Involvement of cyclic guanosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase II in chondrocyte hypertrophy during endochondral ossification.

During vertebrate skeletal development, the appendicular skeleton forms through endochondral ossification, which involves the intricately regulated multistep differentiation of mesenchymal cells. During this process, mesenchymal condensations initially differentiate into chondrocytes. Then chondrocytes in the center further differentiate into hypertrophic chondrocytes.

Correlation of abnormal mitochondrial distribution in mouse oocytes with reduced developmental competence.

Selection of good quality oocytes is important for improvement of assisted reproductive technology. Here, we studied the relationship of the mitochondrial distribution in metaphase II stage (MII) oocytes with fertility, since mitochondria in ooplasm are essential for energy production required for fertilization and embryo development. To observe mitochondria non-invasively, we used oocytes from a transgenic mouse, in which enhanced green fluorescent protein is targeted to the mitochondrial matrix and thus fluorescence is observed exclusively in the mitochondria.

Erk pathways negatively regulate matrix mineralization.

Skeletal mineralization is an important step regulating the mechanical properties of the calcified tissues, but molecular events underlying mineralization still remain elusive. We examined the role of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) pathways in matrix mineralization of osteogenic cells both in vitro and in vivo. Matrix mineralization by preosteocytic MLO-A5 cells and osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells was increased by either PD98059 Mek inhibitor treatment or adenovirus vector-mediated dominant negative Ras (Ras(DN)) expression and was suppressed by Erk activation by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) treatment or constitutively active Mek1 (Mek(CA)) expression.

Alteration of 5-HIAA levels in frontal cortex and dorsal raphe nucleus in rats treated with combined administration of tryptophan and ethanol.

The present studies sought to investigate the effect of tryptophan alone or coadministration of tryptophan and ethanol on the interaction of central frontal cortex and dorsal raphe nucleus serotonergic functional activities by utilizing in vivo microdialysis. Tryptophan (50 mg/kg, i.p.

Induction of remission of relapsed acute myeloid leukemia after unrelated donor cord blood transplantation by concomitant low-dose cytarabine and calcitriol in adults.

Low-dose cytarabine and calcitriol (LDCA + VD3) combination therapy was performed in two adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) that relapsed within 1 yr after unrelated donor cord blood transplantation (URD CBT) performed in a relapse or non-remission stage. Concomitant aclarubicin was also administered in one patient. Remission because of recovery of donor cord blood hematopoiesis was obtained in both patients.

Assisting the diagnosis of thyroid diseases with Bayesian-type and SOM-type neural networks making use of routine test data.

Patients with hyperthyroidism sometimes take much time to receive the final diagnosis. To improve patient QOL, simple screening for hyperthyroidism by thyroid non-specialists at the physical check-up is highly expected. Therefore, we applied both Bayesian-type and SOM-type neural networks since we assured the approach useful in analysing thyroid function diagnosis in the previous work.

Contribution of runt-related transcription factor 2 to the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis in mice after induction of knee joint instability.

Objective: By producing instability in mouse knee joints, we attempted to determine the involvement of runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX-2), which is required for chondrocyte hypertrophy, in the development of osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: An experimental mouse OA model was created by surgical transection of the medial collateral ligament and resection of the medial meniscus of the knee joints of heterozygous RUNX-2-deficient (Runx2+/-) mice and wild-type littermates. Cartilage destruction and osteophyte formation in the medial tibial cartilage were compared by histologic and radiographic analyses.

Case study of a pregnant woman with decidualized ovarian endometriosis whose preoperative findings suggested malignant transformation.

Background: Because both decidualization and malignant transformation of endometriosis are characterized by mural nodules on the wall of the cyst, the preoperative differential diagnosis is reportedly difficult.

Case: A 31-year-old woman was referred to our hospital at ten weeks of gestation. Sonographic examination revealed an intrauterine gestational sac and ovarian endometrial cyst.

Glycosylation and cell surface expression of Kv1.2 potassium channel are regulated by determinants in the pore region.

Voltage-gated K(+) channels contain six membrane spanning segments and a pore-forming domain. We used site-directed mutation to examine the role of specific amino acids in the extracellular region of the pore in Kv1.2.

Computer-driven automatic identification of locomotion states in Caenorhabditis elegans.

We developed a computer-driven tracking system for the automated analysis of the locomotion of Caenorhabditis elegans. The algorithm for the identification of locomotion states on agar plates (forward movement, backward movement, rest, and curl) includes the identification of the worm's head and tail. The head and tail are first assigned, by using three criteria, based on time-sequential binary images of the worm, and the determination is made based on the majority of the three criteria.

