Responses of trabecular and cortical bone turnover and bone mass and strength to bisphosphonate YH529 in ovariohysterectomized beagles with calcium restriction

Thirty-six beagles, 18 months of age, underwent ovariohysterectomy (OHX) or a sham operation. Sham-operated animals were given a diet with standard calcium (1.4%) (group 1, n = 6) or a restricted calcium diet (0.14%) (group 2, n = 6). The OHX animals were given the restricted calcium diet and YH529 orally with respective daily doses of 0, 0.02, 0.1, and 0.5 mg/kg of body weight (groups 3-6, n = 6 each) for 12 months. At the end of this period, the lumbar bone mineral densities (BMDs) in groups 2 and 3 and the load values for group 3 were significantly smaller than those for group 1. The midfemur BMD did not differ among the groups. The urinary deoxypyridinoline (U-Dpy) and bone formation rates (BFR/BS, BFR/BV) in groups 2 and 3 and the osteonal BFR/BS and trabecular osteoclast number (Oc.N/BS) in group 3 were significantly larger than the respective values for group 1. However, these parameters did not significantly differ between groups 2 and 3. The serum osteocalcin (OC) level, wall thickness (W.Th), and mineral apposition rate values for group 3 were significantly larger than those for group 2. In group 2, the trabecular activation frequency (Ac.F) increased by 3.11 times, and the percent values of the number of labeled osteons (L-Ot.N/T-Ot.N, %) in the tibia by 3.28 times over those for group 1. In group 3, the Ac.F increased by 3.20 times and the number of labeled osteons by 3.77 times over those for group 1. In groups 4-6, the U-Dpy and Oc.N/BS values were smaller, but their OC levels did not significantly differ from the level for group 3. The lumbar BMD, the load, and W.Th were dose-dependently significantly larger than those for group 3. The Ac.F values were significantly smaller, and the respective value in groups 4-6 was 67.9, 25.5, and 10.2% of that in group 3. The BMDs of the midfemur in groups 4-6 were significantly larger than those in group 3, but the ultimate load values did not significantly differ. The L-Ot.N/T-Ot.N values were also significantly smaller, and the respective value in groups 4-6 was 82.0, 48.5, and 55.2% of that in group 3. The tibial endocortical and periosteal BFR/BSs did not differ significantly. These data demonstrate that the effects of OHX on bone mass and turnover were small in the beagles fed a restricted calcium diet. YH529 maintained the mass and strength of the lumbar bone by reducing the bone resorption. The cortical bone appeared to be less sensitive to the agent than the trabecular bone in this animal model.     

The diameter of callus in leg lengthening: 28 tibial lengthenings in 14 patients with achondroplasia

A 46-year-old man who had been pulled under water by a tidal wave when an earthquake occurred on July 12, 1993 was carried to our hospital the next day. He soon needed endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation because he expectorated sputa with sand and because arterial bloodgas analysis revealed severe hypoxemia. Chest X-ray on admission showed diffuse small nodules and areas of consolidation. Chest CT obtained on July 16 showed centrilobular small nodules bilaterally and alveolar opacities in the peribronchial region. After therapy with antibiotics and frequent bronchial lavages, sputum with sand disappeared on the 14 th hospital day and chest X-ray film and laboratory data showed marked improvement. He was discharged on October 1. A chest CT scan obtained on February 17, 1994 showed improvement of the small nodules. The areas of consolidation had also improved, but remained as linear and nodular opacities, which were considered to be organized lesions. There are few reports concerning radiographic findings particularly CT findings, after aspiration of sea water and sand during near drowning.     

Effect of KCA-098, a new benzofuroquinoline derivative, on bone mineral metabolism

The effect of 3,9-bis(N,N-dimethylcarbamoyloxy)-5H-benzofuro[3,2-c]quinoli ne-6-one designated as KCA-098) on the bone mineral metabolism of chick embryonic bone was examined. KCA-098 dose-dependently inhibited bone resorption of cultured chick embryonic femora and calvariae. It increased the length, dry weight, and calcium and phosphorus contents of 9-d-old chick embryonic femurs cultivated for 6 d, indicating that it stimulated bone formation. These results show that KCA-098 has the unique effects of inhibiting bone resorption and stimulating bone formation of chick embryo. In addition, in an in vivo experiment, oral administration of KCA-098 (3.0 mg/kg/d) for 16 weeks led to an increase in calcium and phosphorus content as well as an increase in the amount of force required to break the femur from ovariectomized rats, suggesting that it may be useful for the treatment of bone diseases.     

N-nitroso-N-methylvinylamine: reaction of the epoxide with guanyl and adenyl moieties to yield adducts derived from both parts of the molecule

N-Nitroso-N-methylvinylamine was synthesized and treated with dimethyldioxirane to produce 1-(N-nitrosomethylamino)oxirane. 1-(N-Nitrosomethylamino)oxirane had a t1/2 of < 5 s in buffer at neutral pH and 23 degrees C. This epoxide reacted with Ado to form 1,N6-etheno(epsilon-)Ado. It also reacted with DNA to form products arising from the oxirane portion of the molecule [N7-(2-oxoethyl)Gua,N2,3-epsilon-Gua, and 1,N6-epsilon-dAdo] and the methyl group (N7-methylGua). NADPH-fortified rat liver microsomes oxidized N-nitroso-N-methylvinylamine to form 1,N6-epsilon-Ado in the presence of Ado. Further, 1,N6-epsilon-Ado was also formed in microsomal incubations containing N-nitroso-N-methylethylamine, indicating that desaturation of the ethyl moiety occurs to form a vinyl group and then an epoxide. When NADPH-fortified microsomes were incubated with N-nitroso-N-methylvinylamine, HCHO was formed, and when DNA was included in incubations, 1,N6-epsilon-dAdo and N7-methylGua were isolated from DNA. In the cases of both HCHO and N7-methylGua, product formation was similar to the levels seen with N-nitroso-N,N-dimethylamine and N-nitroso-N-methylethylamine.     

