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A finite element model was built as a first approximation to the experimental compression tests of trabecular bone samples extracted from the calcaneus of human cadavers. The goal was to simulate and study trabecular bone behavior under load action and to propose a scaffold finite element model, which could represent the trabecular architecture with different porosity values.

In vitro digestibility of 10 polymers was studied. Only starch, starch blend, gelatin, and silk were more than 10% digested by the enzyme cocktail. Cellophane, polyhydroxy-β-valerate, pullulan, levan, shellac, ethylene vinyl alcohol, and polyethylene were less than 10% digestible. The implications from these data are that these materials would act physiologically as dietary fiber or residue.

Bone formation occurs in an integrated, highly ordered manner, beginning in the embryonic period. Nutrients may affect bone formation by delaying cellular differentiation, altering responses to bone growth factors, affecting supply of needed nutrients, and/or affecting rates of synthesis of the matrix constituents. Several growth factors, both systemic and local, are being identified which affect bone formation. Matrix constituents include collagen and noncollagenous proteins, each of which are thought to have specific roles in bone formation, maintenance, or resorption. Among the nutrients which are known to affect bone formation at a cellular level are vitamins A, D, and K, ascorbic acid, zinc, magnesium, and calcium. Nutrients that are known to affect protein synthesis in general also affect bone formation. It is necessary for nutritionists to consider cellular as well as systemic effects of nutrients on bone formation.

To relieve the surgeon during functional endoscopic endonasal sinus surgery (FESS), the endoscope should be guided by autonomous robot assistance. The surgeon will thus have two hands free for suctioning and manipulation during FESS.With a force/torque sensor mounted on the endoscope, we measured forces in six degrees of freedom in five cadaver heads and in 20 actual endoscopic sinus procedures. On the cadaver heads we performed complete endoscopic endonasal dissection of all paranasal sinuses. All forces at the endoscope were monitored continuously.The mean forces occurring at the endoscope were 3.2 N. There were only slight differences between the in vivo and ex vivo data. We measured peak forces up to 25.2 N. In 95% of all cases, forces were lower than 7 N.Forces up to 7 N are sufficient for endoscopic guidance during FESS. Peak forces are distinctive for endoscopic guidance by humans and could be optimised by sensor-based intraoperative robot guidance. Higher forces are required for surgical endoscopy of the frontal and maxillary sinuses compared with the ethmoid sinuses.

The exchange of 8.4% neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of wheat bran for 8.3% NDF of cellulose in diets containing either beef, chicken, fish or casein as protein sources did not (P>0.05) alter feed consumption, weight gain or energy intake in the protein efficiency ratio (PER) bioassay with weanling rats. Higher (P 0.05) on PER or net protein ratio (NPR) of casein or fish protein or on NPR of chicken protein. However, PER and NPR of beef and PER for chicken were reduced (P

This study examined the effects of chronic protein deficiency and fluoride administration (10 mg/kg/day), separately or in combination, on rat tibia properties. Protein deficiency increased the bone fluoride concentration and reduced the bone mineral content (BMC) especially at the proximal or growing end which contains mainly cancellous bone. Fluoride administration also reduced BMC, but to a lesser extent, and it resulted in proximal tibia fluoride concentrations that were nearly twice those of the distal tibia. The interaction between fluoride administration and the protein content of the diet on BMC was nonsignificant, suggesting that the effects were additive, not multiplicative or synergistic. Fluoride administration, but not protein deficiency, increased bone magnesium levels. It is hypothesized that the reduction in BMC in the areas where the fluoride concentrations were the highest was due to a localized toxic effect of fluoride.

