Noninvasive measures of bone bending rigidity in the monkey (M. nemestrina)

Abstract

The in vivo bending rigidity and bone mineral content of monkey ulnae and tibiae were measured. Bending rigidity in the anteroposterior plane was measured by an impedance probe technique. Forced vibrations of the bones were induced with an electromechanical shaker, and force and velocity at the driving point were determined. The responses over the range of 100-250 Hz were utilized to compute the bending rigidity. Bone mineral content in the cross section was determined by a photon absorption technique. Seventeen male monkeys (Macaca nemestrina) weighing 6-14 kg were evaluated. Repeatability of the rigidity measures was 4%. Bone mineral content was measured with a precision of 3.5%. Bending rigidity was correlated with the mineral content of the cross section, r = 0.899. Two monkeys were evaluated during prolonged hypodynamic restraint. Restraint produced regional losses of bone most obviously in the proximal tibia. Local bone mineral content declines 17 to 24% and the average bending rigidity declines 12 to 22%. Changes in bones leading to a reduction in mineral content and stiffness are discussed.

Investigating the form-function interface in African apes: Relationships between principal moments of area and positional behaviors in femoral and humeral diaphyses

“…Compelling in vivo research by Lišková and Heřt (1971) and Heřt et al (1969Heřt et al ( , 1971Heřt et al ( , 1972 provided experimental verification for proposed relationships articulated in earlier work (Amtmann, 1971;Koch, 1917;Kummer, 1959;Meyer, 1867;Pauwels, 1968Pauwels, , 1980Roux, 1881;Wolff, 1892). Subsequent experimental approaches (e.g., Biewener et al, 1983;Bouvier and Hylander, 1981;Burr et al, 1996Burr et al, , 2002Churches et al, 1979;Goodship et al, 1979;Gross et al, 1992Gross et al, , 1997Jones et al, 1977;King et al, 1969;Lanyon, 1980;Lanyon and Baggott, 1976;Lanyon et al, 1975Lanyon et al, , 1982Loitz and Zernicke, 1992;Martin, 1991;O'Connor et al, 1982;Lanyon, 1982, 1984b;Woo et al, 1981;Young et al, 1979; reviewed by Burr, 1980;Turner, 1998) have refined this relationship even further. It is clear that long bone diaphyses adapt their shape in response to dynamic rather than static loads (Lanyon and Rubin, 1984).…”

Tibial changes in experimental disuse osteoporosis in the monkey

“…It is abundantly clear from the histology that the distribution and geometry of the resorption cavities as well as the presence of material in the cavities, which appears to be dead bone, will have a significant effect on mineral content determined from scans of the cross sections. Therefore, whereas in a normal colony population the correlation between stiffness and mineral content is high--0.87 [8]--the correlation b e t w e e n the variables during b o n e loss is lower. During recovery there are undoubtedly complex interactions between stiffness and other related factors, such as remodeling activity and sites of new bone formation, degree of calcification of the matrix, size and distribution of primary generations of osteons, and cortical thickness.…”

“…Studies with monkeys [8] show a correlation between rigidity and mineral content in the cross section of the tibiae of normal colony animals, and both rigidity and bone mineral decline during restraint.…”

Structural strength of the macaque femur

“…It is hoped that this will eventually lead to a basic understanding of the relationships between movement patterns and bone form in primates, and further clarify functional patterns of skeletal morphology among all mammalian groups. In addition, it is hoped that this study will aid in the interpretation of in vivo and in vitro stress and strain analyses of primate bone in which it is desirable to know the cross-sectional bone geometry in order to make a precise interpretation (Orne and Young, 1976;Young et al, 1979).…”