Dislocation structures in deformed Cu-Ni-Zn alloy single crystals

It is known that Cu-Ni-Zn alloy has an ordered structure Cu₂NiZn (Ll₂) by annealing between 573 and 623 K. In the present experiments, the effects of annealing on the dislocation structure were studied on Cu-Ni-Zn single crystals with several compositions. Thin foils cut parallel to the {111} planes were observed in a transmission electron microscope. The results obtained are as follows. (i) In Cu-5Ni-5Zn, Cu-10Ni-10Zn and Cu-15Ni-15Zn (at%), the stress-strain behaviour, slip mode and dislocation structure did not change by annealing at 573 K. However, the slip mode became more concentrated and localized, and dislocations emitted from a source tended to stay on the same slip plane, as the nickel and zinc concentrations increased. (ii) However, those properties in Cu-20Ni-20Zn and Cu-25Ni-25Zn changed drastically by annealing. As the ordering proceeded, uniform distributions of superlattice dislocations were observed. A typical dislocation configuration, with long screw and wavy-edged superlattice dislocations, took the place of piled-up unit dislocations. (iii) The facts that edge-type superlattice dislocations formed dipoles and their clusters, and that the secondary dislocation density was much lower than the primary one, implied that the elastic interaction of the primary edge-type superlattice dislocations on the nearby parallel slip planes would control the work-hardening of ordered Cu₂NiZn alloy single crystals.     

Legionella longbeachae pneumonia in a gardener

A 52-year-old male gardener, who traveled to Guam Island several days ago, was admitted to our hospital with fever, cough and dyspnea. His chest X-ray showed bilateral infiltration and he was severely hypoxic and hypotensive on admission. He died of multiple organ failure in spite of intensive treatment with mechanical ventilation antibiotics including erythromycin. Legionella longbeachae serotype 1 was isolated from his sputum and was regarded as the etiologic agent. Legionella longbeachae was not isolated from the same type of leaf mold that he used as potting soil. This is the first case of Legionella longbeachae pneumonia from whom the organism was isolated in Japan.     

Development of poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel for waste water cleaning. II. Treatment of N,N-dimethylformamide in waste water with poly(vinyl alcohol) gel with immobilized microorganisms

The activated sludge that had been sufficiently cultivated with DMF-containing waste water was entrapped and immobilized in spherical poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel particles. Features of numbers and distribution of bacteria in the resultant PVA gel were estimated. The DMF-decomposing bacteria named Bacillus cereus D-1 was isolated. Several morphological and physiological responses of the bacteria were revealed. Spherical PVA gel with the DMF-decomposing bacteria prepared through of freezing and thawing was tested for treatment of DMF-containing effluent. Test results have shown the ability of stable operation and maintenance at the same capacity of 1 kg/m³/day by both a basic study and a bench plant test. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Expression and properties of feline herpesvirus type 1 gD (hemagglutinin) by a recombinant baculovirus

We constructed a recombinant baculovirus expressing feline herpesvirus type I (FHV-1) gD in insect cells (Sf9 cells). The expressed product was identified as FHV-1 gD by a panel of monoclonal antibodies specific for the FHV-1 gD, and had an apparent molecular mass of approximately 49 kDa, which was less than that of the authentic FHV-1 gD. When the FHV-1 gD protein were expressed in Sf9 cells and CRFK cells in the presence of tunicamycin, the FHV-1 gD exhibited a molecular mass of 41 kDa. It was shown that the gD protein was transported to the surface of recombinant virus-infected Sf9 cells when examined by membrane-immunofluorescence analysis, and that the gD expressed on the surface of Sf9 cells adsorbed feline erythrocytes. Mice inoculated with a lysate of Sf9 cells expressing FHV-1 gD induced antibodies with virus-neutralizing and hemagglutination-inhibition activities. Therefore, the expressed gD appears to be biologically authentic. These data suggested that recombinant FHV-1 gD produced in Sf9 cells may be a useful immunogen as a feline vaccine.     

Semiautomatic leakage analyzing system for time series fluorescein ocular fundus angiography

An algorithm for measuring an index of leakage in fluorescein fundus angiography is presented. The number of pixels whose gray level exceeds an automatically determined slice level is calculated. An automatic blood vessel elimination technique is introduced. Further, a method of measuring the short term change of leakage from a time series of the fluorescein fundus angiographs is described. Our system can also deal with the time series images obtained on different occasions (long term change).The features of this paper are: (1) this paper deals with double time sequence images (short and long term); (2) an automatic blood vessel recognition algorithm is employed.     

Distribution of neuromuscular junctions in the bowel affected by hypoganglionosis

Using monoclonal antibody 171B5 against synaptic vesicle proteins, neuromuscular junctions and synapses in the muscle layers of the bowel affected by hypoganglionosis were labeled and their distribution analysed. In the hypoganglionic bowel, there were less synapses in the myenteric plexus and few neuromuscular junctions compared to normal bowels. The bowel dysmotility of the patient with hypoganglionosis appears to be due to inadequate innervation between ganglion cells and smooth muscle cells.