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The appearance of red pigments in prehistoric burial sites is frequent. In the study presented herein, the composition and provenance of the pigment sprinkled in a burial dated between the Late Neolithic and Early Chalcolithic periods in the Cueva de la Sierra, in Campodarbe (Huesca, Spain), were characterized through X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and sulfur (δ34S) isotope analysis. The chemical composition of the pigment used in the burial could be unequivocally established as cinnabar, and the S isotope signature pointed to an origin in the ores of the Northwestern Iberian Peninsula, ca. 500 km far from the burial site, suggesting an alternative provenance to the Almadén outcrop, the main cinnabar source in the Iberian Peninsula. The presence of cinnabar in the Ebro valley, on the southern slope of the Central Pyrenees, forces us to rethink the complex processes of interaction between communities that populated the north of the Iberian Peninsula during the final moments of the 4th millennium BC.

Background Although maternal MeHg-exposure causes hydrocephalus in the offspring of mice, its pathogenesis has not been fully explained. In the present study, we examined the issue of how maternal MeHg-exposure in mice affects ependymal ciliary movement in the offspring and whether the lateral ventricles in offspring show dilation. Methods Pregnant mice were given drinking water containing 0, 10, or 20 mg/L MeHg, or a single dose of 2 mg/kg MeHg. Brain slices were prepared from the offspring and the ependymal ciliary movement of ependymal cells in the third ventricle were observed by a high-speed digital camera. The dilation of the lateral ventricles in the offspring was assessed by histological examination. Results The administration of MeHg in the drinking water of pregnant mice at levels of 10 mg/L and 20 mg/L MeHg from GD10 to birth caused a significant decrease of ciliary beating frequency (CBF) in ependymal cells of the third ventricle in the weaned offspring. The ependymal ciliary movement of the weaned offspring was particularly sensitive in the case of the administration of MeHg at GD10. Moreover, there was a significant dilation of cross-sectional areas of lateral ventricles in weaned offspring from the pregnant mice that had been administered MeHg. The CBF and the cross-sectional areas of the lateral ventricles improved with time. Conclusions These results suggest that the impairment of ependymal ciliary movement by maternal MeHg-exposure contributes to the development of hydrocephalus in the offspring.

Neonatal maternal separation has been found to affect adult brain function. However, the molecular basis has not been clarified. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the changes in mineral levels related to the antioxidative system in the adult mouse hippocampus after neonatal maternal separation. Male mouse pups in the maternal separation group were separated from their dams for 3 hours daily during the first 2 postnatal weeks. The hippocampal selenium, calcium, zinc, copper, and manganese contents were analyzed with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer at 13 postnatal weeks, and plasma protein carbonyl and 8-OHdG concentrations were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. It was found that the hippocampal selenium content was about three times lower in the maternal separation group than that in the control group, representing a significant difference. The hippocampal calcium content was more than 2 times higher in the maternal separation group than that in the control group. The plasma protein carbonyl concentration was about seven-fold higher in the maternal separation group than that in the control group. However, no significant differences were found in the hippocampal calcium, zinc, copper, and manganese contents, or in plasma protein carbonyl and 8-OHdG concentrations between the maternal separation and control groups. Therefore, neonatal maternal separation affects the hippocampal selenium content of adult male mice, but does not affect other mineral contents, such as zinc, copper, manganese, and calcium in the hippocampus.

Wall paintings in the Roman period were used to decorate both public and private spaces, therefore, they reflect, on the one hand, ideas and convictions, and on the other, daily activities and socio-economic models. Characterizations of the pigments used in mural paintings are useful for determining the economic status of a specific settlement or the importance of a particular area or the buildings within it, since the cost of different pigments varied widely. Isotope analysis can be used to identify the provenance of pigments and to establish whether the raw materials are local, regional, or imported. This provides very important information, as it might be related to both the quality and the cost of the pigments, which, in turn, might be indicators of the socio-economic status of the area in question. The present study examines the sulfur isotope ratios of the cinnabar used in Roman wall paintings sampled from the high-status Roman Domus of Casa d&rsquo, Aviny&oacute, and compares them with the ratios of the analyzed geological ores sampled at various Spanish cinnabar/mercury mines. The results exclude the possibility of the cinnabar being imported from outside the Iberian Peninsula. An isotopic analysis also suggested a few possible sources for the pigments.

RATIONALE Sulfur is widely distributed in nature, and sulfur isotopic measurements have been applied to elucidate the origin and transport of sulfuric compounds in the lithosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere. Analyses of samples containing small amounts of sulfur, such as the Antarctic ice core samples analyzed herein, require a high-sensitivity analytical method. METHODS We developed a high-sensitivity sulfur isotopic ratio (δ34 S value) analytical system equipped with an elemental analyzer, a cryo-flow device, and an isotope ratio mass spectrometer, and established a measurement and calibration procedure. RESULTS Using this system, we precisely measured the δ34 S values of samples containing 5-40 nmol sulfate. Test runs were performed on samples from the Antarctic shallow ice core DF01, and the data obtained were consistent with those obtained by previous studies that reported δ34 S values for Antarctic snow and ice samples of more than 200 g (containing more than 150 nmol sulfate). Among the analyzed samples, one showed a peak sulfate concentration in its depth profile that is considered to have resulted from a large volcanic eruption. The δ34 S value obtained at that depth in the sample was distinct from values at other depths and consistent with reported values for volcanic sulfates. CONCLUSIONS The analytical system developed herein is a powerful tool for trace sulfur isotopic analyses. The results obtained from the DF01 ice core samples are the first step towards elucidating high-time-resolution (less than 1 year) paleo-environmental changes by sulfur isotopic analyses.

