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Previous research has found that octacalcium phosphate (OCP) increases macrophage accumulation and alters the initial inflammatory response. However, the role of the immune response induced by OCP in osteogenesis remains unknown. This study investigated the behavior of macrophages and bone regeneration capacity during the early inflammatory stage of OCP‐mediated osteogenesis. To assess the change in macrophage polarization and osteogenic capacity, we used a standardized rat defect model filled with OCP or calcium‐deficient hydroxyapatite (CDHA)—a material obtained through the hydrolysis of the original OCP. OCP or CDHA granules were incubated with RAW264 cells for 5 days to investigate the effect of physicochemical characteristics on macrophage cytokine/chemokine expression in vitro. Our in vivo results show that due to the OCP implantation, macrophages in the rat tibial defect area tend to polarize to the M2 phenotype (anti‐inflammatory) and inhibit the formation of the M1 phenotype (pro‐inflammatory). In comparison to CDHA, OCP exhibited superior bone regeneration potential due to its rapid promotion of cortical bone healing and stimulation of macrophage‐related growth factors. Furthermore, our in vitro results have shown that OCP regulates the expression of macrophage chemokines over time. Compared to incubation with CDHA, incubation with OCP caused changes in the ionic microenvironment. These findings suggest that the OCP‐mediated macrophage polarization and secretion profile not only regulate immune function but also positively affect osteogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We developed a technique to calculate the offset between room lasers and the radiation isocenter using a digital Winston–Lutz (WL) test with a starshot technique. We have performed isocenter localization quality assurance (QA) with submillimeter accuracy for a long period. Here we evaluated the feasibility and accuracy of this virtual starshot (VS) analysis for isocenter localization QA. Methods: A 6‐MV photon beam with a square multileaf collimator field was used to irradiate a WL sphere positioned at the intersection of the room lasers. Images were acquired using an electronic portal imaging device. A four‐field WL test was performed, and the path of each beam was calculated from the offset between the beam and sphere. Virtual starshot analysis was used to analyze the radiation isocenter, which calculates the center of the beam paths by using a least‐squares method, similar to the starshot analysis. Then, eight coplanar and 12 noncoplanar beams were irradiated to evaluate isocenter localization accuracy. Results: Several VS analyses, using different WL spheres, were performed at three institutions, and the calculated accuracies were within 0.1 mm at all institutions. Long‐term analysis showed that the isocenter localization accuracy was appropriately managed with three‐dimensional accuracy within ± 0.5 mm for 90 months after the first laser adjustments. The offset between each beam and the room laser was within 0.6 mm and within 1.0 mm for eight coplanar and 12 noncoplanar beams, respectively, for 90 months. Cone‐beam computed tomography images, acquired after verification beams, showed that the offset between the radiation isocenter and the imaging center was within 0.66 mm for 90 months. The isocenter localization accuracy within 1 mm was kept for long period at other four institutions. Conclusions: Long‐term analysis showed the feasibility of VS analysis for isocenter localization QA, including room laser re‐alignment, noncoplanar irradiation verification, and image guidance accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The SynchronyTM Respiratory Tracking System (SRTS) component of the CyberKnife® Robotic Radiosurgery System (Accuray, Inc., Sunnyvale CA) enables real‐time tracking of moving targets by modeling the correlation between the targets and external surrogate light‐emitting diode (LED) markers placed on the patient's chest. Previous studies reported some cases with respiratory phase shifts between lung tumor and chest wall motions. In this study, the impacts of respiratory phase shifts on the motion‐tracking accuracy of the SRTS were investigated. Methods: A plastic scintillator was used to detect the position of the x‐ray beams. The scintillation light was recorded using a camera in a dark room. A moving phantom moved a U‐shaped frame on the scintillator with a 4th power of sinusoidal functions. Three metallic markers for motion tracking and four fluorescent tapes were attached to the frame. The fluorescent tapes were used to identify phantom position and respiratory phase for each video frame. The beam positions collected, when considered relative to the phantom motion, represent the degree of tracking error. Beam position was calculated by adding error value to phantom position. Motions with respiratory phase shifts between the target and an extra stage mimicking chest wall motion were also tested for LED markers. Log files of the SRTS were analyzed to evaluate correlation errors. Results: When target and LED marker motions were synchronized with a respiratory cycle of 4 s, the maximum tracking errors for 90% and 95% of beam‐on time were 1.0 mm and 1.2 mm, respectively. The frequency of tracking errors increased when LED marker motion phase preceded target motion. Tracking errors that corresponded to 90% beam‐on time were within 2.4 mm for 5–15% of phase shifts. In contrast, the tracking errors were very large when the LED marker delayed to the target motions; the maximum errors of 90% beam‐on time were 3.0, 3.8, and 7.5 mm for 5%, 10%, and 15% of phase shifts, respectively. The patterns of the tracking errors derived from the scintillation light were very similar to those of the correlation data of the SRTS derived from the log files, indicating that the tracking errors caused mainly due to the errors in modeling the correlation data. With long respiratory cycle of 6 s, the tracking errors were significantly decreased; the maximum tracking errors for 95% beam‐on time were 1.6 mm and 2.2 mm for early and delayed LED motion. Conclusion: We have investigated the motion‐tracking accuracy of the CyberKnife SRTS for cases with the respiratory phase shift between the target and the LED marker. The maximum tracking