Age-related changes of elements in the tendons of the peroneus longus muscles in Thai, Japanese, and monkeys.

To elucidate compositional changes of the tendon of the peroneus longus muscle with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in the insertion of tendons of the peroneus longus muscle (peroneus longus tendons) in Thai, Japanese, and monkeys and the relationships among element contents by direct chemical analysis. After ordinary dissections at Chiang Mai University and Nara Medical University were finished, the peroneus longus tendons were resected from the subjects. The peroneus longus tendons were also resected from rhesus and Japanese monkeys bred in Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University.

Discrimination of bullet types using analysis of lead isotopes deposited in gunshot entry wounds.

In order to discriminate bullet types used in firearms, of which the victims died, the authors investigated lead isotope ratios in gunshot entry wounds from nine lead (unjacketed) bullets, 15 semi-jacketed bullets, and 14 full-jacketed bullets by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. It was found that the lead isotope ratio of 207/206 in gunshot entry wounds was the highest with lead bullets, and it decreased in order from full-jacketed to semi-jacketed bullets. Lead isotope ratios of 208/206 or 208/207 to 207/206 at the gunshot entry wound were able to discriminate semi-jacketed bullets from lead and full-jacketed ones, but it was difficult to discriminate between lead and full-jacketed bullets.

Age-related changes of elements in human olfactory bulbs and tracts and relationships among their contents.

To elucidate compositional changes of the olfactory bulb and tract with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in the olfactory bulbs and tracts of Japanese and the relationships among the elements. After ordinary dissection at Nara Medical University was finished, the olfactory bulbs were resected with the olfactory tracts from 40 subjects. The subjects consisted of 15 men and 25 women, ranging in age from 65 to 102 years (average age = 84.

Age-related changes of elements in human corpus callosum and relationships among these elements.

To elucidate compositional changes of the corpus callosum with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements and relationships with their element contents in the corpus callosum. After ordinary dissection by medical students at Nara Medical University was finished, the genu, trunk, and splenium of the corpus callosum were resected from the subjects ranging in age from 58 to 94 years. The element contents of the corpus callosum were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry.

High accumulation of calcium and phosphorus in the pineal bodies with aging.

To elucidate compositional changes of the pineal body with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in the pineal body. After the ordinary dissection by medical students was finished, the pineal bodies and seven arteries were resected from the subjects ranging in age from 58 to 94 years. The element contents were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry.

Increases of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in both the right and left fibrous trigones of human heart with aging.

To elucidate compositional changes of the cardiac skeleton with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in both the right and left fibrous trigones of human heart by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). After ordinary dissection by medical students was finished, hearts were resected from the subjects and both the right and left fibrous trigones were removed from the hearts. The subjects consisted of 10 men and 13 women, ranging in age from 62 to 99 years.

Moderate accumulation of calcium and phosphorus in the splenic artery with aging and low accumulation of those in the pulmonary artery with aging.

To elucidate compositional changes of the arteries with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in the splenic and pulmonary arteries, which supplied blood to contractile organs. After ordinary dissection by medical students at Nara Medical University was finished, the splenic and pulmonary arteries were resected from the subjects, ranging in age from 58 to 94 years. The element contents were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry.

Age-related changes of elements in thoracic and abdominal aortas and coronary, common carotid, pulmonary, splenic, common iliac, and uterine arteries and relationships in elements among their arteries.

To elucidate whether the accumulation of elements occurred simultaneously in the various arteries with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in the eight arteries, such as the thoracic and abdominal aortas and the coronary, common carotid, pulmonary, splenic, common iliac, and uterine arteries, and the relationships in the element contents among their arteries. After ordinary dissection by medical students was finished, the thoracic and abdominal aortas and the coronary, common carotid, pulmonary, splenic, common iliac, and uterine arteries were resected from the subjects, who ranged in age from 58 to 94 yr. The element contents were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry.

Increases of calcium and phosphorus in the uterine arteries with aging.

To elucidate compositional changes of the uterine artery with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in the uterine arteries. After ordinary dissection by medical students at Nara Medical University was finished, the uterine arteries were resected from the subjects. The element content of the uterine arteries was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry.

Earlier accumulation of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in the coronary artery in comparison with the ascending aorta, aortic valve, and mitral valve.