Mural paintings bear witness to the lifestyle, wealth and prestige of a specific society and depict its ideas, its beliefs, and its religion. The characterization of the pigments used in mural paintings can shed light on a site's economic status or on the importance of a particular area within the site, since the price of different pigments varied widely. Isotope analysis can be used to identify the origin of pigments and to establish whether the raw materials are local/regional or imported. This, in turn, provides us with valuable information about the socioeconomic relations that developed in a specific society. The present study explores the sulphur isotope ratio of the cinnabar used in the Roman wall paintings sampled from Baetulo (modern-day Badalona, Spain) and compares the ratios found to the geological ores sampled at the various Spanish mercury mines in use in Antiquity. The general conclusion is that the red pigments used in the wall paintings seem to come either from Almaden (Castile la Mancha, Spain, known as Sisopo or Sisapu in Roman times), or from Tarna (Asturias, Spain).

Cav3.2 T-type Ca2+ channel activity is suppressed by zinc that binds to the extracellular histidine-191 of Cav3.2, and enhanced by H2S that interacts with zinc. Cav3.2 in nociceptors is upregulated in an activity-dependent manner. The enhanced Cav3.2 activity by H2S formed by the upregulated cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE) is involved in the cyclophosphamide (CPA)-induced cystitis-related bladder pain in mice. We thus asked if zinc deficiency affects the cystitis-related bladder pain in mice by altering Cav3.2 function and/or expression. Dietary zinc deficiency for 2 weeks greatly decreased zinc concentrations in the plasma but not bladder tissue, and enhanced the bladder pain/referred hyperalgesia (BP/RH) following CPA at 200mg/kg, a subeffective dose, but not 400mg/kg, a maximal dose, an effect abolished by pharmacological blockade or gene silencing of Cav3.2. Acute zinc deficiency caused by systemic N,N,N',N'-tetrakis-(2-pyridylmethyl)-ethylendiamine (TPEN), a zinc chelator, mimicked the dietary zinc deficiency-induced Cav3.2-dependent promotion of BP/RH following CPA at 200mg/kg. CPA at 400mg/kg alone or TPEN plus CPA at 200mg/kg caused Cav3.2 overexpression accompanied by upregulation of Egr-1 and USP5, known to promote transcriptional expression and reduce proteasomal degradation of Cav3.2, respectively, in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG). The CSE inhibitor, β-cyano-l-alanine, prevented the BP/RH and upregulation of Cav3.2, Egr-1 and USP5 in DRG following TPEN plus CPA at 200mg/kg. Together, zinc deficiency promotes bladder pain accompanying CPA-induced cystitis by enhancing function and expression of Cav3.2 in nociceptors, suggesting a novel therapeutic avenue for treatment of bladder pain, such as zinc supplementation.

Vermilion, a precious red pigment that was used in ancient times, was believed to protect the dead from evil beings and was thus used in burial facilities in China and Japan. Vermilion was used frequently in tumuli in Japan during the expansion of the Yamato kingship (third to sixth centuries AD)—named the Kofun period. Until recently, the cinnabar used in tumuli in Japan was thought to have been imported from China, but evidence of its Japanese origin is gradually emerging. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of S, Hg, and Pb isotope analyses for identifying the origin of the vermilion used in these tombs. Therefore, the S, Hg, and Pb isotope ratios of vermilion collected from three tumuli from the early Kofun period, namely, Sakurai-Chausuyama, Kurozuka, and Tenjinyama (which were built in the main area of the ancient Yamato kingship), were compared with those of cinnabar from the Yamato Mercury, Niu, and Suii mines in Japan and the Wanshan and Qingtongguo mines in China to identify the source of the vermilion. Each isotope indicates multiple possibilities about the origin of the vermilion used in each tumulus. Nonetheless, with the three isotopes considered at the same time, the results indicate that the red pigments from the Sakurai-Chausuyama tumulus come from the Yamato Mercury Mine, whereas the vermilion used in the Kurozuka and Tenjinyama tumuli is from the Niu Mine. Therefore, although single isotope analysis can be useful as a first approximation of the source mine of vermilion, analysis of all three isotopes yields considerably more accurate results. On the basis of these three isotope analysis methods, research on the distribution of ancient vermilion is expected to proceed from the identification of the origin of the vermilion used in the abovementioned ruins.

To elucidate age-related changes of the sinoatrial (sinuatrial) nodal (SAN) artery, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in the SAN artery by direct chemical analysis. In addition, the effects of different arterial origins, arterial sizes, and genders on element accumulation were investigated in the SAN artery. Fifty-nine formalin-fixed adult Thai hearts were dissected, and the following three types of the SAN artery were found: The first type was a single SAN artery arising from the right coronary artery (RCA). The second type was a single SAN artery arising from the proximal segment of the left circumflex artery (LCX). The third type was dual SAN artery arising from both the RCA and the LCX. For element analysis, both 41 single SAN arteries arising from the RCA and the LCX and 18 larger branches of dual SAN artery were used. After the arteries were incinerated with nitric acid and perchloric acid, element contents were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. It was found that seven element contents such as Ca, P, S, Mg, Zn, Fe, and Na did not change significantly in the SAN arteries with aging. Regarding the relationships among seven elements in the SAN arteries, extremely significant direct correlations were found among P, S, Mg, and Fe contents with one exception. However, no significant correlations were found between Ca and either P or Mg contents in the SAN arteries. To examine an effect of the different arterial origins on element accumulation, the SAN arteries were separated into the RCA and the LCX groups by the arterial origin and age-related changes of element contents were compared between two groups. It was found that there were no significant differences between the RCA and the LCX groups in age-related changes of Ca and P contents. No gender differences were found in age-related changes of Ca and P contents in the SAN arteries. To elucidate whether calcification occurred in the SAN arteries in old age, both the mass ratios of Ca/P and Mg/Ca were estimated in the SAN arteries. The mass ratio of Ca/P increased progressively in the SAN arteries with Ca increase, being not constant. The mass ratio of Mg/Ca decreased gradually in the SAN arteries with Ca increase, but the average mass ratio of Mg/Ca was very high, being 49.4 ± 16.5%. These results indicated that calcification scarcely occurred in the SAN arteries in old age, independently of the arterial origin and gender.

