• Advances in biomechanics and applications
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.111-126
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• 2014

The microarchitecture of trabecular bone plays a significant role in mechanical strength due to its load-bearing capability. However, the complexity of trabecular microarchitecture hinders the evaluation of its morphological characteristics. We therefore propose a new classification method based on static multiscale theory and dynamic finite element method (FEM) analysis to visualize a three-dimensional (3D) trabecular network for investigating the influence of trabecular microarchitecture on load-bearing capability. This method is applied to human vertebral trabecular bone images obtained by micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) through which primary trabecular bone is successfully visualized and extracted from a highly complicated microarchitecture. The morphological features were then analyzed by viewing the percolation of load pathways in the primary trabecular bone by using the stress wave propagation method analyzed under impact loading. We demonstrate that the present method is effective for describing the morphology of trabecular bone and has the potential for morphometric measurement applications.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2020

[Purpose] This study compared differences in trabecular bone architecture and strength caused by jump and running exercises in rats. [Methods] Ten-week-old male Wistar rats (n=45) were randomly assigned to three body weight-matched groups: a sedentary control group (CON, n=15); a treadmill running group (RUN, n=15); and a jump exercise group (JUM, n=15). Treadmill running was performed at 25 m/min without inclination, 1 h/day, 5 days/week for 8 weeks. The jump exercise protocol comprised 10 jumps/day, 5 days/week for 8 weeks, with a jump height of 40 cm. We used microcomputed tomography to assess microarchitecture, mineralization density, and fracture load as predicted by finite element analysis (FEA) at the distal femoral metaphysis. [Results] Both jump and running exercises produced significantly higher trabecular bone mass, thickness, number, and fracture load compared to the sedentary control group. The jump and running exercises, however, showed different results in terms of the structural characteristics of trabecular bone. Jump exercises enhanced trabecular bone mass by thickening the trabeculae, while running exercises did so by increasing the trabecular number. FEA-estimated fracture load did not differ significantly between the exercise groups. [Conclusion] This study elucidated the differential effects of jump and running exercise on trabecular bone architecture in rats. The different structural changes in the trabecular bone, however, had no significant impact on trabecular bone strength.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.78-88
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• 2012

Knee joint instability by anterior cruciate ligament(ACL) rupture is allowing the abnormal loading condition at the tibial epiphysis locally, resulting in producing locally different bone bruise. The study examined difference between local alteration patterns of trabecular bone microarchitecture at medial and lateral parts of the tibial epiphysis by ACL rupture. Fourteen SD rats were divided into Control(CON; n = 7) and Anterior Cruciate Ligament Transection(ACLT; n = 7) groups. The tibial joints were then scanned by in vivo ${\mu}$-CT at 0, 4, and 8 weeks post-surgery. The results showed that alteration pattern on trabecular bone microarchitecture at medial part was significantly higher than that at lateral part of the tibial epiphysis in ACLT group from 0 to 8 weeks(P < 0.05). Tb.Th and Tb.Sp distributions were well corresponded with differences between aforementioned trabecular bone microarchitectural alteration pattens at medial and lateral parts of the tibial epiphysis in ACLT group from 0 to 8 weeks(P < 0.05). These findings suggest that the alteration patterns of trabecular bone microarchitecture should be locally and periodically considered, particularly with respect to the prediction of bone fracture risk by ACL rupture. Improved understanding of the alteration patterns at medial and lateral trabecular bone microarchitectures at the tibial epiphysis may assist in developing more targeted treatment interventions for knee joint instability secondary to ACL rupture.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.93-100
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• 2021