errors for 90% probability were within 2.4 mm when the target delays to the LED markers. When LED marker delays, however, very large tracking errors were observed. With a long respiratory cycle, the tracking errors were greatly improved to less than 2.2 mm. Coaching slow breathing will be useful for accurate motion tracking radiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research using mouse lymphoma cell lines has resulted in many reports of glycosylation being a key regulator for the distant metastasis of mouse lymphoma cells in animal models. In contrast, there are only a few reports of experiments examining human lymphoma cell metastasis. The glycosylation pattern in human lymphoma shows that loss of Phaseolus vulgaris leukoagglutinating lectin (L‐PHA) reactive oligosaccharides, and sialylation of L‐PHA reactive oligosaccharides, are closely associated with a worse prognosis for diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients. Sialic acid is related to cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix and metastasis of HBL‐8 Burkitt lymphoma cells in a severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mouse animal model. In HBL‐8 clones, differential cell surface sialylation was due to different expression levels of UDP‐GlcNAc 2‐epimerase (GNE). Knockdown of beta‐galactoside alpha‐2,6‐sialyltransferase (ST6Gal1) resulted in enhanced lymphoma cell adhesion to galectin‐1 in anaplastic large cell lymphoma cell line, H‐ALCL. A fluorinated sialic acid analogue was shown to be useful for inhibiting sialyltransferase and may provide a new glycoengineering strategy for desialylation, as well as inhibiting invasion and metastasis and inducing cell death in lymphoma cell lines. This paper discusses glycosylation and sialylation in human lymphoma, and several glycoengineering therapeutic strategies for lymphoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, an indoor messaging system (IMES) was used to determine walking positions in an indoor environment at rates of 50 and 250 bps in a ship, transmitting powers of −65 and −85 dBm. Furthermore, Bluetooth low energy beacon and wireless LAN (Wi‐Fi) access point were also used. The results confirm that the best tracking of pedestrians in an indoor environment is achieved using IMES with a transmitter in a ship. The results of these experiments will be useful for new IMES/Global Navigation Satellite System chip set designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Japanese Society for Biomaterials (JSB) was established in December 1978, aiming to develop and improve science and technology regarding materials used in living organisms and their application. Currently, JSB plays important roles as a domestic and international society serving as a center for interdisciplinary studies on biomaterial science and its applied research. Our academic activities are wide‐ranging, from basic science and clinical practice to post‐application medical devices including the following: holding academic lectures, granting academic and other awards, publishing academic journals, developing guidelines for medical devices and bioassays, conducting research associated with clinical trials and studies, and participating in the World Biomaterials Congress and overseas academic meetings on biomaterials. Through such activities, we have actively engaged professionally in diverse discussions and operations. Thanks to your support, JSB recently celebrated its 40th anniversary since establishment. Over the 40‐year history, our predecessors worked hard to establish this interdisciplinary field spanning basic science (engineering, medical, biology, and others) and collaboration with companies. In addition, they contributed to society through the application of biomaterial technology. Their achievements made what we are today. To commemorate this anniversary, this report looks back at their achievements in order to use such information for further academic progress. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 107A: 917–929, 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have reported that octacalcium phosphate (OCP) enhances osteoblast differentiation and osteoclast formation during the hydrolysis process to hydroxyapatite (HA). However, the crystal phases that affect the crosstalk between osteoclasts and osteoblasts are unknown, which should determine the bone substitute material's property of OCP. The present study was designed to investigate whether the chemical composition and crystal structure of calcium phosphates affect osteoclast formation and the osteoclast–osteoblast crosstalk. Biodegradable β‐tricalcium phosphate (β‐TCP) was used as the control material. Osteoclasts were cultured on HA/OCP or HA/TCP disks and their cellular responses were assessed. Both OCP and β‐TCP had a similar ability to create multinucleated osteoclasts. However, OCP promoted the expression of complement component 3a (C3a), a positive coupling factor, in osteoclasts, whereas β‐TCP enhanced that of EphrinB2 (EfnB2) and collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (Cthrc1). During osteoclast culture, phosphate ions were released from the crystals, and OCP‐HA conversion was advanced in HA/OCP mixtures and OCP. X‐ray diffraction analysis revealed no remarkable changes in the crystal structures of HA/TCP mixtures and β‐TCP before and after osteoclast culture. These results indicate that the distinct chemical environment induced by the calcium phosphate phases affects the crosstalk between osteoclasts and osteoblasts. