Exploring Biomineralization Processes Using In Situ Liquid Transmission Electron Microscopy: A Review.

Liquid transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is a newly established technique broadly used to study reactions in situ. Since its emergence, complex and multifaceted biomineralization processes have been revealed with real-time resolution, where classical and non-classical mineralization pathways have been dynamically observed primarily for Ca and Fe-based mineral systems in situ. For years, classical crystallization pathways have dominated theories on biomineralization progression despite observations of non-traditional routes involving precursor phases using traditional- and cryo-TEM.

Evaluation of lap belt-pelvis load transfer in frontal impact simulations using finite element occupant models.

Objective: The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between lap belt tension and force measured at the iliac wing and the effects of model type and torso posture on this relationship. From this analysis, preliminary transfer functions were developed to predict loads applied to the iliac wing as a function of lap belt tension at magnitudes typically measured in sled and vehicle crash tests.

Methods: A DOE study was conducted to provide a robust assessment of the lap belt-pelvis load relationship under various conditions.

Analysis of human ambulation as a chaotic time-series: with nonlinear dynamics tools.

The aim of the present study is to investigate the complexity and stability of human ambulation and the implications on robotic prostheses control systems. Fourteen healthy individuals participate in two experiments, the first group run at three different speeds. The second group ascended and descended stairs of a five-level building block at a self-selected speed.

Automated transtibial prosthesis alignment: A systematic review.

This comprehensive systematic review critically analyzes the current progress and challenges in automating transtibial prosthesis alignment. The manual identification of alignment changes in prostheses has been found to lack reliability, necessitating the development of automated processes. Through a rigorous systematic search across major electronic databases, this review includes the highly relevant studies out of an initial pool of 2111 records.

Cervical vertebral and spinal cord injuries in rollover occupants.

Background: Rollover crashes continue to be a substantial public health issue in North America. Previous research has shown that the cervical spine is the most injured spine segment in rollovers, but much of the past research has focused on risk factors rather than the actual cervical spine injuries. We sought to examine how different types of cervical spine injuries (vertebral and/or cord injury) vary with different occupant-related factors in rollovers and to compare these with non-rollovers.

Knockout of formyl peptide receptor 1 reduces osteogenesis and bone healing.

Aims: Formyl peptide receptor 1 (FPR1), from a G-protein coupled receptor family, was previously well-characterized in immune cells. But the function of FPR1 in osteogenesis and fracture healing was rarely reported. This study, using the FPR1 knockout (KO) mouse, is one of the first studies that try to investigate FPR1 function to osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMSCs) in vitro and bone fracture healing in vivo.

Development of a biofidelic computational model of human pelvis for predicting biomechanical responses and pelvic fractures.

Background And Objective: The pelvis, a crucial structure for human locomotion, is susceptible to injuries resulting in significant morbidity and disability. This study aims to introduce and validate a biofidelic computational pelvis model, enhancing our understanding of pelvis injury mechanisms under lateral loading conditions.

Methods: The Finite Element (FE) pelvic model, representing a mid-sized male, was developed with variable cortical thickness in pelvis bones.

Variability in Body Shape, Superficial Soft Tissue Geometry, and Seatbelt Fit Relative to the Pelvis in Automotive Postures-Methods for Volunteer Data Collection With Open Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Variability in body shape and soft tissue geometry have the potential to affect the body's interaction with automotive safety systems. In this study, we developed a methodology to capture information on body shape, superficial soft tissue geometry, skeletal geometry, and seatbelt fit relative to the skeleton-in automotive postures-using Open Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Volunteer posture and belt fit were first measured in a vehicle and then reproduced in a custom MRI-safe seat (with an MR-visible seatbelt) placed in an Open MR scanner.

Skull fractures by glass bottles tested on cadaveric heads.

Head trauma is frequently related to the misuse of drinking vessels as weapons. Forensic reports usually evaluate these blunt injuries as having occurred in scenarios where the alcohol intake is high. Fatal consequences are seen in blows with glass bottles aiming at the head.

A Novel Paradigm to Develop Regional Thoracoabdominal Criteria for Behind Armor Blunt Trauma Based on Original Data.

