The changes of hemodynamic parameters, pathology and c-kit mRNA expression in myocardium after acute myocardial infarction in rats / 生物医学工程学杂志

This study was aimed to investigate the changes of hemodynamic parameters, pathology and c kit mRNA expression in myocardium after acute myocardial infarctionin (AMI) in rats, and to elucidate the relationship between these three kinds of changes. Sixty six adult male SD rats were randomly divided into normal group, Sham groups and ligation groups. The rat model of AMI was set up by ligating the left anterior descending artery. Hemodynamic parameters, pathological changes and c kit mRNA expression in myocardiam were examined. The results revealed that there were no statistically significant differences in hemodynamic parameters between normal group and Sham groups. Compared with the normal group, all ligation groups exhibited significantly decreased left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP) and +/-dp/dtmax (P<0.01), and increased left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP, P<0.01). In the other ligation groups, compared with 6th hour group after ligation, there appeared striking increase of LVSP, LVEDP and +/-dp/dtmax (P<0.05). HE staining in myocardiam showed that there are necrosis and derangement at 24th hour group after ligation ,and a great number of inflammatory cells infiltration around the infarct zone at 3rd day group after ligation, and granulation tissue infiltrated into the infarct zone at 14th day group after ligation. In all five time points groups after ligation, the levels of c-kit mRNA expression were 0.99 fold, 1.06 fold, 1.46 fold, 1.91 fold and 2.67 fold, respectively, compared with Sham groups. The results suggest that cardiac stem cells in myocardium might contribute to the role of regenerating myocardium via self proliferation after acute myocardial infarction, but further investigation is still needed.

A new three-point bending test for bone biomechanical properties of rat's tibia / 生物医学工程学杂志

In this study, we compared the three-point bending test of the metaphyseal tibia versus the three-point bending test of the diaphysial tibia in rats. Twenty 6-month-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the ovariectomized (OVX) group and the sham-operated (Sham) group. All rats were housed in standard environmental conditions. Five months after operation, all rats were sacrificed by depletion method. All left tibia were removed for the three-point bending test. The changes of mechanical parameters were examined by the three-point bending test of the metaphyseal tibia and by that of the diaphysial tibia. Elastic, Maximum Load, Maximum Stress, Failure Load, and Failure Stress of the metaphyseal tibia were much lower in OVX rats than in Sham rats. However, there was no statistically significant difference in all of the mechanical parameters of the diaphysial tibia between the OVX group and the Sham group. The new three-point bending test of the metaphyseal tibia is much more sensitive and useful as compared with the test of the diaphysial tibia in evaluating the changes of mechanical properties of tibia in osteoporotic rats.

Effects of ovariectomy and estradiol on microarchitecture and biomechanical properties in rat vertebrae / 生物医学工程学杂志

This study was aimed at observing the effects of ovariectomy and estradiol on the microarchitecture of cancellous bone and exploring the influence of microarchitectural change on the biomechanical properties. Thirty 6-month-old unmated female SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (10 rat each): sham-operated control group (Sham), ovariectomized group (OVX)and Estradiol Benzoate treated group (EBT). All rats were housed in standard environmental conditions. Five months after operation, the rats were sacrificed. The biomechanical properties of the third lumbar vertebras (L3) were measured with compression testing in vitro. Micro-CT scanning was performed on the fourth lumbar vertebras (L4) in vitro. In comparison with the corresponding variables of Sham, the bone volume fraction (BV/TV) and the trabecular number (Tb. N) of OVX were reduced remarkably, and the trabecular separation (Tb. Sp) and the structural model index (SMI) of OVX were enhanced obviously. These facts implicated that the bone trabecular plate-like structure of OVX were decreased. BV/TV, Tb. N and the trabecular thickness (Tb. Th) of EBT were greater than those of OVX. Tb. Sp and SMI of EBT were much smaller than those of OVX. The results of mechanical test showed that the maximum forioe (Fmax), the maximum stress (sigmamax) and the elastic modeulus (E) of the lumbar vertebral cancellous bone of OVX were declined sharply, while the aforesaid biomechanical index of EBT was improved distinctly. The performance of three-dimensional micro-CT and the mechanical testing to assess microarchitecture of cancellous bone are useful for evaluating the state of osteoporosis and the antiosteoporotic effect of agents.