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 107A: 1001–1013, 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mucosal melanoma of the nasal cavity is a rare disease that has been consistently associated with poor outcome. While complete surgical excision offers the only prospect of a cure, it is associated with a high risk of surgical morbidity due to the challenging anatomical location, and most patients still develop incurable metastatic disease. The efficacy of immunotherapy on mucosal melanoma is lower in comparison with cutaneous melanoma, and mucosal melanoma rarely has BRAF mutations. Although preclinical data have shown that combination treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors and radiotherapy (RT) improve the response, there have been few reports on the combination of RT and anti‐programmed death 1 therapy for mucosal melanoma of the nasal cavity. We retrospectively investigated 10 cases of mucosal melanoma of the nasal cavity in which combined treatment was applied. The local control (LC) rate of the primary lesion and regional lymph nodes was favorably 100%. On the other hand, the median progression‐free survival (PFS) time was 29.6 weeks (range, 2–82). The 6‐month PFS rate was 60%. Although severe mucositis occurred in one patient, the incidence of treatment‐related adverse events was not significantly increased. RT with anti‐programmed death 1 antibody therapy for mucosal melanoma of the nasal cavity was tolerable and had the potential to improve LC and PFS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The present study was designed to characterize co‐precipitated fluoridated apatitic materials from octacalcium phosphate (OCP) precursor and to investigate their surface reactions with polyols including glycerol in the presence of fluoride ions. Laboratory‐synthesized fluoridated apatite crystals (LS‐FA) were obtained in a solution containing fluoride (F) from 25 to 500 ppm. LS‐FAs and commercially available fluoroapatite (FA) and hydroxyapatite (HA) were characterized by physical techniques, such as X‐ray diffraction. LS‐FA obtained in the presence of 100 ppmF (100 ppm‐LS‐FA) had an apatitic structure, but its solubility was close to HA in a culture medium (α‐MEM) despite the fact it contains over 3 wt % of F. 100 ppm‐LS‐FA, FA, and HA were then subjected to the human serum albumin (HSA) adsorption test at pH 7.4 (in a 150 mM Tris–HCl buffer) and the dissolution and re‐mineralization experiments in the presence of xylitol, D‐sorbitol, or glycerol, and F under acidic and neutral conditions. Adsorption affinity of HSA was estimated as highest for FA and lowest for LS‐FA. LS‐FA, FA, and HA were immersed in a lactic acid solution with the polyols and/or F ion‐containing solution up to 200 ppm to analyze the dissolution behavior. LS‐FA had the highest dissolution tendency in the conditions examined. Glycerol enhanced the dissolution of phosphate from apatite crystals in particular from LS‐FA. The results suggest that the apatite crystals, obtained through the hydrolysis of OCP in the presence of F, provide a more reactive surface than FA or HA under physiological environments. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 2235–2244, 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The activity and the distribution of osteogenic cells around octacalcium phosphate (OCP) granules combined with gelatin matrix (OCP/Gel) onlaid on rat calvaria were analyzed histomorphometrically and immunohistochemically during vertical bone augmentation under mechanical or nonmechanical environment until 8 weeks. OCP/Gel disk was placed in subperiosteal pocket on the calvaria with or without polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) support. The latter is a nonmechanical stress model to alleviate the mechanical stress from the subcutaneous tissues. Onlay grafts of gelatin (Gel) sponge disk and OCP granules were also carried out for the comparison purpose. When bone augmentation was evaluated in first area from bone surface (area until 150 μm high from bone surface) and second area above the newly formed bone (area until 150 µm high from the first area), bone formation was enhanced most in first area followed by second area of OCP/Gel with PTFE. The appearance of tartrate‐resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)‐positive osteoclast‐like cells was suppressed more in the newly formed tissue with PTFE than those without PTFE with an emphasis of the presence of gelatin. Although Runx2 positive‐cells were accumulated more in both OCP/Gel with and without PTFE, osteocalcin‐positive cells were abundant in OCP/Gel with PTFE than that without PTFE, suggesting that nonmechanical stress condition is more suitable for osteoblast differentiation. The appearance of receptor activator of nuclear factor (NF)‐kappaB ligand (RANKL)‐positive cells was restrained in OCP/Gel and Gel with PTFE while osteoprotegerin‐positive cells were most accumulated in OCP/Gel without PTFE. The results suggest that OCP/Gel composite under the mechanical stress‐alleviated condition can enhance bone augmentation through balanced osteoblastic and osteoclastic cellular activities. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 106A: 1322–1333, 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was designed to investigate whether composite of coprecipitating octacalcium phosphate and gelatin (C-OCP/Gel) has an effect in repairing critical-sized defect of rat calvaria with oriented regenerative bone if implanted. The materials were prepared through two steps to disperse homogenous and well-elongated OCP toward long axis of the crystals in gelatin (Gel) matrix with the distinct concentration 17-44 wt %: OCP precipitates recovered from the coprecipitated with Gel molecules in aqueous solution (referred to as C-OCP hereafter) were mixed again in fresh aqueous Gel solution with various mixing ratio to form C-OCP/Gel for implantation. C-OCP/Gel disks with 9 mm diameter and 1 mm thickness after the dehydrothermal treatment was implanted in 9 mm diameter rat calvaria critical-sized defect. The histology, the histomorphometry in the regenerated bone and the quantitative analysis of the orientation of collagen with picrosirius red staining were carried out. It was found that C-OCP/Gel is capable of not only inducing sufficiently regenerative bone over 80% of the defect coupled with practically complete material biodegradation but also forming oriented bone significantly in relation to the amount of C-OCP in Gel matrix until 12 weeks after the implantation. