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Biomedical subjects

A Rohlmann

Publications and source records attributed to A Rohlmann.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Facial nerve lesions lead to increased immunostaining of the astrocytic gap junction protein (connexin 43) in the corresponding facial nucleus of rats.

After peripheral transection of the facial nerve, immunostaining of astrocytic gap junction protein changed in the corresponding brainstem nucleus of the rat. Enhanced connexin-43 immunoreactivity was restricted to the ipsilateral facial nucleus and to astrocytes surrounding lesioned motoneurons. This reaction is focally distinct, and marks only a part of the astrocytic network indicating a local plasticity of intercellular coupling. These results suggest that astrocytes work as sensors of signals which either depend on the integrity of neighboring neurons or inform about neuronal disorders.

Animals↗

Hip joint loading during walking and running, measured in two patients.

The resultant hip joint force, its orientation and the moments were measured in two patients during walking and running using telemetering total hip prostheses. One patient underwent bilateral joint replacement and a second patient, additionally suffering from a neuropathic disease and atactic gait patterns, received one instrumented hip implant. The joint loading was observed over the first 30 and 18 months, respectively, following implantation. In the first patient the median peak forces increased with the walking speed from about 280% of the patient's body weight (BW) at 1 km h-1 to approximately 480% BW at 5 km h-1. Jogging and very fast walking both raised the forces to about 550% BW; stumbling on one occasion caused magnitudes of 720% BW. In the second patient median forces at 3 km h-1 were about 410% BW and a force of 870% BW was observed during stumbling. During all types of activities, the direction of the peak force in the frontal plane changed only slightly when the force magnitude was high. Perpendicular to the long femoral axis, the peak force acted predominantly from medial to lateral. The component from ventral to dorsal increased at higher force magnitudes. In one hip in the first patient and in the second patient the direction of large forces approximated the average anteversion of the natural femur. The torsional moments around the stem of the implant were 40.3 N m in the first patient and 24 N m in the second.

Aged↗

[Stress measurements with an instrumented internal spinal fixator].

Little is known about the loads acting on internal spinal fixation devices. The effective forces and moments associated with different external loads have now been measured using instrumented implants. Measurements were obtained in intact cadaver spines and following vertebrectomy. The influence of the implant itself on the distribution of the loads was also investigated. It was found that the implants are not loaded symmetrically. Following vertebrectomy, the forces acting on the fixation device are significantly higher than in the case of an intact spine.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗

Reactive astrocytes in myelin-deficient rat optic nerve reveal an altered distribution of orthogonal arrays of particles (OAP).

Reactive astrocytes are a common feature of various pathological conditions within the CNS. Morphological changes of reactive astrocytes include an altered nucleus-cytoplasm relationship, nuclear indentations, an increased amount of intermediate filaments, and an immunologically immature phenotype. Additionally, the number of orthogonal arrays of particles (OAP) was found to be increased within parenchymal membranes of reactive astrocytes. This observation prompted us to investigate the distribution of astroglial OAP in the amyelinated CNS of the myelin-deficient (md) rat in which reactive astrocytes prevail. In the present freeze-fracture study, astroglial OAP were determined within endfoot and nonendfoot (parenchymal) membranes in the developing optic nerve of md rats and normal littermates at the age of 12, 23, 40, and 64 days postnatally (dpn). The endfoot OAP density in md astrocytes remained constant during the entire period of investigation. In myelinated littermates, OAP densities continuously increased up to adult values. In contrast, the parenchymal OAP density in md astrocytes increased during the entire period of investigation. In normal littermates, OAP densities remained constant during the first 40 dpn and thereafter increased rapidly. These observations suggest that the absence of myelinogenesis in the md mutant may be a stimulus for parenchymal membranes of reactive astrocytes to insert OAP or to assemble OAP subunits into complete arrays.

Aging↗

Aimed movements to visual targets in hemiplegic and normal children: is the "good" hand of children with infantile hemiplegia also normal?

The accuracy, reaction and movement time of pointing movements to visual targets were examined in children aged 3-13 yr with infantile hemiplegia and compared to those of comparably aged normal children. Hemiplegic children pointed with the "good" hand (i.e. ipsilateral to the lesion). Half the normal children used the preferred hand, half the non-preferred hand. Movements were made with unrestricted/restricted visual feedback, when movement distance was short/medium/long, and when number of target alternatives were 2/4/8. Normal children using the preferred hand were more accurate but reacted more slowly than children using the non-preferred hand. The performance of most of the hemiplegic children with bilateral and/or unilateral lesions was impaired; degree of accuracy was related to the extent of the brain lesion; and reaction time was related to the level of intelligence. It was concluded that unilateral lesions in children can result in bilateral visuomotor impairment.