Vermilion is a red pigment found in burials or decorating artifact surfaces at many archaeological sites worldwide. The source of such vermilion is important information for clarifying ancient socioeconomic structures such as goods distribution networks. The sulfur isotopic ratio (δ34S) of vermilion can be used to estimate possible sources of vermilion found at an archaeological site. Here, we describe a method that uses sulfur-free polyester adhesive tape to sample trace amounts of vermilion from the surfaces of artifacts for δ34S analysis. We also present an example of the application of the method to artifacts from the Kyoden site (Jomon period), western Japan. The δ34S results indicated that the vermilion used at Kyoden probably originated in Hokkaido. These results suggest that a goods distribution network covered much of Japan during the Jomon period. This minimally destructive method for sampling trace amounts of vermilion for δ34S analysis can be used to sample vermilion from various surfaces, including many kinds of artifacts and wall paintings.

Ca

Many observations are reported that organic mercury compounds are involved in increasing intracellular Ca2+ levels. However, the issue of which substances on the cell membrane participate in the Ca2+ uptake that is induced by ethyl mercury is unclear. The findings of this study suggest that the P2X receptor participates in this process. The uptake of Ca2+ by C8-B4 cells was induced in the presence of ethyl mercury. Ca channels in the cell membrane were not affected in this process. In contrast, pretreatment with suramin, an antagonist of the P2X receptor, inhibited the Ca2+ uptake induced by ethyl mercury, and also brilliant blue G, a nonselective antagonist of P2×4, P2×5, and P2×7 receptors. In addition, A438079 and A740003, selective antagonists of P2×7 receptor, reduced Ca2+ uptake, while 5-BDBD, a selective antagonist of P2×4 receptor, did not. Furthermore, the mRNAs of both the P2×4 and P2×7 receptors were expressed in the presence of ethyl mercury, but the P2×5 receptor mRNA was not. These findings ...

To compare the element compositions between intact (i.e., intact throughout its length) and disrupted (i.e., ligament no longer attached to the attachment) ligaments, the contents of elements in the human ligamenta capitum femorum (LCF) were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. Histological and immunohistological assessments were also performed in both groups. The subjects were 8 men and 32 women. Trace element analyses showed that the sulfur and iron contents were significantly greater in the intact group than in the disrupted group, while the phosphorus and magnesium contents were significantly smaller in the intact group than in the disrupted group. The calcium and zinc contents were smaller in the intact group than in the disrupted group, with no significant differences. Histologically, there were fibrocartilage cells and extracellular matrix metachromasia in ligaments of the intact group. In contrast, fibrocartilage cells disappeared, and fat cells appeared instead of collagen fibrils in ligaments of the disrupted group. The LCFs of the intact group were immunohistologically positive for all components examined including collagens, glycosaminoglycans, and proteoglycans. The increase in sulfur suggested the presence of high glycosaminoglycan levels associated with fibrocartilaginous metaplasia in the ligament by compressive force. The reduction in iron may show a decreased number of blood vessels in the synovium after ligament disruption. The increases in phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium are indicative of degenerative changes including calcification and ossification. We conclude that differences in the contents of elements between intact and disrupted LCFs indicate degenerative alterations to the ligament structure after disruption.

Functions of the nervous system are supported by the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which is driven by the ciliary beating of ventricular ependymal cells. The aim of the present study was to examine whether methylmercury (MeHg), a substance with potent neurotoxicity in humans, affects the ciliary movement. The effects of another organic mercury compound, ethylmercury (EtHg), were also assessed for comparison. Toxicity of MeHg or EtHg was evaluated by measuring alterations in the ciliary beat frequency of ependymal cells lining the third ventricle of mouse brain slices. The obtained results were: (1) Both MeHg and EtHg started to inhibit ciliary motility between 1 and 3μM, the reported threshold limit of MeHg in humans. (2) An abrupt increase was observed in the inhibitory curves from 3 to 6μM for MeHg and EtHg. (3) The "give-in" concentration, i.e., concentration at which the cilia lose the ability to recover, for MeHg and EtHg was 6μM and 12μM, respectively. (4) Ciliary beating was irreversibly halted by MeHg and EtHg at concentrations above 12μM and 30μM, respectively. (5) The estimated half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) for MeHg and EtHg was 5.53μM and 5.80μM, respectively. Based on these findings, we conclude that: (a) Ependymal cell cilia movement in mice was inhibited by MeHg in a concentration-dependent manner around concentrations reported to cause poisoning in humans; EtHg inhibited ciliary motility to a less extent. (b) Inhibition of CSF flow by suppression of ciliary movement is suggested to be an additional route for MeHg poisoning in humans, especially in prenatal exposure than in adult exposure.

To clarify the manner of accumulation of Ca and P in the coronary arteries, the authors divided the coronary arteries into many segments based on arterial ramification and investigated the element contents of the segments by direct chemical analysis. After ordinary dissection at Chiang Mai University was finished, the left coronary (LC) and the right coronary (RC) arteries were removed successively from the hearts of Thai subjects. The Thai subjects consisted of seven men and five women, ranging in age from 42 to 87 years (average age = 73.9 ± 13.5 years). The LC and the RC arteries were divided into 19 segments based on arterial ramification. After incineration with nitric acid and perchloric acid, element contents of the segments were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. In two cases, a significant content of Ca and P was contained only in the left anterior descending (LAD) artery (type I). In four cases, a significant content of Ca and P was contained in both the LAD and the RC arteries (type II). In five cases, a significant content of Ca and P was contained in all the LAD, the RC, and the circumflex (CF) arteries (type III). In the other one case, no significant content of Ca and P was contained in the coronary arteries. The manner of accumulation of Ca and P in the coronary arteries was classified into the three types, I, II, and III. Regarding the average content of elements in 12 cases, the average content of Ca was the highest in the segment of the LAD artery ramifying the first left diagonal artery and was higher in the proximal and distal adjacent segments of the LAD artery ramifying the first left diagonal artery, the proximal segment of the RC artery, and the proximal segment of the CF artery. To examine an effect of arterial ramification on accumulation of Ca and P, the differences in the Ca and P content between artery-ramifying and non-ramified proximal or distal segments of the coronary arteries were analyzed with Student's t test. It was found that there were no significant differences in the Ca and P content between the artery-ramifying and non-ramified proximal or distal segments of the coronary arteries.