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 1029-1039, 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The purpose of this study was to compare the biodegradation rate and quality of regenerated bone among four materials. A short time period of 8 weeks was chosen to examine early bone healing. The rod-shaped implants of commercially available two β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) ceramics with porosity 60% and 71-80%, respectively, laboratory prepared octacalcium phosphate/gelatin composite (OCP/Gel), which has been proven to have a highly osteoconductive and biodegradable property in rat calvarial defect, and gelatin sponge (Gelatin) were implanted in rabbit tibia defect of 6 mm diameter and 7 mm depth for 2, 4 and 8 weeks. Analyses by μCT, histomorphometry and push-in test were carried out to evaluate the extent of the tissue regeneration and the material biodegradation in the long bone. OCP/Gel and Gelatin were completely resorbed but only OCP/Gel induced cortical bone bridge until 8 weeks that has strength compatible to that of the natural bone. β-TCP (71%-80%) and β-TCP (60%) were not completely resorbed and never induced the amount of new bone formation beyond that by OCP/Gel. The results indicate that the new bone having enough strength could be regenerated if the material shows not only higher biodegradation rate but also higher osteoconductivity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 2833-2842, 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: During radiotherapy, maintaining the patient in a relaxed and comfortable state helps ensure respiratory regularity and reproducibility, thereby supports accurate respiratory tracking/gating treatment. Criteria to evaluate respiratory naturalness, regularity, and phase robustness are therefore needed to aid for the treatment system numerically and medical observers visually. This study introduces a new concept of respiratory tumor kinematics that describes the trajectory of tumor motion with respiration, leading to the minimum jerk theory. Using this theory, this study proposes novel respiratory criteria for respiratory naturalness, regularity, and phase robustness. Methods: According to respiratory tumor kinematics, tumor motion follows the minimum curvature/ jerk trajectory in 4D spacetime. Using this theory, the following three respiratory criteria are proposed: (1) respiratory naturalness (Us), the residual sum of the squared difference between the normalized average free respiratory wave (single inhalation/exhalation averaged over each 10 phases) and the normalized minimum jerk theoretical respiratory wave; (2) respiratory regularity (Cj16), the cumulative jerk squared cost function sampling every 0.2 s with a peak adjustment coefficient, 16; and (3) respiratory phase robustness (LΔ), a second-order partial differential in the respiratory position for regarded Cj16 as the respiratory position function. To verify these respiratory criteria, values obtained from CyberKnife tracking marker log data for 15 patients were compared with regard to the correlation error between the correlation model and the imaged tumor position, as well as with the number of remodels. The Cj16 growth curve was also compared between 15 patients and 15 healthy volunteers. Results: In the 15 patients, data with Us < 1 and Cj16(60 s) < 10 000 satisfied average/maximum correlation errors of less than 1/3 mm. Data with higher Us values (less respiratory naturalness) and higher Cj16(60 s) values (less respiratory regularity) demonstrated more than 3 mm average/5 mm maximum correlation errors and an increased number of remodels. The data for the 15 patients and 15 volunteers demonstrated that the Cj16 growth curve over 120 s from the start of sampling indicated patient-specific respiratory trends and that the distribution of LΔ clearly showed the respiratory phase shift. In 22 of 30 subjects, the degree of change in the Cj growth curve trends from 60 to 120 s was 22%±13% (average ± SD). In contrast, the residual data observed when Cj16 > 1000 showed minimum and mean changes of 91% and 180%, respectively. Conclusions: The authors developed and verified novel respiratory criteria for respiratory naturalness, regularity, and phase robustness obtained using respiratory tumor kinematics and minimum jerk analysis. These criteria should be useful in monitoring respiratory trends on a real-time basis during treatment, as well as in selecting optimal breathing for tracking/gating radiation treatment and defining numerical goals for respiratory training/gating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The authors sought to determine the optimal collimator leaf margins which minimize normal tissue dose while achieving high conformity and to evaluate differences between the use of a flattening filter-free (FFF) beam and a flattening-filtered (FF) beam. Methods: Sixteen lung cancer patients scheduled for stereotactic body radiotherapy underwent treatment planning for a 7 MV FFF and a 6 MV FF beams to the planning target volume (PTV) with a range of leaf margins (-3 to 3 mm). Forty grays per four fractions were prescribed as a PTV D95. For PTV, the heterogeneity index (HI), conformity index, modified gradient index (GI), defined as the 50% isodose volume divided by target volume, maximum dose (Dmax), and mean dose (Dmean) were calculated. Mean lung dose (MLD), V20 Gy, and V5 Gy for the lung (defined as the volumes of lung receiving at least 20 and 5 Gy), mean heart dose, and Dmax to the spinal cord were measured as doses to organs at risk (OARs). Paired t-tests were used for statistical analysis. Results: HI was inversely related to changes in leaf margin. Conformity index and modified GI initially decreased as leaf margin width increased. After reaching a minimum, the two values then increased as leaf margin increased ("V" shape). The optimal leaf margins for conformity index and modified GI were -1.1 ± 0.3 mm (mean ± 1 SD) and -0.2 ± 0.9 mm, respectively, for 7 MV FFF compared to -1.0 ± 0.4 and -0.3 ± 0.9 mm, respectively, for 6 MV FF. Dmax and Dmean for 7 MV FFF were higher than those for 6 MV FF by 3.6% and 1.7%, respectively. There was a positive correlation between the ratios of HI, Dmax, and Dmean for 7 MV FFF to those for 6 MV FF and PTV size (R = 0.767, 0.809, and 0.643, respectively). The differences in MLD, V20 Gy, and V5 Gy for lung between FFF and FF beams were negligible. The optimal leaf margins for MLD, V20 Gy, and V5 Gy for lung were -0.9 ± 0.6, -1.1 ± 0.8, and -2.1 ± 1.2 mm, respectively, for 7 MV FFF compared to -0.9 ± 0.6, -1.1 ± 0.8, and -2.2 ± 1.3 mm, respectively, for 6 MV FF. With the heart inside the radiation field, the mean heart dose showed a V-shaped relationship with leaf margins. The optimal leaf margins were -1.0 ± 0.6 mm for both beams. Dmax to the spinal cord showed no clear trend for changes in leaf margin. Conclusions: The differences in doses to OARs between FFF and FF beams were