Purpose: (1) To evaluate the trabecular pattern at the femoral attachment of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) in patients with a PCL injury; (2) to analyze bone microarchitecture by applying gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM)-based texture analysis; and (3) to determine if there is a significant relationship between bone microarchitecture and posterior instability. Materials and Methods: The study included 96 patients with PCL tears. Trabecular patterns were evaluated on T2-weighted MRI qualitatively, and were evaluated by GLCM texture analysis quantitatively. The grades of posterior drawer test (PDT) and the degrees of posterior displacement on stress radiographs were recorded. The 96 patients were classified into two groups: acute and chronic injury. And 27 patients with no PCL injury were enrolled for control. Pearson's correlation coefficient and one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni test were conducted for statistical analyses. This protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board. Results: A thick and anisotropic trabecular bone pattern was apparent in normal or acute injury (n = 57/61;93.4%), but was not prominent in chronic injury and posterior instability (n = 31/35;88.6%). Grades of PDT and degrees of posterior displacement on stress radiograph were not correlated with texture parameters. However, the texture analysis parameters of chronic injury were significantly different from those of acute injury and control groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The trabecular pattern and texture analysis parameters are useful in predicting posterior instability in patients with PCL injury. Evaluation of the bone microarchitecture resulting from altered biomechanics could advance the understanding of PCL function and improve the detection of PCL injury.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.444-451
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• 2009

Purpose: The aim of present study is to detect longitudinal alterations of mechanical characteristic determined by bone quality (microarchitecture and degree of mineralization) on femur trabecular bone due to metastatic bone tumor Materials and Methods: Each 6 female SD rats (12 weeks old, approximate 250g) were allocated in SHAM and TUMOR Group. W256 (Walker carcinosarcoma 256 malignant breast cancer cell) was injected into the right femur (intraosseous injection) in TUMOR Group, whereas 0.9% NaCl (saline solution) was injected in SHAM Group. The right hind limbs of all rats were scanned by in-vivo micro-CT to acquire structural parameters, bone mineral density, X-ray attenuation and bone mineralization distribution at 0 week and 4 weeks after surgery. Results: BMD, BV/TV and Tb.N of trabecular bone in TUMOR group were markedly decreased (26%, 11% and 23%) while those in SHAM group were significantly increased (34%, 48% and 11%) (p<0.05). BS/BV, Tb.Sp and SMI in TUMOR group were significantly increased (-16%, 38% and 2%) compared with those in SHAM group (-33%, 12% and -16%) (p<0.05). Additionally, bone mineralization in TUMOR group significantly decreased while those in SHAM group was significantly increased (p<0.05). Conclusion: It is identified that how much bone microarchitecture and mineralization are diminished due to the metastatic bone tumor. The results may be helpful to prediction of fracture risk by metastatic bone tumor.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.36 no.11
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• pp.1081-1090
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• 2012

This study aims to track the longitudinal alteration pattern on the trabecular bone microarchitecture at tibial epiphysis induced by T-OA over time using in vivo micro computed tomography (${\mu}CT$). Ten SD rats were divided into control (n = 5) and T-OA (n = 5) groups. Anterior cruciate ligament transaction was performed for the T-OA group. The results showed that the alteration pattern on the trabecular bone microarchitecture at tibial epiphysis in the T.OA group was definitely different compared with that in the CON group from 0 to 8 weeks (approximately 4-16%, P > 0.05). In particular, a difference was observed in the bone formation and density distributions over time (from 0 or 4 to 8 weeks; approximately 5.15%, P < 0.05). An improved understanding of the alteration pattern on the trabecular bone microarchitecture at tibial epiphysis may assist in developing more targeted treatment interventions for T-OA.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.661-667
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• 2009

Trabecular-bone-mimicking phantoms consisting of parallel-nylon-wire arrays were used to investigate correlations of phase velocity and attenuation coefficient with structural properties in trabecular bone. Trabecular separation (Tb.Sp) of the 7 trabecular-bone-mimicking phantoms ranged from 300 to $900\;{\mu}m$ and volume fraction (VF) from 1.6% to 8.7%. Phase velocity and attenuation coefficient of the phantoms were measured by using a through-transmission method in water, with a matched pair of broadband unfocused transducers with a diameter of 12.7 mm and a center frequency of 1 MHz. Phase velocity and attenuation coefficient at 1 MHz decreased almost linearly with increasing Tb. Sp and increased almost linearly with increasing VF. The simple and multiple linear regression models with phase velocity and attenuation coefficient as independent vanables and Tb.Sp and VF as dependent variables demonstrated that the coefficients of determination for the prediction of VF were higher than those for the prediction of Tb.Sp. The results obtained in the trabecular-bone-mimicking phantoms consisting of parallel-nylon-wire arrays were consistent with those in human trabecular bone suggesting that the structural properties can be estimated from the measurements of phase velocity and attenuation coefficient in trabecular bone.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.53-59
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• 2007