Adolescent↗

Multichannel strain gauge telemetry for orthopaedic implants.

In vivo measurements of the loads and deformations occurring in orthopaedic implants will allow future improvements to be made. This paper describes an extremely small telemetry for long term measurements with three strain gauges and methods for an absolutely safe implant design. Developed for measuring the load at hip prostheses, the telemetry can also be used for other implants. Its size makes feasible instrumentation of devices with only slight mechanical modifications. In addition to the description of our own measuring system, the paper gives a survey on the problems of telemetrized implants, on methods for measuring spatial loads, and on the investigations of other authors. Future publications will present in vivo measurements with this telemetry, among others on hip endoprostheses.

Equipment Design↗

A nonlinear finite element analysis of interface conditions in porous coated hip endoprostheses.

We used a geometrically simplified finite element model to investigate load transfer between a porous coated hip endoprosthesis and a femur. Assuming both rigidly bonded and nonlinear interfaces, we analyzed fully and partially coated stems that had coatings of different elastic moduli. Our results indicate that maximum values for relative motion in the interface between bone and implant occur for implants with the same elastic modulus as compact bone. By comparison, interface motion is reduced by about half for Co-Cr-Mo alloy stems. We also showed that the elastic modulus of the porous coating had only a small influence on bone stresses.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗

Effects of stem design and material properties on stresses in hip endoprostheses.

With the aid of a three-dimensional finite element stress analysis a parameteric study of the essential aspects of the femoral component of hip endoprostheses was carried out. Various designs were investigated; these included the prosthetic stem length, the existence or non-existence of the prosthetic collar and the elastic modulus of stem and cement. Variations in the stem length have only minor effects on the stress distribution for a stem length greater than 100 mm, but the elastic modulus of the prosthetic stem has a considerable influence on the stresses. A high elastic modulus of the stem increases the stresses in the stem but it decreases stresses in the cement. The cement stresses increase with an increase in the modulus of elasticity of the cement.

Bone Cements↗

A comparison of hip joint forces in sheep, dog and man.

The hip joint forces of sheep and dogs were measured with instrumented endoprostheses and the results were compared with reported data concerning these forces in man. In all animals load directions with 0 to 30 degrees inclinations relative to the femoral axis predominated. The transverse components mostly acted from medio-ventral directions. While the force orientations varied little during each single stance phase, they changed rapidly during the swing phase. Strong inter- and intra-individual differences of load directions were found in all animals. Irregular forces, acting upwards or transverse to the femur, were frequently observed. Maximum joint forces were up to 110% of body weight and depended more on the postoperative time than on the walking speed. Load orientations in the animals were similar to those reported for man. In this regard sheep and dogs appear equally well suited for tests of hip endoprostheses for man.

Animals↗

Finite-element-analysis and experimental investigation in a femur with hip endoprosthesis.

The stress distribution in a human femur with an endoprosthesis was determined. The finite element method (FEM) was used for a three-dimensional model with more than 15000 degrees of freedom. Geometrical and material data had been taken for this model from a left femur with endoprosthesis. On the contralateral bone a strain gauge investigation was performed to validate the calculations. Reasonable agreement was achieved. Various modes of loading were investigated. A perfect bond at the interface between materials of different elastic moduli was assumed. The results are valid for endoprosthesis with such structured stem surfaces as allow transfer of tensile and shear stresses.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗

Finite-element-analysis and experimental investigation of stresses in a femur.

The state of stress of an intact femur was analysed using a three-dimensional finite element model. One of a pair of femora was used for determination of data for the 3-D model. The other was instrumented with 34 rosette strain gauges for experimental measurements. Good agreement of analytical and experimental data was achieved. For six modes of loading, the deflections and the principal and comparison stresses were determined and compared. The upper one third and the diaphysis of the femur are differently affected in their state of stress, by different modes of loading including simulation of the abductor muscles and the iliotibial tract. For qualitative stress studies of the diaphysis, loading by a single force on the femoral head parallel to the shaft axis may be adequate.

Femur↗

[The stresses in femur (author's transl)].

The influence of pull in the iliotibial tract on the stresses in the human femur was investigated using the finite element method. Stresses and strains were computed for a model, assuming different forces in the iliotibial tract. The results were experimentally confirmed using strain gauges. The pull in the iliotibial tract mainly reduces the high tensile strains at the lateral side.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