negligible. Conformity index, modified GI, MLD, lung V20 Gy, lung V5 Gy, and mean heart dose showed a V-shaped relationship with leaf margins. There were no significant differences in optimal leaf margins to minimize these parameters between both FFF and FF beams. The authors' results suggest that a leaf margin of - 1 mm achieves high conformity and minimizes doses to OARs for both FFF and FF beams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The glycosylation state of the muscle sarcolemma is crucial for membrane strength and is thereby linked to pathologic conditions. No markers currently exist with sufficient sensitivity to detect muscle damage in biopsy samples. We aimed to determine whether surface sialic acid content is a useful criterion for estimating muscle injury. Methods: Sialic acid content was measured by comparing the fluorescence intensity of muscle sections stained with 2 types of lectins. One binds specifically to nonsialylated sugars, and the other binds to both sialylated and nonsialylated sugars. Results: Sialic acid levels were markedly reduced (60-80%) in muscles from dystrophin-defective mice, δ-sarcoglycan-deficient hamsters, merosin-deficient mice, and patients with muscular dystrophy, when compared with their healthy counterparts. Conclusions: Testing for a marked decrease in sialic acid levels, which is caused by the release of trace amounts of sialidase from damaged muscles, is a sensitive detection method for muscle injury and could be commonly utilized for various subtypes of muscular dystrophy. Muscle Nerve 47:372-378, 2013 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel method is described for the extraction of methamphetamine, amphetamine, and methylenedioxyphenylalkylamine designer drugs, such as 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine, N-methyl-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-butanamine, and 3,4-(methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-butanamine, from human whole blood using molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction as highly selective sample clean-up technique. Whole blood samples were diluted with 10mmol/L ammonium acetate (pH 8.6) and applied to a SupelMIP-Amphetamine molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction cartridge. The cartridge was then washed to eliminate interferences, and the amphetamines of interest were eluted with formic acid/methanol (1:100, v/v). After derivatization with trifluoroacetic anhydride, the analytes were quantified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Recoveries of the seven amphetamines spiked into whole blood were 89.1-102%. The limits of quantification for each compound in 200 |mL of whole blood were between 0.25 and 1.0 ng. The maximum intra- and inter-day coefficients of variation were 9.96 and 13.8%, respectively. The results show that methamphetamine, amphetamine, and methylenedioxyphenylalkyl-amine designer drugs can be efficiently extracted from crude biological samples such as whole blood by molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction with good reproducibility. This extraction method will be useful for the pretreatment of human samples before gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to create hydroxyapatite (HAp) film by powder jet deposition with manipulating the blasting nozzle above human enamel and to examine the microstructural and mechanical properties of the HAp film and the bonding strength at the interface between the HAp film and the enamel substrate. HAp particles calcinated at 1200°C with an average size of 4.7 μm were used. The HAp particles were mixed with carrier gas (N2) to form an aerosol flow and was accelerated and blasted from the nozzle onto the enamel substrate at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. To evaluate the microstructure, scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of the surface and cross section of the HAp films and a three-dimensional profile of the HAp films were observed. To evaluate the mechanical properties, the micro-Vickers hardness and the bonding strength of the HAp films to the enamel substrate were measured. The deposition area of the HAp film was over 3 × 4 mm. The average and maximum thickness were about 30 and 40 μm, respectively. No significant difference was observed between the hardness of the HAp film and the enamel ( p > 0.05). The bonding strength of the HAp film was the same as the bonding strength between composite resin and enamel. Compared with previous reports, wider and thicker HAp film was created on the enamel substrate successfully. The HAp film, which has same hardness with enamel and same bonding strength to the enamel with composite resin, would be a candidate as dental restorative materials. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2011. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was designed to investigate whether synthetic octacalcium phosphate (OCP) combined with collagen (OCP/collagen) can repair a critical-sized defect in dog skull. OCP/collagen has been shown to biodegrade and to tend to be replaced by newly formed bone if implanted in rat calvaria defects. An OCP/collagen disk was prepared from pepsin-digested atelocollagen isolated from porcine dermis and synthetic OCP. Two critical-sized defects (20 mm in diameter) were made in a dog skull. Ten disks of OCP/collagen or collagen (control) were implanted in the bone defects and resected with surrounding tissues at 3, 6, or 12 months after the implantation. The specimens were analyzed radiographically, crystallographically, histologically, and histomorphometrically. X-ray diffraction and FTIR analyses showed that OCP tended to convert to a poorly crystallized hydroxyapatite, similar to that of biological apatite, by 3 months. Radiographic and histologic analyses showed that the implantation of OCP/collagen disks initiated new bone formation in the defects at 3 months after implantation. However, there was no promotion of bone formation by control collagen disks even with prolonged implantation up to 12 months. Histomorphometric analysis revealed that the percentage of newly formed bone in the defect implanted with OCP/collagen increased significantly, from 30.91 ± 6.65 at 3 months to 51.22 ± 5.99 at 12 months, although the value tended to reach a plateau at 6 months (44.49 ± 3.34). On the