Objective: To explore the etiological factors for calculus-associated seminal vesiculitis by analyzing the composition of seminal vesicle calculus samples. METHODS: This retrospective study included 6 cases of recurrent hematospermia diagnosed with seminal vesicle calculus by non-contrast pelvic CT. The patients were aged 28 to 69 years, with persistent or recurrent hematospermia for 3 months to 6 years, and 5 of them with a history of acute urethritis. All the patients underwent seminal vesiculoscopy, which confirmed calculus-associated seminal vesiculitis. The calculus samples were obtained with a spiral dislodge and their composition was determined with a second-generation infrared calculus composition analyzer. The patients were followed up for 2 to 12 weeks postoperatively, during which non-contrast pelvic CT was employed for observation of recurrent calculus in the reproductive tract. RESULTS: Pelvic CT scanning indicated recurrence of seminal vesicle calculus in 3 cases at 12 weeks postoperatively, of which, 2 were accompanied with recurrent hematospermia, both observed at 4 weeks after operation. As for the composition of the calculus, the infrared calculus composition analyzer revealed struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate hexahydrate) in 5 cases and a mixture of calcium oxalate dihydrate, calcium oxalate monohydrate, and carbonate apatite in the other one. CONCLUSIONS Seminal vesicle calculi are most commonly composed of struvite, and infection is the main etiological factor for calculus-associated seminal vesiculitis.
Adult ; Aged ; Apatites ; analysis ; Calcium Oxalate ; analysis ; Calculi ; chemistry ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; Genital Diseases, Male ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; Hemospermia ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Period ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Seminal Vesicles ; diagnostic imaging ; Struvite ; analysis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Urethritis ; etiology

PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the accuracy of low-dose dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) in predicting the composition of urinary calculi. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 52 patients with urinary calculi were scanned with a 128-slice dual-source DECT scanner by use of a low-dose protocol. Dual-energy (DE) ratio, weighted average Hounsfield unit (HU) of calculi, radiation dose, and image noise levels were recorded. Two radiologists independently rated study quality. Stone composition was assessed after extraction by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIRS). Analysis of variance was used to determine if the differences in HU values and DE ratios between the various calculus groups were significant. Threshold cutoff values to classify the calculi into separate groups were identified by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. RESULTS: A total of 137 calculi were detected. FTIRS analysis differentiated the calculi into five groups: uric acid (n=17), struvite (n=3), calcium oxalate monohydrate and dihydrate (COM-COD, n=84), calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM, n=28), and carbonate apatite (n=5). The HU value could differentiate only uric acid calculi from calcified calculi (p<0.001). The DE ratio could confidently differentiate uric acid, struvite, calcium oxalate, and carbonate apatite calculi (p<0.001) with cutoff values of 1.12, 1.34, and 1.66, respectively, giving >80% sensitivity and specificity to differentiate them. The DE ratio could not differentiate COM from COM-COD calculi. No study was rated poor in quality by either of the observers. The mean radiation dose was 1.8 mSv. CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose DECT accurately predicts urinary calculus composition in vivo while simultaneously reducing radiation exposure without compromising study quality.
Adult ; Apatites/analysis ; Calcium Oxalate/analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted/methods ; Kidney Calculi/chemistry/pathology/*radiography ; Magnesium Compounds/analysis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phosphates/analysis ; Prospective Studies ; Radiation Dosage ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods ; Ureteral Calculi/chemistry/pathology/*radiography ; Uric Acid/analysis ; Waist Circumference ; Young Adult

The compressive strength of the original bone tissue was tested, based on the raw human thigh bone, bovine bone, pig bone and goat bone. The four different bone-like apatites were prepared by calcining the raw bones at 800 degrees C for 8 hours to remove organic components. The comparison of composition and structure of bone-like apatite from different bone sources was carried out with a composition and structure test. The results indicated that the compressive strength of goat bone was similar to that of human thigh bone, reached (135.00 +/- 7.84) MPa; Infrared spectrum (IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis results showed that the bone-like apatite from goat bone was much closer to the structure and phase composition of bone-like apatite of human bones. Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) test results showed that the content of trace elements of bone-like apatite from goat bone was closer to that of apatite of human bone. Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) results showed that the Ca/P value of bone-like apatite from goat bone was also close to that of human bone, ranged to 1.73 +/- 0.033. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) patterns indicated that the macrographs of the apatite from human bone and that of goat bone were much similar to each other. Considering all the results above, it could be concluded that the goat bone-like apatite is much similar to that of human bone. It can be used as a potential natural bioceramic material in terms of material properties.
Animals ; Apatites ; chemistry ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Bone Substitutes ; chemistry ; Bone and Bones ; physiology ; Cattle ; Compressive Strength ; Goats ; Humans ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Swine ; X-Ray Diffraction