To explore reasons for a high accumulation of Ca and P occurring in the coronary artery of Thai with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in the coronary artery, ascending aorta near the heart, and cardiac valves in single individuals, and the relationships in the elements between the coronary artery and either the ascending aorta or cardiac valves. After an ordinary dissection by medical students at Chiang Mai University was finished, the anterior descending arteries of the left coronary artery, ascending aortas, mitral valves, and aortic valves were resected from the subjects. The subjects consisted of 17 men and 9 women, ranging in age from 46 to 76 yr.

Decreases of calcium and phosphorus in monkey cardiac walls with development and aging.

To elucidate compositional changes of the cardiac walls with development and aging, the authors investigated changes of elements in the atrial and ventricular walls of monkeys. The left and right atrial walls, left and right ventricular walls, and interatrial and interventricular septa were resected from the subjects. The subjects consisted of 17 rhesus and 13 Japanese monkeys, ranging in age from 10 d to 33 yr.

Age-dependent decreases of calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, and zinc in the cardiac valves of monkeys.

To elucidate compositional changes of the cardiac valves in monkey with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in the four cardiac valves of rhesus and Japanese monkeys and the relationships among elements by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The four cardiac valves of the aortic, pulmonary, mitral, and tricuspid valves were resected from 19 rhesus and 11 Japanese monkeys, ranging in age from 10 d to 33 yr. The element contents were determined by ICP-AES.

Age-related changes of elements in renal arteries of Thai and Japanese and the relationships among elements.

To examine whether there were differences between races in regard to age-related changes of elements and the relationships among elements in the arteries, the authors investigated both the renal arteries of Thai and Japanese. The Thai subjects consisted of 27 men and 11 women, ranging in age from 27 to 88 yr, whereas the Japanese subjects consisted of 19 men and 26 women, ranging in age from 61 to 99 yr. After the ordinary dissections at Chiang Mai University and Nara Medical University were completed, the bilateral renal arteries were resected and the element contents were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry.

Comparison of calcium accumulation between the arteries of human and monkey.

To examine whether an accumulation of elements in the arteries was affected by the way of walking, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in the arteries of the Japanese, Thai, and Japanese monkeys. After the ordinary dissections by medical students were finished, the subclavian, axillary, brachial, radial, common iliac, external iliac, femoral, and posterior tibial arteries were resected from the subjects of the Japanese and Thai over 60 yr of age and they were also resected from the Japanese monkeys over 20 yr of age. The element content was determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry.

Age-dependent increases of calcium and phosphorus in human epiglottal cartilage.

To elucidate compositional changes of the elastic cartilage with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in the epiglottal cartilages by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. After the ordinary dissection by medical students at Chiang Mai University was finished, the epiglottises were resected from the subjects. The epiglottal cartilages were isolated and the element contents were determined.

Increases of calcium and magnesium and decrease of iron in human posterior longitudinal ligaments of the cervical spine with aging.

To elucidate compositional changes of ligaments with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in the posterior longitudinal ligaments (PLLs) by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. After the ordinary dissection, PLLs were resected from the subjects ranging in age from 65 to 95 yr. The PLLs of the cervical spine were resected between the fourth and fifth cervical vertebrae, the PLLs of the thoracic spine between the fifth and seventh thoracic vertebrae, and the PLLs of the lumbar spine between the second and third lumbar vertebrae.

Accumulation of calcium in human common iliac artery, aortic valve, xiphoid process, costal cartilage, posterior longitudinal ligament, trigeminal nerve, and rib accompanied by increase of magnesium.

To examine whether an accumulation of Ca in the tissues was accompanied by an increase of Mg, the authors investigated the relationships between Ca and Mg contents in the common iliac arteries, aortic valves, xiphoid processes, costal cartilages, posterior longitudinal ligaments, trigeminal nerves, and ribs by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. After the ordinary dissections by medical students were finished, the common iliac arteries, aortic valves, xiphoid processes, bilateral the fourth costal cartilages, posterior longitudinal ligaments between the fourth and fifth cervical vertebrae, trigeminal nerves, and bilateral the sixth ribs were resected from the subjects and elements were determined. It was found that there were extremely significant direct correlations between Ca and Mg contents in all of the common iliac arteries, aortic valves, costal cartilages, posterior longitudinal ligaments, and trigeminal nerves, whereas there were significant direct correlations in both the xiphoid processes and ribs.

Age-dependent decreases of sulfur and magnesium in human round ligaments of the uterus and relationships among elements.