Relationships among age, protein intake, and urinary excretion of protein-derived metabolites were studied in 125 vegetarian and nonvegetarian women ages 40-92. There were 63 women in the vegetarian (AV) group and 62 women in the nonvegetarian (NV) group. Average daily intakes of energy and total animal and vegetable protein were calculated from 7-day dietary records. Twenty-four-hour urine samples were analyzed for total nitrogen, urea, creatinine, hydroxyproline, and inorganic sulfate. Energy intakes for the two groups were similar. AVs consumed less total and animal protein and more vegetable protein than NVs, even though both groups consumed more than the RDA for protein. No significant differences existed between the groups in the urinary excretion of total nitrogen, urea nitrogen, hydroxyproline, or inorganic sulfate. Energy and protein intakes and total nitrogen excretion were lower in older AVs than in younger AVs, while those of NVs increased between 40 and 55 years of age, and decreased among the older NV women. The relationship between these variables and age in NVs was more accurately described by polynomial rather than linear regression models.

Absorptiometric, histomorphometric, and chemical analyses of bones from growing rats fed diets with low (0.2%, w/w), marginal (0.4%, w/w), or adequate (0.8%, w/w) calcium (Ca) content with or without phytate were compared. Phytate was added to each diet in a molar ratio of 19:1 to calcium. Male weanling Sprague-Dawley rats were fed one of the six diets for 8 weeks. At the end of 8 weeks, rats were killed, and mandibles, femurs, and tibias were removed. Bone density profiles were determined on the mandibles and femurs using single photon absorptiometry. Femurs were also used for calcium and phosphorus analyses. Tibias were used for histomorphometric analyses. Bone density of the femurs and mandibles increased as dietary Ca increased. The only effect of phytate addition measured was in the 0.8% calcium diet, where density was lower in rats fed the phytate-containing 0.8% calcium diet. Femur calcium concentration also increased as dietary Ca increased and was unaffected by addition of phytate. Femur phosphorus concentration was unaffected by dietary Ca levels but was increased by 10% when phytate was added to the diet. Bone density values were highly correlated with bone calcium and phosphorus levels (r = 0.94). Rats fed the 0.2% calcium diets had 20% lower mineralized bone area and 20% larger medullary cavity area than rats fed the other diets. Bone densitometry appears to be useful for determining changes in bone occurring in growing rats fed low, marginal, and adequate levels of dietary Ca. Bone density values also correlated well with chemically determined calcium and phosphorus concentrations and with histomorphometric data.

1. Two studies were performed to determine the effects of acid stress and ovariectomy on bone metabolism in young rats. In Expt 1, eighteen female weanling Sprague-Dawley-descended rats were ovariectomized, placed in one of three dietary groups and given a diet containing (g/kg): 6 calcium and 3, 6 or 12 phosphorus for 10 weeks. In Expt 2, thirty-two female weanling Sprague-Dawley-descended rats were ovariectomized, and thirty-two were left intact. Eight rats from each group were given a diet containing (g/kg): 6 Ca and 3 P, 12 P, 3 P+1 S or 3 P+20 ammonium chloride for 10 weeks.2. Feeding diets containing 12 g P/kg resulted in decreased serum Ca and increased urinary P with no changes in femur composition. Feeding high-sulphate and ammonium chloride diets resulted in increased urinary Ca and, when combined with ovariectomy, lower femur Ca and P with no changes in femur hydroxyproline or hexosamines.3. The findings reflect the more rapid turnover of the amorphous calcium phosphate salts found in greater amounts in bones of younger animals than for more stable apatitic crystals that predominate in bones of older animals.

The effect of heat and partial phytate removal upon in vivo iron bioavailability from soy protein was studied by chick hemoglobin repletion. Iron repletion diets were formulated with unheated and heated soy protein isolates and phytate-reduced soy protein isolates, with and without iron supplementation. Heating at 120°C for 20 min, 75% phytate reduction and 20 mg/kg iron supplementation improved iron bioavailability by 65-77%, 6-11% and 10-17%, respectively. These beneficial effects were interpreted in terms of promoting protein and protein-Fe-phytate complex digestion and release of endogenous and added iron.

The relationships among available lysine, lignin, Hunter L values, and in vitro protein digestibility for selected wheat-based breakfast cereals were evaluated. Cereals processed by extrusion had lower loss of available lysine than did cereals processed by extrusion puffing or flaking and toasting. Hunter L values were positively correlated with all measures of lysine availability and protein digestibility except PPDR and negatively correlated with lignin of the cereals.