Age-related changes in cortical porosity of the midshaft of the human femur

Complete cross-sections from the femoral midshaft of 180 individuals of known height and weight, aged 21–97 y, from a modern Australian population were examined using automatic video image analysis to quantify total subperiosteal porosity (TSPP). More specifically, the aim was to investigate whether age changes were similar in both sexes in (1) total subperiosteal area (TSPA), cortical area (CA) and medullary area (MA), (2) intracortical porosity (ICP), and (3) the respective contributions to TSPP made by MA and intracortical void area (ICVA). Our findings indicated that both sexes showed a significantly greater height normalised TSPA in the 70s as compared with the 20s. Males had consistently larger bones with a greater height normalised CA. In both sexes CA showed a tendency to increase till the 7th decade and then to decline, more so in females. MA approximately trebled in females and doubled in males over the age range studied. Although ICP also increased, from 4–6% in young adults to over 9% in the elderly, it showed a significant difference between the sexes only in the 3rd decade, being greater in males at this stage. By contrast, TSPP became significantly greater in females (from that recorded in the 3rd decade) by the time they reached the 50s, while in males this did not occur till the 80s. It increased from ∼25% in young adults of both sexes to ∼50% in females and ∼37% in males in their 80s. However, in the elderly there was great variability in both sexes in the appearance of bones from individuals of similar chronological age. Some bones differed little from those in younger subjects, others showed greatly increased ICP, still others displayed reduced cortical widths with low ICP. The femoral midshaft resembles other skeletal sites in that age changes in TSPP are more marked in females than males.     

饮片细粉对肠炎宁半浸膏片压缩成型的影响研究

目的 研究半浸膏颗粒中饮片细粉含量对其物理性质和压缩性能的影响。方法 以肠炎宁片为模型药物,测定含不同饮片细粉比例的肠炎宁颗粒的粉体学性质、压缩过程参数、抗张强度等指标,采用不同压缩方程对片剂抗张强度-压力、孔隙率-压力、抗张强度-孔隙率的变化规律进行拟合,阐明肠炎宁半浸膏片的成型机制,并用主成分分析对粉体学性质、压缩过程参数及拟合系数之间的相关性进行分析。结果 当肠炎宁颗粒中的饮片细粉含量小于6%时,随着饮片细粉含量的增加,粒子间的结合力增强,粉体的成型性增强;当含量超过6%后,饮片细粉弹性作用增强,粒子间结合力减弱,抑制成型。结论 从压缩成型角度说明了肠炎宁半浸膏片中饮片细粉含量的临界值为6%,可为半浸膏片的处方工艺优化提供较好的理论和实验依据。     

直接法与统计法测试松质骨孔隙率的比较研究

目的 探讨松质骨孔隙率的测试方法。方法 对15根猪胫骨分别采用“直接法”与“统计法”测试松质骨孔隙率或其表观密度和材料密度。结果 （1）孔隙率与表观密度呈非常显著负相关,而与材料密度相关不显著;（2）孔隙率沿轴向靠近密质量骨逐渐减小,而沿横向基本不变;（3）统计法可测出松质骨各个层面的孔隙率大小。结论 直接法和统计法均能检测松质骨孔隙率,但统计法较直接法更能反映孔隙率的分布与变化规律。     

Controlled Release of Theophylline Monohydrate from Amylodextrin Tablets: In Vitro Observations

Amylodextrin is a linear dextrin and can be produced by enzymatic hydrolysis of the -1,6 glycosidic bonds of amylopectin. Tablets compacted from pure amylodextrin showed good binding properties and did not disintegrate in aqueous media. Extended and decreasing drug release rates were found for tablets of 300 mg with a diameter of 9 mm containing 70% amylodextrin and 30% theophylline monohydrate, when compacted at 5 kN. Almost-constant drug release rates were obtained for these tablets when compacted at 10 or 15 kN. Nearly constant drug release rates were also shown for amylodextrin tablets with a drug load up to 75% compacted at 10 kN. Both release rate and release profile could be adjusted by selecting tablet thickness and incorporation of either lactose as a highly soluble excipient or talc as a hydrophobic excipient.     

高压下滴流床反应器动持液量的测定

在常压－２．０ＭＰａ的系统压力下测定了滴流床中气－液两相并流下流动的动持液量,了气－液流率,液相粘度,填料大小,压力以及床层高度对动持液量的影响。实验结果表明增中液体流率动持流量增加,气体流率增加时,结果相反粘度的增加对动持液量的影响不大,动持液量随填料空隙率的增大而变小。     

Drug release from reservoir pellets compacted with some excipients of different physical properties

The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of the size and the porosity of excipient microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) particles on the densification and the deformation during compaction and the consequent effect on the drug release from reservoir pellets. Drug pellets consisting of salicylic acid and microcrystalline cellulose were prepared by extrusion-spheronisation and spray-coated with ethyl cellulose (ethanol solution). Excipient pellets of different size and porosity were prepared by extrusion-spheronisation or direct spheronisation. Five binary mixtures of reservoir pellets and excipient particles were prepared in the proportion 1:7 and lubricated. After compaction the reservoir pellets were retrieved and analysed to determine the intragranular porosity, surface area, shape and drug release. The reservoir pellets were shown to undergo extensive deformation and densification during compaction, resulting in a preserved or even prolonged drug release time. The mode of deformation of the reservoir pellets seems to be critical for the compression-induced change in drug release. Formation of large indents has a negative effect on the release time, while the use of small particles or small deformable agglomerates has a protective effect. We also hypothesize that the coating structure changes during compaction and the final structure of the coating is the net effect of two parallel processes, one reducing and one prolonging the drug transport time across the coating.     