Introduction: For behind armor blunt trauma (BABT), recent prominent BABT standards for chest plate define a maximum deformation distance of 44 mm in clay. It was developed for soft body armor applications with limited animal, gelatin, and clay tests. The legacy criterion does not account for differing regional thoracoabdominal tolerances to behind armor-induced injury.

Estimation of body segmental orientation for prosthetic gait using a nonlinear autoregressive neural network with exogenous inputs.

Assessment of the prosthetic gait is an important clinical approach to evaluate the quality and functionality of the prescribed lower limb prosthesis as well as to monitor rehabilitation progresses following limb amputation. Limited access to quantitative assessment tools generally affects the repeatability and consistency of prosthetic gait assessments in clinical practice. The rapidly developing wearable technology industry provides an alternative to objectively quantify prosthetic gait in the unconstrained environment.

Impact of unilateral and bilateral impairments on bimanual force production following stroke.

Large bilateral asymmetry and task deficits are typically observed during bimanual actions of stroke survivors. Do these abnormalities originate from unilateral impairments affecting their more-impaired limb, such as weakness and abnormal synergy, or from bilateral impairments such as incoordination of two limbs? To answer this question, 23 subjects including 10 chronic stroke survivors and 13 neurologically intact subjects participated in an experiment where they produced bimanual forces at different hand locations. The force magnitude and directional deviation of the more-impaired arm were measured for unilateral impairments and bimanual coordination across locations for bilateral impairments.

The Effects of Recline Angle and Restraint Geometry on Lap Belt-Pelvis Interaction for Above-Normal BMI Motor Vehicle Occupants.

The interaction of the three-point seat belt with the occupant, particularly the lap belt with the pelvis, is affected by a multitude of intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including the torso recline angle, lap belt angle, and occupant body mass index (BMI). While field data analyses have shown the strong safety benefit for seat belt use regardless of occupant size or crash direction, the term "submarining" historically has been used to describe a scenario in which the lap belt loads the abdominal soft tissue and organs, superior and posterior to the pelvic bone. While contemporary restraint systems work to effectively address the risk of submarining in occupants properly seated and properly belted, scenarios in which the lap belt may not properly engage the load-bearing pelvis remain.

Effect of axial compression on stiffness and deformation of human lumbar spine in flexion-extension.

Objective: The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of axial compression, employed with a follower-load mechanism, on the response of the lumbar spine in flexion and extension bending. Additional goals include measurement of both the kinetic (stiffness) and kinematic (deformation distribution) responses, evaluating how the responses vary across specimens, and to develop response corridors that can be used to evaluate human body models (HBMs) and anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs).

Methods: Seven mid-sized male adult lumbar spines (T12-S1) from postmortem human surrogates were tested in subinjurious flexion and extension bending with 0, 900, and 1800 N of superimposed axial compression.

Choice of Arm Use in Stroke Survivors is Largely Driven by the Energetic Cost of the Movement.

Background: The decision of which arm to use to achieve a goal depends on energetic costs and performance abilities of each arm. Following a stroke, there is a reduction in the use of the more-impaired arm. Is it because the energetic costs of the more-impaired arm are increased, or because its use dictates a lower chance of success?

Objective: We sought to elucidate the impact of energetic cost and task success on the arm choice of stroke survivors.

Spinal injury rates and specific causation in motor vehicle collisions.

Motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) are a leading cause of acute spinal injuries. Chronic spinal pathologies are common in the population. Thus, determining the incidence of different types of spinal injuries due to MVCs and understanding biomechanical mechanism of these injuries is important for distinguishing acute injuries from chronic degenerative disease.

Investigating the Effect of Brain Size on Deformation Magnitude Using Subject-Specific Finite Element Models.

In the last decade, computational models of the brain have become the gold standard tool for investigating traumatic brain injury (TBI) mechanisms and developing novel protective equipment and other safety countermeasures. However, most studies utilizing finite element (FE) models of the brain have been conducted using models developed to represent the average neuroanatomy of a target demographic, such as the 50th percentile male. Although this is an efficient strategy, it neglects normal anatomical variations present within the population and their contributions on the brain's deformation response.