In Situ Crystallization of Hydroxyapatite on Carboxymethyl Cellulose as a Biomimetic Approach to Biomass-Derived Composite Materials.

Nanohydroxyapatite (HAP) was crystallized in an aqueous solution of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) to prepare the composites of CMC and HAP with a stable interface between them with the aim of developing a sustainable tough biomass composite material inspired by bone. The temperature (room temperature to 90 °C) and the concentration of CMC (0.83-13.

Impact of the coronary flow reduction at rest on myocardial perfusion and functional indices derived from myocardial contrast and strain echocardiography.

Background: The severity of the coronary flow reduction that corresponds to myocardial perfusion and functional abnormalities remains unclear. We estimated the impact of various severities of flow-limiting coronary stenosis at rest on myocardial perfusion and functional indices from myocardial contrast echocardiography and tissue strain imaging and characterized the relationship between both the indices.

Methods: Four levels of flow-limiting stenoses (slight, mild, moderate, severe) of the left circumflex coronary artery were examined in 10 open-chest dogs.

Noninvasive quantification of regional ventricular function in rats: assessment of serial change and spatial distribution using ultrasound strain analysis.

Background: The optimal method for quantitative assessment of regional ventricular function in rats remains unclear. The goal of this study was to investigate the use of ultrasonic strain rate (SR) and strain analysis in evaluating the serial change and spatial distribution of regional contractile function in rats.

Methods: In all, 22 anesthetized rats underwent incremental dobutamine infusion (protocol 1) for assessment of serial change or underwent coronary ligation (protocol 2) for assessment of spatial distribution.

[Efficacy of intravenous myocardial contrast echocardiography for assessment of perfusion area of the heart in mice].

Background And Objectives: Intravenous myocardial contrast echocardiography is used clinically, but use in small animals has not been evaluated. The conditions for myocardial opacification and the feasibility of myocardial contrast echocardiography were examined in mice.

Methods: Closed chest mice were examined.