Currently, the most commonly used bioresorbable scaffold is made of beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP); it is hoped that scaffolds made of a mixture of hydroxyapatite (HA) and poly-D/L-lactide (PDLLA) will be able to act as novel bioresorbable scaffolds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of a HA/PDLLA scaffold compared to β-TCP, at a loading site. Dogs underwent surgery to replace a section of tibial bone with a bioresorbable scaffold. After the follow-up period, the scaffold was subjected to histological analysis. The HA/PDLLA scaffold showed similar bone formation and superior cell and tissue infiltration compared to the β-TCP scaffold, as seen after Villanueva Goldner staining. Moreover, silver staining and immunohistochemistry for Von Willebrand factor and cathepsin K demonstrated better cell infiltration in the HA/PDLLA scaffold. The fibrous tissue and cells that had infiltrated into the HA/PDLLA scaffold tested positive for collagen type I and RUNX2, respectively, indicating that the tissue and cells that had infiltrated into the HA/PDLLA scaffold had the potential to differentiate into bone. The HA/PDLLA scaffold is therefore likely to find clinical application as a new bioresorbable scaffold.

Effects of pH, NH 4 -N, and temperature on basidiospore germination in Coprinopsis austrophlyctidospora from New Zealand, C. phlyctidospora from Japan, C. aff. rugosobispora from Canada, and C. echinospora from Canada were investigated. The Coprinopsis spp. required the presence of ammonium-nitrogen under weak alkaline to neutral conditions for germination, regardless of their different areas of occurrence. The former two species had a wider concentration of NH 4 Cl solution and pH range for germination in comparison to the latter two species. The optimum concentration of NH 4 Cl solution for the germination was 0.01 M in C. austrophlyctidospora and 0.1 M in the other three species. The pH optimum for germination in the former two species was 8.0 whereas that for germination in the latter two species was 8.0-8.5. The temperature range (5.0-40.0°C) for the former two species was wider than that (5-30°C) for the latter two species. Temperature optima for the germination in the former two species, C. aff. rugosobispora and C. echinospora, were 30, 20-25 and 15°C, respectively. The germination abilities of these Coprinopsis species in a wide range of temperatures are relevant to their natural temperature regime, showing their potential ability to propagate in tropical to subarctic regions.

Effects of pH, NH 4 -N, and temperature on basidiospore germination in Coprinopsis austrophlyctidospora from New Zealand, C. phlyctidospora from Japan, C. aff. rugosobispora from Canada, and C. echinospora from Canada were investigated. The Coprinopsis spp. required the presence of ammonium-nitrogen under weak alkaline to neutral conditions for germination, regardless of their different areas of occurrence. The former two species had a wider concentration of NH 4 Cl solution and pH range for germination in comparison to the latter two species. The optimum concentration of NH 4 Cl solution for the germination was 0.01 M in C. austrophlyctidospora and 0.1 M in the other three species. The pH optimum for germination in the former two species was 8.0 whereas that for germination in the latter two species was 8.0-8.5. The temperature range (5.0-40.0°C) for the former two species was wider than that (5-30°C) for the latter two species. Temperature optima for the germination in the former two species, C. aff. rugosobispora and C. echinospora, were 30, 20-25 and 15°C, respectively. The germination abilities of these Coprinopsis species in a wide range of temperatures are relevant to their natural temperature regime, showing their potential ability to propagate in tropical to subarctic regions.