Comparing the Rate of Dissolution of Two Commercially Available Synthetic Bone Graft Substitutes.

This study characterized the dissolution properties of two commercially available bone substitutes: 1) A calcium sulfate hemihydrate (CSH)/brushite/ß-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) graft containing 75% calcium sulfate (CaS) and 25% calcium phosphate; and 2) a CaS/hydroxyapatite (HA) bone graft substitute composed of 40% HA and 60% CaS. Graft material was cast into pellets (4.8mm OD x 3.2mm). Each pellet was placed into a fritted thimble and weighed before being placed into 200 mL of deionized water. The pellets were removed from water at days 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 14, 18 or until no longer visible. The mass and volume of each pellet was calculated at each timepoint to determine rate of dissolution. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed on all data. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05. The CaS/HA pellets were completely dissolved after day 8, while the CSH/brushite/ß- TCP pellets remained until day 18. The CSH/brushite/ß-TCP pellets had significantly more mass and volume at days 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 timepoints. The CSH/brushite/ß-TCP pellets lost 46% less mass and 53% less volume over the first 4 days as compared to CaS/HA pellets. The CSH/brushite/ß-TCP pellets had a rough, porous texture, while the CaS/HA pellets had a smooth outer surface. Overall the CSH/brushite/ß-TCP pellets dissolved approximately twice as slow as the CaS/HA pellets in vitro. As these in-vitro findings might have in-vivo implications, further clinical data is required to further confirm and establish the optimal synthetic bone substitute strategy or antibiotic delivery carrier.

A How-To Guide for Open-Science Practices in Special Education Research.

Open-science reforms, which aim to increase credibility and access of research, have the potential to benefit the research base in special education, as well as practice and policy informed by that research base. Awareness of open science is increasing among special education researchers. However, relatively few researchers in the field have experience using multiple open-science practices, and few practical guidelines or resources have been tailored to special education researchers to support their exploration and adoption of open science. In this paper, we described and provided guidelines and resources for applying five core open-science practices-preregistration, registered reports, data sharing, materials sharing, and open-access publishing-in special education research.

Open Accessibility in Education Research: Enhancing the Credibility, Equity, Impact, and Efficiency of Research.

Openness is a foundational principle in science. Making the tools and products of scientific research openly accessible advances core aims and values of education researchers, such as the credibility, equity, impact, and efficiency of research. The digital revolution has expanded opportunities for providing greater access to research. In this article, we examine three open-science practices-open data and code, open materials, and open access-that education researchers can use to increase accessibility to the tools and products of research in the field. For each open-science practice, we discuss what the practice is and how it works, its primary benefits, some important limitations and challenges, and two thorny issues.

Endurance capacity and high-intensity exercise performance responses to a high fat diet.

The effects of adaptation to a high-fat diet on endurance performance are equivocal, and there is little data regarding the effects on high-intensity exercise performance. This study examined the effects of a high-fat/moderate protein diet on submaximal, maximal, and supramaximal performance. Twenty non-highly trained men were assigned to either a high-fat/moderate protein (HFMP; 61% fat diet) (n = 12) or a control (C; 25% fat) group (n = 8). A maximal oxygen consumption test, two 30-s Wingate anaerobic tests, and a 45-min timed ride were performed before and after 6 weeks of diet and training. Body mass decreased significantly (-2.2 kg; p < or = .05) in HFMP subjects. Maximal oxygen consumption significantly decreased in the HFMP group (3.5 +/- 0.14 to 3.27 +/- 0.09 L x min(-1)) but was unaffected when corrected for body mass. Perceived exertion was significantly higher during this test in the HFMP group. Main time effects indicated that peak and mean power decreased significantly during bout 1 of the Wingate sprints in the HFMP (-10 and -20%, respectively) group but not the C (-8 and -16%, respectively) group. Only peak power was lower during bout 1 in the HFMP group when corrected for body mass. Despite significantly reduced RER values in the HFMP group during the 45-min cycling bout, work output was significantly decreased (-18%). Adaptation to a 6-week HFMP diet in non-highly trained men resulted in increased fat oxidation during exercise and small decrements in peak power output and endurance performance. These deleterious effects on exercise performance may be accounted for in part by a reduction in body mass and/or increased ratings of perceived exertion.