Lean body mass and bone mineral density in physically exercising postmenopausal women

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether the relative contribution of body composition (lean and fat mass component) to postmenopausal bone mineral density (BMD) differs between women participating in physical exercise and sedentary women. METHODS: Subjects were 45 postmenopausal women participating in regular physical exercise and 89 sedentary controls aged 50-60 years. Baseline characteristics included age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI, Wt/Ht(2)), age at menopause, and years since menopause (YSM). Body fat mass, percentage of body fat, lean body mass, and lumbar spine BMD (L2-4) were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: Although age, height, weight, BMI, and YSM did not differ between the two groups, lean body mass and lumbar spine BMD were significantly higher (P<0.05 and <0.001, respectively), while body fat mass and percentage of body fat mass were significantly lower in exercising women than in sedentary controls (P<0.05 and <0.05, respectively). In exercising women, BMD was positively correlated with lean body mass (r=0.415, P<0.01) but not with body fat mass (r=0.155, NS). Conversely, in sedentary controls, BMD was correlated with body fat mass (r=0.251, P<0.05) and lean body mass (r=0.228, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Lean body mass is a more significant determinant of postmenopausal BMD in physically exercising women than in sedentary women.     

Age-related change in the strength of correlation of lumbar spine bone mineral density with other regions

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether the strength of correlation of lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) with other regions differs with age. METHODS: Subjects were 336 premenopausal women aged 20-49 years and 218 postmenopausal women aged 50-69 years with right-side dominance. Age, height, weight, and years since menopause (YSM) were recorded. Subjects were classified into five subgroups at 10-year increments. BMD of the arms, lumbar spine (L2-4), pelvis, legs, and total body were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). RESULTS: Regional and total body BMD did not differ among women aged in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. However, in women aged over 50, regional and total body BMD gradually decreased with age. The strength of correlation of lumbar spine BMD with the left arm, right arm, left leg, right leg, and total body BMD gradually increased with advancing age (r=0.422-0.715, 0.376-0.714, 0.476-0.721, 0.491-0.734, and 0.642-0.800, respectively). However, the strength of correlation of lumbar spine BMD with pelvis BMD remained unchanged (r=0.512-0.622). CONCLUSIONS: Correlation of lumbar spine BMD with extremities BMD gradually strengthens with advancing age, while higher correlation of lumbar spine BMD with pelvis BMD remains unchanged. When lumbar spine BMD is predicted using values at sites such as forearm BMD, we should consider the patient's age.     

Outcome of implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy for congenital heart disease

Background: The use of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy for congenital heart disease (CHD) has been increasing, but few studies have reported on the efficacy of ICD therapy in Japanese CHD patients. Method: Twelve CHD patients (median age, 35 years) with first ICD implantation were examined. Median follow‐up duration was 2.9 years. Demographic information, implant electrical parameters, appropriate and inappropriate discharge data and complications were recorded for all implants from 2003 to 2010. Results: Implant indication was primary prevention in two patients and secondary prevention in 10. Overall four patients received one or more discharges; three patients (25%) with secondary prevention received nine appropriate discharges. Inappropriate discharge attributed to sinus tachycardia occurred in two patients (16.7%). Only one patient experienced the late complication of skin erosion at the generator implantation site. Conclusions: Patients with CHD experienced significant rates of appropriate discharges and lower complications. But given that the indications of ICD implantation were mostly for secondary prevention, the ratio of appropriate shocks might be lower than in previous studies. In the primary prevention patients, the benefit of ICD was not clear because no appropriate discharges were seen during follow up. Although ICD implantation for CHD is beneficial for preventing sudden cardiac death, careful decision making and a large, long‐term prospective study is required for the determination of the efficacy of ICD therapy in Japanese patients with CHD.     

Molecular Structure,Crystallinity, and Morphology of Uncompatibilized and Compatibilized Blends of Polyethylene/Nylon 12

The present study is aimed at investigating differences in molecular structure, crystallinity, and morphology between uncompatibilized and compatibilized blends of high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) and Nylon 12 by using Fourier‐transform (FT) Raman spectroscopy, wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Uncompatibilized and compatibilized blends of HDPE/Nylon 12 with a Nylon 12 content ranging from 10 to 90 wt.‐% with an increment of 10 wt.‐% were prepared. The compatibilized polymer blends were prepared by adding a small amount of maleic anhydride (MAH) and it was found that 0.5 wt.‐% MAH yielded a good dispersion. SEM images show that both kind of blends have a different miscibility behavior. The uncompatibilized and compatibilized blends yield quite different X‐ray diffraction patterns; the latter blends with a Nylon 12 content > 70 wt.‐% show orientational effects in the X‐ray pattern of the HDPE. The crystallinity of the HDPE of both blends was evaluated by the full width at half intensity of the (110) reflection of HDPE. To do that, the diffraction peaks were analyzed by a curve‐fitting method. To evaluate the crystallinity from Raman spectra, the intensity ratio of the two bands at 1 129 and 1 110 cm^?1 was used. Of note is that the 1 129 cm^?1 band is caused by a symmetric C? C stretching mode of all‐trans ? (CH₂)_n? groups arising only from HDPE. The Raman spectra and X‐ray diffraction measurements revealed that when the Nylon 12 content reaches 70 wt.‐%, the crystallinity of HDPE in the compatibilized blends becomes higher than that of HDPE in the uncompatibilized blends. This result is different from the general trend of crystallinity of HDPE in polymer blends. The difference suggests that the effect of the high viscosity of the Nylon‐rich phase on the crystallinity is more significant than the effect of the impurity (MAH‐grafted PE). It seems that the extension of the Nylon 12‐rich phase during the extrusion process leads to orientational effects because of the increase in the interaction between MAH and HDPE.

