Effect of mechanical loading on heterotopic ossification in cervical total disc replacement: a three-dimensional finite element analysis

The development of heterotopic ossification (HO) is considered one of the major complications following cervical total disc replacement (TDR). Even though previous studies have identified clinical and biomechanical conditions that may stimulate HO, the mechanism of HO formation has not been fully elucidated. The objective of this study is to investigate whether mechanical loading is a biomechanical condition that plays a substantial role to decide the HO formation. A finite element model of TDR on the C5–C6 was developed, and HO formation was predicted by simulating a bone adaptation process under various physiological mechanical loadings. The distributions of strain energy on vertebrae were assessed after HO formation. For the compressive force, most of the HO formation occurred on the vertebral endplates uncovered by the implant footplate which was similar to the Type 1 HO. For the anteriorly directed shear force, the HO was predominantly formed in the anterior parts of both the upper and lower vertebrae as the Type 2 HO. For both the flexion and extension moments, the HO shapes were similar to those for the shear force. The total strain energy was reduced after HO formation for all loading conditions. Two distinct types of HO were predicted based on mechanically induced bone adaptation processes, and our findings were consistent with those of previous clinical studies. HO formation might have a role in compensating for the non-uniform strain energy distribution which is one of the mechanical parameters related to the bone remodeling after cervical TDR.     

Report from Mongolia – How much do we know about the incidence of rare cases in less developed countries: a case series

Introduction

Prostate cancer is known to have a tendency to metastasize to bone. Skeletal scintigraphy can be used to show multiple lesions. Diffuse metastasis, which is not infrequent in prostate cancer, can also be suspected on the basis of a 'super scan'. However, this phenomenon in nuclear medicine has several other causes that need to be considered.

Case presentation

A patient with a history of prostate cancer presented with pleural fluid, peripheral edema and bone pain. A super scan of the bone was found which suggested diffuse skeletal metastasis of the prostate cancer but the patient also had a prostate specific antigen level which was not compatible with this diagnosis. Further investigations revealed the paraneoplastic phenomenon of hypertrophic osteoarthropathy, related to an incurable carcinoma of the lung, to be the cause of the super scan.

Conclusion

A super scan is characterized by a high bone to soft tissue ratio on skeletal scintigraphy, with a uniform symmetrical increase in bone uptake and diminished to absent renal visualization ('absent kidney sign'). It can be seen in a variety of diseases in which there is a diffusely increased bone turnover. Diffuse skeletal metastasis of a well-differentiated prostate carcinoma is unlikely to be the cause of a super scan when the prostate specific antigen level is not elevated. This is the first report of a super scan due to pulmonary hypertrophic osteoarthropathy which can be seen in lung carcinoma and other pulmonary diseases.     

基于高光谱特征的雅氏落叶松尺蠖虫口密度估算

【目的】多年来,蒙古高原典型落叶松害虫雅氏落叶松尺蠖Eeannis jacobsoni发生频繁,使森林生态系统遭到严重破坏。虫口密度可直接描述森林虫害严重程度,进而及时、快速获得害虫虫口密度信息显得极为重要。本研究旨在依据雅氏落叶松尺蠖暴发区的落叶松光谱实测数据和虫口密度数据,构建基于高光谱特征的虫口密度估算方法。【方法】以蒙古国后杭爱省和肯特省4个地点雅氏落叶松尺蠖暴发区为试验区。首先从这4个试验区选取不同程度受害的110株西伯利亚落叶松Larix sibirica样本树,调查虫口密度和测量冠层光谱反射率;其次通过光谱反射率数据获得微分光谱反射率(differential spectral reflectance, DSR)和计算改进型光谱指数(modified spectral index, MSI);再次运用多项式曲线拟合法,分析DSR和MSI对虫口密度的敏感性;然后借助连续投影算法(successive projection algorithm, SPA)提取敏感DSR和MSI;最后利用敏感DSR和MSI,结合多项式回归(polynomial regression, PR)和支持向量机回归(support vector machine regression, SVMR)算法,建立雅氏落叶松尺蠖虫口密度估算模型,并评定了其精度。【结果】DSR的敏感波段主要在黄边和红边波段内,其中572 nm的敏感性最显著(R²=0.5821,P<0.001),MSI的最敏感指数为TVI(R²=0.5386,P<0.001);TVI(R²_CV=0.6323,RMSE_CV=0.1513)比DSR₅₇₂(R²_CV=0.5581,RMSE_CV=0.1649)估算精度高,而多个DSR(R²=0.7309,RMSE_CV =0.1347)比多个MSI(R²_CV=0.6537,RMSE_CV=0.1453)更有估算潜力,其中SVMR模型性能始终优于PR模型,说明SVMR更加适用于虫口密度估算。【结论】MSI和DSR可作为虫口密度估算的敏感指标,多项式曲线拟合法能够挖掘MSI和DSR对虫口密度的敏感性;SPA是虫口密度敏感光谱特征提取的一种有效方法,其提取的DSR敏感指标和MSI敏感指数充分捕捉了针叶叶绿素吸收特征、水分吸收特征以及针叶细胞受损引起的反射特征。该研究不仅为利用航空航天遥感监测森林害虫虫口密度提供实验理论基础,而且为森林虫害遥感监测拓展了新途径。