The development of the catalyst suitable for the catalytic partial oxidation (CPOX) of natural gas was investigated for the efficient production of synthesis gas. The catalyst of Rh/CeO2 + ZrO2 + MgO was found to show higher catalytic performance than Rh/MgO. The additional effect of CeO2 and ZrO2 to Rh/MgO on catalytic property was studied by H2-TPR, isotopic oxygen exchange reaction and DRIFT spectroscopy. And it was revealed that the state of Rh can maintain metallic phase during the CPOX reaction, and that oxygen can be supplied from lattice oxygen, and that adsorbed CO can desorb easily. The application of foam monolith catalyst coated with developed support materials to high pressure and short contact time CPOX reaction has been investigated, and we have succeeded in demonstrating the stable catalytic performance for 2000 h at 1.0 MPa and 500,000 h−1 GHSV.

To examine whether there were gender differences in compositional changes of the coronary artery with aging, the authors investigated the gender difference in age-related changes of elements in the left coronary arteries of Thais by direct chemical analysis. After ordinary dissections by students at Chiang Mai University were finished, the left coronary arteries were resected from Thai subjects. The Thai subjects consisted of 69 men and 34 women. The ages of the male subjects ranged from 25 to 87 years (average age = 62.6 ± 11.4 years) and of the female subjects from 24 to 86 years (average age = 59.4 ± 14.6 years). After incinerating the arteries with nitric acid and perchloric acid, the element content was determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The Ca and P contents tended to increase in the left coronary arteries of men with age, but the increases were not statistically significant. In the left coronary arteries of women, the Ca and P contents increased significantly and progressively with aging. In addition, the Na content increased significantly in the left coronary arteries of both men and women with aging. The differences in the average contents of Ca and P by age group were observed between the left coronary arteries of men and women. With Student's t test, significant gender differences in the average contents of Ca and P were found in both the 40s and the 70s. The Ca and P contents of the left coronary arteries in the 40s were significantly higher in men than in women. In contrast, the Ca and P contents in the 70s were significantly higher in women than in men. These results indicated that the accumulation of Ca and P in the left coronary arteries of Thais occurred at least 10 years earlier in men than in women, but a higher accumulation of Ca and P in old age occurred in the left coronary arteries of women compared with those of men. The present study revealed that there were significant gender differences in the left coronary arteries with regard to the accumulation of Ca and P with aging. It is reasonable to presume that taking clinical findings into consideration, the gender differences in the left coronary arteries may result from hormonal and/or genetic factors rather than lifestyle factors.

To clarify the redox states of the aqueous humor and serum in senile cataract patients.We analyzed the reduced and oxidized albumin fractions in 58 patients. The patients had no detectable evidence of other eye or systemic diseases and were divided into two age groups (53-75 and 76-96 years). Analysis was performed with a high-performance liquid chromatographic system with a fluorescence detector.Extremely small amounts of reduced albumin (3.8% and 3.6% in the younger and older groups, respectively) and markedly large amounts of oxidized albumin (96.2% and 96.4%, respectively) were found in the aqueous humor. Moreover, a higher percentage of oxidized albumin, particularly a highly oxidized irreversible form of albumin, was found in the aqueous humor (12.3% and 12.0%) than in the serum (2.4% and 3.0%).In senile cataract patients with no complications, the redox state of albumin in the aqueous humor differs considerably, both quantitatively and qualitatively, from that in the serum.

To elucidate compositional changes of the visual system with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in the optic chiasma, lateral geniculate body, and superior colliculus, relationships among their elements, relationships among their brain regions from a viewpoint of elements, and gender differences in their elements by direct chemical analysis. After ordinary dissection at Nara Medical University was finished, the optic chiasmas, lateral geniculate bodies, and superior colliculi were resected from identical cerebra of the subjects. The subjects consisted of 14 men and 10 women, ranging in age from 75 to 96 years (average age = 85.6 ± 5.9 years). After ashing with nitric acid and perchloric acid, element contents were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. As the result, the average content of P was significantly higher in the optic chiasma and superior colliculus compared with the lateral geniculate body. Regarding age-related changes of elements, no significant changes with aging were found in seven elements of the optic chiasma, lateral geniculate body, and superior colliculus in the subjects more than 75 years of age. The findings that with regard to the relationships among elements, there were extremely significant direct correlations between Ca and Zn contents and significant inverse correlations between Mg and Na contents were obtained in common in all of the optic chiasma, lateral geniculate body, and superior colliculus. It was examined whether there were significant correlations among the optic chiasma, lateral geniculate body, and superior colliculus in the seven elements and the following results were obtained: There were significant direct correlations between the optic chiasma and lateral geniculate body in both the P and Mg contents; there was a significant direct correlation between the optic chiasma and superior colliculus in the Fe content; and a significant direct correlation was found between the lateral geniculate body and superior colliculus in the Mg content. Regarding the gender differences in elements, it was found that both the Ca and Zn contents of the lateral geniculate body were significantly higher in women than in men.

To elucidate compositional changes of the anterior commissure with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in the anterior commissures and the relationships among their elements. After ordinary dissection at Nara Medical University was finished, the anterior commissures were resected from 45 subjects, ranging in age from 70 to 101 years. The subjects consisted of 22 men and 23 women. After ashing with nitric acid and perchloric acid, the element content of the anterior commissures was determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The seven element contents of Ca, P, S, Mg, Zn, Fe, and Na did not change significantly in the anterior commissures with aging. Regarding the relationships among their element contents, significant correlations were found among the contents of Ca, Mg, Zn, and Na in the anterior commissures. The gender difference that the Zn content was significantly higher in men than in women was found in the anterior commissure.

