Search

We demonstrate for the first time therapeutic effects of vitamin K2 (menatetrenone) on pregnancy-associated osteoporosis with multiple vertebral fractures in four cases. Due to its safety, vitamin K2 presents itself as a treatment option for women with pregnancy-associated osteoporosis. Desirably, future controlled studies should verify these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete sequence of amino acids of ferredoxin II (FdII) from Rhodospirillum rubrum was determined by repetitive Edman degradation using pyridylethylated-ferredoxin and oxidized, denatured ferredoxin. Peptides derived from trypsin, pepsin, Glu-C endoproteinase, Arg-C endoproteinase, tryptophan specific cleavage and partial acid hydrolysis and C-terminal sequence from carboxypeptidase digestion were used to construct the total sequence. RrFdII is a polypeptide of 104 amino acids having a calculated molecular weight of 11556 excluding the iron and sulfur atoms. The complete amino acid sequence was: PYVVTENCIKCKYQDCVEVCPVDCFYEGENFLVINPDECIDCGVCNPECPAEAIAGKWLEINRKFADLWPNITRKGPAL ADADDWKDKPDKTGLLSENPGKGTV. Sequence comparisons, EPR characteristics and iron analyses indicate that RrFdII has structural features in common with ferredoxins containing [3Fe-4S], [4Fe-4S] centers. Of 104 amino acids, 60 (58%) including all 9 cysteines, are found in identical locations in the 7Fe ferredoxin prototype, Azotobacter vinelandii FdI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important for controlling traffic air pollution in urban areas to estimate the ambient concentration of pollutants emitted from automobile exhausts. For this purpose, many diffusion models of exhaust gases have been developed and utilized. On the other hand, it is also important to measure the emission rates of traffic pollutants in a certain area. However, the current methods to calculate emission rates from traffic volumes and emission factors are time-consuming and laborious. In Japan, for monitoring the traffic air Pollution automatically, many monitoring sites have been set up along roads. We have tried to estimate traffic NO[SUB3] (NO+NO[SUB2]) emission rates through processing the ambient NO[SUB2] (NO+NO[SUB2]) concentrations and the wind data measured at some roadside monitoring sites. In this study a complete-mixing model has been devised to express the relationship between the ambient NO[SUB2] concentrations and the emission racts of NO[SUB2] gases from motor vehicles. six roadside monitoring sites in the Osaka prefecture were selected to determine the model parameters and to examine the workability of the model. One result of this study is that the correlation coefficient values between the emission rates calculated from traffic volumes and emission factors and those estimated from the ambient NO[SUB2] concentration using the complete-mixing model were higher than 0.87. Therefore, it seems to be possible to estimate NO[SUB2] emission rates from ambient NO[SUB2] concentrations at roadside monitoring sites using this simple estimation model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A serum-free medium for postembryonic chicken epiphyseal growth plate chondrocytes has been developed from 104 MCDB medium. To enable these fastidious cells to survive, grow, and express normal phenotype, a substantial increase over MCDB 104 in the level of many of the amino acids was required, as well as a change in the buffer system and the addition of SerXtend, a defined, serum-free product containing various growth factors, including fibroblast growth factor. Also required was the provision of cell attachment factors, either by coating culture surfaces with type II collagen, or better, by allowing the freshly released cells to recover for several hours in a medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum before plating. Ths new serum-free medium, which we call USC-HC1, supports growth and replication, the retention of normal polygonal morphology, the expression of significant levels of cellular alkaline phosphatase activity, the production of sulfated proteoglycans, type II collagen, and the formation of alkaline phosphatase-rich matrix vesicles by the chondrocytes. The major advantage of USC-HC1, however, is that it will provide for the first time an opportunity to examine the effects of various defined growth and hormonal factors on the phenotypic expression and differentiation of growth plate chondrocytes, in the absence of the variable (stimulatory and inhibitory) factors present in fetal bovine serum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine whether eating until full or eating quickly or combinations of these eating behaviours are associated with being overweight. Design and participants: Cross sectional survey. Setting: Two communities in Japan. Participants: 3287 adults (1122 men, 2165 women) aged 30-69 who participated in surveys on cardiovascular risk from 2003 to 2006. Main outcome measures: Body mass index (overweight ≥25.0) and the dietary habits of eating until full (lifestyle questionnaire) and speed of eating (validated brief self administered questionnaire). Results: 571 (50.9%) men and 1265 (58.4%) women self reported eating until full, and 523 (45.6%) men and 785 (36.3%) women self reported eating quickly. For both sexes the highest age adjusted mean values for height, weight, body mass index, and total energy intake were in the eating until full and eating quickly group compared with the not eating until full and not eating quickly group. The multivariable adjusted odds ratio of being overweight for eating until full was 2.00 (95% confidence interval 1.53 to 2.62) for men and 1.92 (1.53 to 2.40) for women and for eating quickly was 1.84 (1.42 to 2.38) for men and 2.09 (1.69 to 2.59) for women. The multivariable odds ratio of being overweight with both eating behaviours compared with neither was 3.13 (2.20 to 4.45) for men and 3.21 (2.41 to 4.29) for women. Conclusion: Eating until full and eating quickly are associated with being overweight in Japanese men and women, and these eating behaviours combined may have a substantial impact on being overweight.

We describe a novel technique of using halo-vest-enforced immobilization to relieve anastomotic tension after tracheal sleeve resection. Immediately after the tracheal sleeve resection, four halo titanium pins were inserted in the skulls of the patients to secure the halo-vest. All patients fitted with halo-vests were able to eat and drink and their clinical course was good. Bronchoscopy confirmed the absence of anastomotic leaks and stenoses, and there were no complications associated with the halo-vest. We believe that ensuring neck flexion using a halo-vest after tracheal sleeve resection is an excellent way of relieving anastomotic tension that would predispose the wound to dehiscence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlabelled: Introduction: Posterior epidural migration of thoracic disc herniation is extremely rare but may occur in the same manner as in the lumbar spine.Case Presentation: A 53-year-old Japanese man experienced sudden onset of incomplete paraplegia after lifting a heavy object. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a posterior epidural mass compressing the spinal cord at the T9-T10 level. The patient underwent emergency surgery consisting of laminectomy at T9-T10 with right medial facetectomy, removal of the mass lesion, and posterior instrumented fusion. Histological examination of the mass lesion yielded findings consistent with sequestered disc material. His symptoms resolved, and he was able to resume walking without a cane 4 weeks after surgery.Conclusions: Pre-operative diagnosis of posterior epidural migration of herniated thoracic disc based on magnetic resonance imaging alone may be overlooked, given the rarity of this pathology. However, this entity should be considered among the differential diagnoses for an enhancing posterior thoracic extradural mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]