CTLA-4Ig Improves Hyperalgesia in a Mouse Model of Osteoporosis

This study aimed to evaluate skeletal pain associated with osteoporosis and to examine the inhibitory effects of cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4Ig (CTLA-4Ig) administration in ovariectomized (OVX) mice. Eight-week-old female ddY mice were assigned to three groups: sham-operated mice (SHAM) treated with vehicle, OVX mice treated with vehicle (OVX), and OVX mice treated with CTLA-4Ig (CTLA-4Ig). Vehicle or CTLA-4Ig was injected intraperitoneally, starting immediately after surgery. After 4 weeks of treatment, mechanical sensitivity was examined, and the bilateral hind limbs were removed and evaluated by micro-computed tomography, immunohistochemical analyses, and messenger RNA expression analysis. Ovariectomy induced bone loss and mechanical hyperalgesia in the hindlimbs. CTLA-4Ig treatment prevented bone loss in the hindlimbs compared to vehicle administration in the OVX group. Moreover, mechanical hyperalgesia was significantly decreased in the CTLA-4Ig treatment group in comparison to the OVX group. The expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and sclerostin (SOST), as well as the number of osteoclasts, were increased, and the expression level of Wnt-10b was decreased in the OVX group compared with the SHAM group, whereas these parameters were improved in the CTLA-4Ig group compared with the OVX group. The novelty of this research is that CTLA-4Ig administration prevented bone loss and mechanical hyperalgesia induced by ovariectomy in the hindlimbs.     

Microwave Dielectric Study on Water Structure and Physical Properties of Aqueous Systems Using Time Domain Reflectometry with Flat-End Cells

Microwave dielectric measurements were performed in the frequency range from 1 mHz up to 30 GHz using a time domain reflectometry (TDR) method for emulsions and gels. Flat-end sample cells have been used in the TDR measurement to contact a small spot of the surface of those viscoelastic and solid samples without any destruction. Relaxation processes due to various water structures were observed for these aqueous systems. Relaxation parameters thus obtained offer information about these water structures and amounts. The relaxation strength obtained from the high frequency process due to free water can be an adequate measure of water content in spite of some ambiguities for different water structures in some materials. Comparisons of actual water contents in emulsion with those estimated from the relaxation strength indicate that water structure is affected by the interaction between water and micelle. Unfreezable water observed in DNA gel under the freezing point consists of bound water and a fraction of free water. Bound water molecules are still unfreezable to keep the double helical structure of DNA, when the fraction of free water is frozen at lower temperatures. These water structures determine physical properties of moist materials. TDR measuring technique with the flat-end cell is effective to investigate water structures in viscoelastic moist materials and to evaluate physical properties and structures of complex molecular systems.     

Computation of sintering stress and bulk viscosity from microtomographic images in viscous sintering of glass particles

Sintering stress and bulk viscosity were derived as functions of relative density from microtomographic images in viscous sintering of glass particles. Three methods were proposed to estimate the sintering stress from relative density, specific surface area, and average of curvature on pore surface, which were directly measured by X‐ray microtomography. The surface energy method gave valid value in the final stage of sintering, while the mixed method gave better estimation in the intermediate stage. For the initial stage of sintering, the sintering stress was calculated from the average contact radius and the average coordination number observed by X‐ray microtomography. The sintering stress at the final stage increased in free sintering, but it decreased in constrained sintering due to pore coarsening. The bulk viscosity was calculated from the shrinkage rate and the sintering stress.     

User-level Real-Time Network System on Microkernel-based Operating Systems

This paper presents the design and implementation of a user-level real-time network system in Real-Time Mach. Traditional network systems for microkernel based operating systems, which tend to focus on high performance and flexibility, are not suitable for real-time communication. Our network system provides a framework for implementing real-time network protocols which require to bound protocol processing time, and it is suitable for implementing on microkernel based operating systems. In this paper, we especially focus on the aspects to avoid the priority inversion problem in order to make network systems more preemptable and predictable. We also describe the feasibility of our network system for building distributed multimedia systems.     

The grand partition function of dilute biregular solutions

It has been demonstrated that the grand partition function (GPF) of biregular solutions contains in one single equation such thermodynamic principles as Henry's law, Raoult's law, the Gibbs-Duhem relation, Raoultian activity coefficients and their finite power series, Wagner's rec-iprocity, Schenck-Frohberg-Steinmetz's interchange, Lupis-Elliott's additivity, Mori-Morooka's disparity, and Darken's quadratic formalism. The logarithm of the Raoultian activity coefficient of species i, In γ_i should not be expressed by the Taylor series expansion, lest its truncation infringe the Gibbs-Duhem equation. The GPF methodology establishes that In γ_i, is not a vector but a scalar point function, free from any path dependence. While Darken's quadratic formalism employs three parameters to describe a ternary solution, the present biregularity approximation offers an alternative using seven empirical parameters, in case better accuracy is needed. Formerly Visiting Professor, Tohoku University, Japan     

An immunocytochemical analysis of a class-specific antibody response against Trichinella spiralis in humans

The response of different classes of antibodies against antigens of the muscle larvae of Trichinella spiralis was tested using an immunocytochemical approach. Ultrathin sections of resin-embedded larvae were treated with sera from patients with trichinosis, then exposed to a biotinated second antibody and stained with avidin-gold complex. Antibody of the M-class was a major component in the response against a slow-responding group of antigens that included stichocyte granules, the cuticle surface, and the esophagus-occupying substance; a minor component in the response against antigens of the rapid-responding group that included cuticle inner layers, hypodermis, hemolymph, and intestinal gland granules. The response of G-class antibody against the rapid-responding group of antigens was detected in all patients tested, while against the slow-responding group of antigens it was detected in only half of the patients, suggesting that an antibody shift from the M to the G class occurred in some patients. The results, obtained in humans, were similar to those we obtained previously in rats (J. Parasitology, 76,230-239, 1990), suggesting that the rat immune system can serve as an experimental model of human trichinosis.     

Chromatic dispersion measurements over a 50-km single-mode fiber

Chromatic dispersion has been measured over a 50-km-long single-mode fiber, using five sinusoidally modulated laser diodes. Results indicate that chromatic dispersion characteristics for single-mode fibers with 33-dB optical loss can be evaluated in the1.2-1.6-mum spectral region.     

Chemical prestress and strengths of reinforced concrete pipes using expansive concrete

An accurate estimation of chemical prestress of reinforced concrete pipes using expansive concrete was obtained by the theory of elasticity. Cracking strength and breaking strength of the pipes were also studied. The analysed results were confirmed by the prototype specimens of centrifugally compacted reinforced concrete pipes. Furthermore the merits of the reinforced concrete pipe cast with expansive concrete at inner side and ordinary concrete at outside were investigated and discussed.