopausal women who took AIs for early BC experience volumetric bone density decline and both trabecular and cortical bone deterioration. A decade of AI treatment is a standard treatment for early BC; however, healthcare professionals should monitor bone health during and after these treatments. Citation Format: Sayaka Kuba, Konosuke Watanabe, Megumi Matsumoto, Ko Chiba, Kosho Yamanouchi, Ayako Fukushima, Michi Morita, Ryota Otsubo, Hiroshi Yano, Kengo Kanetaka, Makoto Osaki, Takeshi Nagayasu, Susumu Eguchi. Second-generation HR-pQCT analysis of bone mineral density and microstructure in women with breast cancer who underwent adjuvant endocrine therapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Virtual Symposium; 2020 Dec 8-11; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS9-23.

Next-generation osteometric sorting: Using 3D shape, elliptical Fourier analysis, and Hausdorff distance to optimize osteological pair-matching.

Determining which bilateral bones belong to the same person based on shape and size similarity is called pair-matching and it is instrumental for sorting commingled skeletons. To date, pair-matching has popularly been accomplished by visual inspection and/or linear caliper measurements; however, attention is turning increasingly to computational analysis. In this paper, we investigate a fast three-dimensional (3D) computerized shape-analysis method for whole-bone pair-matching using a test sample of 14 individuals (23 femora, 26 humeri, and 26 tibiae). Specifically, the method aims to find bilateral pairs using, as the shape signature criterion, a single 3D outline that snakes around each bone's perimeter as described by a 3D elliptical Fourier analysis function. This permits substantial 3D-point-cloud data reduction, that is, to 0.02% of the starting c.500,000 point cloud or just 100 points, while preserving key 3D shape information. The mean Hausdorff distance (Hd) was applied to measure the distance between each mirrored right-side outline to every left-side outline in pairwise fashion (132, 168 and 169 comparisons, respectively). Both thresholds and lowest Hd were investigated as pair-match criteria, with the lowest Hd producing the best performance results for searches jointly utilizing right-left and left-right directions for comparison: true positive rates of 1.00 (10/10), 1.00 (12/12), and 0.92 (11/12) for the femora, humeri, and tibiae, respectively. The computational time to calculate 469 pairwise 3D comparisons on a single stock-standard Intel® Core™ i7-4650U CPU @ 1.70GHz was 5s. This short data processing time makes the method viable for real-world application.

Assessment of Morphometric Traits and Structural Indices of Shaka Cattle Reared in Shaka Zone, South West Ethiopia

The study encompassed quantitative traits of the Shaka cattle reared in the study area. The study encompassed both qualitative and quantitative parameters which were taken from 240 cows and 120 bulls from randomly slected120 households. The means for the quantitative traits were compared using Duncan’s Multiple Range test, the values were considered significant at P<0.05 . The results of morphometrical measurements of bulls reared at Masha district had wider (P<0.05) values for their pelvic width and the Chest Depth for the bulls aged ≥ 7 years was higher (P<0.01. While the canon bone circumference was also wider when compared to the bulls reared at Anderacha district. Contrary the bulls aged ≤5 years and reared at Anderacha district had higher (P<0.05) Body Weight, Height at Withers and Chest Depth. Morphometrical measurement for cows ≤ 5 year age group and reared at Masha district have longer(P<0.05) Neck Length and for cows ≥ 7 years have wider(P<0.05)Hock Bone Circumference and Pelvic Width. Contrary the cows (aged ≤5 years) raised at Anderacha district has wider (P<0.05) for Cannon Bone Circumference Right, and (P<0.01) for Chest Girth, higher Body Weight, longer Rump Length, right Ear Length and left Ear Length, Neck Circumference and Chest Depth . Among the cows aged ≥7 years longer (P<0.01) face length and deeper (P<0.05) Chest. The results of body indices of both sex indicate that, the cattle is suited for grazing in the forest areas and are of dual type.

Combined effects of soy isoflavone and lecithin on bone loss in ovariectomized mice.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVESIsoflavones (ISFs) are effective in preventing bone loss, but not effective enough to prevent osteoporosis. Mixtures of soy ISF and lecithin (LCT) were prepared and characterized in an attempt to improve the bone loss.MATERIALS/METHODSThe daidzein (DZ) and genistein (GN) solubility in soy ISF were measured using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The change in the crystalline characteristics of soy ISF in LCT was evaluated using X-ray diffraction analysis. Pharmacokinetic studies were conducted to evaluate and compare ISF bioavailability. Animal studies with ovariectomized (OVX) mice were carried out to estimate the effects on bone loss. The Student's t-test was used to evaluate statistical significance.RESULTSThe solubility of DZ and GN in LCT was 125.6 and 9.7 mg/L, respectively, which were approximately 25 and 7 times higher, respectively, than those in water. The bioavailability determined by the area under the curve of DZ for the oral administration (400 mg/kg) of soy ISF alone and the soy ISF-LCT mixture was 13.19 and 16.09 µg·h/mL, respectively. The bone mineral density of OVX mice given soy ISF-LCT mixtures at ISF doses of 60 and 100 mg/kg daily was 0.189 ± 0.020 and 0.194 ± 0.010 g/mm3, respectively, whereas that of mice given 100 mg/kg soy ISF was 0.172 ± 0.028 g/mm3. The number of osteoclasts per bone perimeter was reduced by the simultaneous administration of soy ISF and LCT.CONCLUSIONSThe effect of preventing bone loss and osteoclast formation by ingesting soy ISF and LCT at the same time was superior to soy ISF alone as the bioavailability of ISF may have been improved by the emulsification and solvation of LCT. These results suggest the possibility of using the combination of soy ISF and LCT to prevent osteoporosis.

Характеристики на основните телесни измерения при мъжки и женски магарета в България

The donkeys, together with other labor animals (mules and hinnies) are the domestic animals that are losing their popularity continually among the rural population in Bulgaria. For the last decades the population of donkeys in Bulgaria, decreased nearly 10 times, from 328 587 donkey registered in 1990 to 35 000 in 2013. For some obvious reasons they were pushed aside, as in recent times it is much easier for a smallholder farming to cultivate the land with modern machinery than with animal power. Nevertheless, in the last few years many organizations in Europe and even in Bulgaria recall their attention to donkeys as an important genetic resource, an animal that needs to be protected, and revived into the modern times. The objective of the experiment was to estimate and compare the body measurements of male and female donkeys reared in Bulgaria. The coat color of the animals was also recorded in order to estimate the variation of it inside the groups. A total number of 198 donkeys (74 males and 124 females) were included in the study. The animals were located in different regions of Bulgaria. From each individual the main four body measurements were taken: height at the withers, body length, chest circumference and cannon bone circumference. The average height at the withers for male donkeys was 120.40±7.13 cm as for the females it was 119.75±6.83 cm. Body length for males and female was respectively 124.47±7.62 and 123.71±8.01 cm on average. Mean values for chest and cannon bone circumferences for male individuals were 137.08±9.64 and 16.15±1.21 cm, the same traits on female donkeys were on average 134.16±8.11 and 15.65±1.27 cm.