Purpose : Bone mineral density (BMD) and bone microarchitecture are important determinants for bone strength. Recently micro-CT have provided possibilities for measuring a variety of structural indices to characterize bone microarchitecture. The objective of this study was to compare the BMD and micro-CT parameters with Young's modulus calculated by finite element analysis (FEA) for the evaluation of bone strength. Materials and Methods Bone specimens were obtained from the 18 female rabbits aged 16 weeks. Of those, 36 samples (right and left femur) were selected for 3D micro-CT analysis $(ANT^{TM},\;SKYSCAN,\;Belgium)$ and BMD by PIXlmus 2 (GE Lunar Co. USA). Five microstructural parameters of micro-CT, such as trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), bone specific surface (BS/BV), percent bone volume (BV/TV), structure model index (SMI) and degree of anisotropy (DOA) were studied. Young's modulus was obtained by software program (ANSYS 9.0, ANSYS Inc, Canonsburg, PA) based on micro-CT three dimensional images. Results : Young's modulus assessed by FEA correlated significantly with Tb.Th, BV/TV, BS/BV and SMI respectively. Young's modulus showed higher correlation with these rnicrostructural parameters of micro-CT than BMD. Microstructural parameters except DOA showed significant correlations within the examined group. Conclusion The microarchitectural parameters o( micro-CT and BMD represented some informations in the evaluation of bone strength assessed by FEA.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.158-166
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• 2011

In the present study, copper and nickel foams with an open-celled structure as trabecular-bone-mimicking phantoms were used to investigate the dependencies of group velocity and attenuation coefficient on structural properties such as trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) and trabecular separation (Tb.Sp) in trabecular bone. The group velocity and attenuation coefficient of the copper and nickel foams were measured by a through-transmission method in water, using a pair of broadband, unfocused transducers with a diameter of 12.7 mm and a center frequency of 1.0 MHz. The separation of the Biot's fast and slow waves was consistently observed in the ultrasonic signals transmitted through the copper and nickel foams. The group velocities of the copper and nickel foams showed highly positive correlations with Tb.Th and Tb.Sp. The attenuation coefficient of the copper foam showed a highly negative correlation with Tb.Th and Tb.Sp, whereas that of the nickle foam showed a highly positive correlation with Tb.Th and Tb.Sp. These results advance our understanding of those previously reported by other researchers using trabecular bone samples or phantoms.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.156-161
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• 2014

It has been reported that safflower seeds have preventive effects against osteoporosis. Recently, safflower buds (SB) were found to have more useful functional ingredients than safflower seeds. In the current study, we evaluated the anti-osteoporosis effects of SB diet in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. The rats were divided into five groups; sham operated group, OVX alone group, OVX plus $17{\beta}$-estradiol ($E^2$ $10{\mu}g/kg$, i.p.) and OVX plus SB diet feeding group (0.3% or 1%). Feeding of SB diet (0.3% or 1%) to OVX rats markedly increased bone mineral density (BMD) of femurs, compared to the OVX group. The OVX rats exhibited a marked increase in trabecular separation (Tb.Sp) and this change was inhibited by the feeding of SB diet, similar to that seen with OVX+E2 group. Moreover, feeding of SB diet to OVX rats decreased the markers of bone turnover, including osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). These results suggest that SB extract has a bone sparing effect in OVX-induced trabecular bone loss and prevents deterioration of bone microarchitecture by suppressing the rate of bone turnover. Therefore, SB may be useful for preserving bone mass and structure in estrogen deficient women with a potential role in reducing postmenopausal osteoporosis.