other hand, the percentage of remaining OCP was estimated at approximately 10% at 3 months and remained nearly unchanged thereafter. The results suggest that bone regeneration of a critical-sized bone defect of dog calvaria by OCP/collagen can be enhanced for 3 to 6 months and that OCP/collagen holds potential as a bone substitute material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methamphetamine (MA), amphetamine (AM), and the methylenedioxyphenylalkylamine designer drugs, such as 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), 3,4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA), N-methyl-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)- 2-butanamine (MBDB), 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), and 3,4-(methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-butanamine (BDB), are widely abused as psychedelics. In this paper, these compounds were derivatized with trifluoroacetic (TFA) anhydride and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry using electron ionization in positive mode. Gas chromatographic separation for TFA derivatives of all compounds was successfully resolved using an Equity-5 fused silica capillary column with a poly (5% diphenyl- 95% dimethylsiloxane) stationary phase. Base peaks or prominent peaks of MA, AM, MDMA, MDEA, MBDB, MDA, and BDB appeared at m/z 154, 140, 154, 168, 168, 135, and 135, respectively. These occurred due to a-cleavage from the amide nitrogen, splitting into the TFA imine species and benzyl or methylenedioxybenzyl cations. Further prominent fragment ions at m/z 118 for MA and AM, m/z 162 for MDMA, MDEA, and MDA, and m/z 176 for MBDB and BDB were produced by cleavage of the phenylpropane or methylenedioxypropane hydrocarbon radical cation via a hydrogen rearrangement. These fragmentation pathways for the TFA derivatives of all the compounds are summarized and illustrated in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was designed to investigate whether the formation of octacalcium phosphate (OCP) is accelerated on titanium (Ti) surface by an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma oxidation at various pressures and temperatures. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) of Ti‐oxidized substrates showed that the rutile TiO2 phase on its surfaces appeared at 300°C and was crystallized when the oxidation temperature increased up to 600°C. The thickness of TiO2 film on the substrates increased progressively as the temperature increased. The oxidized Ti surfaces were soaked in calcium and phosphate solutions supersaturated with respect to both hydroxyapatite (HA) and OCP but slightly supersaturated with dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD). OCP crystals with a blade‐like morphology were deposited as the primary crystalline phase on Ti substrates, while DCPD was included as a minor constituent. The amount of OCP deposition was maximized under 0.015 Pa in 300°C. On the other hand, the oxidation temperature did not show a significant effect on the deposit in the range examined. The phase conversion from OCP to HA, determined by XRD, was demonstrated to occur even at 1 day and to advance until 7 days by immersing the Ti substrate with the deposit in simulated body fluid at 37°C. The present results suggest that ECR plasma oxidation could be used to improve a Ti surface regarding its bioactivity due to the enhancement of osteoconductive OCP deposition. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2010 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small leucine-rich proteoglycans, such as biglycan, and their side chain sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), have been suggested to be involved in bone formation and mineralization processes. The present study was designed to investigate whether chondroitin sulfate (CS), one of the GAG, and its oversulfated structures coupled with bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP-4) alter the differentiation and subsequent mineralization of MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells. CS-E, one of the oversulfated CS structure, enhanced cell growth, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, collagen deposition, and mineralization whereas heparin enhanced only ALP activity and mineralization. As well as CS-E, CS-H, and CPS also enhanced the mineralization of the cells. CS-E enhanced the mineralization of the cells by interacting with protein in the conditioned medium. CS-E induced mineralization was significantly inhibited by an antibody against BMP-4. The addition of exogenous BMP-4 further increased the capacity of CS-E to enhance mineralization. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy method using fluoresceinamine-labeled GAG revealed that the oversulfated GAGs have a high affinity for BMP-4. The disaccharide analysis of the cells indicated that MC3T3-E1 cells are capable of producing oversulfated structures of CS by themselves. The lack of CS from the cells after chondroitinase treatment resulted in the inhibition of mineralization. These results in the present study indicate that oversulfated CS, which possesses 4,6-disulfates in N-acetyl-galactosamine, binds to BMP-4 and promotes osteoblast differentiation and subsequent mineralization. J. Cell. Physiol. 217: 769–777, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes required technological innovation for voltage control of power systems under deregulation of power supply industries and presents a new concept of an autonomous control system for the voltage and reactive power of power systems. Installation of distributed generation connected to distribution networks will significantly increase the short circuit capacity of distribution lines. Therefore, GIS underground substations in the center of a large city are required to enable replacement of circuit breakers with ones of greater capability and to reform GIS bus configurations. Furthermore, a more detailed forecast of local demand and operation data of distributed generators are required for the stable control of voltage and reactive power. This paper presents methods of on-line autonomous forecasting for short circuit capacity and demand of local transmission and distribution lines, which are indispensable for voltage and reactive control under deregulation of electric power supply industries. