Mechanical, Morphometric, and Microstructure Properties of Foot Ligaments

足韧带的机械、形态和微观结构特性

• 批准号: 8636705
• 负责人: Joseph Iaquinto
• 金额: $ 7.28万
• 依托单位: SEATTLE INST FOR BIOMEDICAL/CLINICAL RES
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-02-24 至 2016-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/8636705
• 关键词: Age; Aged, 80 and over; Ankle; Appearance; Area; Basic Science; Behavior; Calculi; Characteristics; Classification Scheme; Clinical; Clinical Treatment; Cluster Analysis; Collagen; Collagen Fibril; Complex; Computer Simulation; Data; Demographic Aging; Dependency; Development; Diabetes Mellitus; Diagnosis; Diagnostic; Disease; Fascicle; Future; Gender; Goals; Health; Image; Injury; Knowledge; Length; Life; Ligaments; Link; Magnetic Resonance; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Maps; Measurement; Measures; Mechanics; Methodology; Microanatomy; Microscopic; Molds; Molecular; Morphology; Older Population; Outcome Study; Patients; Pilot Projects; Population; Process; Property; Quality of life; Research Personnel; Research Project Grants; Resolution; Risk; Sample Size; Scheme; Series; Shapes; Structure; Symptoms; Techniques; Testing; Tissues; Trauma; Work; age group; balance testing; base; computer studies; diabetic; digital; experience; falls; follow-up; foot; holistic approach; joint function; mechanical behavior; neuromuscular; novel; public health relevance; research study; response; soft tissue

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): As the ligaments of the foot and ankle age, fall prone to disease, or suffer trauma, their mechanical properties change. These changes profoundly influence how the involved joints function, and the mobility, comfort, and patient's level of activity and overall quality of life. This study seeks to develop a means of classifying the mechanical behavior of ankle ligaments based on age demographics (younger: 25-40 years old and older: 60-75 years old populations), ligament size (e.g., from magnetic resonance (MR) imaging) and microstructure. The proposed methodology is such that once ligament morphology is measured (with MR), a researcher or clinician will immediately have a means of estimating the function of a ligament. With this classification scheme, both simple (such as clinical neuromuscular balance tests) and complex (such as computational modeling) processes can be employed to tailor diagnostics and treatment to specific patients. Thus we propose the following: Specific Aim 1: To assess independent mechanical, morphological and microstructural properties, considering population (younger and older), ligament, and strain rates dependencies. We will perform this analysis on eight pairs each (16 feet) of donor feet from two populations (younger and older). With mechanical testing, we are well versed in soft tissue isolation, tissue mechanical testing, and curve fitting. For the morphological measurements, our group has developed a novel technique of molding and casting soft tissues, to determine high resolution area measurements. Regarding the microstructural component, our group has the experience and expertise to analyze the molecular content of these tissues, as well as the fibril-level and fascicle-level organization of ligament tissues. Specific Aim 2: To identify the relationship between mechanical properties and morphology within each group (younger and older) and ligament type. Our group has performed preliminary analysis in combining morphological characteristics (length and area) with cluster analysis to determine if and to what extent ligaments can be grouped based on external appearance. Using linear mixed effects regression, a further analysis of the interrelationships between these factors will consider the relationship between ligament morphology and mechanical properties. Specific Aim 3: To identify the relationship between mechanical properties and microscopic structure within each group (younger and older) and ligament type. Using a similar linear mixed effects regression to Specific Aim 2, the relationship between microstructure and mechanical properties of ligaments will be determined. We anticipate direct benefit to ongoing experimental and computational studies. Furthermore, this foundational development motivates two future R01 proposals: (1) using MR imaging of live subjects to measure morphology and thus estimate material behavior - a stepping stone for, (2) evaluating other populations (such as diabetic) via MR to determine ankle function and injury risk.

描述(申请人提供)：随着足部和脚踝年龄的韧带，容易摔倒的疾病，或遭受创伤，其力学性能发生变化。这些变化深刻地影响了受累关节的功能、灵活性、舒适性以及患者的活动水平和整体生活质量。这项研究试图开发一种基于年龄人口统计学(年轻：25-40岁和以上：60-75岁人群)、韧带大小(例如，来自磁共振(MR)成像)和微观结构对踝关节韧带的力学行为进行分类的方法。所提出的方法是这样的，一旦韧带形态被测量(用MR)，研究人员或临床医生将立即有办法估计韧带的功能。有了这种分类方案，简单的(如临床神经肌肉平衡测试)和复杂的(如计算机建模)过程都可以用来为特定的患者量身定做诊断和治疗。因此，我们建议如下：具体目标1：评估独立的力学、形态和微结构特性，考虑人群(年轻人和老年人)、韧带和应变率的依赖关系。我们将对来自两个人群(年轻和老年)的8对(每对16英尺)供足进行这一分析。在机械测试方面，我们精通软组织隔离、组织力学测试和曲线拟合。对于形态测量，我们团队开发了一种新的成型和铸造软组织的技术，以确定高分辨率的面积测量。关于微观结构成分，我们的团队拥有分析这些组织的分子含量以及韧带组织的纤维水平和束水平组织的经验和专业知识。具体目标2：确定每个组(年轻和年长)的力学性能和形态与韧带类型的关系。我们小组已经进行了初步分析，将形态特征(长度和面积)与聚类分析相结合，以确定是否可以根据外部外观对韧带进行分组，以及在多大程度上可以根据外观对韧带进行分组。使用线性混合效应回归，进一步分析这些因素之间的相互关系，将考虑韧带形态和力学性能之间的关系。具体目标3：确定各组(年轻和老年)和韧带类型之间的力学性能和微观结构之间的关系。使用与特定目标2类似的线性混合效应回归，将确定韧带的微观结构和力学性能之间的关系。我们预计正在进行的实验和计算研究将直接受益。此外，这一基础性的发展推动了两个未来的R01建议：(1)使用活体受试者的磁共振成像来测量形态，从而估计物质行为--这是一个跳板，(2)通过磁共振评估其他人群(如糖尿病)，以确定脚踝功能和受伤风险。