Thimerosal, an ethyl mercury compound, is used worldwide as a vaccine preservative. We previously observed that the mercury concentration in mouse brains did not increase with the clinical dose of thimerosal injection, but the concentration increased in the brain after the injection of thimerosal with lipopolysaccharide, even if a low dose of thimerosal was administered. Thimerosal may penetrate the brain, but is undetectable when a clinical dose of thimerosal is injected; therefore, the induction of metallothionein (MT) messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein was observed in the cerebellum and cerebrum of mice after thimerosal injection, as MT is an inducible protein. MT-1 mRNA was expressed at 6 and 9 h in both the cerebrum and cerebellum, but MT-1 mRNA expression in the cerebellum was three times higher than that in the cerebrum after the injection of 12 microg/kg thimerosal. MT-2 mRNA was not expressed until 24 h in both organs. MT-3 mRNA was expressed in the cerebellum from 6 to 15 h after the injection, but not in the cerebrum until 24 h. MT-1 and MT-3 mRNAs were expressed in the cerebellum in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, MT-1 protein was detected from 6 to 72 h in the cerebellum after 12 microg/kg of thimerosal was injected and peaked at 10 h. MT-2 was detected in the cerebellum only at 10 h. In the cerebrum, little MT-1 protein was detected at 10 and 24 h, and there were no peaks of MT-2 protein in the cerebrum. In conclusion, MT-1 and MT-3 mRNAs but not MT-2 mRNA are easily expressed in the cerebellum rather than in the cerebrum by the injection of low-dose thimerosal. It is thought that the cerebellum is a sensitive organ against thimerosal. As a result of the present findings, in combination with the brain pathology observed in patients diagnosed with autism, the present study helps to support the possible biological plausibility for how low-dose exposure to mercury from thimerosal-containing vaccines may be associated with autism.

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. However, a combination of element and lead isotope ratio analyses in gunshot entry wounds enabled discrimination between lead, semi-jacketed, and full-jacketed bullets.

The present study represents an attempt to determine the sources of vermilion found in ancient Japanese burial mounds prior to the emergence of the ancient Yamato dynasty. For this purpose, cinnabar ores were collected from Chinese and Japanese mines, and samples of vermilion were also collected from ancient tombs. When the vermilion collected from the tombs was studied morphologically, different particle sizes were observed. However, the particle size of the artificial vermilion was found almost same. The metal contents of cinnabar ores were different for each Japanese mine: Niu (Mie Pref.), Yamato Mercury (Nara Pref.), Sui (Tokushima Pref.), and Itomuka (Hokkaido Pref.) mines. Arsenic (As) content was highest in cinnabar ore from Niu mine; Mn and Fe contents were highest in Yamato Mercury mine; and, the Ba, Ca, Co, Cr, and Sr contents were highest in Sui mine. When analyzing the metal contents of vermilion collected from ancient tombs in Nara Prefecture, vermilion collected from Kurozuka, Kamotsuba, and Tomio-Maruyama tombs showed a high As content, and vermilion from Tenjinyama tomb showed a high Mn content. Thus, the possibility was suggested of identifying the original vermilion mine from the metal contents. However, it is difficult to set borderlines for the metal contents of vermilion to identify the source mine. So, the ratios of sulfur isotope (δ34S) in ores and vermilion were compared. A high δ34S value of +22.6 ± 3.6‰ was found for the ore of Wanshan of Guizhou and from +6 to +10.6‰ for Xunyang of Shaanxi in China, as opposed to low values ranging from -7.3 ± 1.9 to -2.1 ± 1.6‰ for Japanese mines. It is thought that δ34S values are suitable for determining the sources of vermilion found in ancient tombs. In addition, high ratios from +7.4 to +22.8‰ were found in 1st- and 2nd-century burial sites in northern Kyushu and San'in, and lower ratios from -8.4 to -2.0‰ were found in burial sites of the 2nd through 6th centuries in central Japan. Therefore, powerful local chiefs living in northern Kyushu and San'in areas might have obtained vermilion through relations with China, but chiefs living in central Japan might have used vermilion collected from Japanese mines. In conclusion, the sources of vermilion collected in ancient tombs can be determined by measuring δ34S values. An additional analysis of a lead isotope ratio, for example, might also be necessary to determine the source of vermilion.

Thimerosal is one of the best-known preservative agents for vaccines in the world but a relationship between its use and autism has long been suspected so that its effects on the brain need more detailed research. We here examined the influence of lipopolysaccharide injury to the blood-brain barrier on the penetration of mercury from thimerosal into mouse cerebrums, as well as the effect of chelator of heavy metals on cerebrum mercury content. Mercury can be expected to be detected in the cerebrum of normal mice, because the metal is present in standard mouse chow. When 60μg/kg of thimerosal was subcutaneously injected into the mouse, the mercury content in the cerebrum was significantly higher 48h after the thimerosal injection with a maximum peak after 72h. In addition, mercury content in the cerebrum was still higher on day 7 than in the control group. When lipopolysaccharide was pre-injected into mice to induce damage on blood-brain barrier, the mercury content in the cerebrum was significantly higher at 24 and 72h after the injection of 12μg/kg of thimerosal compared to the control group, this dose alone does not cause any increase. The mercury content in the cerebrums of mice was decreased to the control group level on day 7 when a chelator, dimercaprol, was administered once a day from days 3 to 6 after a 60μg/kg, s.c. injection. In addition, d-penicillamine as a chelator decreased the mercury contents in the cerebrum after the high dose administration. In conclusion, a physiological dose of thimerosal did not increase the content of mercury in the cerebrum, but levels were increased when damage to the blood-brain barrier occurred in mice injected with thimerosal. In addition, a chelator of heavy metals may be useful to remove mercury from the cerebrum.

