RESUMO
Organisms across many lengthscales generate specific strategies for motion that are crucial to their survival. Here, we detail the motion of a nontraditional organism, the Mexican jumping bean, where a larva encapsulated within a seed blindly moves the seed in search of shade. Using image analysis techniques, we quantitatively describe the motion of these objects as active particles. From this experimental data, we build a computational simulation that quantitatively captures the motion of these beans. And we further evaluate the effectiveness of using the observed diffusive strategy to find shade, suggesting that the random walk is an advantageous strategy for survival.
Assuntos
Simulação por Computador , Larva , Movimento , AnimaisRESUMO
The use of visible light-cured (VLC) resin was evaluated in contrast to more traditional chemical-cured resins for reconstruction of the spine in experimental rats. Such procedures are used to reconstruct vertebra in humans following corpectomy for neoplastic destruction of the spine. Numerous disadvantages exist in the use of chemical-cured resins, including excessive heat generated during the polymerization, cytotoxic effects of the nonpolymerized monomers on adjacent tissues, increased risk of infection due to impaired immunity, and distortion problems with the polymers. A new visible light-cured resin, Triad, was tested for use in maxillofacial prosthetics and for vertebral body replacement in neuro-orthopedic surgery. This study evaluated the biocompatibility of the VLC resin system as a bone implant material. The results of this study have shown the VLC resins underwent polymerization without substantial exothermic reaction and the biologic testing indicated that they are nontoxic and biocompatible. Some of the advantages noticed by using VLC resin are accuracy of fit and ease of fabrication and manipulation.