Effect of intragranular porosity on compression behaviour of and drug release from reservoir pellets

In this study, reservoir pellets were prepared and their compression behaviour as well as the importance of their porosity for compression-induced changes in drug release was investigated. Pellets of three different porosities, consisting of microcrystalline cellulose and salicylic acid, were prepared by extrusion–spheronisation and spray-coated with ethyl cellulose (ethanol solution). Lubricated reservoir pellets were compressed and retrieved by deaggregation of the tablets. The retrieved pellets were analysed regarding porosity, thickness, surface area, shape and drug release. It was found that the coating did not significantly affect their compression behaviour. Compaction of pellets of high original porosity considerably affected densification and degree of deformation, whereas the effect on drug release was minor. For low porosity pellets the influence of compaction on drug release was appreciable, but only slight regarding densification and degree of deformation. In conclusion, the porosity of pellets is a potential factor that the formulator can use to optimize drug release and one that can affect the robustness of a formulation during manufacture. Moreover, the coating may be able to adapt to the densification and deformation of the pellets.     

Inorganic Nanoparticle-Modified Poly(Phenylene Sulphide)/Carbon Fiber Laminates: Thermomechanical Behaviour

Carbon fiber (CF)-reinforced high-temperature thermoplastics such as poly(phenylene sulphide) (PPS) are widely used in structural composites for aerospace and automotive applications. The porosity of CF-reinforced polymers is a very important topic for practical applications since there is a direct correlation between void content and mechanical properties. In this study, inorganic fullerene-like tungsten disulphide (IF-WS₂) lubricant nanoparticles were used to manufacture PPS/IF-WS₂/CF laminates via melt-blending and hot-press processing, and the effect of IF-WS₂ loading on the quality, thermal and mechanical behaviour of the hybrid composites was investigated. The addition of IF-WS₂ improved fiber impregnation, resulting in lower degree of porosity and increased delamination resistance, compression and flexural properties; their reinforcement effect was greater at temperatures above the glass transition (T_g). IF-WS₂ contents higher than 0.5 wt % increased T_g and the heat deflection temperature while reduced the coefficient of thermal expansion. The multiscale laminates exhibited higher ignition point and notably reduced peak heat release rate compared to PPS/CF. The coexistence of micro- and nano-scale fillers resulted in synergistic effects that enhanced the stiffness, strength, thermal conductivity and flame retardancy of the matrix. The results presented herein demonstrate that the IF-WS₂ are very promising nanofillers to improve the thermomechanical properties of conventional thermoplastic/CF composites.     

Appendixes 1–8

Preclotting is an essential procedure for porous fabric vascular prostheses, but fatal bleeding due to fibrinolysis after implantation can occur in some cases. To overcome this problem, a method was developed to seal highly porous fabric vascular prostheses with adipose connective tissue fragments. A piece of subcutaneous adipose connective tissue weighing approximately 1 g was minced with scissors and stirred into 20 mL of saline, thereby creating a tissue suspension. This was sieved through the wall of a highly porous fabric prosthesis from the outside to the inside by intraluminal suction. The prostheses were implanted in the thoracic descending aortae of 20 dogs and removed from 1 h to 1 year after implantation. Twelve preclotted prostheses were used as controls. None of the treated grafts experienced bleeding complications postoperatively. In the controls, the chest wall was closed after the bleeding stopped from the suture line and through the prosthesis wall, but problems occurred after surgery. Three out of 12 control animals (25%) bled in the pleural cavity within 24 h. In the tissue-sealed grafts, smooth neointima formation without any degenerative changes was observed during a 1-year observation period.     

Strength Properties of a Porous Titanium Alloy Ti6Al4V with Diamond Structure Obtained by Laser Power Bed Fusion (LPBF)

This paper presents the results of experimental research on the strength properties of porous structures with different degrees of density manufactured of Ti6Al4V titanium alloy by Laser Power Bed Fusion. In the experiment, samples with diamond structure of porosity: 34%, 50%, 73% and 81% were used, as well as samples with near-zero porosity. Monotonic tensile tests were carried out to determine the effective values of axial modulus of elasticity, ultimate tensile strength, offset yield strength, ultimate elongation and Poisson ratio for titanium alloys with different porosities. The paper also proposes relationships that can be easily used to estimate the strength and rigidity of a porous material manufactured by 3D printing. They were obtained by the approximation of two quotients. The first one refers to the relationship between the tensile strength of a material with a defined porosity to the strength of full-filled material. The second similarly determines the change in the value of the axial modulus of elasticity. The analysis of microscopic observations of fracture surfaces and also microtomography visualization of the material structure are also presented.