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. It was found that the accumulation of Ca was the highest in the common iliac artery and decreased in the order of the uterine artery, abdominal aorta, coronary artery, thoracic aorta, splenic artery, common carotid artery, and pulmonary artery. Regarding the relationships in the element contents among the eight arteries, it was found that there were significant direct correlations in the contents of Ca, P, Mg, Zn, Fe, and Na between the coronary and splenic arteries, and there were significant correlations in the contents of Ca, P, and Mg between the abdominal aorta and pulmonary artery.

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. The element content was determined by ICP-AES. The Ca, P, and Mg content began to increase in the seventies in both the right and left fibrous trigones, and increased markedly in the eighties. Regarding the relationships among element contents, extremely significant direct correlations were found among the contents of Ca, P, and Mg in both the right and left fibrous trigones.

We report an adult case of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) associated with nocturnal enuresis. A 33-year-old man consulted our department complaining of nocturnal apnea and bed-wetting. Tonsillectomy and uvulopharyngoplasty was performed. The patient's apnea and bed-wetting disappeared after surgery. It is suggested that the nocturnal breathing state was improved post operatively, which resulted in an improvement in the hormonal and autonomic balance of the body and led to recovery from nocturnal enuresis. Additionally, there is a possibility that the rise in the intra-vesical pressure resulting from the unusual breathing movements in OSAS disappeared following surgery, and this contributed to the improvement in symptoms.

To elucidate the action of the myocardial bridge (MB) on the coronary artery, the authors first prepared the hearts with the MB located in the middle one third of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery and then investigated element accumulation in the LAD artery of the hearts with the MB by direct chemical analysis. Eighty-four formalin-fixed adult Thai hearts were dissected and the MBs were found in 39 of 84 hearts with a total of 44 MBs. The 37 MBs were located in the middle one third of the LAD artery. To examine the action of the MB on element accumulation in the LAD artery, the hearts with the MB which was located in the middle one third of the LAD artery and was longer than 1.5 cm were used as Materials. The left main coronary (LMC) and LAD arteries were removed from these hearts successively and the isolated arteries were divided into eight to ten segments. After incineration of arteries with nitric acid and perchloric acid, seven element contents of Ca, P, S, Mg, Zn, Fe, and Na were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. To examine the endothelial changes of the LAD artery, the inner surface of segments of the LAD artery was observed by scanning electron microscopy. It was found that the extent of accumulation of Ca, P, Zn, and Na was not uniform throughout the LAD artery and was higher in the proximal part than in the distal part with regard to the LAD artery beneath the MB (the tunneled LAD artery). The extent of accumulation of Ca, P, Zn, and Na in the proximal part of the tunneled LAD artery was similar to that in the segments proximal to the MB, whereas the extent of accumulation of Ca, P, Zn, and Na in the distal part of the tunneled LAD artery was similar to that in the segments distal to the MB.

This paper introduces an automatic tuning method for the tiling parameters required in an implementation of the three-dimensional FDTD method based on time-space tiling. In this tuning process, an appropriate range for the tile size is first determined by trial experiments using cubic tiles. The tile shape is then optimized by using the Monte Carlo method. The tiled FDTD kernel was multi-threaded and its performance with the tuned parameters was evaluated on multi-core processors. When compared with a naively implemented kernel, the performance of the tuned FDTD kernel was improved by more than a factor of two.

1 Proteinase-activated receptor-2 (PAR2), a receptor activated by trypsin and tryptase, is abundantly expressed in the gastrointestinal tract including the C-fiber terminal, and might play a role in processing of visceral pain. In the present study, we examined and characterized the roles of PAR2 in pancreatitis-related abdominal hyperalgesia/allodynia in mice. 2 Caerulein, administered i.p. once, caused a small increase in abdominal sensitivity to stimulation with von Frey hairs, without causing pancreatitis, in PAR2-knockout (KO) mice, but not wild-type (WT) mice. 3 Caerulein, given hourly six times in total, caused more profound abdominal hyperalgesia/allodynia in PAR2-KO mice, as compared with WT mice, although no significant differences were detected in the severity of pancreatitis between the KO and WT animals. 4 The PAR2-activating peptide, 2-furoyl-LIGRL-NH2, coadministered repeatedly with caerulein six times in total, abolished the caerulein-evoked abdominal hyperalgesia/allodynia in WT, but not PAR2-KO, mice. Repeated doses of 2-furoyl-LIGRL-NH2 moderately attenuated the severity of caerulein-induced pancreatitis in WT animals. 5 Our data from experiments using PAR2-KO mice provide evidence that PAR2 functions to attenuate pancreatitis-related abdominal hyperalgesia/allodynia without affecting pancreatitis itself, although the PAR2AP applied exogenously is not only antinociceptive but also anti-inflammatory. British Journal of Pharmacology (2006) 148, 54–60. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706708

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. The element content of the cardiac walls was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The Ca and P contents decreased in all of the left and right atrial and ventricular walls, interatrial septa, and interventricular septa with development, whereas the S and Mg contents decreased in the left and right ventricular walls with development. Regarding the relationships among elements, significant direct correlations were found among Ca, P, Mg, and Zn in all of the left and right atrial walls, left and right ventricular walls, and interatrial and interventricular septa, with some exceptions. As Ca decreased in the cardic walls, P, Mg, and Zn decreased simultaneously in the cardiac walls. The mass ratio of Ca/P decreased gradually with Ca decrease in both the atrial and ventricular walls, but it was not constant.