OBJECTIVETo investigate the apatite forming ability of pure titanium implant after micro-arc oxidation treatment in simulated body fluid (SBF) and obtain implants with calcium phosphate (Ca-P) layers.

METHODSThe implants were immersed in (SBF) after micro-arc oxidation treatment for different time lengths, and their apatite forming ability and the morphology and constituents of the Ca-P layers formed on the sample surface were analyzed using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and energy dispersive electron probe.

RESULTSAfter immersion in SBF, large quantities of Ca-P layers were induced on the surface of the samples. The Ca-P layers were composed of octacalcium phosphate and carbonated hydroxyapatite, and the crystals showed a plate-like morphology with an oriented growth.

CONCLUSIONThe implants with micro-arc oxidation treatment show good apatite forming ability on the surface with rich calcium and phosphorus elements. The formed layers are composed of bone-like apatite including octacalcium phosphate and carbonated hydroxyapatite.

Apatites ; chemistry ; Biomimetic Materials ; chemistry ; Body Fluids ; chemistry ; Calcium Phosphates ; chemistry ; Coated Materials, Biocompatible ; chemistry ; Durapatite ; chemistry ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Prostheses and Implants ; Random Allocation ; Surface Properties ; Titanium ; chemistry

The collagen I was made with the dialysis method of enzymolysising the pig skin, and the static deposition in vitro of calcium phosphate was comparative studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) under the condition of pH7. 4, Ca/P 1.67 and whether adding the collagen I into the system. Then the chemical composition of the sedimentary product and the diversification of the collagen I 's IR and Raman spectra (RS) before and after the mineralization were analyzed. The results showed that,under the physiological pH condition that there was not any collagen I, though Ca/P reached up to 1.67, the sedimentary product was CaHPO4 x 2H2O yet, however, after adding collagen I into the system, the bone-like apatite was deposited, which proved that collagen I indeed had the effects on the inducing of the bone-like apatite's mineralization in vitro; there was obviously mutual coordination action between collagen I and its mineralization product--bone-like apatite, which caused that amide peak I red-shifted, amide peak II and amide peak III decreased significantly or disappeared on the IR of collagen I, which maybe was the mechanism that how collagen I induced the depositing of the bone-like apatite.
Animals ; Apatites ; metabolism ; Collagen Type I ; pharmacology ; Osteogenesis ; drug effects ; Skin ; chemistry ; Swine

A new biocompatible apatite-wollastonite magnetic glass ceramic has been synthesized via sol-gel process. Characteristics of the materials were determined with differential thermal analysis (DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scan electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrum (EDS), inductively couple plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and so on. Results showed that the main crystalline phases of the material were hydroxyapatite/fluoroapatite [Ca10(PO4)6(OH, F)), beta-wollastonite[beta-CaSiO3] and calcium europium oxide silicate Ca2Eu8[(SiO4)6O2]. The magnetization of the sample contanining 2% Eu2O3 in weight reached 2.18 emu/g for an applied field of 10 000Oe. Hydroxyapatite layer could form on the surface of the sample while soaking for 14 days in simulated body fluid. Good bioactivity was demonstrated. So it is a potential bone repairing material as well as a hyperthemia treatment material for pateints with cancer.
Apatites ; chemistry ; Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; Bone Substitutes ; chemistry ; Ceramics ; chemistry ; Europium ; chemistry ; Magnetics ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Porosity ; Silicic Acid ; chemistry ; X-Ray Diffraction

OBJECTIVETo investigate calcium-phosphate coating on commercial pure titanium substrate using a fast biomimetic procedure.