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 159(4): 27–37, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10. 1002/eej. 20450 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The timing of parturition was recorded for a total of 56 beef cattle (Japanese Black × Holstein Friesian) on different dietary treatments. The rate of calving during daylight hours in cows night-fed (18.00 hours) with a roughage diet was significantly higher than that in cows night-fed with a high concentrate diet (79.2% vs 38.5%, P < 0.05). Subsequently, the vaginal temperature (VT) of these cows was analyzed using a cosinor method. When the feeding schedule was changed from twice daily (08.30 and 15.30 hours) to night feeding, the periodicity, the acrophase and the bathyphase, which were the parameters of the cosine curve, were unstable from the first day of night feeding until after day 6 ( P < 0.05). Prior to parturition, the midline-estimating statistic of rhythm (MESOR) and the amplitude for the cows that were fed a high-roughage diet at night and that calved at night-time were lower and larger, respectively, than that for the other treatments ( P < 0.01). Based on these results, the time of parturition in most of the beef cows was influenced by feeding time and diet composition. Those cows that calved at night-time in spite of night feeding had lower vaginal temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sought to evaluate the efficacy of long-term flecainide therapy in maintaining sinus rhythms in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF. based on time of onset. Flecainide (150 mg/day. was administered as an antiarrhythmic drug to a total of 70 patients (54 men and 16 women: mean age 65 ± 10 years. after sinus rhythm was restored spontaneously or by electrical and/or pharmacological cardioversion. Paroxysmal AF was divided into three categories based on time of onset: diurnal type (N = 11), nocturnal type (N = 13), and mixed type (N = 46). The mean follow-up period was 37.7 ± 17.7 months. The duration of sinus rhythm maintenance in patients with diurnal and nocturnal paroxysmal AF was 32.4 ± 10.4 months and 20.8 ± 8.3 months, respectively; the duration of sinus rhythm maintenance in those with mixed paroxysmal AF was only 7.2 ± 2.1 months. Significant differences were observed in duration between diurnal and mixed cases (mean ± S.E., P < 0.05). Actuarial recurrence-free rates at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months were 90.9%, 63.6%, 63.6%, 54.5%, and 54.5%, respectively, for diurnal cases; 84.6%, 76.9%, 53.8%, 38.5%, and 30.8%, respectively, for nocturnal cases; and 58.7%, 39.1%, 28.3%, 21.7%, and 15.2% respectively, for mixed cases. Significant differences in rates at 12 months were observed between diurnal and mixed cases (P < 0.05). These results suggest that flecainide is highly effective in preventing AF recurrence in patients with diurnal paroxysmal AF. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A filamentous fungus producing significant levels of arachidonic acid (AA, C20∶4n−6) was isolated from a freshwater pond sample and assigned to the species Mortierella alliacea. This strain, YN-15, accumulated AA mainly in the form of triglyceride in its mycelia. An optimized culture in 25 L of medium containing 12% glucose and 3% yeast extract yielded 46.1 g/L dry cell weight, 19.5 g/L total fatty acid, and 7.1 g/L AA by 7-d cultivation in a 50-L jar fermenter. Assimilation of soluble starch by YN-15 was notably enhanced by the addition of oleic acid, soybean oil, ammonium sulfate, or potassium phosphate to a starch-based medium. Using starch as a main carbon source in the pre-pilot scale cultivation improved the production of AA by up to 5.0 g/L. Mortierella alliacea strain YN-15 is therefore a promising fungal isolate for industrial production of AA and other polyunsaturated fatty acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than 300 strains of microorganisms producing polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) were newly isolated from coastal seawater in the Seto Inland Sea and around Iriomote Island, Japan, by the baiting method. The profiles of PUFA from docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-producing strains could be classified into four types. A strain, named KK17-3, was chosen for further study owing to its high DHA content (52.1% of total fatty acid) and wide range of PUFA (76.1%) including arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic, and docosapentaenoic acids as well as DHA. Glucose and tryptone were the optimal carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively, in a medium with salinity at 75% that of seawater. The PUFA contents in polar lipids (22.1% of total lipid), in which the DHA content was 39.3%, were higher than those in neutral lipids and glycolipids. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of 18S rRNA gene sequences showed KK17-3 to be a thraustochytrid. It also was observed to possess a life cycle composed of vegetative cells without successive bipartition, zoosporangium, and zoospore stage. Classification by the chemotaxonomic criterion based on PUFA compositions also supported this assignment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many reports have suggested a strong correlation between certain lectin-binding patterns and biological behavior in various tumors. To clarify a relationship between lectin-binding reactivity and survival of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (B-DLCL), 57 cases with B-DLCL were analyzed by lectin histochemistry and lectin blot method with or without treatment of neuraminidase or acidic hydrolytic conditions. B-DLCL cases were grouped into three types based on the data on lectin-binding reactivity under neuraminidase-treated or untreated conditions: (i) Group A (non-reactive type); (ii) Group B (sialylated type); and (iii) Group C (non-sialylated type). Among various lectins, Phaseolus vulgaris-L (L-PHA) binding reactivity showed that the survival of patients with Group A + B or Group B was significantly shorter than that of patients with Group C. Lectin blot analysis revealed failure of L-PHA-binding to 32 kd and 29 kd glycoproteins, which may be attributable to the masking of L-PHA-binding sites by sialylation or the lack of L-PHA-binding sites, leading to the short survival