SEM images of HDPE/Nylon 12 compatibilized (top) and uncompatibilized (bottom) blends with a Nylon 12 content of 20 wt.‐%.     

IgG4-related inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysm associated with autoimmune pancreatitis

An association between autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) and inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) has never been reported. Reported herein is a case of IgG4-related inflammatory AAA accompanying metachronous AIP. A 77-year-old man presented with malaise and intermittent lower abdominal pain. Radiological examination showed inflammatory AAA and right hydronephrosis caused by retroperitoneal fibrosis. Surgical correction of the AAA was performed, but high levels of systemic inflammatory markers persisted. Four months after surgery, the patient presented with epigastric pain, backache, and jaundice. His serum IgG4 concentration was high (571 mg/mL), and he was diagnosed with AIP, based on clinical and radiological findings. Corticosteroid therapy resulted in improvement of the clinical findings and lowered his serum IgG4 levels. Subsequent histological examination of a specimen from the aortic wall showed irregular proliferation of fibroblastic and myofibroblastic cells, severe lymphoplasmacytic infiltration, and obliterative phlebitis in the adventitia. Furthermore, on immunohistochemistry many plasma cells within the lesion were found to be positive for IgG4. These findings suggest that inflammatory AAA has a pathological process similar to that of AIP, and that some cases of inflammatory AAA and retroperitoneal fibrosis may be aortic and periaortic lesions of an IgG4-related sclerosing disease.     

Gene transfer to sperm and testis: future prospects of gene therapy for male infertility

Male infertility has been considered a major contributory factor to infertility. The causes of spermatogenetic failure found in most cases of male infertility remain largely idiopathic. Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment to improve spermatogenesis for idiopathic male infertility patients. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is the current treatment of choice for severe male infertility and has brought the joy of childbearing to couples for whom it was previously impossible; however, several problems exist with this treatment. In addition, if there are no spermatozoa in the testis of these patients, they do not have paternity potential even if ICSI is conducted. Ultimately, fertilization is better in vivo than in vitro. Recently, on the other hand, gene transfer to sperm and testis has been developed to find more effective and simple methods to obtain transgenic animals. This technique has the potential to be the most useful approach for the future treatment of male infertility. In this review, we will give an overview of the recent advanced technique of gene transfer to sperm and testis, and discuss the future prospects of gene therapy for the treatment of male infertility. In conclusion, although more investigations on the mechanism of spermatogenesis and male infertility and the establishment of techniques for more efficient and safer gene transfer to the sperm and testis will be needed, gene therapy will enable a revolutionary advance for reproductive treatment and provide great benefit for patients with male infertility in the future.     

Sequential analysis of anti-alpha Gal natural antibody-producing B cells in GalT knockout mice in cyclophosphamide-induced tolerance

Previously, we have shown that cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced tolerance, marked by permanent acceptance of donor skin graft and establishment of donor mixed chimerism, was readily induced with treatment with donor spleen cells (SC), CP, busulfan (BU) and donor bone marrow cells (BMC). Here, we investigated the mechanism of anti-donor natural antibody (nAb) producing B-cell tolerance in our CP-induced tolerance systems in alpha1,3-galactosyltransferase-deficient knockout mice (GalT KO; GalT-/-, H-2(b/d)). After induction of tolerance using donor AKR SC and BMC, survival of donor heart and skin grafts and production of anti-Galalpha1-3Galbeta1-4GlcNAc (anti-alphaGal) Ab in recipient GalT KO mice were analyzed. In addition, the production of anti-alphaGal Ab and the presence of Gal-BSA binding B cells in GalT KO mice were analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM) after treatments with rabbit red blood cells (RRBC) and CP. Permanent acceptance of donor skin and heart grafts and abrogation of anti-alphaGal Ab were achieved in GalT KO mice treated with donor SC + CP/BU + BMC. However, in the GalT KO mice treated with donor SC and CP, donor skin grafts were acutely rejected, even though anti-alphaGal Ab was undetectable. Similarly, anti-alphaGal Ab was undetectable in GalT KO mice treated with RRBC and CP. Our data strongly indicated the following mechanisms: the clonal destruction in the early stage and the clonal anergy or ignorance in the late stage after conventional conditioning with RRBC and CP. In conclusion, our drug-induced tolerance protocols are effective to induce tolerance in recipients that produce anti-donor nAb.     

现代免疫佐剂研究

佐剂在广义上是指通过特异性或非特异性免疫增强作用提高血清中疫苗抗原特异性抗体水平的物质。可溶性纯化蛋白质疫苗或蛋白质亚单位疫苗的免疫激活作用通常较弱，不足以刺激机体产生足够的抗体，因此通常在疫苗制剂中加入佐剂。与单独应用抗原相比，抗原与佐剂联合应用所需的抗原量较少，机体产生的抗体量较多，并且还可以减轻免疫耐受。