METHODSThe titanium specimens were divided into two groups, group A and group B. The specimens of group A were only treated with the mixture of H2SO4/HCl for 30 min. The specimens of group B were treated with the mixture of H2SO4/HCl for 30 min, immersed into 5 mol/L NaOH solution at 60 degrees C for 24 h, and then heated to 600 degrees C and maintained for 1 h. All specimens were soaked into simulated body fluid-A (SBF) and SBF-B for each day. The surface morphology was observed by field scanning electron microscopy.

RESULTSDense calcium-phosphate coating deposited on all the titanium surfaces of two groups. The calcium-phosphate coating consisted of spheric structure with a diameter of 1 approximately 3 microm, which was proved to be hydroxycarbonate apatite with the analysis of X-ray diffraction.

CONCLUSIONSThin hydroxycarbonate apatite coating can deposited on pure titanium using a fast biomimetic procedure.

Apatites ; chemistry ; Coated Materials, Biocompatible ; chemistry ; Dental Implants ; Surface Properties ; Titanium ; chemistry ; X-Ray Diffraction

The surface modification using cold plasma technique was introduced to hydroxyapatite(HA). The methods adopted in the study included the formation of bone-like apatite in simulated body fluid and the use of SEM, XPS and XRD. The results showed that the formation of bone-like apatite on HA modified by cold plasma was easier than that without modification. The active mechanism involves the impact of the particles with high energy and high activity against HA, which roughens and etches the surface of HA, heads to the distortion of HA crystal, and thus increases the dissolvability of HA and the local concentration of the Ca and P ions. This approach is helpful to the formation of bone-like appetite. The data demonstrate that the surface modification using cold plasma technique can increase the activity of HA.
Apatites ; chemistry ; Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; Cold Temperature ; Durapatite ; chemistry ; Humans ; Plasma ; chemistry ; Surface Properties

A novel glass-ceramic has been derived from sol-gel process. In this study XRD and FTIR analysis confirmed that the main crystalline phases of the material were hydroxyapatite/fluoroapatite [Ca10(PO4)6(OH,F)] and beta-wollastonite[beta-CaSiO3]; SEM examination showed that the microstructure contained many micro pores of 2-3 microm. After pore-forming, the material possessed good macro porous structure: the size of macro pores was 300-400 microm in diameter, and pores interconnected each other. Bioactivity of the material was preliminarily evaluated in the simulate body fluid. SEM observation revealed that a lot of apatite granules had been formed on the surface of the material after soaking within 7 days. Result shows that the novel sol-gel derived apatite-wollastonite-containing glass-ceramic has good bioactivity. Porous materials have suitable microstructure as well as macrostructure, which make it an excellent material to be used as bone-repairing materials and bone tissue engineering carrier materials.
Apatites ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; Bone Substitutes ; chemistry ; Ceramics ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; Humans ; Materials Testing ; Osseointegration ; physiology ; Osteogenesis ; physiology ; Porosity ; Silicic Acid ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry

The formation of bone-like apatite on porous HA/beta-TCP bioceramics in dynamic simulated body fluid (SBF) undergoing a simulated inflammation procedure (pH = 6.5) was investigated in order to study the mechanism of osteoinduction and build a new method to choose biomaterials with better bioactivity. The results showed that the surface of porous HA/beta-TCP bioceramics which underwent a simulated inflammation procedure in dynamic SBF was more smooth. The light acidity in the simulated inflammation procedure would dissolve the fine grains and the parts possessing smaller curvature radius on the surface of porous HA/beta-TCP bioceramics, which would reduce the bioceramics solubility. Followed in normal SBF (pH = 7.4), the amount of bone-like apatite formed on the porous HA/beta-TCP bioceramics was less than that of porous HA/beta-TCP bioceramics incubation in normal SBF all along. The results also showed that the amount of bone-like apatite formed on the porous HA/beta-TCP bioceramics sintered by a microwave plasma was more than that of porous HA/beta-TCP bioceramics sintered by a conventional furnace.
Apatites ; chemistry ; Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; Body Fluids ; chemistry ; Bone Cements ; chemistry ; Bone Substitutes ; chemistry ; Calcium Phosphates ; chemistry ; Ceramics ; Hydroxyapatites ; chemistry ; Inflammation ; Materials Testing ; methods ; Microwaves ; Osseointegration ; Porosity ; Surface Properties