Animal studies have shown that tea and tea components have anti-cancer activities. Green tea and black tea catechin compounds such as (–)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and theaflavin have been investigated intensively to reveal the molecular basis for their anti-tumor activities. Adhesive interaction between tumor cells and extracellular matrix proteins such as fibronectin, laminin, and collagens is deeply involved in tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. These extracellular proteins comprise the endothelial basement membrane, and interruption of tumor cell adhesion may be effective in the prevention of bloodborne metastasis. Interactions between tumor cells and these extracellular proteins are regulated by integrins, a family of heterodimeric transmembrane receptors. In tumor cells, integrins have been shown to mediate the organization of the extracellular matrix, adhesion to extracellular matrix proteins, and cell motility. We have reported that the binding of EGCG to Fas, presumably on the cell surface, triggers Fasmediated apoptosis in tumor cells and that EGCG impairs the adhesion of cancer cells to extracellular matrix proteins such as fibronectin and laminin by binding to fibronectin and laminin. However, it is not clear whether the binding of EGCG to tumor cells causes an impairment of cell adhesion. In the present study, we examined whether or not EGCG inhibits the adhesion of fibrosarcoma HT-1080 cells to fibronectin by binding to the fibronectin receptor, integrin β1. Involvement of Impaired Interaction with 1 Integrin in Epigallocatechin Gallate-Mediated Inhibition of Fibrosarcoma HT-1080 Cell Adhesion to Fibronectin

It is desirable to diagnose hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the early stages during its development since its treatment is usually difficult. We previously proposed a new diagnostic method that made use of the total metallothionein (MT), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) concentrations in the liver of the HCC patients. We recently found that MT-1 is involved in the metabolism or detoxification of toxic metals, such as cadmium; on the other hand, MT-2 is responsible for the homeostasis of essential metals such as copper, in experimental models such as Long Evans Cinnamon (LEC) rats. In order to device a better diagnostic method than the one we proposed previously, in this study, we newly propose an improved method that includes the discriminative determination data regarding the MT isomers, namely, MT-1 and MT-2, in the liver of patients with or without HCC as compared with the total MT level. The total MT and Zn concentrations in the HCC patients were confirmed to be significantly lower than those in patients without hepatic disorders (Ctrl). In contrast, Cu concentrations of the HCC patients were higher than those of the Ctrl patients. In addition, in the juxta-tumor portion with HCC, MT-1 concentrations were significantly higher than those of MT-2. In contrast, the MT-1 concentrations in the tumor portion were significantly lower than that in the juxta-tumor portion. In addition, MT-1/MT-2 ratio in the tumor portion was significantly lower than that of the juxta-tumor portion. By using parameters such as concentrations of Cu, Zn, total MT, and MT isomers, we performed the multivariate discriminative analysis (MDA). The results suggest that the concentrations of MT isomers change depending on the progress of the tumor, and information on MT isomers and trace elements is very useful in determining the stage of the chronic hepatic disorder.

Vertebral columns were dissected and analyzed after birth with oral administration of silicon for 4 wk and for 8 wk. The silicon level was lower (20 microg/g) at the beginning. It remains unchanged after 4 wk and then increases twice as much as that for those mice bred for 8 wk than those bred for 4 wk. This increase depends remarkably on the mass ratio of Si/Ca (M/M). The ratio increases to three times higher than that of the control at the beginning of the experiments (5 wk after birth). Although the S and P contents appeared to be lower, these increased when Si was administered in combination with phosphopeptide. Other elements, such as Ca, Mg, Fe, and Zn, appeared to be unchanged as the weeks proceeded. These findings seem to support a proposal that silicon is necessary for the growth of backbones in mice.

A New Binding Method (NBM) was used to investigate the characteristics of the specific binding of 125I-omega-conotoxin (omega-CTX) GVIA and 125I-omega-CTX MVIIC to Cav2.1 and Cav2.2 channels captured from chick brain membranes by antibodies against B1Nt (a peptide sequence in Car2.1 and Cav2.2 channels). The results for the NBM were as follows. (1) The ED50 values for specific binding of 125I-omega-CTX GVIA and 125I-omega-CTX MVIIC to Cav2.1 and Cav2.2 channels were about 68 and 60 pM, respectively, and very similar to those (87 and 35 pM, respectively) to crude membranes from chick brain. (2) The specific 125I-omega-CTX GVIA (100 pM) binding was inhibited by omega-CTX GVIA (0.5 nM), dynorphine A (Dyn), gentamicin (Gen), neomycin (Neo) and tobramicin (Tob) (100 microM each), but not by omega-agaconotoxin (Aga) IVA, calciseptine, omega-CTX SVIB, omega-CTX MVIIC (0.5 nM each), PN200-110 (PN), diltiazem (Dil) or verapamil (Ver) (100 microM each). Calmodulin (CaM) inhibited the specific binding in a dose-dependent manner (IC50 value of about 100 microg protein/ml). (3) The specific 125I-omega-CTX MVIIC (60 pM) binding was inhibited by omega-CTX MVIIC, omega-CTX GVIA, omega-CTX SVIB (0.5 nM each), Dyn, Neo and Tob (100 microM, each), but not by omega-Aga IVA, calciseptine (0.5 nM each), PN, Dil, Ver (100 microM each) or 100 microg protein/ml CaM. These results suggested that the characteristics of the specific binding of 125I-omega-CTX GVIA and 125I-omega-CTX MVIIC to Cav2.1 and Cav2.2 channels in the NBM were very similar to those to crude membranes from chick brain, although the IC50 values for CaM and free Ca2+ of CaM were about 33- and 5000-fold higher, respectively, than those for the specific binding of 125I-omega-CTX GVIA and 125I-omega-CTX MVIIC to crude membranes.

Changes in trace elements of the sino-atrial (SA) node with aging was investigated using 24 hearts of the Japanese and rhesus monkeys of ages ranging from 27 d to 30 yr. With aging, sympathetic activity decreases and SA nodal function deteriorates. The SA nodal tissue was removed from the anatomical position and was confirmed by means of histological observation. The elements, such as Ca, P, S, Mg, Na, Fe, and Zn, were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Advancing age never increased the contents of the trace elements, but decreased them. The correlation coefficients for the age-dependent attenuations were -0.561 (n = 24, p0.01) in Ca and -0.482 (n = 24, p0.05) in P. The correlations for the attenuations induced by other trace elements were not significant. Furthermore, close relationships of the elements between Ca and P, S, Zn, or Na contents, between P and Zn or Na contents, and between Zn and Na contents were observed. These results indicate that the elements in the monkey SA node are attenuated with an increase in age, presumably suggesting the age-related suppression of cardiac functions as a result of the histological alterations of the SA nodal cells.