of patients with B-DLCL. L-PHA-binding reactivity may be a useful marker for the evaluation of survival of patients with B-DLCL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct broadcast and meteorological satellites transmit many programs to a wide area, including the Japanese coastal seas. The authors have developed a tracking mechanism based on a low-speed two-axis rotator for merchant ships and have established an algorithm for a low-speed tracking mechanism. The required performance of a two-axis-type steering antenna is examined. The apparatus is composed of an inexpensive two-axis rotator, a clinometer, and a personal computer, and directs the antenna to the calculated satellite direction. The apparatus was installed on the Hokuto Maru (5856 GT), which belongs to the Institute for Sea Training, Ministry of Transport, for testing during ocean cruises. It has been working almost perfectly for 3 years. The values measured by the apparatus show that the nominal radiation patterns of BS-3a, JCSAT-2, Super-bird-B, and GMS are almost entirely consistent. © 1998 Scripta Technica. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 1, 81(5): 1–9, 1998 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a case of severe hypoglycemia and hepatic masses suspected to be an insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II)-producing hepatocellular carcinoma. A 62-year-old man presented with mental disorder in the night and early morning associated with extremely low blood sugar levels (> 21 mg/dl). Computerized axial tomography and ultrasonography revealed a massive tumor in the right lobe of the liver with multiple secondary nodules, and a tumor thrombus in the portal vein. At autopsy 107 days after admission, the liver weighed 3070 g, histologically showing an Edmondson type II tumor with liver cirrhosis. IGF-II in plasma (899 ng/ml) and tumor tissue (2.4 μg/g) was higher than that in normal plasma (374-804 ng/ml) and non-tumor liver tissue (0.2 μg/ml), while IGF-I (14 ng/ml) was significantly reduced. IGF-II, probably produced by the liver tumor, appeared to be involved in the mechanism of hypoglycemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an attempt to clarify the mechanism of lipid accumulation in Mortierella ramanniana var. angulispora, diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) in the membrane fraction from this fungus was characterized. The enzyme had an optimum pH of 7.0-7.5, and enzyme activity was blocked by SH-reagents. Metal ions were not essential for maintaining DGAT activity. n-Octyl-β- d-glucoside, 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate and Tween 80 were found to preserve activity, while Triton X-100 and sucrose monolaurate inhibited it. As the inhibition of DGAT activity by Triton X-100 was overcome by the addition of diacylglycerol (DG), the dependency of DGAT activity on exogenous DG was determined in the presence of 0.1% Triton X-100. DGAT activity in the membrane fraction was traced in fungi cultured for different time periods or in media at different carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratios. Although the increase in total lipid content with culture time was accompanied by an increase in DGAT activity, total lipid changes related to changes in C/N ratio did not correlate with DGAT activity. Factors other than DGAT activity in the membrane fraction would appear to be involved in the regulation of total lipid content in this fungus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of trifluoperazine (TFP) on [1-C]fatty acid incorporation into the lipids of Mortierella ramanniana var. angulispora were studied. TFP decreased [1-C]-fatty acid incorporation into phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and triacylglycerol, but greatly increasedC-labeling in phosphatidic acid. These changes in [1-C]fatty acid incorporation induced by TFP were accompanied by a decrease in desaturation of some [1-C]fatty acids taken up by the fungal cells. When [1-C]lioleic acid (LA) was incubated with the fungal cells, total γ-linolenic acid (GLA) formation from incorporated [1-C]LA decreased, but theC-labeled GLA conent in individual lipid classes was essentially unchanged. This suggests that the site of the TFP effect on GLA formation from [1-C]LA taken up from the medium is not the desaturase acting on LA linked to complex lipids. On the other hand, GLA formation from [1-C]oleic acid was much less susceptile to TFP, which suggests that in this fungus Δ6 desaturation to GLA has at least two different pathways with different degrees of susceptibility to TFP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incorporation of [1-C]linoleic acid (LA) into lipids of Mortierella ramanniana var. angulispora was studied to determine which lipid classes participated in the δ6-desaturation of [1-C]LA. [1-C]LA was rapidly taken up into fungal cells and esterified into various lipids. Comparison of the profile of [1-C]LA incorporation between fungal cells at the exponential growth phase and the stationary growth phase showed that [1-C]LA incorporation into most lipids-except for triacylglycerol (TG) and phosphatidylcholine (PC)-were greatly reduced at the stationary growth phase. Desaturation of [1-C]LA into λ-linolenic acid (GLA) readily occurred at the exponential growth phase, but was greatly decreased at the stationary growth phase. Moreover, pulse-chase experiments revealed that the radiolabel incorporated into phosphatidylserine (PS) and PC rapidly turned over, while that in TG and diacylglycerol (DG) accumulated after the 4 hr chase. In addition to the change of the radiolabel in individual lipids, the content of radiolabeled GLA converted from [1-C]LA varied with individual lipids. In phospholipids such as PC, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and PS, radiolabeled GLA rapidly increased after 1 hr and then decreased after 4 hr. On the other hand, a gradual increase in radiolabeled GLA until 4 hr was observed in TG. These results suggest that LA, which has been esterified into phospholipids such as PC, PE and PS, is readily desaturated to GLA, which is then transferred to TG. These differences in the fate of GLA derived from LA between phospholipids and neutral lipids may be reflected in the GLA content in the individual lipids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]