Evaluation of bone mineral density through radiographic optical densitometry in 42 canine femures

This study evaluates the bone mineral density of 42 canine femurs using radiographic optical densitometry and validates radiographic optical densitometry as a parameter to standardize bone tissue samples used in biomechanical tests, contributing to the diagnosis of osteoporosis in dogs. The ImageJ 1.46r® program was used for the radiographic optical densitometry. After selecting the aluminum steps and the area of interest in the femur, the data obtained were stored in a table and converted into mm/Al using the MS Excel® trend function. Statistical analysis demonstrated the absence of atypical values (outiliers) in the samples analyzed. The samples evaluated were homogeneous and the densitometric data obtained may contribute to reducing the scarcity of densitometric references in the veterinary literature. Ex vivo biomechanical studies may benefit from the method used in this study to standardize their sample when evaluating bone mineral density, validating their respective projects

Computed Tomography Diagnostic of Uncommon Case of Osteopetrosis in 80-Year-Old Man—Case Report

Background and Objectives: During osteopetrosis course, impaired bone remodeling induces skeletal osteosclerosis and abnormally dense bones, which, however, are brittle and susceptible to low-energy fractures. In this study, radiological evaluation and densitometric measurements of several bones of the skeleton in one of the oldest patients in the world suffering from osteopetrosis was presented. Materials and Methods: Volumetric bone mineral density measurements of the examined bones in an 80-year-old man were performed using two different quantitative computed tomography techniques. Results: The obtained results show higher values of the volumetric bone mineral density of the trabecular bone in lumbar spine than in the cortical bone compartment. T-score and Z-score in this patient reached values of 27–28 and 31–32, respectively. Conclusions: The obtained densitometric data may serve for further diagnostic purposes of osteopetrosis. As documented, the severity of the osteosclerotic changes of bones were higher in this patient than in most other described cases. Moreover, radiological signs diagnosed in this patient were characteristic for all types of osteopetrosis making this case very uncommon.

Analysis of Densitometric Indices of Osteotropic Therapy by the Method of F* (Fisher) in Case Of Knee Arthroplasty

Clinical and densitometric researches in patients with the terminal stage of gonarthrosis and decrease in bone mineral density allow determining the condition of knee joint endoprosthesis. In the process of research women took part; their average age made up 57 years (max. 84 years old, min. 52 years old – menopausal age). X-ray densitometry (dual energy absorptiometry) before and after surgery (in 12 months). Patients were divided into two (main and control) groups depending on further treatment schedule. Studying the treatment results was carried out using the method of criteria calculation – f* (Fisher) by the method of mathematical treatment. Densitometric data analysis before and after operation showed after operation in the main group of women, who took osteotropic drugs as compared to the indicators of control group, significant bone density increase. The growth in bone mineral density of the main group by the year end made up on the average 60%, in control group – 18,75%.

The Design of a Quantitative Western Blot Experiment

Western blotting is a technique that has been in practice for more than three decades that began as a means of detecting a protein target in a complex sample. Although there have been significant advances in both the imaging and reagent technologies to improve sensitivity, dynamic range of detection, and the applicability of multiplexed target detection, the basic technique has remained essentially unchanged. In the past, western blotting was used simply to detect a specific target protein in a complex mixture, but now journal editors and reviewers are requesting the quantitative interpretation of western blot data in terms of fold changes in protein expression between samples. The calculations are based on the differential densitometry of the associated chemiluminescent and/or fluorescent signals from the blots and this now requires a fundamental shift in the experimental methodology, acquisition, and interpretation of the data. We have recently published an updated approach to produce quantitative densitometric data from western blots (Taylor et al., 2013) and here we summarize the complete western blot workflow with a focus on sample preparation and data analysis for quantitative western blotting.

Office practice of osteoporosis evaluation

Osteoporosis is a metabolic disease characterized by low bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to enhanced bone fragility and a consequent increase in fracture risk. Bone fragility depends on bone density, turnover and microarchitectural features, such as relative trabecular volume, spacing, number and connectivity. Previous fragility fractures increase the fracture risk irrespective of bone density. Other risk factors must also be considered as many fractures occur in patients with osteopenia on densitometry. On the other hand, the diagnosis of osteoporosis and increased fracture risk should not be based on densitometric data alone when young populations such as men below 65 years, premenopausal women, adolescents and children are considered.

Relationships between anatomical and densitometric characteristics of black spruce and summer temperature at tree line in northern Quebec

Tracheid cell number, cell diameter, and cell-wall thickness of black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) tree rings at the tree line (northern Quebec, Canada) were measured using image analysis. The densitometric data from the same samples were used to evaluate the features of image analysis. The anatomical data were correlated with summer temperature variables, including: means of pentad temperature (five consecutive days), growing season (May- September), sum of degree-days, and number of frost-free days. Our results suggest that the main cause of the pale appearance of light rings is thinner latewood cell-wall thickness. Some latewood variables are strongly correlated with corresponding indices for ring cell number and diameter, and ring cell wall thickness. Anatomical ring cell number and the sum of cell diameters (ring widths) were correlated to tree-ring width parameters derived from densitometry. Ring cell number and annual sum of cell diameter also showed very similar trends with both chronologies, suggesting that ring-width length may depend on the number of cells within a ring. Ratio diagram of double cell-wall thickness to cell radial diameter showed similar trend to wood density profile. There is a statistically significant correlation between maximum density and the highest annual ratio between cell wall thickness and lumen diameter. Cell-wall thickness was significantly correlated to maximum density, and both were significantly correlated with summer temperature variables. Our results suggest that wood anatomy may be used as a substitute to densitometry for climate reconstruction as densitometric data require expensive equipments. Also the anatomical method allows the recording of intra-annual information for dendroecological purposes.