ABSTRACT
Introduction: Although, the effect of direct intra-articular injection of bone marrow stem cells [BMSCs] on the repair of articular cartilage and the effect of Elaeagnus angustifolia extract on pain relief in patients with osteoarthritis have been investigated, no studies has been conducted to compare the effects of these two therapeutic methods on the mechanical properties of articular cartilage. In the present stuy, the effect of these two methods on the mechanical strength of knee articular cartilage in a model of rat osteoarthritis has been studied
Methods: In the present research, 48 mature, male Wistar rats were used. Animals were randomly divided into 6 groups of 8 as follows: control group [healthy animals], saline with mono-iodoacetate [MIA], MIA with Elaeagnus angustifolia extract, MIA with BMSCs, and MIA with a combination of Elaeagnus angustifolia extract and BMSCs. Osteoarthritis was induced by injection of 50 and muL solution of MIA in rats of groups 3 to 6. About 500 mg/kg Elaeagnus angustifolia extract was injected intraperitoneally daily for 4 weeks and nonautologous mesenchymal stem cells were injected into the knee joint on the 14th day. Stress-relaxation test was conducted applying 0.1 mm displacement at the rate of 5 mm/min for 1000 seconds. Then, the maximum initial force, instantaneous stiffness,equilibrium force, and equilibrium stiffness were calculated
Results: Induction of osteoarthritis model decreased instantaneous stiffness, maximum initial force, and equilibrium stiffness as compared to the healthy group [P=0.05]. Using Elaeagnus angustifolia extract and bone marrow stem cells increased instantaneous stiffness and equilibrium stiffness compared to MIA group, although this increase was statistically significant only in the BMSCs group [P=0.04 and P=0.026, respectively]. In the BMSCs group, maximum initial force also significantly increased compared to MIA group [P=0.04]
Conclusion: Apparently direct injection of BMSCs into the knee joint with osteoarthritis is more effective in increasing mechanical strength of the cartilage and improving the performance of the weight-bearing joint compared to using Elaeagnus angustifolia extract
ABSTRACT
Background: Examination of cartilage repair in animal work is dependent upon the thickness and radius of the induced impalement. Full-thickness defects with a radius of 3 mm have been commonly used in animal studies to evaluate new procedures designed to improve the quality of articular cartilage repair. The aim of the present study was to define the biomechanical characteristics of the repair of 5×4 mm full-thickness osteochondral defects in adult male rabbits
Methods: In a controlled clinical trial study 5 mm diameter and 4 mm deep osteochondral defects were drilled in the femoral patellar groove of twenty-one rabbits, and examined at 4, 8, and 16 weeks. The left knee was kept intact and was regarded as control. The knee joints were removed, and both legs were examined biomechanically by in situ indentation method at three time intervals [4, 8, 16 weeks]. The instantaneous and equilibrium elastic- modulus [after 900 second] were measured during the test
Results: There were no differences in cartilage mechanical properties [instantaneous and equilibrium elastic-modulus] in different weeks [4, 8, 16 weeks] in the two groups [p=0/08]. However, significant differences were seen between the experimental and control groups in 16 weeks in instantaneous elastic_ modulus [p= 0.44]. It suggests that new tissue in this group had more stiffness than control in 16 weeks
Conclusion: Full-thickness osteochondral defect, measuring 5×4 mm in the patellar groove of the adolescent rabbit knee healed spontaneously
Subject(s)
Animals, Laboratory , Cartilage, Articular , Elastic Modulus , RabbitsABSTRACT
In Recent years, recording of the H-reflex recruitment curve for assessment of the excitability of group I[a] afferent monosynaptic reflex has been growing. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of H-reflex recruitment curve parameters of gasterosoleus muscle in the assessment of motor neuron pool excitability. In this descriptive study, 50 non-athlete healthy volunteers were assessed. Percutaneously, 40 electrical pulses of 1 millisecond duration and 3 stimulations per each stimulus intensity were induced on tibial nerves and H-reflex recruitment curve were recorded in 4 phases. Also, each person was assessed in two sessions with 1-week interval. The intraclass correlation coefficients [ICCs] was obtained between 0.97-0.99 for inter-session reliability of intensity for recording the threshold, H[Max] and H[Last] reflexes, amplitude of H[Max], and the total slope of the ascending and descending arms. The inter-session correlation coefficient [test-retest] of these variables were obtained between 0.91-0.95 for soleus muscle, and the inter-session ICCs for peak-to-peak amplitude of H[Max] and the total slope of the ascending arm of gastrocnemius were obtained 0.65 and 0.67. The slope of initial and final three points of the ascending arm revealed a different reliability in inter-session and intra-session reliability analysis [0.64-0.96]. The reliability analysis showed a high inter-session and intra-session ICCs for the functional principal components of soleus recruitment curve. Also, recruitment curve parameters, such as intensity for record of threshold and H[Max] of soleus and lateral gastrocnemius muscles as well as total slope of ascending and descending arms, and peak to peak amplitude of H[Max] of soleus muscle had a very high Reliability
Subject(s)
