The effects of simulated increases in body weight for 30 and 60 days on bone robusticity of limb bones in rats.

The purpose of this study was to subject groups of weanling male rats each to a specific 10% simulated increase in body weight, ranging from 1.1G-2.0G, using constant centrifugation. (In this paper, "G" is the acceleration due to gravity.) After 30 and 60 days, rats were killed and perfused with 10% buffered neutral formalin (B.N.F.). The humerus, radius, ulna, femur, and tibia were removed, cleared of all soft tissues, weighed, and the total length measured. Bone robusticity was calculated using the ponderal index: bone length/3 square root bone weight. Tukey's Multiple Range Test was used. The data suggest that the specific limb bone, G, and duration of centrifugation are each factors in the response of limb bones to simulated increases in body weight.