Response of temporomandibular joint intermittent closed lock to different treatment modalities: A multicenter survey.

This study investigated the clinical picture and different treatment methods and results at a number of institutions with the aim of establishing an effective method of treatment for intermittent closed lock (intermittent lock) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The subjects were 104 patients (29 males, 65 females) diagnosed with intermittent lock among 1787 temporomandibular disorder patients. The cases were classified into two types based on the time and occasion when the intermittent lock occurred.

Periodontal disease and atherosclerosis from the viewpoint of the relationship between community periodontal index of treatment needs and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity.

Background: It has been suggested that periodontal disease may be an independent risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis. However, the relationship between periodontal disease and atherosclerosis has not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to assess the effects of periodontal disease on atherosclerosis.

Carminerin contributes to chondrocyte calcification during endochondral ossification.

Endochondral ossification is an essential process not only for physiological skeletal development and growth, but also for pathological disorders. We recently identified a novel cartilage-specific molecule, carminerin (also known as cystatin 10 and encoded by Cst10), which is upregulated in synchrony with cartilage maturation and stimulates the later differentiation of cultured chondrocytes. Although carminerin-deficient (Cst10-/-) mice developed and grew normally, they had a microscopic decrease in the calcification of hypertrophic chondrocytes at the growth plate.

p16INK4a overexpression independent of human papillomavirus infection in lobular endocervical glandular hyperplasia.

A high rate of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has been reported in cervical cancer and precancerous lesions. Many studies also have shown that p16INK4a overexpression is of diagnostic value for high-risk HPV-related cervical cancer and precursors. Lobular endocervical glandular hyperplasia (LEGH) is a rare lesion of the uterine cervix.

Surgical correction of ventricular septal defect with aortic regurgitation in a dog.

An 8-month-old entire Miniature Dachshund, weighing 4.2 kg, was presented for examination following delvelopment of a cough. Ventricular septal defect had been diagnosed tentatively in its infancy on the basis of a cardiac murmur detected by auscultation and echocardiography.

Simultaneous determination of pancuronium, vecuronium and their related compounds using LC-ESI-MS.

A simultaneous determination method of quaternary amino steroidal muscle relaxants, pancuronium (PAN), vecuronium (VEC), and 17-monodesacetyl pancuronium (17-OH-PAN), 3,17-bisdesacetyl pancuronium (3,17-OH-PAN), 3-monodesacetyl vecuronium (3-OH-VEC), 3,17-bisdesacetyl vecuronium (3,17-OH-VEC) in human serum was developed using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS). The weak cation exchange cartridge was useful for the extraction of these compounds. Under optimized LC-ESI-MS conditions, these compounds were almost fully separated within 6.

Regulation of bone formation by adiponectin through autocrine/paracrine and endocrine pathways.

Since interaction between bone and lipid metabolism has been suggested, this study investigated the regulation of bone metabolism by adiponectin, a representative adipokine, by analyzing deficient and overexpressing transgenic mice. We initially confirmed that adiponectin and its receptors were expressed in osteoblastic and osteoclastic cells, indicating that adiponectin can act on bone not only through an endocrine pathway as a hormone secreted from fat tissue, but also through an autocrine/paracrine pathway. There was no abnormality in bone mass or turnover of adiponectin-deficient (Ad-/-) mice, possibly due to an equivalent balance of the two pathways.

Cartilage tissue engineering using human auricular chondrocytes embedded in different hydrogel materials.

To seek a suitable scaffold for cartilage tissue engineering, we compared various hydrogel materials originating from animals, plants, or synthetic peptides. Human auricular chondrocytes were embedded in atelopeptide collagen, alginate, or PuraMatrix, all of which are or will soon be clinically available. The chondrocytes in the atelopeptide collagen proliferated well, while the others showed no proliferation.

Involvement of brain protein kinase C in nitrous oxide-induced antinociception in mice.

Exposure of mice to the anesthetic gas nitrous oxide (N(2)O) produces a marked antinociceptive effect. Protein kinase C is a key regulatory enzyme that may be targeted by general anesthetics. However, a relationship between N(2)O-induced antinociception and protein kinase C has yet to be established.

[Perioperative changes in the circulatory blood volumes in patients undergoing the abdominal aortic aneurysm repair].

Background: The effect of the intraoperative volume load on the circulating blood volume is unclear. Therefore, we investigated the changes of the perioperative blood volume in patients undergoing major surgery.

Methods: In 16 patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, we measured the circulating blood volume (BV x kg(-1)) with the pulse dyedensitometry method (DDG analyzer) before operation, just after operation, on the first postoperative day (1POD) and 2POD.