To elucidate the compositional change of ligaments with aging, the authors investigated both age-related changes of elements and relationships among elements in the round ligaments of the uterus (round ligaments) by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The bilateral round ligaments were resected from 20 cadavers and also from the uteri removed surgically from 11 patients bearing uterine myoma or cancer. Thirty-one subjects ranged in age from 34 to 92 yr.

Compositional changes of the muscular layers of the stomach with aging.

To elucidate compositional changes of the stomach with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of the elements and relationships among the elements in the muscular layers of the pylorus, cardia, lesser curvature, and greater curvature by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. After ordinary dissection by medical students, the pylori, cardias, lesser curvatures, and greater curvatures were removed from the subjects, consisting of 19 men and 1 woman, ranging in age from 65 to 95 yr. The muscular layers were isolated and the element contents were determined.

Age-related changes of elements and relationships among elements in the common bile and pancreatic ducts.

To elucidate compositional changes of the common bile and main pancreatic ducts with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of element contents in the common bile and pancreatic ducts by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. After ordinary dissection by medical students was finished, the common bile ducts and main pancreatic ducts (pancreatic ducts) were resected and the element contents were determined. The Mg content increased significantly only in the pancreatic duct with aging, but the other element contents did not change significantly in both the common bile and pancreatic ducts with aging.

Accumulation of calcium and phosphorus accompanied by inevitable accumulation of magnesium in human arteries.

To examine whether there were differences between races in regard to the relationships among element contents in the arteries, the authors investigated the relationships among the average contents of calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, and magnesium in the 18 kinds of the Thai artery. After ordinary dissection by medical students at Chiang Mai University was finished, the thoracic and abdominal aortas, ramifying site of the abdominal aorta into the common iliac arteries, coronary, common carotid, internal thoracic, subclavian, axillary, brachial, radial, superior and inferior mesenteric, renal, common iliac, internal iliac, and external iliac arteries were resected from the subjects who consisted of 12 men and 3 women, ranging in age from 39 to 84 yr. The femoral and posterior tibial arteries were resected from the subjects, consisting of 15 men and 5 women, ranging in age from 25 to 88 yr.

Age-related changes of elements with their relationships in human cranial and spinal nerves.

To elucidate compositional changes of peripheral nerves with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements and their relationships in the optic, trigeminal, vagus, median, radial, ulnar, femoral, sciatic, tibial, and common peroneal nerves by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The subjects consisted of 10 men and 12 women, ranging in age from 65 to 91 yr. It was found that although accumulations of Ca and P occurred only in the trigeminal nerve at old age, it hardly occurred in the optic, vagus, median, radial, ulnar, femoral, sciatic, tibial, and common peroneal nerves at old age.

Age-related changes of elements and relationships among elements in human tendons and ligaments.

To elucidate compositional changes of the tendons and ligaments with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of element contents in the insertion tendons of the biceps brachii muscle, central tendons of the diaphragma, Achilles' tendons, posterior longitudinal ligaments (PLLs) of the cervical spine, ligamenta capitum femorum, and anterior cruciate ligaments. After ordinary dissections by medical students, the three tendons and three ligaments were resected and element contents were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. It was found that the elements, such as Ca, P, S, Mg, Na, Zn, and Fe, did not change significantly in the three tendons and two ligaments with aging, except for the PLLs where Ca and Mg increased significantly with aging and Fe decreased significantly with aging.

Age-related changes of elements in human thoracic ducts and azygos veins and relationships among elements.

To elucidate compositional changes of the thoracic duct with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in the thoracic ducts in comparison with the azygos veins. The subjects consisted of 22 men and 1 woman, ranging in age from 65 to 95 yr. After ordinary dissection, the thoracic ducts and azygos veins were resected from the subjects and element contents were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry.

Accumulation of elements in the arteries and cardiac valves of Thai with aging.

To elucidate whether the extent of element accumulation in the arteries and cardiac valves with aging was different between different races, the authors investigated the accumulation of elements in the arteries and cardiac valves of the Thai with aging and the relationships among elements in the cardiac valves. After ordinary dissection at Chiang Mai University was finished, 16 arteries and 4 cardiac valves were resected and element contents were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. In the 16 arteries, the average content of calcium was the highest in the site of the abdominal aorta ramifying into the common iliac arteries, and it decreased in the order internal iliac, coronary, abdominal aorta, common iliac, external iliac, superior mesenteric, inferior mesenteric, thoracic aorta, brachial, radial, common carotid, subclavian, ulnar, axillary, renal, and internal thoracic arteries.