The purpose of this study was to determine whether human parathyroid hormone (h-PTH) enhances trabecular bone mass and connectivities that were reduced by streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in rats. Seven-month-old female Wistar rats were injected with STZ or its vehicle intraperitoneally. All vehicle-injected normal controls were sacrificed 0, 4, 6, 8, 12, 14, and 16 weeks after injection, and one-third of the STZ-injected rats were sacrificed as the baseline controls 4, 6, and 8 weeks after the injection. Eight-week h-PTH (6. 0 microg/kg, 6 times a week) or its vehicle treatment by subcutaneous injection for residual diabetic rats was started 4, 6, or 8 weeks after the STZ injection. The rats' proximal right tibiae were processed for undecalcified Villanueva bone staining sections for bone histomorphometry. Furthermore, changes in trabecular connectivities were determined by node-strut analysis. The decreased cancellous bone volume (BV/TV) and turnover in diabetic rats were recovered in all PTH-treated groups. In node-strut analysis, the node-related parameters (N.Nd/TV, NdNd/TV) were significantly increased by PTH when it was administered 4 weeks after STZ injection but were not increased when administration was started after 6 weeks. The results indicated that PTH enhanced bone turnover and bone mass but not trabecular connectivity in the late stage of diabetes in rats. Early treatment of osteoporosis is important in preventing fractures caused by decreased bone strength resulting from decreased trabecular connectivity.

We investigated 91 cases of acute cholangitis, including 42 of severe cholangitis and 49 of mild cholangitis. The incidence of endotoxemia was 78.6 percent in 42 and 32.6 percent in the 49 patients. In the 42 with severe cholangitis, remarkable leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, decrease of serum CH50, C3, plasma fibronectin and phagocytic index were characteristic. Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) was observed in 76.2 percent. Since there was a positive correlation between platelet counts and levels of CH50 and C3, the decrease of platelet count, and the occurrence of DIC in patients with endotoxemia were thought to be closely related to the consumption of complements. There was no difference in mortality rate between nonsurgical treatment (57.8 percent) and the emergency bile drainage treatment (56.5 percent). The results of therapy depended on the degree of complicating DIC. We conclude that acute cholangitis was aggravated by endotoxemia and that severe cholangitis was accompanied by DIC induced by a decline in phylaxis.

The purpose of this study was to learn whether caudal vertebrae can be used to evaluate the effects of ovariectomy (OVX) in rats. Seven-month-old female Wistar rats were divided into two groups: the OVX group and the untreated control group. All rats were killed at 8 weeks and their 4th lumbar (L4), 1st caudal (C1), 3rd caudal (C3), and 5th caudal (C5) vertebrae were processed undecalcified and sectioned with Villanueva bone stain for quantitative bone histomorphometry. Both length of vertebral bodies and the cancellous tissue area in C1 were similar in size to L4 but significantly bigger than C3 and C5. Within the groups, cancellous bone volume (BV/TV) and trabecular thickness in both groups gradually increased in caudal vertebrae in relation to the distal direction. Between the groups, OVX rats exhibited a significantly lower BV/TV relative to control rats at L4 and C1, however, no significant difference were seen at C3 and C5. Bone formation-related parameters such as osteoid and mineralizing surface, and eroded surface were higher in the OVX group than in the control group in caudal as well as in lumbar vertebrae. By quantitative analysis of bone marrow composition, yellow marrow volume in C3 and C5 was significantly higher than that in L4 and C1, in both groups. Our results suggest that C1 is similar to L4 in size, bone turnover, and bone marrow composition. However, further experiments are needed to evaluate the possibility that C1 vertebra could be used as an alternative site for histomorphometric evaluation of bone changes in OVX rats.

No abstract

Self-assembling process of InAs/GaAs quantum dots has been investigated by analyzing reflection high-energy electron diffraction chevron images reflecting the crystal facet structure surrounding the island. The chevron image shows dramatic changes during the island formation. From the temporal evolution of the chevron tail structure, the self-assembling process has been found to consist of four steps. The initial islands do not show distinct facet structures. Then, the island surface is covered by high-index facets, and this is followed by the formation of stable low-index facets. Finally, the flow of In atoms from the islands occurs, which contributes to flatten the wetting layer. Furthermore, we have investigated the island shape evolution during the GaAs capping layer growth by using the same real-time analysis technique.