Interrelationships between Morphometric, Densitometric, and Mechanical Properties of Mandible in 6-month-old Male Pigs

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate interrelationships between final body weight, and morphometric, densitometric, and mechanical properties of the mandible in 6-month-old Polish Large White pigs exposed to dexamethasone and nanocalcium. The study was performed on 27 males, castrated on the 28 th d after weaning, and reared until the age of 6 months, after which the animals were slaughtered, and the mandible was obtained. The pigs were divided into four experimental groups: animals given per os nanopartical calcium, animals injected with dexamethasone, animals given both nanopartical calcium per os and dexamethasone injections, and animals injected with placebo. After the slaughter, morphological properties of the mandible such as bone weight and length were determined. Using computed tomography technique, volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) of the cortical bone (Cd), mean volumetric bone mineral density (MvBMD), and total bone volume (Bvol) of whole mandible were measured. Areal bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content were evaluated with the use of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometric method. Using three-point bending test, mechanical parameters such as maximum elastic strength (Wy) and ultimate strength (Wf) of mandible were estimated. Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) was determined between all the investigated variables. The obtained results showed a significantly positive correlation between body weight and mandible weight, mandible length, Bvol, Cd, BMD, BMC, Wy, and Wf. However, statistically insignificant correlations of MvBMD and body weight, mandible weight, mandible length, and Bvol were observed. Furthermore, Bvol and Cd were not found to be significantly correlated. In conclusion, this study showed numerous positive correlations between final body weight and densitometric, morphometric, and mechanical properties of the mandible. This bone of pigs may be used as an attractive model for further investigation on metabolic response of the skeleton to physiological, nutritional, toxicological, and pharmacological factors influencing bone tissue metabolism.

Inulin-type fructans trigger changes in iron concentration and activity of bone metabolism biomarkers in blood plasma of growing pigs

“…Additionally, in human adolescents predominant ALP serum activity derives from bone origin ALP fraction as the effect of intense skeletal growth (Van Hoof et al, 1990;Kang, 2013). Serum total ALP activity is proposed as a marker of bone formation and osteoblast activity in growing adolescent pigs (Tymczyna et al, 2012). It is also noteworthy that bones morphology and their metabolic processes in pigs are similar to those evidenced in humans (Smink et al, 2003).…”

Participation of migration paths of selected metals in bone intoxication of Upper Silesia inhabitants

“…Man is exposed to toxic substances which may accumulate in the body, and as a result of a significant increase in their concentration, they can lead to a variety of pathological changes in tissues. Bones are tissues susceptible to the accumulation of metal due to the long recovery time, which is why they often reflect the overall level of toxic metals in our body [24,25]. The occurrence of the elements in the femur head tissues were as follows: cadmium > nickel > manganese > copper > chromium > zinc.…”

Interrelationships between Morphological, Densitometric and Mechanical Properties of Eggs in Japanese Quails (<i>Coturnix Japonica</i>)

“…This study for the first time presents use of both QCT and DEXA for investigations of morphological and densitometric properties of egg in Japanese quails and their common relationships. Both these methods are commonly used for non-invasive in vivo or ex vivo determinations of quality of teeth and bones of skeletal system in mammals and birds (Charuta et al, 2008;Tatara et al, 2011;Charuta and Cooper, 2012;Tymczyna et al, 2012;Tymczyna et al, 2013). In case of both these methods, morphological imaging and densitometric measurements are based on data obtained from X-rays attenuation during passage throughout the examined object.…”