BIOTRIBOLOGY OF DIARTHRODIAL JOINTS

描述（改编自申请人的摘要）： 关节的润滑已经成为本发明的一个重要目的， 自本世纪初以来，生物力学领域的研究一直是一个热点。 过程 保持这种有效润滑的方法还不完全 尽管关于这个问题已经提出了几种理论， 这些年来 在关节生物摩擦学研究中， 近来关节相对有限，申请人认为， 目前有一个独特的机会，以实现重大进展， 这方面 这项研究的目的是提供一个新的 预测关节摩擦响应的定量理论 软骨，并进行实验，直接测试的预测 这一摩擦理论的能力。 软骨的依赖性 摩擦性能的存在下的边界润滑剂和对 还将研究胶原超微结构的完整性。 这些目标将通过利用 软骨的理论模型，以及最新的文献 摩擦实验的结果。 正确的理论模型 软骨摩擦力应该可以预测所有的实验结果， 观察到的现象，或者如果混合润滑模式占主导地位，它们中的大多数。 这些包括预测软骨摩擦力的能力， 系数是时间相关的、速度相关的和负载相关的， 而几乎不依赖于滑液的粘度。 的 这种预测模型的发展在几个层面上是重要的。 首先，对关节的生物摩擦学有一个基本的了解 几十年来，关节一直是一个难以捉摸的基础科学目标。 一 一个全面而准确的理论将揭示润滑 机制迄今为止知之甚少，并将提供见解， 该机构如何适用于间歇运动和高载荷 关节的关节。 第二，理论知识 润滑机制将提供更好的预测能力， 机制可能会恶化或失败的结果，材料 属性改变（例如， 来自软骨或滑液变性）， 或几何形状改变（例如， 软骨变薄，表面重塑， 外科手术）。 第三，对行为的准确认识 软骨的摩擦系数可以提供更大的 理解摩擦表面力对状态的作用 软骨内的压力，以及是否有退化的软骨， 摩擦特性可通过机械的 途径。 这项提案的长期目标之一是证明 摩擦性能的广泛变化， 文学并不一定相互矛盾，而且可以 与理论上可以描述的基本机制有关， 并进行了实验验证。

DESCRIPTION (Adapted from the Applicant's Abstract): Understanding the lubrication of diarthrodial joints has been an important objective in the field of biomechanics since the early part of this century. The process by which this efficient lubrication is maintained is not yet fully understood although several theories on this topic have been advanced through the years. While research in the biotribology of diarthrodial joints has been relatively limited recently, the applicant believes that there currently exists a unique opportunity to achieve major strides in this area. The objectives of this study are to provide a new quantitative theory for predicting the frictional response of articular cartilage, and to perform experiments that directly test the predictive ability of this proposed friction theory. The dependence of cartilage frictional properties on the presence of a boundary lubricant and on the integrity of the collagen ultrastructure will also be investigated. These objectives will be achieved using the latest developments in the theoretical modeling of cartilage, as well as the latest literature findings from frictional experiments. A correct theoretical model of cartilage friction should be expected to predict all experimentally observed phenomena, or most of them if mixed lubrications modes prevail. These include the ability to predict that the cartilage friction coefficient is time-dependent, velocity-dependent, and load-dependent, while being nearly independent of the viscosity of synovial fluid. The development of such a predictive model is significant at several levels. First, a fundamental understanding of the biotribology of diarthrodial joints has been an elusive basic science goal for several decades. A comprehensive and accurate theory would shed light into a lubrication mechanism heretofore poorly understood, and would provide insights on how that mechanism is suited for the intermittent motions and high loads of diarthrodial joints. Second, a theoretical knowledge of the lubrication mechanism will provide a better ability to predict how that mechanism might deteriorate or be defeated as a result of material property changes (e.g., from cartilage or synovial fluid degeneration), or geometry changes (e.g., cartilage thinning, surface remodeling, surgical interventions). Third, precise knowledge of the behavior of the frictional coefficient of cartilage may provide a greater understanding of the role of frictional surface tractions on the state of stress within cartilage, and whether a deterioration of the frictional properties may promote tissue degeneration through mechanical pathways. One of the long-term goals of this proposal is to demonstrate that the wide variation of frictional properties reported in the literature are not necessarily inconsistent with each other, and can be related to fundamental mechanisms that can be described theoretically, and verified experimentally.