We report four cases of peritoneal serous papillary adenocarcinoma (PSPC), a rare disease; all patients had ascites and high levels of serum CA125. Clinical and radiological examinations could not differentiate the disease from peritoneal metastatic tumors and mesothelioma, and histopathological analysis including immunochemistry on the specimen obtained at laparotomy or laparoscopy was necessary for the diagnosis. One patient lived for 58 months with cytoreductive surgery and chemotherapy, and another is still living after 20 months by chemotherapy alone. In patients with peritoneal tumors of unknown origin and a high level of serum CA125, taking PSPC into consideration in the differential diagnosis, histopathological examination should be performed.

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. Calcium and magnesium increased progressively with aging in the PLLs of the cervical spine, but they did not increase with aging in the PLLs of the thoracic and lumbar spine. In contrast, iron decreased gradually with aging in the PLLs of the cervical spine. Regarding the relationships among elements, significant correlations were found among the contents of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and sodium in the PLLs of the cervical spine.

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. In the Thai, a slight accumulation of calcium and phosphorus occurred in the fifties, but thereafter hardly increased. In contrast, in the Japanese, an accumulation of calcium and phosphorus began to occur in the seventies and increased markedly in the eighties. The result revealed that a higher accumulation of calcium and phosphorus occurred in the renal arteries of the Japanese in old age compared with those of the Thai. Regarding the relationships among elements, extremely or very significant direct correlations were found among the contents of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and sodium in both the renal arteries of the Thai and Japanese, except for magnesium and sodium contents in the renal arteries of the Thai.

Metallothioneins (MTs), determined by polyacrylamide-coated capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE), coincided well with those described by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. By using CZE, MT isoforms 1 (MT-1) and 2 (MT-2) were well separated and determined in the liver cytosol of LEC rats and Wistar rats administered CdCl 2 . The total concentrations of MTs in the liver cytosol of LEC rats increased age-dependently as 1.0, 2.1, and 7.2 mg/g wet weight of the liver at the age of 5, 10, and 15 weeks, respectively, and those of Wistar rats that had received daily CdCl 2 also increased with time of CdCl 2 as 0.5 and 1.2 mg/g wet weight of the liver for 3 and 6 consecutive administration days, respectively. The MT-1/MT-2 ratio in the liver cytosol of LEC rats decreased age-dependently as 1.75, 1.49, and 0.76 at the age of 5, 10, and 15 weeks, respectively. In contrast, that of Wistar rats increased with time of exposure to the metal ion CdCl 2 as 1.1 and 1.6 for 3 and 6 administration days, respectively. Copper accumulation in the liver of LEC rats has already been reported. The present results indicated that the mechanism of the induction of MT synthesis differs between LEC rats, who lack ATP7B, and Wistar rats, who were given a toxic metal ion. On the basis of these results, we propose that MT-1 is related to the metabolism or detoxification of toxic metals such as Cd, and in contrast, MT-2 is responsible for the homeostasis of essential metals such as Cu.

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. The calcium content increased progressively with aging in the muscular layers of the pylorus, cardia, and lesser curvature, whereas it tended to increase in the muscular layer of the greater curvature with aging. Regarding sulfur, the content increased significantly in the muscular layer of the pylorus with aging, but not significantly in the muscular layers of the cardia, lesser curvature, and greater curvature with aging. Regarding the relationships among the elements, significant direct correlations were found among calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, and magnesium in both the muscular layers of the pylori and cardias, with some exceptions.

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. As for the tissues containing Ca higher than 20 mg/g, the average mass ratios of Mg/Ca were similar among the seven tissues. As Ca increased in all of the common iliac arteries, aortic valves, xiphoid processes, costal cartilages, posterior longitudinal ligaments, trigeminal nerves, and ribs, Mg increased simultaneously in the seven tissues.

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. The element content of the arteries was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. It was found that there were extremely significant direct correlations among the average contents of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in the 18 kinds of the Thai artery, but no significant correlations were found between the average contents of sulfur and elements, such as calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. These results were in agreement with those of the Japanese arteries. Therefore, it was suggested that there was no significant difference between the arteries of the Thai and the Japanese in the relationships among calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, and magnesium.

This study represents an attempt to determine the sources of vermillion found in ancient Japanese burial mounds of the 1st–6th centuries A.D., by comparing their ratios of sulfur isotopes with those of cinnabar ore samples collected in Japan and China. Cinnabar ore samples were taken from three mines in central Japan (Niu in Mie, Yamato in Nara, and Sui in Tokushima prefectures), and from Wanshan in China, where mining activity has been recorded back to the 6th century A.D. and earlier. When the ratios of a 34S and 32S were compared with the Canyon Diablo meteorite standard, a high δ34S value of +22.6 ± 3.6‰ was found for the Wanshan mine, as opposed to low values ranging from −7.3 ± 1.9 to −2.1 ± 1.6‰ for the Japanese mines. The ratios of sulfur isotopes in vermillion collected from ancient Japanese burial mounds also divided into two groups. High ratios (+11.1 to +22.8‰) were found in 1st- and 2nd- century burials in the western regions of northern Kyushu and San'in, suggesting that local, powerful chiefs obtained vermillion through relations with China. Lower ratios (−8.4 to −2.0‰) were found in burials of the 2nd through 6th centuries in central Japan, where the ancient Yamato dynasty emerged as the first unified polity around the end of the 2nd century A.D. We, therefore, conclude that the Yamato dynasty exploited local sources of vermillion, rather than depending solely on China. The present study demonstrates the feasibility of determining sources of vermillion using sulfur isotope ratios, and the relevance of such findings for archaeological research. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.