Role of Metabolism in Bone Development and Homeostasis

Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are the underlying energy sources for animals and are catabolized through specific biochemical cascades involving numerous enzymes. The catabolites and metabolites in these metabolic pathways are crucial for many cellular functions; therefore, an imbalance and/or dysregulation of these pathways causes cellular dysfunction, resulting in various metabolic diseases. Bone, a highly mineralized organ that serves as a skeleton of the body, undergoes continuous active turnover, which is required for the maintenance of healthy bony components through the deposition and resorption of bone matrix and minerals. This highly coordinated event is regulated throughout life by bone cells such as osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and osteocytes, and requires synchronized activities from different metabolic pathways. Here, we aim to provide a comprehensive review of the cellular metabolism involved in bone development and homeostasis, as revealed by mouse genetic studies.     

Characterization of pigmented granules in minocycline-induced cutaneous pigmentation: observations using fluorescence microscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography

Ambiguous abdominal situs, asplenia/polysplenia and severe cardiac malformations characterize heterotaxy in humans. These anomalies result from the inability of the developing embryo to establish normal left-right asymmetry. We have studied an interesting family in which the heterotaxy phenotype segregates as an X-linked recessive trait. In order to map the heterotaxy locus (HTX), we have analysed 39 family members using highly-polymorphic microsatellite markers from the X chromosome. One of these markers, DXS994, shows no recombination with the disease locus in 20 informative meioses. Linkage analysis results in a maximum lod score of 6.37. Current genetic and physical mapping data assign the order of loci in Xq24-q27.1 as cen-DXS1001-(DXS994, HTX)-DXS984-tel. These results establish the first mapping assignment of situs abnormalities in humans.     

Dynamical Properties of Vortices in a Bose-Einstein Condensate in a Rotating Lattice

We present simulation results of the vortex dynamics in a trapped Bose-Einstein condensate in the presence of a rotating optical lattice. Changing the potential amplitude and the relative rotation frequency between the condensate and the optical lattice, we find a rich variety of dynamical phases of vortices. In particular, when the optical lattice rotates faster than the condensate, the competition between the pinning force and the interactions by nucleated interstitial vortices leads to the melting of vortex lattice, yielding a vortex liquid phase.     

Superconductivity in SrTa2S5

A strontium tantalum sulfide, SrTa₂S₅, has a hexagonal structure with lattice constants of a =3.32 and c=24.1 Å. With decreasing temperature the electrical resistivity decreases monotonically and exhibits an abrupt superconducting transition at 3.16 K (midpoint). The diamagnetic susceptibility is observed below T_c. The magnetic susceptibility is nearly independent of temperature above T_c and shows Pauli paramagnetism.     

Boron removal by titanium addition in solidification refining of silicon with Si-Al melt

In order to effectively remove B from Si for its use in solar cells, a process involving B removal by solidification refining of Si using a Si-Al melt with Ti addition was investigated. For clarifying the effect of Ti addition on B removal from the Si-Al melt, TiB₂ solubilities in Si-64.6 at. pct Al melt at 1173 K and Si-60.0 at. pct Al melt at 1273 K were determined by measuring the equilibrium concentrations of B and Ti in the presence of TiB₂ precipitates. The small solubilities of TiB₂ in the Si-Al melt indicate the effective removal of B from the Si-Al melt by Ti addition. Further, solidification experiments of Si-Al alloys containing B by Ti addition were performed, and the effect of Ti addition on the solidification refining of Si with the Si-Al melt was successfully confirmed.     

Comparative studies on Ar and He closed-cycle MHD power plants combined with fossil fuel

Comparative studies on Ar and He closed-cycle MHD power plants combined with fossil fuel are performed. The sizes of a regenerative heat exchanger and a boiler are expected to be smaller for He than for Ar. The pressure loss of a working gas in a regenerative heat exchanger is reduced for He. The purification subsystem for He is expected to be more compact and economical than that for Ar; but a larger compressor is required for He than for Ar.     

Clinical features of primary and secondary atypical mycobacteriosis

A clinical investigation was carried out in 39 patients with atypical mycobacteriosis (AM). The patients at our hospital diagnosed as having AM during an 11-year period from 1981 to 1991 were reviewed in this study. The incidence of AM among all of mycobacterial infections has been increasing since 1988. The atypical mycobacteria detected included M. avium complex (MAC) in 79%, M. kansasii in 26%, and other organisms in 5%. Patients who had primary infection without underlying respiratory disease were compared with those who had secondary infection. In secondary infection, MAC was detected in the sputum of a high percentage of patients and was positive for more than 6 months despite therapy. Gamma globulin levels were also increased in patients with secondary infection. Cell mediated immunity was examined by the DNCB reaction and the detection of CD4- and CD8- positive T lymphocytes. The DNCB skin reaction was positive in 6 out of 26 patients with secondary infection. The percentage of CD8- positive T lymphocytes was higher in patients with secondary disease. Fischer's ratio (indicating the balance of plasma amino acids) was also examined as an index of the nutritional status. It was significantly lower in secondary infection compared with primary infection. Moreover, secondary infection was associated with a lower positive rate for the DNCB skin reaction and a lower Fischer's ratio when compared with pulmonary tuberculosis. Thus impairment of cell-mediated immunity, malnutrition, and a poor prognosis were significantly more common in secondary infection compared with primary infection.     

An image analyzing system using an artificial neural network forevaluating the parenchymal echo pattern of cirrhotic liver and chronichepatitis

To objectively evaluate the parenchymal echo pattern of cirrhotic liver and chronic hepatitis, the authors applied an image analyzing system (IAS) using a neural network. Autopsy specimens in a water tank (n=13) were used to examine the relationship between the diameter of the regenerative nodule and the coarse score (CS) calculated by IAS. CS was significantly correlated with the diameter of the regenerative nodule (p<0.0001, r=0.966). CS is considered to be useful for evaluating the coarseness of the parenchymal echo pattern     

Intelligent tutoring system for electric circuit exercising

An intelligent tutoring system called Circuit Exerciser is described. The system is designed to help university students learn more about electric circuits. It can formulate drill problems, solve them, and infer mistakes in a student's answer. It can also provide helpful comments to the students on how the mistake was made. The system shows the circuit of the presented problem on graphic displays and is student-friendly. The system architecture, pedagogical cycle, and execution of the system are presented