Humans , Recruitment, Neurophysiological , Muscle, Skeletal , Motor Neurons , Reproducibility of ResultsABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to investigate the comparative effect of consumption of fatty acids [polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated], selected nutrients [calcium, vitamin D, and boron], along regular physical activity on bone mechanical properties in rats. Male Wistar rats weighing 140-180 g were divided into control and six treatment groups [n=8/ each group] and treated for eight weeks as following: Group 1 [control]: regular food and drinking water; Group 2 [Sport; Sp]: same as Gr.1 + physical activity [Whole body vibration; WBV]; Group 3 [SPM]: same as Gr.2 + Calcium, Vit. D, Boron; Group 4 [Co]: same as Gr.3 + canola oil; Group 5 [AF]: same as Gr.3 + sunflower oil; Group 6 [AC]: same as Gr.3 + sunflower and canola oils; and Group 7 [N]: same as Gr.3 + coconut oil. After interventions, frozen plasmas were analyzed and mechanical properties of femurs, tibias, and lumbar bones were determined. One way analysis of variance [ANOVA] was used to evaluate the effects of different treatments. Analysis of data between the groups revealed significant increase in serum levels of estradiol [E2] in group 7 [N], [p<0.05]. In addition, serum levels of testosterone [T] in groups 4 [Co] and 7 [N], and free testosterone [FT] in the group 7 [N] had a remarkable, but non-significant increase. As a result of vibration training, similar trend was observed for serum levels of vitamin D in the group 4 [Co] and 5 [AF]. The stiffness and the breaking strength [Fmax] of the femur bone in the group 7, and the breaking strength of the lumbar bone in the group 7 compared to the control and the groups 4 and 5 was significantly higher and tended to increase compared to the group 6. Better and stronger measurements observed for coconut oil is warranted to further study its effect on biomechanical properties of bones
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To investigate the friction of rabbit's knee joint with designed pendulum friction tester to diagnose and evaluate different pathological and therapeutic conditions following haemarthrosis, osteoarthritis, and other joint disorders. Friction coefficient of 10 adult male Albino rabbit's joint [5 right and 5 left knees] weighted 1.59 +/- 0.27 Kg, after designing and compiling the instrument and its processing software in the Physiotherapy department of Tarbiat Modares University were measured. Maximaum pendulum rotation, number of oscillations to reach equilibrium, coefficient of friction with Stanton's equation, exponential and linear curve fitting, average logarithmic and linear decrement methods were measured. Maximum rotation after pendulum releasing in the left joints were higher than the right ones, P<0.001.Number of oscillations to reach equilibrium in the left knees were also greater than the right knees, P=0.005.All different friction estimation methods had the same results and showed greater friction in the right in comparison to the left side. The pattern of the joints amplitude decay did not have a linear behaviour and the rabbit's knee joint coefficient of friction with nonlinear estimations was less than linear ones. The findings revealed that selecting a separate control group in such investigation is essential and the contralateral limb could not be considered as control group. Pendulum friction tester has the capability of evaluating changes in coefficient of friction after application of different therapeutic methods. These changes have important role in diagnosis, evaluation of joint diseases and developing techniques for treating those pathologies
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To examine the effects of consecutive supervised stability training on postural control of Chronic Low Back Pain [CLBP] population. Thirty-eight subjects with Chronic Low Back Pain [CLBP] were randomly assigned to one of two groups: Concise Supervised Stability Training [CSST] group [n=20] and electrotherapy [E] group [n=18]. Bilateral and unilateral stance ability with eyes open or closed was assessed by using Biodex Balance System. Postural indices including overall, anterior/posterior, medial/lateral stability indices and limit of stability parameters as time to complete and functional performance of subjects were recorded. Qualitative and quantitative variables were not significant between groups before treatment. Most postural indices showed significant decrease after stability training comparing with E group. CSST may improve postural balance in patients with Chronic Low Back Pain [CLBP] because of facilitating feed forward mechanism, proprioception and postural strategies. Nevertheless, more investigations are needed to evaluate the effects of CSST in Chronic Low Back Pain [CLBP] patients
Subject(s)
Humans , Posture , Teaching , Random Allocation , Postural Balance , Electric Stimulation Therapy , Proprioception , RehabilitationABSTRACT
To evaluate the reliabiity of dynamic standing balance in individuals with and without low back pain [LBP] using Biodex Balance System [BBS] and to compare the balance indices between two groups. Across-sectional non-experimental design. Biomechanics Laboratory and Saba spine specific physical therapy clinic, University of social welfare and rehabilitation sciences, Tehran, Iran. Twenty three male patients with LBP [mean age: 30.4 +/- 6.5 years] and twenty age-matched healthy male subjects [mean age: 29.8 +/- 6.4 years] participated in this study. Medial-Lateral stability index [MLSI], Anterior-posterior stability index [APSI] and an Overall stability index [OSI] were measured in two measurement sessions using the BBS. Balance was measured in four conditions; bilateral and unilateral stance with eyes open and eyes closed; over a period of 20s. The results showed that ICC in healthy subjects and those with LBP was between [0.91-0.95] and [0.88-0.96] respectively. The Bland-Altman plot of agreement in balance scores between tests and retests demonstrated good agreement. A significant difference was found in MLSI and OSI between subjects with and without LBP. However, no significant difference was detected in APSI between two groups. The findings of this study showed high reliability for BBS to evaluate dynamic postural balance in subjects with and without LBP. It seems that MLSI and 051 significantly differ between subjects with and without LBP